MISC

• CLEAR SPRAY NOZZLES IN SECONDS
  
  When the nozzle on your hairspray or air freshener gets clogged, dip it in
  rubbing alcohol and let it sit for 90 seconds then rinse under hot water.
   
• KEEP FINE CHINA FROM CRACKING
  
  Before pouring piping hot tea, coffee or soup into a porcelain teacup or bowl
  rest a metal spoon inside it. Metal absorbs some of the heat so delicate
  dishware wont crack.*
   

• IF THE ERASER ON YOUR PENCIL IS GONE
  
  Wrap a rubber band around the very bottom of the pencil and presto-- a usable
  eraser

• PLACE MARKERS
  
  Write the names of your guests on a piece of paper and attach to a cocktail stick (like a flag) and then push cocktail stick into a bread roll.

• BROKEN GLASS
  
  Pick up slivers of broken glass with a piece of fresh bread and then wrap in newspaper, for extra safety wear protective gloves whilst doing this.

• ERASER
  
  Bread makes a good substitute for a pencil rubber (eraser) in an emergency and works particularly well on grubby marks on wallpaper.
  
  Roll the doughy part of the bread into a ball and use as you would an eraser.

• To prolong the life of a retractable steel measure tape
  Stretch out the full length of the tape.  Wipe clean with a moist cloth, then apply some car wax to the tape.  Be sure to buff the wax off. This only takes a few minutes and your tape will roll up easier, longer and keep down rust and corrosion.

• To remove driveway stains
  For fresh stains, apply some baking soda or cat litter (grind cat litter to a powder with a brick), over the stain and rub into the surface ­ leave over night.  Simply sweep up the next morning. For older or stubborn stains, use carburetor cleaner or industrial degreaser

• Quick Measurements
  
  A six inch piece of old steel tape, cut from a broken retractable tape measure, can be carried in your wallet.  This is a very handy tool for checking dimensions at the lumberyard or hardware store.
  
  Another handy use for a broken retractable measure is to cut lengths of say, 10, 20, 30 cms and mount it to your tool box, work table or cutting tables.
  
  If you don't have a broken retractable tape, you can always use a dollar bill, just remember ­
  
  Length = 6 ¼ " ­ folded = 3 1/8"
  Width   = 2 5/8" ­ folded = 1 ¼"

• When laying out walks and pathways in small yards you can create an illusion that the yard is bigger by narrowing the walkway as it continued into the yard from the house.  In other words, start the walkway at five feet wide and end it at four feet wide (NOTE: decrease the width gradually, one foot per forty feet of length ­ longer walks would not need the perspective illusion).