The 10-Year Bar of Soap, Plus More Great Reader Tips

In the cupboard right above my washing machine, there’s a bar of Fels-Naptha laundry soap standing in a coffee mug. I’m sure it’s five years old, and it appears that it will be good for at least another five. When I come across a stain, I grab the soap, dip the end into water and use it to scrub the stain — almost as if it were a big eraser — before dropping the item into the wash. Fels-Naptha is good for many other stains as well. But acrylic paint spills on carpet? Read on for what one reader discovered.

CARPET STAIN REMOVER

I broke a bottle of acrylic paint on the carpet. After trying commercial cleaners, I remembered Mary said Fels-Naptha was superior to many other stain removers. I had picked up a bar in the supermarket laundry aisle. So I grabbed that Fels-Naptha bar and a bucket of hot water, got the soap and carpet wet and rubbed the carpet with the bar and then my fingertips. The paint came out perfectly. Even better, there was no stain ring after I rinsed the area with water! (Make sure to check the carpet’s color fastness in an inconspicuous place before using.) — Sue D.

WINDOW MEASUREMENTS

Measure each window’s length and height and record the information on an index card. Keep a copy in your wallet and one at home. When you find a sale on window treatments, you’ll know which size blinds or draperies will fit. — Amy O.

CABINET TRICK

I had kitchen cabinet doors that didn’t stay tightly closed, so I cut some Velcro adhesive-backed strips to size and applied them in the appropriate spots. Now, my cabinet doors stay closed without that annoying gap. — Krista E.

SLICING OLIVES

To cut up whole olives, try using an egg slicer. Throw in four or five olives at a time, close the slicer, and you have perfectly sliced olives. — Darla S.

GARLIC POWDER

I have found that if you sprinkle garlic or onion powder directly over a pot cooking on the stove, the steam will get in the bottle and harden the contents. A better way is to measure all spices in a bowl away from the hot pot to keep from contaminating the contents of the seasonings. — Karen G.

COFFEE THERMOS CLEANER

Denture tablets work great to clean coffee stains out of thermos-type coffee mugs, as well as traditional glass coffee pots. Just fill the container with water, drop in a tablet and allow it to sit for a few hours or overnight. Empty and rinse it in the morning, and the container will be sparkling clean. — Lori M.

CLIP IT CLOSED

I use clothespins instead of chip clips on cereal bags, Bisquick, bags of rice and, of course, chip bags. They are less expensive than chip clips and work better. — Bonnie L.

ICE CREAM STORAGE

To prevent freezer burn on ice cream, place the container upside down in the freezer. It works! — Carol G.

HANGING CURTAINS

My dad needed curtains in the living room of his beautiful new apartment, but the thought of drilling holes for brackets did not appeal to him. So I took an adjustable shower curtain rod and fit it in the window space inside the frame. I hung the curtains on the rod, and it worked wonderfully. This would work for students in dorm rooms, as well, because often they are not allowed to put nails or brackets in the walls. — Laura M.

FROST-FREE WINDSHIELD

Here’s a great use for an empty dish soap plastic bottle: Rinse it out thoroughly and fill it up with windshield washer fluid. Keep it in your car in case your washer fluid runs out. This is really helpful in the wintertime because you can just squirt it on your windshield if your fluid tank is frozen. — Janet R.