Synopses & Reviews
Throw out a candle stub, some sour milk, that leftover bag of cat litter?
Not on your life!
You might think of these things as waste that's headed for the trash can, but there are hundreds of practical ways you can save money, time, and natural resources by reusing these and other common objects around your house. Follow Earl Proulx and the editors of Yankee magazine as they show you how to:
* Make soothing facial mask from cat litter
* Cover up furniture scratches with a dab of iodine
* Turn an old teacup, a sandwich bag, and some sugar into an elegant pincushion
* Clean car grease off your hands with olive oil
* Unstick a window with the stub of an old candlestick
* Clear a clogged showerhead with vinegar
* Ant-proof your home with lemon juice
* Make an attractive country picture frame from an old six-pane window
* End static cling with hair spray
* Stop foot blisters with duct tape
* Keep bait worms fresh with coffee grounds
* Make an earring holder out of window screening
More Than 1,000 Creative, Fun, and Ingenious Tips
Clever to the core, Earl Proulx has been coming up with ingenious ways to reuse things since his career as a handyman started nearly 70 years ago. Every month, he shares his solutions and home hints with the more than two million Yankee magazine readers who enjoy his "Plain Talk" column.
Synopsis
With his trademark folksy wisdom, Earl Proulx tells you how to recycle those things we all have lying around the house into ingenious solutions without spending money on fancy cleaning solutions, or pricey gadgets. Some of Earl's particular favorites are kitty litter (as a cleaner for oils pills and as a base for a soothing facial mask) and, of course, vinegar (to clean just about anything, unclog showerheads, as well as trap fruit pests), duct tape (as both tick remover and a protection against blisters), and milk jugs (bird feeders and clothespin holders). His fun and inventive ideas also include:
Ant-proof your home with lemon juice
Cover up furniture scratches with a dab of iodine
Use powdered milk to soothe sunburn and remove makeup
Make an earring holder out of window screen
Recycle bubble wrap for a toilet tank insulator
Organized by location inside and outside of the house, Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs & More will make you pause each time you start to throw something (old blue jeans, ice cube trays, coat hangers, egg cartons) out in the trash.
About the Author
Earl Proulx died in March 2003. He was 88 years old and had edited Yankee's "Plain Talk: column for 22 years. He will be missed.