Plastic Shopping Bags Uses and Storage

I know many of you have already started using those wonderful reusable "green bags" when you go shopping.  But, if you are like me, sometimes I get to the store and realize I forgot them.  Or, you are just running in for a couple items and you forget them in the car or don't want to bother for such a small order.  You opt for plastic over paper and now you have some of those plastic shopping bags.  Most would maybe reuse it in it's original form to carry things once or twice, recycle it, or toss it, but I have found some great additional uses for these bags that save me money.  I also found a great way to store them so they don't take up too much room either.

1. Free trash liners for your bathroom trash cans.
2. If you have cats, they are perfect little trash bags for scooping the litter clumps.
3. If you are already recycling or composting, you probably don't have half as much kitchen trash as you used to.  Why do you still need the industrial size trash can in your kitchen?  Downsize to a 3 gallon/11 liter waste basket, roughly the size you might use under a desk.  The plastic bags fit perfectly so you don't need to purchase kitchen trash bags anymore, either. Just make sure the bag doesn't have a hole in the bottom or you might end up with a mess if you put wet stuff in the trash.  Mine fits perfectly under my sink, so its out of sight and the pets can't get into it.  With these smaller size trash cans, you might even have room under your sink for a separate trash and recycle waste basket.  This will make it more convenient to recycle, so you will be more likely to do it.  With a smaller trash container, obviously, it will fill up a little quicker than a big one, but you will be able to keep smells to a minimum inside your home since you will be taking the trash out more frequently.



Upcycled plastic baskets by bagsagain.etsy.com

4. This one might be a stretch for some of you to make yourself, but I have actually seen people cut these into long strips like yarn and knit, crochet, or weave them into rugs, beach bags, purses, place mats, baskets, accessories, and other amazing creations.  Check out some some of these very affordable items others have made out of plastic shopping bags that are for sale on etsy.com  They will blow your mind!!  Some Etsy sellers even sell patterns for those of you who might want to try to make some of these, and "yarn" that is already pre-made for these creations, if you don't want to take the time to cut it up yourself.

Now that I have you thinking a little differently about these plastic shopping bags, here's my trick to making them compact for easy storage.  

1. Stick a couple fingers of your right hand through the handles of the bag.  Keep your fingers in these holes the whole time until right at the end at step #4.
2. Using your left hand, starting near the handles, smooth and pull the bag into a long plastic strip.
3. Grasp the "bottom" of the bag with your left hand and with a twisting wrist action, roll the bottom of the bag up around two fingers on your left hand all the way up to the handles creating a little "ball" around your left hand fingers and twisting the bag around your right fingers creating a small "loop"
4. Flip the "loop" from the handles around your right hand fingers over the "ball" wrapped around your left hand fingers.  This will keep this tight little ball secured and compact for easy storage.  
5. A small box, basket, or drawer will hold a ton of them in this compact form until you are ready to use them.  Simply unhook the loop, unwind, and they are ready to use again.

Anti-bacterial Hand Gels and Dry Hands

Do you suffer from dry cracked hands?  Do you carry around a little bottle or hand sanitizer gel, or keep them in your car, around the house, etc?  Do you know that the main ingredient in these gels is alcohol? 

Habitually putting these hand sanitizer alcohol based gels on your hands can really dry out your skin causing rough, and painful chafing and cracking.  If you are worried about germs, did you know that properly washing your hands with regular, not even anti-bacterial soap, is just as effective at killing and removing germs as all that expensive anti-bacterial stuff?  All this anti-bacterial everything really is not helping anything except contributing to building up the defenses of super germs and bacteria that eventually become resistant to these products, while severely drying out your skin.

Instead of grabbing the anti-bacterial hand gel or anti-bacterial soap, opt for the simple old fashioned soap hand washing, if it's available.  It might seem like a simple thing, but surprisingly, most people do not know how to properly wash their hands to make it most effective.  Here is a good article that breaks it down as a simple reminder we call can use.  5 Steps to Effective Hand-Washing

The best non-drying soaps are cold processed super-fatted soaps containing ingredients such as goats milk, olive oil, shea butter, or jojoba, just to mention a few.  These true soaps typically contain excess oils, which have not been converted to soap that help moisturize and clean at the same time.  Most mass produced conventional "soap" bars are really detergent bars.  Many times the manufactures remove the moisturizing natural occurring glycerin produced during the soap making process and turn it into lotion, which is then resold as a separate product for a much higher price per ounce.  These "detergent bars" can also cause your skin to dry out with excess use, since it also removes the natural oils in your skin as it washes away the dirt and germs.

