Surprising New Uses for Everyday Items

Ever think of using your hairdryer to dust behind the sofa? Enterprising Woman’s Day Magazine readers shared surprising new uses for everyday items found in nearly every home:

• Dust hard-to-reach places with a hairdryer – Aside from clearing out dust behind the sofa, set the hairdryer on cool and point it at high shelves or intricate knickknacks to blow off the dust with little effort.

• Clean the toilet with Alka Seltzer – The fizzy action works like a charm. Drop in a couple of tablets, let sit for 10 minutes, then swish with a bowl brush and flush.

• Use dryer sheets to freshen stinky shoes – Smelly running shoes or gym bag? Stuff them with dryer sheets overnight to absorb odor and make them sociable again.

• Use wine bottles to hold boots upright – Floppy boots messing up your closet space? Used and cleaned wine bottles are just the right size to hold boots upright for storage.

• Shine copper and brass with lemon and salt – Spiff up those copper or brass serving pieces or candlesticks with wedges of lemon dipped in table salt.

• Use toothpaste to shine silver and more – Non-gel toothpaste will remove tarnish and polish silver. It can also remove a water stain from wooden furniture. Just dab on, allow to dry, and wipe away.

• Shave your legs with olive oil – Out of shaving cream? Coating your legs with olive oil will give you a smooth shave with no razor burn – and it’s moisturizing, too!

• Use plastic ice cube trays to sort small items – They make a great way to keep earrings in pairs or store any jewelry as well as organize paper clips, rubber bands or other office supplies.

• Old plastic bags can aid package wrapping – Re-use old plastic bags as free alternatives to pricey bubble wrap. Stuff them into boxes you are mailing to keep the items inside from rattling around.

• Use isopropyl alcohol to disinfect surfaces – The medicine cabinet staple will clean off the grime and disinfect communal surfaces around your home or office, like phone receivers, door handles, switch plates and even computer keyboards.

By Barbara Pronin