February 15, 2001

Unpack It!
by Iona Hoeppner

I have always loved to decorate. I like my home to be color coordinated and everything was always planned to "go" with everything else in a room... So when all my "things" were ransacked during a storage unit robbery, I was left with little to decorate with and little money to replace stolen or broken treasures.

So, as I sorted through the rubble of our vandalized storage unit in preparation for finally moving into our new (old) home, I rejoiced at each unbroken glass or undamaged photograph. Much of what I had carefully packed away had been destroyed, but many treasures, like my mother's aprons, still remained.

I asked myself why had I kept these precious things packed away in boxes all these years, but I had no response. Family keepsakes can't be enjoyed stored up in cardboard, and I had very little left with which to make my new home look homey and inviting...

So now those old aprons are proudly displayed on two walls of my roomy, eat-in kitchen. The colors don't match, but the effect is stunning and draws praise from all who see them. Tomorrow I'm creating a display of pot holders...

Old photos, once packed safely in dark boxes, are everywhere in the house; old awards and plaques deck my halls and adorn my walls. My hubby's old Army uniform will go up, too along with his medals. A big toy truck he had as a boy is on the mantle. It's rusty and bent and over 50 years old, but it looks great up there!

My mother's funky straw hat and favorite hankie adorn a living room wall along with some fans. Again, the colors are all wrong, but it WORKS! I've taken "eclectic" to a whole new level... and I have made an important discovery along the way.

It isn't the "things" that count but the memories attached to these family or personal keepsakes that warm my heart... Having them out on display reminds me of special times with long gone loved ones or some part of our past... It also opens the door for us to share wonderful stories with visitors. You see, the best "Conversation Piece" isn't some oddity you buy, rather it is something relating to real people and events.

In spite of the loss we suffered in the robbery, something special came out of it... isn't that just like the Lord?

Super Cool Household Tips
Submitted by Bobby Lewis

Frosted Windows
Want to make your windows "frosted" for more privacy? Add 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salt to 1 cup beer. Brush on the window! Let dry. To remove the frost, wash off with ammonia! This is really neat. Just remember to cover any wood or furniture nearby, because this drips!

Foggy Windshields
Don't you hate having a foggy windshield? Go to your stationery store and buy a chalkboard eraser. Keep the eraser in your glove compartment of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Raincoat from Garbage Bag
For emergencies, keep a couple of new plastic garbage bags in your car! Cut a hole in the bottom of the bag for your head and cut openings in the sides for your arms. In case of a sudden rainstorm, just put the bag over your body! Not fashionable, I agree, but it will protect your clothing and you from getting drenched! You can also use a small garbage bag over your head (not over your face, of course)

Impossible-to-clean Dish or Pot
Don't throw away all of your used laundry softener sheets. When you have an impossible-to-clean casserole dish or pot, toss one or two of the used sheets into the pan, fill with hot water and presto! In 20 minutes it wipes clean, no scrubbing needed.

Baking Soda -- Nonabrasive Cleanser
Baking soda is a nonabrasive cleanser. Use it without worry on fine china, porcelain appliances, the inside of the refrigerator, stainless steel, aluminum, and cast iron. You can use it either in its powdered form or mix it with water to make a paste. Baking soda is a wonderful cleanser for everything from countertops to rolling pins to gold-trimmed dishes. If you want to remove an offensive odor, think baking soda.

Moth Repellent
Here's an easy and inexpensive way to make moth repellent. Purchase a bag of cedar chips from a pet supply shop. Put one or two cupfuls into resealable bags and poke small holes in them. Hang the bags in your closet and drawers. The lovely, fresh scent repels moths.Clean a microwave oven.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge,
scrub, and rinse.

More Tips from Arm & Hammer® Baking Soda

Remove tarnish from silver.
Mix a thick paste of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with water, apply the silver with a damp sponge, rub, rinse, and buff dry.

Clean a stainless steel sink.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, scrub the sink, and rinse clean.

Boost the strength of liquid laundry detergent.
Add one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with the usual amount of detergent in your regular wash cycle.

Clean a fiberglass bathtub or shower.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, scrub, and rinse clean.

Clean bathroom tile.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, scrub, and rinse clean.

Maintain your septic tank.
Flush one cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda down the toilet once a week. Baking soda helps maintain proper pH and alkalinity, controlling sulfide odors.

Deodorize cloth diapers.
Mix one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in two quarts of water, and soak diapers in the solution.

Deodorize a disposable diaper pail.
Sprinkle liberally with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda.