If you prefer liquid soaps, don't go for the clear soaps.  These may be pretty, but they can also be contributing to your dry skin.  These clear soaps do not contain any excess oils which have not been saponified, or turned into soap.  That is why they are clear.  Instead, opt for the others you cannot see through. These typically are more moisturizing since the excess unsaponified oils give them a more creamy appearance.

In addition to some wonderful natural lotions now available, you can also try some home remedies you might already have in your kitchen to keep your hands and skin protected and moisturized.  After washing or soaking your hands, apply a little olive oil or coconut oil to your hands.  You don't need much or you won't be able to open a door knob for a while. :o)  Just a drop or two will help seal in the moisture and absorb into your skin helping to heal and prevent those dreaded dry and cracking hands.  An extra rub into your cuticles works great, too.  If you happen to have any tamanu oil, which I went into more detail in a previous post Must Have for your Medicine Cabinet, this will really help speed up the healing process of dry cracked hands and protect your skin at the same time.

Microwave Potato Chips

You read the title correctly.  Yes, you can actually make crunchy chips in the microwave.  I was watching a Dr. Oz episode and was inspired by one of the kitchen gadgets he was showcasing.  Being the frugal person I am, I thought, "Why spend the money on the gadget?"  Who needs another gadget cluttering up their kitchen, anyway?

Slice the potatoes paper thin.  If you have a mandolin slicer already, that is the perfect tool used on the thinnest slice setting.  Place a reusable non-stick silicone baking sheet in your microwave and turn off the turn table to keep it from spinning.  Place your potato slices on the sheet making sure to not over lap.  Sprinkle with a little sea salt, then nuke on high for 2-3 minutes.  The time will vary based on how thin your slices are and the power of your microwave.  If they turn out a little chewy and not crunchy, your chips are either cut too thick or it needs to cook a little longer.  If they are cooked a little too long, they will taste a bit burned.  Play around with a few small batches until you get it just right.  They are delicious, light & airy, and much healthier than any fried chip.

You can also try this trick with a variety of veggies & fruits like sweet potatoes, apples, pears, or other root veggies like parsnips, beets, etc.  Check out some of the variations you see in the snack aisle for inspiration. You will probably have to play around a little to find the perfect cook times for each type.  I found with apples, and other items that have a higher sugar content, the sweeter they were, the more likely they had a tendency to be a bit more chewy than crunchy, but they are still delicious.  With the apples, I found putting them in for 1 minute and 50 seconds, flipping them, then putting them in for another 30 seconds came out the best.

It's much quicker than a dehydrator, so you can make them fresh whenever you get the craving.  I haven't tried it yet, but I would think they would store for a few days at room temperature in an airtight container or baggie. I'm sure you could also do the same thing in the oven on a low bake setting, but when you don't want to wait or heat up your kitchen, try this instead.  Imagine the possibilities!

Double it Up to Save Time and Energy

When you do take the time to cook dinner, why not make a batch twice as large as you actually need for that day?  This way you only really cook once and can heat up left overs on a night when you are too tired or pressed for time to cook.  You only need to turn your oven or stove on once instead of twice.  Your microwave uses much less power to reheat your meal.

Package your left overs in convenient sizes that serve one person.  I recommend the low cost stackable containers so many companies sell now.  Why invest in expensive ones when the cheapies last quite a long time and if you want to send home leftovers with a friend, they don't have to worry about returning your container.  Many containers that you might normally toss in the recycle bin will work also, think sliced lunch meat.  I personally like ones that are somewhat see through so you can see how large the portion is without opening it and you remember that it's not something else when you go back to find your leftovers later without having to notice the label.  Label them with a piece of scotch tape and a sharpie, so you know what it is, and don't forget the date you made it.  The labels will peel off easily later and they are super inexpensive.  If you don't eat your leftovers in a day or two, pop it in the freezer.  On those busier days, open up the freezer and you have a smorgasbord of healthy options to pick from with a delicious homemade taste, which are ready in minutes.  Just like a restaurant, each person can pick their favorite because you thought ahead and froze them in individual serving sizes. They heat up quicker in the microwave this way, too.  Pop them onto a plate or in a bowl.  Never heat your leftovers in plastic containers or use plastic wrap in the microwave because harmful chemicals, like BPA, leach from the plastic into your food when heated.  Cover with a paper towel if it will have a tendency to splatter.  Prevent the mess now and you have less to clean up later.  Your personalized healthy meals will be ready in minutes.

