# Share your best household-type hint **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 24, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104 "2008-08-24T15:56:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/81 "2008-08-27T02:19:09Z")
A scoop of baking soda flushed down each drain in the house with (very cheap white) vinegar every month. A half cup of borax in the wash cycle of whites and lights, but never with reds or blacks. Good soap (not detergent) for hand washing dishes and grease stains in clothes; the cheap stuff does not work with greasy pans and plates. A mudroom. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/82 "2008-08-27T09:01:34Z")
> [@](#): > > You can also do something similar for chicken stock. Save the bones leftover after you serve roast chicken (rinse off any strong sauces or flavorings) in a bag in the freezer. When it gets full, bring it to a boil with a few carrots, an onion, a few stalks of celery, and a bay leaf, and let it simmer for at least 3 hours for nearly free chicken stock. You can do the same reduction in ice cube form as above. I don’t eat chicken skin, so I put my skin in that same pot. I also boil up the neck, wing tips, back, and heart. I fry up the liver and gizzard for my husband, who regards them as a treat, and far too good for the cats. Turkey stock is, as **Tubadiva** says, kitchen gold. It’s worth all the time spent, and it makes a wonderful base for so many sauces. By the way, a large crockpot is great for making stock in. I can set it on low and let it simmer all day. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/83 "2008-08-27T12:45:57Z")
If you have houseplants and want the leaves to look shiny and fresh, take a rag or some paper towel and rub mayonaisse on each leaf, rubbing until you get all the excess off and you have a nice shine. It may sound tedious but the shine will last for a few months and seems to inhibit dust build-up. I don’t know if Miracle Whip would work so I just stick with the real deal. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/84 "2008-08-27T13:39:58Z")
[QUOTE=j666] A scoop of baking soda flushed down each drain in the house with (very cheap white) vinegar every month. [/QUOTE] Is that for your septic system, or to keep the drains clean, or both? ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/85 "2008-08-27T17:11:18Z")
If you drop your cellphone in the water, you can fix it by putting it in the washing machine. {wait… come back; I wasn’t finished!} …on the spin cycle. The washing machine will centrifuge the water out of it. We’ve done this twice now, when a youngster has jumped in the lake or hot tub with cell phone in a pocket. Phone was good as new. (Disclaimer: some machines spray water during the spin cycle, make sure yours doesn’t do this) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/86 "2008-08-27T17:34:00Z")
I just remembered another one my Aunt taught me. When you’re framing pictures clean the glass with glass cleaner and newspaper (black print only) it will leave the glass streakless and lintless. (This works on windows too) ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/87 "2008-08-27T22:09:09Z")
In addition to baking soda and vinegar “volcanos” being good for clearing out the drains, I’ve found it’s also good (and fun) to make one inside a teapot that can’t be put in the dishwasher to get rid of the tea stains; after the foam goes down, rinse and lightly scrub/wipe out with a paper towel. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/88 "2008-08-27T22:48:28Z")
[QUOTE=Lynn Bodoni] I don’t eat chicken skin, so I put my skin in that same pot. I also boil up the neck, wing tips, back, and heart. I fry up the liver and gizzard for my husband, who regards them as a treat, and far too good for the cats. [/quote] I’m with you on the rest of them, but doesn’t the skin make your stock extremely fatty? I skim my stock anyway before reducing, but I’ve always thought that the major chickeny goodness in stock comes from the bones, and a bit from any meat you throw in, and that the skin doesn’t contribute much in the way of flavor. ---
**Author:** ![Finally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/67e7ee/32.png) [@Finally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finally)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/89 "2008-08-27T23:20:14Z")
If your dryer vent doesn’t dump outside immediately, use a leaf blower to clean it out. Mine goes 15 feet through the crawl space. Make sure children are watching outside for the amazing lint show to come. Then they can pick up the mess you’ve left next to your neighbor’s house. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/90 "2008-08-28T00:02:33Z")
[QUOTE=GilaB] I’m with you on the rest of them, but doesn’t the skin make your stock extremely fatty? I skim my stock anyway before reducing, but I’ve always thought that the major chickeny goodness in stock comes from the bones, and a bit from any meat you throw in, and that the skin doesn’t contribute much in the way of flavor. [/QUOTE] I love the \*flavor \*of chicken skin - that seems to be where chicken gets its saltiness from. I too skim off the fat, so the added fat in the skin doesn’t bother me, but I like the additional flavor it gives the stock. It’s not a dealbreaker if I don’t have extra skins, but it’s always a tiny bit yummier if I do. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/91 "2008-08-28T00:45:33Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] Is that for your septic system, or to keep the drains clean, or both? [/QUOTE] That’s for the U-traps and drains; the bubbling and mild heat just loosens everything up, and moves it right along. I know very little about septic systems, except they are an excuse to use liquid detergent, rather that the cheaper powders. Oh, I have another one about bleach. Bleach kills bacteria best at or a bit above room temperature; if you have a septic system, use bleach on whites with the hottest water available. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/92 "2008-08-28T00:50:42Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] I love the \*flavor \*of chicken skin - that seems to be where chicken gets its saltiness from. I too skim off the fat, so the added fat in the skin doesn’t bother me, but I like the additional flavor it gives the stock. It’s not a dealbreaker if I don’t have extra skins, but it’s always a tiny bit yummier if I do. [/QUOTE] I always let the stock cool and peel off the layer of fat that congeals on top. Sometimes I use this fat for other cooking (it’s great to fry potatoes and/or onions in, for instance) and sometimes I just give it to the cats. I don’t eat chicken skin because I’m avoiding the fat in it. I just don’t like the texture of it, so I don’t eat it. I also save bacon grease to cook in. I pay a high price for bacon, and I’m going to use it ALL. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/93 "2008-08-28T02:03:35Z")
