Wednesday, August 17, 2011

100 Tips in 100 Days - Day 17

I just LOVE the smell of fabric softener. My husband once heard a joke how fabric softener is the way we gals 'mark our territory'. Funny how this might be true for many of us. Smell is probably our most powerful sense linked to emotion and memory so why not make it a good one? Along with enhancing your life with great aroma, fabric softener has some other clever uses as I discovered in the following article by T. Barber on www.rd.com.

 photo from bing images

I will add my own tip this time. If you have a difficult time getting your clothes to dry due to humidity, use softener every other time you wash. This will speed up your drying time and save you some money.

Fabulous Uses for Fabric Softener

Remove old wallpaperRemoving old wallpaper is a snap with fabric softener. Just stir 1 cap-full liquid softener into 1 quart (1 liter) water and sponge the solution onto the wallpaper. Let it soak in for 20 minutes, then scrape the paper from the wall. If the wallpaper has a water-resistant coating, score it with a wire-bristle brush before treating with the fabric softener solution.

Abolish carpet shockTo eliminate static shock when you walk across your carpet, spray the carpet with a fabric softener solution. Dilute 1 cup softener with 2 1/2 quarts (2.5 liters) water; fill a spray bottle and lightly spritz the carpet. Take care not to saturate it and damage the carpet backing. Spray in the evening and let the carpet dry overnight before walking on it. The effect should last for several weeks.
Remove hair-spray residueDried-on overspray from hair spray can be tough to remove from walls and vanities, but even a buildup of residue is no match for a solution of 1 part liquid fabric softener to 2 parts water. Stir to blend, pour into a spray bottle, spritz the surface, and polish it with a dry cloth.
Clean now, not laterClean glass tables, shower doors, and other hard surfaces, and repel dust with liquid fabric softener. Mix 1 part softener into 4 parts water and store in a squirt bottle, such as an empty dishwashing liquid bottle. Apply a little solution to a clean cloth, wipe the surface, and then polish with a dry cloth.
Float away baked-on grimeForget scrubbing. Instead, soak burned-on foods from casseroles with liquid fabric softener. Fill the casserole with water, add a squirt of liquid fabric softener, and soak for an hour, or until residue wipes easily away.
Keep paintbrushes pliableAfter using a paintbrush, clean the bristles thoroughly and rinse them in a coffee can full of water with a drop of liquid fabric softener mixed in. After rinsing, wipe the bristles dry and store the brush as usual.
Remove hard-water stainsHard-water stains on windows can be difficult to remove. To speed up the process, dab full-strength liquid fabric softener onto the stains and let it soak for 10 minutes. Then wipe the softener and stain off the glass with a damp cloth and rinse.
Make your own fabric softener sheetsFabric softener sheets are convenient to use, but they’re no bargain when compared to the price of liquid softeners. You can make your own dryer sheets and save money. Just moisten an old wash-cloth with 1 teaspoon liquid softener and toss it into the dryer with your next load.

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