Pre-made store bought microwave meals are expensive, even with coupons, and typically don't include too many veggies or contain very small portions of protein.  Overall, most are lacking in the nutrition department.  They are usually carbohydrate heavy, since carbs are cheaper for companies to produce and they help fill you up, so you think you had a good size portion for your money. Unfortunately, these simple carbs, like white rice, regular white flour pasta, or breads like in a pizza crust, cause your blood sugar to spike shortly after eating them.  In an hour or two your blood sugar will crash causing you to feel hungry again.  Then you start craving the stuff you probably shouldn't be eating and start packing on the pounds.  When you do the cooking, if you go a little heavier on the veggies, add complex carbs like brown rice, whole grain flour items, or add a normal size protein portion, the meals are much healthier for you and will fill you up just as well, or even better, but keep also your blood sugar normalized without the crash and subsequent cravings later.

Healthier Soft Drink Alternatives

Have you been trying to cut back on your soft drink consumption to either lose weight, save money, or just be healthier.  Me too.  Here are some suggestions you might want to try to bring some variety into your choices and make it a little easier to opt for the healthier choice:

I'll bet most of you have a coffee machine.  When you are done with your morning cup of joe, the machine sits there lonely all day.  Put it to use making a batch of iced tea.  You don't need any special machines like some companies would like to make you believe.  You already own it.

In the spot where you normally put your coffee filter, place the tea bags, with no additional filter, fill up your water reservoir to the top and let her rip.  For a 2 quart container, 4 regular sized tea bags or 2 family sized tea bags are a good start.  For a gallon container, try 3-4 family sized bags.  Adjust the number of tea bags to your taste.  If your coffee pot has an extra feature for brewing smaller pots of coffee, like 1-4 cups, turn this on as well.  It will preheat the water a bit more making the brew a little stronger.  In the meantime, fill up your drink pitcher half way with ice.  When it's done brewing, pour the hot tea over the ice and top off with additional water, if needed.  If you like it sweet, now is the time to add your sweetener, then give it a stir.  Instead of sugar, you might want to try a no calorie natural sweetener made from the stevia plant, like Truvia, or an other alternative sweetener like Agave Nectar, which has a lower glycemic index, which means it will not spike your blood sugar as much as regular sugar does.  Personally, I keep mine unsweetened, so everyone can make theirs the way they like it, or just drink it unsweetened.  Agave nectar also dissolves better in cold liquids, since its a syrup instead of crystals, so it can easily be added later.

Have you ever noticed how many different types of teas are out there?  Every type I tried is also great iced.  Think of how many options you have: green, black, oolong, spiced like chai, fruit blends, herbals like peppermint or chamomile, rooibos, and so many in between!  Many have wonderful health benefits as an added bonus.  Don't forget, if you are trying to cut back on your caffeine intake, opt for the decaf versions or one of the herbal, rooibos, or fruit types.  Maybe even try a half-caf version, half regular tea bags an half decaf tea bags, to start to ween yourself off your caffeine habit.

If you are missing the little bubbles in your soft drinks, try some of the flavored seltzer waters on the market now.  Beware of the ones containing artificial sweeteners.  For a cheaper alternative try the unflavored seltzer waters, the store brands are just as good, and add a splash of cranberry, pomegranate, orange, or grapefruit juice, or squeeze a lemon or lime in for some added flavor.  If you go for the fruit juices, read the labels and try to choose ones that have no added sugars and are 100% juice.  Use your imagination.  You might just find a new favorite.

Painting Tip

When you are working on a painting job, and it time to quit for the day, but you are far from finished, DON'T rinse out your paint brush.  WHAT?!!  You heard me right.

