For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: Get warm water and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. (Wish I had known this for the last 40 years!).

To remove old wax from a glass candle holder: Put it in the freezer for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.

Crayon marks on walls: This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).

Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!): Scrub with rubbing alcohol on paper towel.

Box of S.O.S Pads, before using: Immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. The pads are just too large for ordinary use and will rust and smell bad when used whole. Cutting them in half is much more economical. In fact, the scissors get "sharpened'' this way!

Blood stains on clothes: Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time! (Now, where to put the body?)

Washing windows: Use vertical strokes outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.

To scent a room without using artificial scents: Put two drops of an essential oil on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely a light scent in each room when the light is turned on. Make sure the essential oil is really a natural oil and not an artificial scent.

To make folded clothing smell "fresh": Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen. (But do this with care. Some people and pet birds are highly allergic to artificial scents. Birds can actually die.) Better to put a few drops of a natural essential oil on a cotton ball, place ball into an old sock and place the sock in the drawer.

To make candles last a lot longer: Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning. (Again, as in the warning about artificial scents, it's best to use unscented candles.)

To clean artificial flowers: Pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!

To easily remove burnt on food from a skillet: Add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top. Or if your hot water is very hot, just fill partway with hot water straight out of the tap and let soak a few minutes.

To keep tomato based sauces from staining plastic storage containers: Spray the insides of the containers with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.

To keep celery fresher longer: Wrap it in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

When boiling corn on the cob: Add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.

Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

Saving leftover wine and other beverages: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles, sauces, punches, drinks. This works for any liquid, except carbonated ones.

Relief for itches from mosquito bites: Apply soap on the area and you will experience instant relief. (Don't know whether the soap is to be solid or liquid.)

Relief from bee stings: Apply a copper penny onto the swollen area. I've never tried this, but I know some who say it works very well.

Ants, ants, ants everywhere: They are said to never cross a chalk line. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself. Also, sprinkle corn meal where they are coming into the house. They'll eat it and take it back to their hill, where they will die, as they can't digest it.

Cleaning mirrors: Fabric softener sheets do a good job and better still, leave a lovely smell to the shine. (Refer to the warning about artificial odors above. Do not use an essential oil in place of the dryer sheets, however.)

To extract a splinter: Before resorting to tweezers or a needle--Try putting Scotch tape over the splinter, and then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.

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Uses for "Speedy" Alka Seltzer:

Clean a toilet: Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush.

Clean a vase: 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, and then run the hot water. (Are Heinz and Alka-Selzer owned by the same company?)

(Makes you wonder about ingesting Alka Seltzer, doesn't it? Coca Cola is supposed to remove rust from chrome bumpers and things like that! A guy I used to know in my Coca Cola drinking days used to say, "That stuff'll rust your pipes!" He drank only water!)