6 Crazy Tips You've Never Heard That Work
866 Crazy Tips You've Never Heard Before
I am basically lazy. Yes, I admit it. If I can find an easier way to do anything, I add the helpful tip to my list and my face breaks into a huge smile. I am also a "security guard" for Mother Nature and have been switching over to the natural, Eco-friendly way of doing things.
Being the oldest in my family and the care-taker too, I grew up cleaning, cooking and taking responsibility for everyone's welfare. At the age of 11, I even painted the out side of our entire little white-framed house that Daddy built. I did this all by myself. I was ashamed and embarrassed that we were poor and tried to do what I could to camouflage that fact.
Little did I know, that one day, all the little tricks I learned for "keeping house" would not only come in handy one day, but would even inspire me to write a hub. I never for a moment, thought that the daily tasks I performed I would someday share with anyone at all.
These 6 crazy tips were taught to me by my Grandma Fellows, my Mother and Father and sometimes simply necessity.
Summer Pests
Mosquitoes’, bees, yellow-jackets, wasps and hornets are all part of the summer season. And I, for one intend to enjoy the beautiful out-doors without getting “eaten alive” by the dreaded mosquito. Yellow jackets, wasps and hornets love to gather at my back door just waiting for me to take a step out side. But guess what? Last summer I discovered a simple, Eco-friendly way to discourage them from hangin’ out at my house forever.
Crazy Tip #1 - The dreaded wasp
This tip works like a charm and is a great way to recycle plastic bags.
1. Fill a small to medium brown paper bag with 3 or 4 plastic bags (crumple the plastic bags).
2. Tie the top of the paper bag with string or twine, leaving enough string to hang up. Hang the filled bag just below the eaves, or wherever wasps, hornets or yellow jackets hang out. The wasps think it's a nest and will not fly near it. It works on a very simple principle: wasps avoid the nests of other wasps. By giving the appearance of a real wasp nest, any nearby wasps will keep their distance, commonly about 20' or further.
I am happy to report that I have been hornet free for years.
Remedies for Bee Stings
Crazy tip #2 ~ Bee Sting
If there are a thousand people at a picnic, and only one person gets stung, that one person will be me.
According to wikipedia,
A bee sting strictly means a sting from a bee(honey bee, bumblebee, sweat bee, etc). In the vernacular it can mean a sting of a bee, wasp,hornet, or yellow jacket. Some people may even call the bite of a horse-fly a bee sting. The stings of most of these species can be quite painful, and are therefore an object of dread for many people.
If you can draw the stinger out before applying medication, be sure to do that. There are several natural remedies that can be used for bee stings. I like using plain baking soda with water. Simply make a paste, combining the soda with a little water and apply to affected area. Toothpaste isn't just for brushing your teeth. Along with being a good household cleaner, it is also used for bee stings. A remedie that not only works for bee stings, but you always have with you, is urine. Okay, enough tips for bee stings. Let's move on
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Grandma's Answer to The Pesty Mosquito
Tip #3 Mosquitos
Grandma used Vicks Vapo-rub for everything. From a sore throat to mosquito repellant, vicks was her answer for curing just about everything. To keep mosquitos from biting, she would rub vicks on 4 or 5 spots - a little dab on the feet, legs, arms and neck. Ne'er a mosquito would bother me. (And neither did my friends).
Ants Away!
Crazy Tips #4
When a string of ants invade your home, you might want to try a couple of these suggestions. My mother never had an ant problem. The minute she spotted even one ant, she would go for the baking soda or lemon juice. Pouring lemon juice around areas ants frequent is a great ant deterrent.
Baking soda can deter ants as well. Just pour a solid line in areas of activity and they won't cross it.
And a ring of coffee grounds around sensitive plants can discourage ants.
Here's a must read on Ants. The author is Green Lotus and she is truly amazing.
Ants hate vinegar, spray it around doorways and other areas they frequent to repel the poor tiny workers.
Carpet Cleaning Tricks
Crazy Tip #5
I am a candle lover (aromatherapy). I especially enjoy them in the evening, in my bedroom. I remember my first candle wax spill, dripping on to my beautiful, expensive indian throw rug. I panicked and instantly called some friends, looking for help. Gloria, my friend from Guatemala, came to my rescue. " Go get a brown paper sack, or paper towel and lay it directly over the spilled wax. Using a heated iron, press the paper by ironing directly on it. Lift the paper and the wax will be gone from the rug and on the paper." Glory be - it worked. My indian rug, looked brand new.