When you are using a latex or oil based paint, you can simply wrap up the bristles in plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge.  The moist, cold environment will prevent the paint from curing.  Have you ever noticed most paint cans will tell you not to paint when the temperature is too cold?  That's why.  You can even keep them in the fridge for a few days, if you need to, and they will not dry up on you.  I've even done it for up to a week with no problems.  When you are ready to get back to your project, unwrap and you are ready to go.  This way you waste less paint, too.

This tip is a great one for those weekend warriors out there.  Have you ever noticed when you did wash out your brush the night before and it wasn't dry the next time you picked it up, it causes all kinds of annoying problems.  For instance, the water remaining in the brush waters down your latex paint, so your coverage is not consistent.  It also causes messy drips running down the handle of your brush if you are painting above shoulder level.  Don't rinse out your brush each time, and these problems are eliminated.

This tip also works for rollers, too!

Restless Legs driving you buggy?

I used to have restless legs.  (Notice the past tense?)  I found an easy, fast, and cheap way to say "Good-bye" to restless legs.  I don't know how many nights I would be sitting on the couch at night watching TV, trying to relax, and I felt like I just couldn't keep my legs in one spot for too long without moving them.  It's hard to describe.  Just a nagging need to move them every few minutes.  Are you a restless sleeper?  Could be the same thing making you stir all night long and keeping you from a good night's sleep.

While researching info for my Dad's osteoporosis, after he broke is hip this summer, I stumbled upon this.  I found that restless legs are likely a symptom of magnesium deficiency.  Some of you may already know that magnesium is a key element in calcium absorption, very important for building strong bones.  Through my research I found references to studies on people living in parts of the world where osteoporosis is almost non-existent in the population.  Really?!  The factor that appears to be the key is the ratio of magnesium to calcium in their diets.  In those populations, the diets consisted of a large percentage of fresh veggies, especially green leafy veggies, and essentially no processed foods in their diets at all.  They live off the land.  The ratio in their diets of magnesium to calcium was typically 2:1 or even 3:1, 2 to 3 times as much magnesium as calcium.

In the typical American diet, so many foods, especially veggies, are over processed, grown in soil that has been leached of many important vitamins and minerals, or we just don't eat enough veggies.  Organic veggies have far more nutrients than conventionally grown, primarily due to the soil they are grown in.  The typical ratio of magnesium to calcium in the American diet is 1:2, twice as much calcium as magnesium.  The focus with many food manufacturers is supplementing things such as milk, cereals, etc. with calcium, but no mention of magnesium.  If our food wasn't so overly processed, the good stuff would still be in there and wouldn't need supplementing.  Without enough magnesium, the calcium cannot absorb into the bones properly, resulting in brittle bones.  Too much calcium, with no way to absorb it all, and your body starts depositing it in parts of the body where it shouldn't be, such as in breast tissue, muscles, and blood vessels.  Ever heard of calcification in the breast tissue when you have gotten your mammograms done?  The doctors and radiologists watch these calcifications very closely, since many times they are a precursor to abnormal breast cell growth or even breast cancer. 

Researchers estimate that about 1 out of 5 American women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis. About half of all women over the age of 50 will have a fracture of the hip, wrist, or vertebra (bones of the spine).  Obviously, whatever most of us are doing in America is not working very well.  Those heavily advertised, expensive, pharmaceutical solutions are not the solution, either.  They come with a whole new set of issues.

Enough of the background of why and how.  Here is the solution I found that worked for my restless legs:  Supplement your diet with Magnesium, if you are not getting enough.  Not all forms of magnesium supplements are equal, though.  Many of the cheaper forms of magnesium that many vitamin manufacturers include in multivitamins, surprisingly, either don't include enough magnesium or use a form that is not easily absorbed.  Look for 100% Chelated Magnesium.  Also, when considering and comparing the strength of the supplement, the important numbers to look for is the "Elemental" Magnesium.  Any other numbers are really not important.  I found a supplement by Doctor's Best brand that contains 200 mg Elemental Chelated Magnesium in 2 tablets.  Depending on your deficiency, you will likely feel improvement in your restless legs, as well as your sleeping habits, after only 2 to 3 days.  I started with 2 pills twice a day.  Once in the morning, and once before bed.  After you improve your deficiency, you will likely need to cut back on your dosage to maybe only one pill, once a day, maybe less if you are getting more by adding more green leafy veggies to your diet.  You will know if you are getting more than your body needs if you start having soft bowel movements.  Remember the old ads for Milk of Magnesia?  Yes, magnesium is the active ingredient.  So, it will help you go if you are feeling a little stopped up, too.  Everyone is different and everyone's diet will vary, too, so your adjust your dosage accordingly.