Deodorize garbage disposals and sink drains.
Instead of throwing out that old box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda that's been sitting in the refrigerator or freezer, gradually pour it down the drain and flush with water. Or better yet, pour two tablespoons Arm & Hammer Baking Soda down the garbage disposal every week.

Clean a refrigerator.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge,
scrub, and rinse clean.

Deodorize a dishwasher.
Sprinkle one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on the bottom of the dishwasher between loads.

Boost the strength of dishwashing liquid.
Add two full tablespoons Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to the usual amount of detergent you use.

Remove burnt-on food from cookware.
Dampen area, sprinkle with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, let soak overnight, then scrub with a sponge, rinse, and dry.

Clean and deodorize a cutting board.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, rub the cutting board, and rinse clean.

Deodorize food containers.
Mix one-quarter cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with one quart water, swish food containers in solution, soak overnight, then rinse clean.

Clean coffee and teapots.
Wash in a solution of one-quarter cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and one quart warm water, then rinse clean.

Deodorize kitchen garbage.
Sprinkle a handful of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in the garbage pail each time you add garbage.

Deodorize carpet.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda lightly over the dry carpet, let set for fifteen minutes, then vacuum up.

Deodorize a cat litter box.
Cover the bottom of the litter box with one-quarter inch Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, then add the litter.

Maintain the proper alkalinity in a swimming pool.
Add 1.5 pounds of baking soda for every 10,000 gallons of water in the pool to raise total alkalinity by 10 ppm (parts per million parts of pool water), keeping the total alkalinity of the pool within the range of 80 to 150 ppm of alkalinity. Maintaining a proper level of total alkalinity minimizes changes in pH when acidic or basic pool chemicals or contaminants enter the water, reducing chloramine formation and the corrosivity of water, consequently reducing eye irritation and unpleasant odors while improving bactericidal effectiveness.

Soothe poison ivy rash or insect bites.
Make a paste of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and water, and apply to the affected area.

Soothe sunburn, windburn, and prickly heat.
Dissolve one-half cup baking soda in a tepid bath. Soak in the bath for fifteen minutes.

Take a refreshing bath.
Dissolve one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in a tub of warm water for soft, smooth-feeling skin and a relaxing bath.

Brush your teeth.
Plain baking soda is a gentle abrasive that cleans like the strongest toothpaste. Apply Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to a damp toothbrush, brush as usual, and rinse. Note: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda does not contain fluoride.

Wash your mouth.
Add one teaspoon Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to one-half glass of warm water, and swish through teeth for a refreshing mouthwash.

Neutralize vomit odor.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda generously to cover the stained area, let set for an hour, then vacuum up.

Soothe tired feet.
Add three tablespoons to a basin of warm water and soak feet in the solution.

Use as a deodorant.
Dust baking soda under arms.

Clean dirt, grime, and scuff marks from doors, stoves, laminated tabletops,
linoleum floors, and tile.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, wipe clean, and dry.

Remove coffee or tea stains from china.
Dip a damp cloth in baking soda, gently rub the china, and rinse clean.

Minimize the smell of dirty laundry.
Sprinkle some baking soda into your hamper or laundry bag.

Deodorize a closet.
Place an open box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a shelf.

Deodorize garment storage bags.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda into the bottom of the bag.

Deodorize shoes or sneakers.
In the evening, sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda inside shoes to eliminate odors. Shake out in the morning.

Remove crayon marks from walls or wallpaper.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, scrub gently to avoid mussing the paint or wallpaper, then wipe clean.

Clean dirt and grime from hands.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on to wet hands with liquid soap, rub vigorously, rinse, and dry.

Remove conditioner and styling gel buildup from hair.
Wash hair once a week with a tablespoon of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda mixed with your regular shampoo; rinse thoroughly, then condition and style as usual.

Refresh stuffed animals.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on the stuffed animal, let set for fifteen minutes, then brush off.

Clean high chairs, car seats, strollers, and plastic mattress protectors.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, wipe clean, and dry.

Clean baby bottles, nipples, and bottle brushes.
Soak in a solution of warm water and Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, then sterilize before use.

Make baby clothes smell even fresher.
Add one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to baby's laundry.

Boost Bleach.
Use one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with your normal liquid bleach to boost the bleaching action and freshen the wash.

Whiten socks and dirty clothes.
Add one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to regular liquid laundry detergent.

Clean up pet accidents.
Clean with club soda, let dry thoroughly, then sprinkle on Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, allow to set for fifteen minutes, then vacuum up.

Clean chrome bumpers and hubcaps.
Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge, rub surface, and wipe clean with a dry cloth.

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Author: Iona Hoeppner
Copyright © 2001 Handmaidens4Christ. All rights reserved.
Revised: April 20, 2006.