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Bounce Bugs Away
Crazy Tip # 6
A sheet of "Bounce" is not just for the dryer. These amazing little sheets of fabric softner will keep your entire house bug free. Ah-ha! I thought you'd like this one. All types of bugs, roaches and spiders meet their maker after coming in contact with a single sheet of bounce. No substitue will work. Just Bounce.
So, lay a few sheets anywhere around the house, near doors, vents, openings - any area that is "bugging you". Bonus - it smells good too.
Bonus Crazy Tips You've Never Heard
I thought I'd throw in a few more tips. If you've read this far, you deserve it.
- To cover furniture scratches - apply peanut butter (without the peanuts) to the scratch.
- To soften bread or rolls that are hard - stick them in a brown paper bag, sprinkle the bag with water and put the bag in a hot oven for a minute or less.
- To clear a stuffy nose - when boiling water for your morning oatmeal, gently inhale the steam. This is also great for your skin as it instantly hydrates and opens pores.
- To exfoliate the lips - rub a little organic sugar on both upper and lower lip area. To add a light, natural color, pat lips with beets or beet juice.
Well, thank you for joining me and remember to vote . And join me here on hubpages - the best place on the internet to write and make money too.
More Fantastic Tips on Cleaning
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Organic Cleaning
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vocalcoach thanks so much for all the great tips. For mosquito repellent I sometimes use Avon Skin So Soft.
I love the tips. I am going to use the bag trick to repel wasps today. We have seen a few around here.
Thanks so much for these great ideas. I will do anyhting to keep bugs away from me or my house. Up and useful.
l knew not one of these tips. Thank you very much for sharing.
Take care.x
The "iron your wax away" trick. Ha! I spilt wax on a carpet and did the "iron over brown paper" bit, but forgot that it wasn't natural fibre... Hence the iron shaped mark on the carpet till the day I dragged it up and tiled the floor.
Some really cool and strange tips. My Dad just asked me a week ago how to repel ants, now I can suggest a few of your ant repellent tips.
Thanks for sharing this great info!
What great tips, Audrey, most of which were new to me. I especially like the paper bag wasp-deterrent. I'm anxious to try that one out.
Fantastic tips! I'm now covered in Vicks ready to prune my rampant Akebia vine. Also put Bounce on the shopping list! Thanks friend :)
I love natural healthy tips - there is always a safe solution to every problem. I'm a great believer in 'old wives' which we are finally intelligent enough to listen to once again - rather than manufacturers selling us a product. Love the idea for the wasps. Brilliant.
Rated up and thanks a lot.
BkCreative - well, your comments are brilliant! "Always a safe solution. . . believe in old wives". And I am so tickled that you love my idea for getting rid of wasps.
What can I say - but thank you. :)vocalcoach
Green Lotus - Hahaha (covered in vicks) - somehow, just can't imagine you and vicks, joined as one. Hahaha. I am really thrilled that you are using some of these tried and true tips. If they work for me - they work for anyone. You are the best, GL ~ here's a hug for you }} :)vc
Ill vote these tips up and favorite this hub! My husband hates bugs so he constantly has a can of raid on the table where he sits and sprays it all the time which really bothers my allergies maybe if I hide his can of raid replace it with home made bug replent maybe will both be happy. Great tips! Ping Ya!
Great tips and natural, no chemicals. Thank you.
Great tips coach!
What excellent tips. This is up/useful and bookmarked.
Yay! Love these suggestion - things we can all do that work. Certainly that wasp idea is a winner. Great bee stings suggestions. And when I boil water for tea I always open the lid after and give my face a quick steam. I have really great skin for someone who has been around for a few hundred years (or I feel that way this early morning).
Mosquitoes drove me crazy last year so I will definitely pick up some Vick's. Right now I am counting on this wild cat I recently adopted to work over any bug that comes in here.
Thanks a bunch and I await some more tips. Rated up!
WOW, painted your house at 11, what a girl. Anyway these tips were not crazy, they're very helpful. The bug bite tips are awesome. I really enjoyed this, Vocalcoach. Voted up/useful/awesome.
Great tips! Rated up and useful!