You may even want to stop supplementing your calcium for a period of time, to be able to get your ratios in check.  Some doctors have suggested that their research has shown by stopping calcium supplementation (relying on calcium from only dietary sources) and focusing on magnesium supplementation, osteoperosis can be slowed, stopped or even reversed.  Some doctors also have suggested that this will cause your body to pull calcium from parts of your body where it has built up, but shouldn't have, and draw it into your bones where it needs to be.  Some other vitamins that are also key in this process are vitamins K2, and D3.  Important vitamins that many Americans are also typically deficient in.  Direct sun exposure for 15-20 minutes a day without sunscreen is a very good source of vitamin D.  Vitamin K is also found in high percentages in leafy greens.  Dad will be going back for another bone scan in a few months.  It will be interesting to see how his diet changes and supplements have changed his bone density over the year's time.

Impromptu Oriental Stir-Fry

Got some odds and ends veggies you don't know what to do with?  Maybe some left over meat, noodles or rice?  It's Oriental night!  Why do take-out if you probably have everything you need already?  You can make the dish as simple or as complicated as you like, depending on what you have available and your taste.

Even if you don't have the left over noodles or rice, in the time it takes to cook up a batch, you can have them ready by the time you get your veggies all chopped up and ready to throw in the wok.  If you don't have left over meat that you could dice up, it would be nice if you had a little plan earlier in the day to marinate some raw meat in soy sauce or something similar, but it is not a must.  Any kind will do, chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, even diced canned spam.  Yes, I said the "S" word.  American's typically turn up their noses, and it probably isn't the healthiest thing I will ever suggest, but it is packed with flavor and very reasonably priced.  Did you know spam is one of the most popular meat products world wide?  It is especially popular in Oriental dishes.  Once in a blue moon won't kill you.  Just don't make it a regular staple in your diet and you will likely be just fine. Even if you don't have meat, you can just do vegetarian or scramble up a few eggs, pour them into a fry pan, without stirring, let them cook up into a flat sheet, then dice up and set to the side until you are ready to add later.  You could also do some form of tofu.  Personally, I don't like that stuff, so I couldn't tell you what to do with it. :o)

As far as a recipe, you have my permission to a JUST WING IT!  If you like the veggie, you will likely like it in your dish.  The tricks to getting it to taste right are:

• Cut the pieces small enough to cook quickly and evenly.  Cutting thin and on a diagonal works well.
• Use an oil that can tolerate higher heat such as peanut oil or coconut oil
• Cook with high to medium-high heat and keep things moving
• Add the ingredients in the order from "takes longer to cook" to "takes just a minute to cook"
• Don't overcook and make your veggies mushy, a little crunch in some of the them is always more interesting in the overall texture of the dish
• Except for the meat, don't season until its just about ready to serve to avoid burning

Start with heating up your wok or large skillet. You could probably even get away with a large stock pot, but it would not be ideal.  Add a tablespoon or two of oil.  When it starts to run around the pan easily, you are ready to go.  A good basic start is some carrots, celery, broccoli or other veggies that take a little longer to cook - cook a minute or two, stirring frequently.  Then add ingredients that take a less time to cook, such as cabbage, meat, mushrooms, pea pods, peppers, onions, scallions, fresh ginger, minced garlic - cook a few minutes longer, don't forget to keep stirring.  Then add the last ingredients that cook quickly or just need to be heated such as shrimp, zucchini, yellow squash, bean sprouts, diced fried scrambled egg, etc.  Stir around another couple minutes till cooked through, but veggies still have a little crunch to them.  Turn down heat to keep warm, but not burn or over cook.

Now you are ready to add your cooked noodles, or rice, and seasonings.  Any kind of noodles will do, from the everyday spaghetti, or linguini noodles, to something a little more exotic, like rice noodles, soba noodles, etc.  You could even use the noodles in the little cheap ramen packs.  If you choose rice instead of noodles, a less sticky rice is better, but any variety will do.  Just cook your choice, per the package directions, before adding to your veggie/meat mixture.