[QUOTE=j666] Oh, I have another one about bleach. Bleach kills bacteria best at or a bit above room temperature; if you have a septic system, use bleach on whites with the hottest water available. [/QUOTE] I don’t think you want to kill the bacteria in a septic system, at least not too well. In fact I’ve heard it’s good to feed them some yeast periodically. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/94 "2008-08-28T02:17:05Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] I don’t think you want to kill the bacteria in a septic system, at least not too well. In fact I’ve heard it’s good to feed them some yeast periodically. [/QUOTE] That’s why one should use the hottest water available with bleach; it’s less effective at killing microbes in hot water. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/95 "2008-08-28T02:52:26Z")
[QUOTE=Dolores Reborn] Those are the only ones I do that to. Mushrooms will still be ok if you take them out of the plastic. They dry out, but they don’t slime. I’ll still use them in sauces and stuff - they rehydrate a little. [/QUOTE] Along those same lines, it’s perfectly ok to wash mushrooms in water. Contrary to popular culinary lore, they will not “soak up” all the water and become waterlogged. The amount they take up in minuscule, at best. And if they’re going to be cooked, then it doesn’t matter anyway because the water will be cooked out. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/96 "2008-08-28T12:47:47Z")
Is [it](http://flickr.com/photos/24165035@N06/2805937166/sizes/l/) a [plant](http://flickr.com/photos/24165035@N06/2805084651/sizes/l/) stand [or](http://flickr.com/photos/24165035@N06/2805083363/sizes/l/) is [it](http://flickr.com/photos/24165035@N06/2805087389/sizes/l/) a [kitty](http://flickr.com/photos/24165035@N06/2805085411/sizes/l/)diningroom [table](http://flickr.com/photos/24165035@N06/2805935560/sizes/l/)? This is the greatest piece of furniture in our house: It takes up surprisingly little room (maybe a 4’ footprint? Not sure, but it did fit in a cramped townhouse); solves a major problem (elderly dogs on senior food with young cats on kitten-chow); has a purpose (we keep plants on it—though there’s hidden jute just in case something gets shoved); is great fun to watch (cats running up a spiral); and looks _good_. In the townhouse it was held vertical by a couple innocuous screws in the ceiling; about the same imprint as couple ceiling hooks, if you’re thinking security deposit. We keep plants on ours, but there’s no reason a bunch of CDs or books couldn’t go there (thought not as fun). All you need is about fifty to sixty bucks worth of wood, a few commonly available hardware bits (e.g., threaded steel rod, found at any hardware store – box or otherwise), paint/stain or whatever, and probably **most importantly, an inexpensive, decorative rug/runner sample – this is one of the keys to its look.** Every single piece of cat furniture out there has that same beige industrial carpeting on it. Who wants that in their living room? The great thing about this unit is how it fits into the décor without being a noticeable piece of pet furniture. There’s also a place that [sells](http://www.catspiral.com) them – definitely worth looking into to save yourself some time. But definitely go with your own rug from Target or wherever. Ours is stained so the vertical bits are light and the horizontal bits are dark. Since cats yak, food spills, and watering plants isn’t always neat, the treads and top are sealed/polyurethaned for easy cleaning. The carpet is staple-gunned on so it’s secure, but can be replaced with ease. If anyone’s really interested in making one themselves, PM and I’ll get into some detail about how it all fits together. I’m not Mr. Handyman by any stretch, so please don’t expect technical terms. Rhythm Cats and dogs are: Teal’c, Ash … Housewares, Malish, Worf ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/97 "2008-08-28T15:51:56Z")
[QUOTE=Finally] If your dryer vent doesn’t dump outside immediately, use a leaf blower to clean it out. Mine goes 15 feet through the crawl space. Make sure children are watching outside for the amazing lint show to come. Then they can pick up the mess you’ve left next to your neighbor’s house. [/QUOTE] Wads of dryer lint make excellent fire starters if you have an outdoor fire pit. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/98 "2008-08-28T17:21:01Z")
**Rhythmdvl** , that sounds like the makings of an awesome game of “let’s knock the plants over!” ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/99 "2008-08-28T17:43:48Z")
I was going to say the same thing: How on earth do you keep the cats from knocking over the plants to get up there? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104/100 "2008-08-28T18:30:18Z")
Jute … jutie jute jute! We’ve only had two plants fall, which is quite low compared to the number of other plants that have come down around the house. The pots have attached bases (to catch overflow), and that gives an relatively out-of-view anchor to do a bit of winding. It’s veritably invisible, and it holds them down from wobbling. We did have to do a bit of experimenting with plants so the 'nummy ones weren’t right at food level. Also note that there is a free and open path up/around the thing. The three floors/treads with plants on them are double in length – they stick out to to the rear as much as they do to the front. The front (well, in a spiral, what is front?) has the step, the rear has the plant. They quats move up in a circular pattern (it’s hysterical to watch) and walk right past them. Nothing really worse than having a plant on a bookshelf the cats have access to! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-best-household-type-hint/461104.md?page=6)