Clever Clarissa's Household Tips & Advice http://cleverclarissa.com Clever Clarissa Saves you Time AND Money! Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:01:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 Easy Money-Saving Tips http://cleverclarissa.com/money-saving-tips/easy-money-saving-tips/ http://cleverclarissa.com/money-saving-tips/easy-money-saving-tips/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:01:00 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/?p=83
  • How to Make Laundry Soap at Home Making lau
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    1) Store it in the refrigerator in a tightly-sealed jar of water
    2) Submerge it in hot water for 15 minutes before squeezing it
    3) Warm it in the oven for a few minutes before squeezing.

    Two foolproof remedies for ‘old maids’
    Storing your popcorn in the freezer will keep it fresh while ensuring a maximum number of kernels pop. Running ice-cold water over the kernels before throwing them into the popper can also eliminate ‘old maids’.

    Maximizing use
    Lemons – After squeezing the juice out of a lemon, wrap and freeze the rind for another use: martinis, osso bucco, chutney, marmalade, candy, etc.
    Eggs – If the recipe calls for egg yolks, keep the whites in the freezer to make meringue.
    If the recipe calls for egg whites, keep the yolks in the freezer to thicken a sauce. Freeze the shells and use them to clarify stock.
    French bread – Thinly slice the remainder of a baguette and toast in the oven, on both sides. Use later with appetizers such as guacamole, antipasto, salsa, hummus.
    Bananas – Freeze overripe bananas (the browner the better) and use them to make banana bread or muffins.

    Restoring a shrunken wool or cashmere sweater to its original size
    Dissolve ¼ cup of hair conditioner in 1 gallon of cool water. Immerse your sweater and carefully work the mixture through, without stretching. Roll the sweater in a thick towel, without twisting or wringing, to absorb most the liquid. Lay the sweater flat on a fresh towel and gently pull it back to its original size.

    Getting rid of ‘ring-around-the-collar’
    Apply shampoo on the inside of the collar and cuffs and gently rub it in (the shampoo will dissolve the grease); wash as normal. Fresh stains will disappear the first time; if not, repeated applications may be necessary.

    Saving on household products
    Do you know that a variety of products found in your kitchen and bathroom can replace commercial household at a fraction of the cost? They include: vinegar, lemon, salt, baking soda, cornstarch, cream of tartar, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, nail-polish remover, white toothpaste and denture cleaning tablets.

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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/money-saving-tips/easy-money-saving-tips/feed/ 0     How to Make Laundry Soap at Home http://cleverclarissa.com/cleaning-tips/how-to-make-laundry-soap-at-home/ http://cleverclarissa.com/cleaning-tips/how-to-make-laundry-soap-at-home/#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:50:26 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/?p=79
  • Easy Money-Saving Tips Three ways
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    • Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>     Making laundry soap at home is easier than you think, and it could end up costing you less than 5 cents – yes 5 pennies – a load!

    Here are two recipes, courtesy of my mother-in-law.

    First Recipe to Make Laundry Soap at Home

    Ingredients:

    • 1/3 Bar Fels Naphta Soap
    • 1/2 Cup Washing Soda
    • 1/2 Cup Borax Powder
    • 2 Gallons Water

    Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups of water and heat it until the soap melts.

    Add the washing soda (NOT baking soda) and the Borax. Stir until it is dissolved.

    Remove from heat, pour 4 cups hot water into a 2-gallon bucket. Add soap mixture and stir.

    Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours until it gels.

    Use about 1/2 cup of detergent per load of laundry.

    Second Recipe to Make Laundry Soap at Home

    This recipe is for you if you enjoy powdered Laundry Soap.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Bar Ivory Soap
    • 1/2 Cup Borax
    • 1/2 cup Washing Soda

    Grate 1 bar of Ivory Soap (or other not strongly scented bar soap).

    Add 1 cup of Borax. Add 1 cup of washing soda (NOT baking soda!). Mix together and store in an airtight container. Use 1-2 tablespoons per load.

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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/cleaning-tips/how-to-make-laundry-soap-at-home/feed/ 0     How to Clean a Microwave Oven, The Easy Way http://cleverclarissa.com/baking-soda/how-to-clean-a-microwave-oven-the-easy-way/ http://cleverclarissa.com/baking-soda/how-to-clean-a-microwave-oven-the-easy-way/#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:55:31 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/?p=77
  • How to Make Laundry Soap at Home Making lau
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    If you’ve never, ever cleaned it, (you know who you are!) then you may have to put a little bit more elbow grease in it, just like anything!

    Try to clean up spills as they occur, especially if they make it to the door. Put a microwave-safe dish half-filled with water in the microwave, and set it for 3-4 minutes at maximum power.

    The steam will loosen up any bits and traces of food that have stuck to the inside of the microwave; they can be safely scooped up with nothing more than a damp paper towel!

    To get rid of the sometimes nasty odor that can exist in your microwave, wash the insides with a solution of warm water and baking soda. Never use any abrasive soap – such as anything containing ammonia – or abrasive cleaning pads.

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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/baking-soda/how-to-clean-a-microwave-oven-the-easy-way/feed/ 0     How To Know if a Fish is Fresh? http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-know-if-a-fish-is-fresh/ http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-know-if-a-fish-is-fresh/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:09:22 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-know-if-a-fish-is-fresh/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> The scales must be shiny, the gills bright red and the eyes vibrant. It must NOT smell like fish, and the abdomen should not be distended.

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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-know-if-a-fish-is-fresh/feed/ 0     How to enhance the taste of Shrimps http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-enhance-the-taste-of-shrimps/ http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-enhance-the-taste-of-shrimps/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:26:07 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-enhance-the-taste-of-shrimps/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> If you feel that you shrimps taste too much like they’ve been canned, or taste ‘like the freezer’, once they are thawed, marinate them in port wine for 15-20 minutes.

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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-enhance-the-taste-of-shrimps/feed/ 0     How to Prevent your Fish Filets from Disintegrating http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-prevent-your-fish-filets-from-disintegrating/ http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-prevent-your-fish-filets-from-disintegrating/#comments Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:10:55 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-prevent-your-fish-filets-from-disintegrating/
  • Easy Money-Saving Tips Three ways
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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-prevent-your-fish-filets-from-disintegrating/feed/ 0     How to Prevent Sausages from Splitting http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-prevent-sausages-from-splitting/ http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-prevent-sausages-from-splitting/#comments Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:09:18 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-prevent-sausages-from-splitting/
  • How to Clean a Microwave Oven, The Easy Way Cleaning a
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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-prevent-sausages-from-splitting/feed/ 0     How To Deal with Dried-up Ham http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-deal-with-dried-up-ham/ http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-deal-with-dried-up-ham/#comments Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:07:24 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-deal-with-dried-up-ham/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Soak the sliced of slightly-dry ham in milk for a few minutes before cooking them.

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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-deal-with-dried-up-ham/feed/ 0     How To Make Your Roast Juicier http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-make-your-roast-juicier/ http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-make-your-roast-juicier/#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:16:53 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-make-your-roast-juicier/
  • Easy Money-Saving Tips Three ways
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    ]]>     http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-make-your-roast-juicier/feed/ 0     How to enhance the taste of your roasts http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-enhance-the-taste-of-your-roasts/ http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-enhance-the-taste-of-your-roasts/#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:14:59 +0000 Clarissa http://cleverclarissa.com/cooking-tips-general/how-to-enhance-the-taste-of-your-roasts/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Take the roast out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking it.

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