The seasonings are all a matter of what you like, also.  If you didn't have fresh ginger or garlic earlier, you could add some powdered ginger or garlic, or any combination of the following: soy sauce or tamari, or sesame seeds.  For a more authentic flavor, try some seasonings that may not be as familiar such as: sesame seed oil (just a tad since the flavor is quite strong), mirin (sweet cooking seasoning), rice vinegar, or ketjap manis (sweet soy sauce).  If you like your dish to have a little kick, try adding some crushed red pepper, Chinese mustard, sriracha hot chili sauce, or a chili paste such as sambal oelek.  The latter of the two have quite a potent kick, so use very sparingly until you get a feel for the heat they have.  You can always add more, but its not so easy to take out.  Once you think you have a good bit of flavor in it, taste it and adjust as needed.  If you want to thicken the sauce a bit, dissolve a teaspoon or so of corn starch in a tablespoon of cool water in a separate container.  With the seasoned veggie mixture over medium heat, slowly add the corn starch water mixture to the sauce in the bottom of the pan, while stirring constantly.  As sauce heats up it will thicken.  Don't add all the corn starch mixture at one time.  Put in a little bit, wait till it starts to thicken, then add a little more if it needs it to get it just right.


Once you try this a time or two, you will get a feel for what you like.  You might even feel a little adventurous and try some veggies next time that you have maybe seen before, but didn't know what to do with, like napa cabbage, bok choy, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby corn, and so many other oriental veggies you might find in a specialty store.   Your dish will be ready before you could have picked up the phone and waited for the delivery man.  You used up odd and ends instead of maybe throwing them out in a few days, and no tipping required.  Remember, to follow the basic rules, have fun, and add a pinch of love and it always turns out tasty!  Just like take-out, it makes great leftovers, too.

Removing Red Wine Stains

Aw, Man!  You just dripped red wine on your shirt, or worse yet, on your friend's light colored carpet.  Don't panic, but don't let it sit there too long, either.  First try to dab up the excess with something absorbent, like a white paper towel, or a clean rag.  Don't rub, Dab.  Also, try not to spread the stain over a larger area in the process.  Now you need two basic things you will likely find in any household:

• a bottle of dish soap, the kind with the squirty pop top, 
• and a bottle of plain old cheap hydrogen peroxide

Did you know that the size opening and threading on most dish soap bottles is exactly the same as the ones used on pretty much every hydrogen peroxide bottle?  Divine intervention?  Maybe?  Here's the trick....  Unscrew the pop top from the soap bottle, don't rinse the soap off of it, then screw it right onto the hydrogen peroxide bottle.  You now have the perfect tool for your wine removal.  The little bit of dish soap remaining on the pop top works with the hydrogen peroxide so you can apply it exactly where it needs to go.  Use the tip of the bottle to gently massage the fabric or carpet to get between the fibers and remove the stain.  If on a carpet, use a clean white paper towel or clean rag to soak up the excess liquid as you go, so the carpet doesn't get too soaked.  Like magic, the soap and peroxide mixture makes the stain almost vanish before your eyes.  After the stain has disappeared, rinse with cool, clean water and dab up the excess with a different clean white paper towel or clean rag.

Many online cleaning tips tell you to mix up a batch of this and that, using up a bulk of the hydrogen peroxide solution, and getting out more mixing stuff than what you actually need.  Don't waste time or more supplies than you really need.  The pop top allows for precision placement of your cleaning solution with little to no waste.

I used this trick for one of my parent's friends over the holidays.  They were shocked at how simple and quick it worked.  This trick will work on colored fabrics as well, but make sure you rinse it afterwards.  It will also work on many more organic type stains that are typically tough to get out.  Hydrogen peroxide is very similar to the active ingredient in cleaners like Clorox 2, so it will also be safe on most color fabrics.  On your fancier fabrics, you might want to spot test on a hidden area, just to make sure, but I've never found a problem when I have used it... knock on wood!

Repairing a Frozen or Sticking Deadbolt

My husband went to open the back door last week.  The deadbolt turned a little bit, then completely froze up.  We couldn't turn it either way without feeling like we were going to break the key off in the lock.  Yours might not be that stuck, maybe its just sticking or not too easy to turn.  Don't call the repair man, grab a philips screwdriver, the one with the X on the top, and a can of WD-40 spray lubricant.

