Alternative Uses for Stockpile Items

[MrsPinecone]

A great website for this kind of thing is Extraordinary Uses for Everday Things

Alka-Seltzer:

• Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, then 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.

Baby Wipes:

• Cleaning leather shoes- Wipe over shoes to clean and polish
• Sequined clothes- Use the wipes to clean underarm stains and freshen around the neckline. Wipe gently and allow the clothing to dry.
• Lipstick, medicated ointment or lip balm on fabric- Moisten the area with the wipe, then dab over the stain to remove.
• Small stains on cushions and carpet- Wipe away, while gently pushing down into the fabric and stain.
• Makeup remover
• Temporarily cool a sunburn by gently patting the area with a baby wipe. Baby wipes can also be used to treat cuts and scrapes.
• Some brands of baby wipes -- Huggies, for instance -- can be laundered and reused as dust cloths and cleaning rags for when you straighten up.

Egg Cartons:

• Organize buttons, safety pins, threads, bobbins, and fasteners on your sewing table.
• Organize washers, tacks, small nuts and bolts, and screws on your workbench. Or use to keep disassembled parts in sequence.
• Keep small Christmas ornaments from being crushed in handy, stackable egg cartons
• Fill a cardboard egg carton with briquettes (and a bit of leftover candle wax if it's handy), place in your barbecue grill, and light. Egg cartons can also be filled with tinder, such as small bits of wood and paper, and used as a fire starter in a fireplace or a woodstove.
• An egg carton can become the perfect nursery for your seeds. Use a cardboard egg carton, not a polystyrene one. Fill each cell in the carton with soil and plant a few seeds in each one. Once the seeds have sprouted, divide the carton into individual cells and plant, cardboard cells and all.

[PMFan]

any alternative uses for

shampoo

conditioner

body wash

bar soap (i think you can MAKE liquid body wash by adding water ?)

[MrsPinecone]

Shampoo: I know a lot of people have been using the free Suave as hand soap and washing delicates in it.

Bar soap: my mom used to make liquid soap by soaking the scraps in water until they dissolved. She also had to do this because my brother and I got our hands on the Irish Spring and carved it all up into shavings. (Remember the IS commercials where they used a knife to cut off a slice? We did that. Lots of slices!)

[mpmama2re]

any alternative uses for

shampoo

conditioner

body wash

bar soap (i think you can MAKE liquid body wash by adding water ?)

shampoo- use as handsoap
conditioner- use to shave legs instead of shaving gel

[SavingEye]

Shampoo and body soap to wash dog and bunnies

[YouPdWhat]

Other uses for cat litter

Sneaker deodorizer - if your athletic shoes stink, fill a couple of old socks with scented cat litter, tie them shut, and place them in the sneakers overnight. Repeat if necessary until the sneakers are stink-free.

Add traction on ice - Keep a bag of cat litter in the truck of your car. Use it to add traction when you're stuck in ice or snow.


Prevent grease fires - Don't let a grease fire spoil your next barbecue. Pour a layer of cat litter into the bottom of your grill for worry-free outdoor cooking.

Stop musty odors - Get rid of that musty smell when you open the closet door. Just place a shallow box billed with cat litter in each must closet or room. Cat litter works great as a deodorant.

Source Extraordinary Uses from Reader's Digest

Absorb grease from the garage floor - Keep cat litter in the garage and sprinkle the cat litter over any grease or oil spills. The cat litter will absorb the grease and make clean up easier. Helps keep your house cleaner by not tracking in the mess from the garage floor.



( borrowed from ff thanks to Tracy )

[MrsPinecone]

Other uses for hydrogen peroxide:

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle)
and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it
when I bathe)

No more canker sores and your teeth will be whiter without expensive
pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash. (Small print says mouth wash and
gargle right on the bottle)

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of "Peroxide" to keep them
free of germs.

3. Clean your counters, table tops with peroxide to kill germs and
leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or
spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it
to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years - until I sprayed a 50/50
mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and
let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes
several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal
with any medicine, but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

8. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and
keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic
system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.

9. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50
mixture
whenever you have a cold, or plugged sinuses. It will bubble and help
to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes then blow your nose into a
tissue.

10. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist
right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten
minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

11. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the
50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through.
You will not have the peroxide burnt blonde hair like the hair dye
packages,
but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, faddish,
or dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually so it's not a drastic
change.

12. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils,
fungus, or other skin infections.

13. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of
whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing,
Pour directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub
it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

14. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors with, and there is no smearing
which is why I love it so much for this.

[BzyBee]

Thanks so much for that info MrsPinecone. I have not thought to stockpile peroxide...but it seems like I would use it a lot....especially liked that toothbrush soaking suggestion.

[mama22qts]

Carpet Fresh? I mean the stuff you sprinkle on the carpet, leave a while, then vacuum up? We have a lot left over from the Fred's $1 doubles days and only a little bit of carpet.

[BzyBee]

Carpet Fresh? I mean the stuff you sprinkle on the carpet, leave a while, then vacuum up? We have a lot left over from the Fred's $1 doubles days and only a little bit of carpet.

I sprinkle the carpet freshener in the bottom of bathroom trashcans before I put the bags in. Actually, I put a few bags in at a time and sprinkle some in each...keeps the bathroom smelling fresh, but not overly perfumed. Multiple bags means a little less work for me when emptying the can and just in case something messy or smelly, (diapers?) It is easy to double bag.

You can also use it in your car. Be sure to vacuum thoroughly.