Welcome to Smilin's Helpful Hints:

Sometimes you can find little ways of doing things that save time, money or your sanity. *grin*

These are just a few that I've found... if you have any to add, I'd be happy to do that. Sharing tips can be a very useful thing.

If you spill food that is greasy... apply "Dawn" liquid soap directly then rinse. It really does "take grease out of your way"!

If you have little children & you're visiting McDonald's... Get your food in the drive-thru, THEN go inside. Everything is ready to eat and it makes for a more peaceful visit. (Plus, they'll eat more before being distracted by the Playland.)

If you spill wax on your carpet... put a rag down on the spill & apply a warm iron. This transfers the wax from your carpet onto the rag.

Water rings on your wood... put tooth paste on the ring & massage in in a circular motion, rinse off.

Toothpaste also makes a good spackle for small jobs. (Use white toothpaste for better results) *grin*

Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.

Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle --perfect shaped pancakes every time.

To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling.

Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan - the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers.

To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.

To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop - skillet will be much easier to clean now.

Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces -- no more stains.

When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead - no white mess on the outside of the cake.

If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato -- it absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up".

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator -- it will keep for weeks.

Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish.

Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up.

When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corns natural sweetness.

To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh. If it rises to the surface, throw it away.

Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go.

Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

If you have problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.

Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.

To get rid of itch from mosquito bite: Try applying soap on the area - instant relief.

Use air-freshener to clean mirrors: It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.

When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.

NOW, Look what you can do with Alka Seltzer: Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush, and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.

Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.

Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.

Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).

Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.

If your VCR has a year setting on it, which most do, you will not be able to use the programmed recording feature after 12/31/99. Don't throw it away. Instead set it for the year 1972 as the days are the same as the year 2000. The manufacturers won't tell you. They want you to buy a new Y2K VCR.