These are really imaginative suggestions. More and more people are looking for uncomplicated and inexpensive ways to do things greener. I'm glad to see your suggestions on ants. I hat it when they get into my flour etc. I'll also definitely have to try the wasp repellent! 10 sec. in the microwave seems a greener way to soften hard bread. Rated up and useful.
Excellent Hub and great tips!
Up, useful, and awesome.
(And bookmarked too!)
Will - Glad to hear these tips are useful for you and thanks for bookmarking. Now, am on my way to see what you have been up to.:) vc
vocal coach, excellent tips. VOTED UP and rated AWESOME
I have to print this hub. I keep trying to remember the tips and I go blank! I did buy the bounce!
Really good tips and definitely something I didn't know before and so easy to use.
dablufox (love this name) - Great! Just in time for your dad's war against the almighty ant. You have a great day, and I'll see you in a minute. Gonna go check out your hubs. :)vocalcoach
Audrey - these are great! I did a blog post on natural remedies today using lemons and linked to your natural ant killer remedy, seems there are more things that you can accomplish with lemons, baking soda and vinegar! Great Hub-rated up of course!
Thanks for all those great tips! Many of these tip where new to me. I will try the bag trick since I like natural methods! Thanks again! Up/useful. Tina
Oh my what awesome tips, keepers for sure, this is a solid book mark. I love these tips for everyday life and know without a doubt I'll be putting your tips on how to get rid of yellow jackets to good use, every year we have so many yellow jackets, they nest everywhere. My daughters are gonna love you for this. Thanks so much! :) Katie
these are great tips, most of the tips are never heard before but i will certainly try them, thanks. :)
chspublish - I am thrilled that I have given you a few tips to try. "Natural is always better", is what I say. Thanks so much. :)vocalcoach
These are some really excellent tips. I have not heard any of these. Can't wait to try them out - especially the wasp nest trick. Priceless - Thanks so much!!!
Thanks for share with us. I had never heard about this before. I am glad you want to share this with us. Very well written and I really enjoy the video also. Rated up!
Prasetio
midnightbliss - Hi! So pleased to see you here. Thank you for the comments and if you have a question, just post it on my "ask vocalcoach a question". Now, I am roaming over to your hubs and see what I can find. Thanks. :)vocalcoach
Katie ~ I am thrilled that you can use my tip on getting rid of yellowjackets. I haven't had a one since I put my little "wasp bags" up three years ago. Haven't even needed to replace them even tho they are weather-beaten now. Hang them anywhere. Keep me posted. Want to make sure this works for you and the girls. :) vocalcoach
Hi vocalcoach. I learned a new trick recently. If the cookies are hard because you left them in the oven too long, close them up in a plastic container with a piece of bread. I couldn't believe how it softened them up!
Well, gotta' go. I'm off to buy some Vicks and some Bounce!
Twilight - Oh no! So sorry to hear about your carpet. I had no idea that natural fibers would do that. This is good to know and I thank you for alerting us.
I love the tips! I sometimes feel like my sole purpose it so be a decoy for the mosquitos! If I'm outside, everyone else is safe! Investing in Vicks vapor rub tomorrow.
These are some good ones. I really liked, well all of them. Thank you. They are all going to come in use. Especially the one about the carpet and the sack.
Another great hub, my friend. Pretty informative, too.I use Vicks whenever I have a cold and a cough.Rated useful.God bless.
drbj - The wasp tip is nothing short of miraculous. And its the easiest and fastest thing to do. A good way to recycle those nasty plastic bags, so we help mother nature too. That lady just loves it when we protect her children :) Thankyou, my friend.
Dim - Thanks for stopping by and for being such a great follower. This is something I really appreciate. Have a great day!
Breakfastpop - I'm with you! When I see a bug of any kind, it's war. I put a sheet of Bounce anywhere in my house where a spider or bug likes to hang out. Works like a charm, and smells so nice and clean. Thanks
Such excellent tips. Thanks for all the great info. Rated up and useful. Keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. I hope you start to feel better soon.
toknowinfo - I really enjoy collecting tips that help us all to live a "greener" life. I hope there is something here that you can use. Thank you for your well wishes. I plan to beat this infection and soon! :) vocalcoach
Okay, these tips are pretty crazy all right. Good crazy, though. I really like your tips # 3 and 5. I'm allergic to mosquito bites, and due to my clumsiness, I spill stuff on my carpet every now and then. Thanks so much for sharing. *hug :)
Thank you for this terrific article! I am going to take your useful tips to heart, especially about the wasps. Ingenious! Well done!