Most deadbolts have two screws on the inside of the deadbolt, the side facing the inside of the door.  Loosen those screws and put them in a safe place close by so you don't loose them.  Righty-Tighty, Lefty-Loosey is how you can remember which way to turn.  As you open up the lock, pay attention to how all the parts fit together and where they are located to help you know where they need to go back in just a minute.  There will likely be two parts, the decorative cover and the round part the key fits into, if you have that type.  Or if you have the kind that has a knob that turns, it might be all one piece.  There will be a long stick part coming off of this piece that fits into a squarish opening in the part that stays in the door.  Set those pieces to the side.

Grab your can of WD-40 and spray all inside the lock mechanism over any part that looks like it will move.  Point the can inside the opening at a few different angles, to make sure you get everything.  Using your screwdriver, place the tip into the squarish opening that the stick like part had fit into.  Turn to the right and to the left to see if you can get the lock parts to move again.  They should start to move now.  You should be able to open the door now.  Spray a little more lubricant into the lock and add some more on the deadbolt on the side of the door.  Continue to turn the deadbolt locked and unlocked with your screwdriver until the mechanisms move freely.  Now it's time to reassemble.

On my particular model lock, the squarish stick part has one slightly rounded side.  The opening in the door will have the same.  You will need to line up the sides of the square so they fit properly, but don't forget the decorative cover, if your model has the two pieces.  Now reinsert the piece.  This might be a little easier if the lock is either in the completely locked position, or completely unlocked position, instead of somewhere in between.  You might not get it lined up exactly the first time, but be patient, you can do it.  Fit the pieces back in place.  Reinsert the screws and tighten them up.


You did it!  The lock likely just needed a little lubricant or there was dirt and dust in the moving parts making it stick.  Congratulations! You just saved yourself some money and a call to the repair man.  Now that was easy, wasn't it?!

Slay Soap Scum

A wet sponge and the good old fashioned 20 Mule Team Borax blasts through soap scum and hard water spots better than any spray I've used.  Even better than other powder cleaners I've used.  With little to no elbow grease, soap scum is history.  Give a little rinse and your shower doors and tiles are nice shiny.  It's cheap and found in the laundry aisle of your local supermarket or big box store.  I've tried other "green" cleaning concoctions of baking soda with vinegar and water, but those still required quite a bit of elbow grease and I wasn't completely satisfied with the results.  Borax works so much better.

Must Have for your Medicine Cabinet

My favorite thing in my medicine cabinet is Tamanu Oil.  You say, "What is that?  I've never heard of that before!  How can something I have never heard of before be a must have in my medicine cabinet?  If its so great why haven't I heard of it?"  I really think the many doctors, pharmaceutical companies, personal care and first aide product companies don't want to spread the word because they would lose too much business.  Either that, or they just don't know about it.  That is my personal take on it anyway.  It is a cold pressed oil, think olive oil, that comes from a nut that grows in Southeast Asia.

100% Cold Pressed Organic Tamanu oil is truly amazing.  I first heard about it from an expert in lesser known natural medical alternatives from around the world who appeared on the Dr. Oz Show.  I don't even remember his name, but I would sure like to thank him.  He said that it was good for everything about the skin.  Being a soap maker, I was intrigued.  I searched for it on the Internet to find out more about it, then ended up ordering some online.  That was the best money I have spent in a long time.

Tamanu oil has an amazing variety of properties that you don't find in too many products all at the same time.  It works as an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antibiotic, and anti-microbial topical treatment.  It will even help lighten age spots and reduce the appearance of scars, and it smells good too.  I thought it sounded too good to be true, but I wanted to try it anyway.  I use it for minor cuts, scrapes, rashes, burns, minor abrasions of the skin, etc.  It really seems to speed healing by a few days in many cases, takes the sting out of the "ouchies" almost immediately, reduces the typical itching sensation you typically get with healing or scabbing because the oil keeps it moist and prevents cracking and drying of the area, and the little scars you sometimes get with nastier boo-boos are non-existent.  It will clear up minor blemishes and even acne in just a few days!  If you can get it up and under and around the nail, it will even help eliminate toe nail fungus, the culprit in common toe nail discoloration. (Must be applied 2-3 times a day till the nail grows out.)  Just imagine how many creams, ointments, lotions, prescriptions, and co-pays you could eliminate with just one product! I'm hearing some major jingle in those pockets, not to mention eliminate some clutter in the bathroom!  Those benefits were already impressive, but let me tell you about two other applications that totally blew my mind and saved who knows how much money in medical expenses. 

