Woman’s Day January 2014

Clever Uses for Sponges -

1. Prevent pedicure smudges - for at home nail polishing sessions, cut a sponge in half lengthwise, then cut four slits along one of the long sides of each. Use them to separate polished toes until they dry.

2. Hydrate Houseplants - place a sponge in the bottom of a pot before adding the plant and extra soil. The sponge will help retain moisture until the next watering.

3. Secure soap - rest your bar of soap on a sponge in the shower or bathtub. Because of its uneven texture, it will stop the soap from slipping off the dish or tiles when wet.

4. Protect Floors - to keep chairs from scratching wood or vinyl surfaces, trace the bottom of a chair leg onto a sponge and cut it out; repeat until you have as many as you need. Secure each piece to the bottom of a leg with a dab of hot glue [press it on firmly to prevent wobbliness]

5. Make an ice pack - put a wet sponge in a zip top plastic bag and freeze. Grab it instead of a package of peas to soothe bumps and bruises or toss it in a lunchbox to keep the contents cool.

Did you know? Kitchen sponges carry more bacteria than your toilet! Microwave wet sponges for 2 minutes at least once a week to kill those germs.

Make Clothes Last Longer

1. Don’t wring out wet garments after you hand wash them. Use a salad spinner to remove excess water, then hang dry.

2. Swap in thin, velvety hangers to keep clothes from slipping onto the floor and to prevent irreversible dents in fabrics.

3. To keep delicates from stretching in your washing machine’s spin cycle, place them in a  mesh wash bag.