James - What a perfect message to wake up to. Knowing that I hand a small hand in making someones life a little easier puts a huge smile on my face. Thank you, dear James!
Great stuff! Thanks much! Voted up and useful.
Suzie - I buy a giant jar of vicks every spring and it lasts me all through the summer and early fall. It is a mosquito life saver!
These really are great tips, thanks for sharing. Seems a brown paper bag is good for lots of things; keeping wasps away and getting up spilled wax from a much loved rug - wonder if it will work for stains as well, hmmm. v/r
I love things that work outside the box. Good stuff!
Andrew - So do I! Thanks so much for stopping by and come again soon :) vocalcoach
I sooo love these tips! I, too, am the oldest of seven. I did not know about the baking soda for the sting but I do remember my great grandfather taking tobacco out of his mouth and putting it on the sting. It worked well but YUCK! LOL I miss him dearly though! Thanks again!
neakin - I have never heard of tobacco - :) You, being the oldest of 7, must have kept you very very busy. What a sweetie you are! Thanks, my friend :)
thoughforce - The bag trick works very well. It's really quite amazing. And the timing is right. So happy to see you and wish you a wonderful tomorrow!
Chatkath - Oh, thank you for the link. I really appreciate that. Can't wait to read your new hub on natural remedies - which is one of my favorite topics these days. Thanks, dear Kathy, and have a fun weekend!
mdlawyer - I am delighted that you found some of these tips to be helpful. Made my day! Thanks so much. :)vocalcoach
sunflowerbucky - I am so glad you stopped by and left a comment. I am on my way to pay you a visit, right now!
TheListLady - What great comments! I thank you. I had to smile when I read that you, too, use the steam "spa". And I only look 90 instead of 100! I'm off to check out your latest hub. I can't wait! :)
hello, hello - Thank you, my friend. I am always on the look out for all natural. I think baking soda is my all time favorite. Recently had a family of ants trying to take over the kitchen. Just sprinled a little baking soda around and - they left so fast, never to return again :)
Hyphenbird - Glad I could give you a tip for taking care of wasps. Very easy to do, all natural - and best of all, it works immediately. Thanks.
prairieprincess - I'm so glad that you can use some of these crazy tips. Thanks for bookmarking. Have a great day!
hi vocalcoach, what great tips! I love the paper bag wasp nest tip, I shall be laying my sheets of bounce here there and everywhere! many thanks.
Movie Master - Your wasps will disappear in no time. And the bounce is the best trick since sliced bread. I layed a couple of sheets near the kitchen door after spotting something crawling on the floor. The "something" left and never returned. I place bounce sheets in every room of this old house and it always works. Thanks for the visit!
Not only 'useful', but enjoyed reading, for sure! I'm definitely going to try some of these...thanks for some great 'un~heard' of tips...:))
Sandyksk - I am a success whenever I can help a fellow hubber, so you have made me smile a big one. And I just read one of your excellent hubs - how'd you learn to write so well?
You are living proof that growing up "poor" (in money, not spirit) is not necessarily a bad thing. Love your tips, all of which I'd never heard of except the paper bag-and-iron trick to remove candle wax.
Haven't seen any wasps or bees around my new place, but will hang a paper-bag "nest" on the front porch just in case. Who KNEW they could be so easily fooled!
Thanks for several great laughs, too! Wish I'd known about Vicks as a mosquito repellant when my son was little. If there was one mosquito within a mile of us, it'd zero in on HIM while yelling "Lunch!" to all its friends! Every summer, the poor guy looked like he had a permanent case of measles.
A truck driver friend was also a mosquito magnet, but wasn't too keen about the the method used by his wife to neutralize the itching - fingernail polish applied to each bite. Bright pink. Yes, she could've used clear polish, but thought it great fun to imagine the looks he'd get from other truckers when he showered at a truck stop. (They eventually divorced, btw - go figure...) ;D
Jama Genee - I got quite a laugh reading about the truck driver and imagining him decorated in bright pink spots:)
I always love hearing about tips that others use for various pest problems, etc. Green Lotus has a great hub on getting rid of ants, naturally. Well, my friend, I am off to treat myself to one of your magnificent hubs. Have a great day and "don't forget the vicks" :)
I tried the Bounce tip and it works. What is scary though is that we are putting this in our clothing and next to our skin. Once mine are gone I will not buy anymore. Actually I haven't in over a year but had a huge box from Sam's Club.