When my daughter was 4, she went through a phase, like most kids, where she had a bad habit of picking her nose.  Despite the seemingly continual attempts to stop this habit, it continued for quite a while.  At one point I noticed she had gotten a little red, raw looking area just below her nose.  By the next day, the area below her nose had doubled in size and small areas on her arms and even her legs and torso were starting to appear the same way.  She complained of severe itching and couldn't keep her hands off.  My husband recognized this as something he had seen growing up called impetigo, also commonly called infantigo.  My mom, who had worked for a Dermatologist, also agreed.  This is a VERY aggressive bacterial infection that spreads like wildfire.

Now it was Saturday, and the doctor's office is closed.  What to do?  I looked up this infection online to see what to expect, how it is typically treated, and how I could ease my daughter's symptoms until the doctor's office opened on Monday.  Online I found that no home remedies were suggested except washing hands very well and all the time to help reduce spreading, and the typical treatment was high does of systemic antibiotics over a week or two, maybe longer, and the resulting scars typically take months to disappear, and may be permanent.  I freaked!  With the size of the one area alone, right below her nose, I could only imagine the torment she would face if that scar was there for an extended period of time.  I remembered that I had the Tamanu oil, and all of its claims to be antibacterial, antibiotic, and helps improve the appearance of scars.  I applied it with a cotton ball immediately to all the areas I could find in a head to toe search, including using a cotton swab to get the area up her nostril to make sure it didn't spread up that way, as well.  I applied it 3 times a day.  The itching eased, which stopped the scratching and resulting spreading.  By the next morning, Sunday, the redness had totally gone out of all the areas and I didn't find any new areas.  This was a major improvement considering how rapidly the areas spread over 24 hours the day before.  I was feeling relieved and amazed that I had seemed to get it under control, but my husband was still freaking out and encouraging me to get her in to the doctor Monday morning.  He had seen such bad cases on his brothers as a child, that he didn't want to take any chances.  By Sunday evening, many of the areas had started to scab, and some of the minor areas had even started to shrink or disappear!  I couldn't believe my eyes.  The improvement was so dramatic, that by Monday, I didn't even call the doctor.  Even my husband had agreed that it looked like it was well on its way to recovery, so much so that we probably wouldn't need the doctor after all.  By the end of the week, even the initial spot under her nose and a large area behind her knee had healed up so well you couldn't even tell it was ever there!  The only clue was that her legs had been pretty tan and some of the skin around the spot on her leg was not as tan.  Truly AMAZING!

Without getting this post too long, I also would like to tell you about my dad, a diabetic since age 24, now in his 70s.  He used Tamanu oil for a nasty injury on his big toe that seemed like it was not healing at all.  He has neuropathy in his feet, nerve damage common in diabetics, so he didn't feel it when something heavy dropped on his big toe.  It got all swelled up, black and blue and red, and appeared to be infected.  After a few days of showing little to no improvement, they were considering having a doctor check it out.  Diabetics have a difficult time healing in their extremities typically anyway, but this really didn't look good at all.  I was worried that if it didn't get better, it could turn into gang green and may ultimately end up getting amputated.  Unfortunately, this is not that uncommon for diabetics.  I carefully applied the tamanu oil to every area I could get to, and applied it generously around the nail area so I would seep under the nail.  Told my parents to apply it 2-3 times a day and keep it elevated.  By the next day a majority of the redness and swelling was showing significant improvement.  Finally!  Long story short, in a matter of a couple of weeks, it had healed up beautifully.  Lost the nail, but that was expected.  That was quicker than most scratches heal up on his legs.  We couldn't believe it.

A little goes a long way with this stuff, and it has a shelf life of 12-18 months, so don't buy too much.  I have had mine a little longer, and it still seems to be working fine, but I don't know how much longer it will hold up.  When I bought mine, the best price I could find, figuring in shipping, was at http://mountainroseherbs.com/.  There are other places that sell it also, so check around for the best price.  Hope you give it a try and experience the amazing healing powers of this natural oil personally.  By the way, I was not paid for this endorsement.  I am simply speaking from experience and hope my experience can help you out as well.

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