Fill a zip-lock bag with water and hang it by your door. The flies will not go in. All the restaurants around here have them.
I knew about the baking soda for stings and bites but did not know about it and the vinegar for ants. My dad kept telling me there was something that everybody has but he couldn't remember what it was.
Becky! Thanks so much for your tip on keeping flies out of the house, etc. I love it. Gonna do that today. But for now...I will head on over to your place and check out one of your excellent hubs. :)
Only have one hub, just joined yesterday.
...and I just read your hub and it is marvelous! Eager to read hub #2. Again, welcome, my new friend.
Glad you enjoyed. I am not a writer but people keep pushing me to tell some of my stories on a hub.
JustAskSusan - Hello and sorry for the long delay in getting back to you. Thanks too for adding the avon tip. I love all your suggestions. Keep 'em coming!
Tamron - I apologize for taking so long to thank you for your comments. Hide the can of raid! Lately, the bugs are invading my house. I place sheets of bounce on the floor at the doors and a few other entrance spots. They are deader than a doornail :)
Faye - Thank you so much for commenting. It's always a special treat to see you here. Take care. :)
FastFreda - Thanks for not finding my tips crazy. I really did paint the entire outside of the little house I lived in at age 11. I was so embarrassed at the sight of the shabbiness. I also edged our large yard using a pair of scissors. Thats all we had. I sure wouldn't try either of those jobs today :) Bless you, my friend.
Hi Audrey,
Vicks Vaporub really does work on mosquito bites!! It seems wierd, but it's one of the best things out there. You have some very good (and strange) tips here, voting up!
Cloverleaf
Cloverleaf - Vicks Vaporub was the "medicine cabinet" for my parents. I swear, they used it for everything. As poor as we were back then, it seems like we could always find extra change for a big jar of vicks. :)
Thank you my faithful friend!
Didn't Vicks finally come out with a non-smelly version because people were using it for things other than chest colds?
JamaGenee - I hadn't heard of this happeneing, but I find it hilarious! Thanks, my friend and enjoy your day!
Thanks for the really useful information. Isn't it funny, when I was young I thought the old knew nothing. Now as I'm aging I find I am the one who knows nothing and they knew the answers all along.
These are all really interesting tips. I have used the baking soda on bee stings when I was younger and I remember that it helped. I am definitely going to try the Vick's Vapor Rub for mosquitoes next year since I am always the mosquito magnet in the group. And I actually tried getting rubber cement out of carpet once with an iron and paper bag, but it didn't work on the rubber cement like the way you describe it working on wax. I love how necessity often breeds ingenuity! Great tips!
allpurposeguru - About the bread... this used to be the only way to soften bread in my Granmother's time. (no microwaves back then)...but I sure prefer your tip of 20 seconds in the microwave. Thanks for that terrific tip!
If you have any others, please send them to me. I like to think of myself as the modern day Heloise - LOL.
Willstarr, my friend - How are you? Sorry about the long delay in commenting. Somehow, a bunch of my hubs ended up in my spam mail and most of them were comments from this hub. Anyhow, thanks so much!
vocalcoach~
Thank goodness for you. My house is going to smell like vinegar in the next 20 minutes. I am so sick of ants.
As far as the beet juice...sorry I just cannot hack it.
I am definitely bookmarking this hub.
Extremely useful!
I really enjoyed learning about all of this interesting stuff! Summer is coming so I read this just in time for the pesky mosquitoes, wasps, etc. I will definitely keep these in mind! Thank you so much for sharing... voting up and useful :)
We do have wasps hanging out around our patio - I'm going to try the paper bag trick today! Thanks for some great tips!
Brilliant! I need all of these tips and will surely test them all ...
Thank you, Vocalcoach!
Well you are right, I haven't heard about these before--I will have to try the Vicks Vapo Rub one!
Tams R - So glad you found some helpful tips and another ant deterrent is plain baking soda. Ants will be real bad this summer so have your plan of attack and armour ready! Thanks for finding my hub useful.
prairieprincess Level 7 Commenter 13 months ago
Love these tips! I will have to bookmark this one for when summer comes!