Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Household tips--Pantyhose

I had some errands to run this morning and I'm working with another migraine here.  Ugh!  Anyway here are some tips about Pantyhose and some others uses for them.

 Panty Hose / Nylons

  • To stop a run in panty hose, dab nail polish over the run; clear polish is best, for obvious reasons, but any color will do.
  • To strengthen nylons, spray with aerosol hair spray when you first put them on.
  • To keep pantyhose from getting runs while in drawers put each pair in the leftover toilet paper cardboard rolls. This works great and keeps them neat and organized too.
  • Acrylic nails?  Do you keep snagging your hose, when putting them on, with your acrylic nails?  Then buy a pair of plain white cotton gloves to wear as you put on your hose.
  • Freeze your pantyhose before you wear them for the first time. Believe it or not, this helps to extend their lifetime tremendously. Wet your  pantyhose and wet squeeze out most of the excess water before placing them in a freezer bag. Place the sexy hosiery in a freezer bag for at least 24 hours. (I must admit, I'd never heard that one before)
Did all that and still got a run in your hose?  Don't throw them away! 
 
  • Cut the leg off of the torn but clean pantyhose. Drop an onion in and tie a knot ... onion, knot, onion, knot until you run out of either onions or pantyhose. Hang in a cool, dark, ventilated area.  Ifone onion goes bad, it won’t spoil the others.  Cut onions off as you need them. 
  1. Onions shouldn’t be stored with potatoes because the moisture potatoes give off makes the onions rot quicker.
  2. If the onion has sprouted, the sprouted part can be used as a substitute for scallions. 
  3. Before slicing onions put them in the freezer for 30 minutes, or put in a bowl of ice and water, or store some in your frig to use each week.  Cold onions don't make you tear up.  I always get my onions cold before cutting and it works for me.
And here are some more uses for pantyhose:
 
  • Lost something small in the carpet?  Cut a leg off an old pair of pantyhose, make sure the toe section is intact, and pull it up over the nozzle of your vacuum cleaner hose. (If you want additional security, you can even cut off the other leg and slip that over as well.) Secure the stocking in place with a tightly wound rubber band. Turn on the vacuum, carefully move the nozzle over the carpet, and you'll soon find your lost valuable attached to the pantyhose filter.
  • If you have a wet-dry shop vacuum, you can change the water in your fish tank without disturbing the gravel and tank accessories. (You'll still have to relocate the fish, of course.) Just pull the foot of an old nylon stocking over the end of the vacuum's nozzle, secure it with a rubber band, and you are ready to suck out the water.
  • Bring out the shine in your freshly polished shoes by buffing them with a medium-length strip of pantyhose. It works so well, you may retire that chamois cloth for good.
  • Keep your hairbrush clean!  Cut a 2-inch strip from the leg section of a pair of pantyhose, and stretch it over and around the bristles of your new (or newly cleaned) hairbrush. If necessary, use a bobby pin or a comb to push the hose down over the bristles. The next time your brush needs cleaning, simply lift up and remove the pantyhose layer -- along with all the dead hair, lint, etc. on top -- and replace it with a fresh strip.
  • Keep your used rolls of wrapping paper from tearing and unraveling by storing them in tubes made by cutting the leg sections off old pairs of pantyhose. (Don't forget to leave the foot section intact.) Or, if you have a bunch of used rolls, you can simply put one in each leg of a pair of pantyhose and hang them over a hanger in your closet.
  • Looking for an easy way to store mothballs in your closet or to make sachets of potpourri to keep in your dresser drawers? Pour either ingredient into the toe section of your recycled nylons. Knot off the contents, then cut off the remaining hose. If you plan to hang up the mothballs, leave several inches of material before cutting.
  • Avoid getting clothespin marks on your newly washed sweaters by putting an old pair of pantyhose through the neck of the sweater and running the legs out through the arms. Then hang the sweater to dry on your clothesline by clipping the clothespins onto the pantyhose instead of the wool.
  • If you run out of twine (or need something stronger -- say, for a large stack of glossy magazines), tie up your bundles of boxes, newspapers, and other types of recyclable paper goods using an old pair of pantyhose. Cut off the legs and waistband, and you'll be able to get everything curbside without any snags.
  • How many times have you opened your kitchen trash can only to discover that the liner has slipped down (and that someone in your house has covered it over with fresh garbage anyway)? You can prevent such "accidents" by firmly securing the garbage bag or liner to your trash can with the elastic waistband from a recycled pair of pantyhose; tie a knot in the band to keep it tight. You can also use this method to keep garbage bags from slipping off the edge of your outdoor garbage bins.
  • Having trouble catching those dust bunnies residing underneath and alongside your refrigerator? Round them up by balling up a pair of old pantyhoseand attaching it with a rubber band to a coat hanger or yardstick. The dust and dirt will cling to the nylon, which can easily be washed off before being called back for dusting duty.
  • Give your young plants and trees the support they need. Use strips of pantyhose to attach them to your garden stakes. The nylon's flexibility will stretch as your seedlings or saplings fill out and mature -- unlike string or twine, which can actually damage plant stalks if you tie it too tightly.
  • Pantyhose legs make terrific sacks for storing your flower bulbs over winter, since they let air freely circulate around the bulbs to prevent mold and rot. Simply cut a leg off a pair of pantyhose and place your bulbs inside, knot off the end, and place ID tags on each sack using a strip of masking tape. Hang them up in a cool, dry space, and they'll be ready for planting in the spring.
  • When moving a houseplant to a larger or better accommodation, put a piece of pantyhose at the bottom of the new pot. It will act as a liner that lets the excess water flow out without draining the soil along with it.
  • Keep small melons such as cantaloupe and muskmelons off the ground -- and free of pests and disease -- by making protective sleeves for them from your old pantyhose. Cut the legs off the pantyhose. As your young melons start to develop, slide each one into the foot section, and tie the leg to a stake to suspend the melon above the ground. The nylon holders will stretch as the melons mature, while keeping them from touching the damp soil, where they would be susceptible to rot or invasion by hungry insects and other garden pests.
  • Here are two recycling tips in one: Save up your leftover slivers of soap, and place them in the foot section of an old nylon stocking. Knot it off, and hang it next to your outdoor faucet. Use the soap-filled stocking to quickly wash off your hands after gardening and other outdoor work without worrying about getting dirt on door handles or bathroom fixtures inside your house.
  • Don't invite the bugs in for a bite; use a small square of pantyhose to temporarily patch that hole in your window screen. You can secure the patch by simply applying some rubber cement around the hole before pressing the patch in place. When you're ready to fix the hole with a piece of screening, peel off the nylon and the glue. If you want the patch to last a bit longer, sew it onto the screen with thread.
  • Want a more effective way to skim the debris off the surface of your pool water? Cut a leg off a pair of pantyhose and fit it over your pool's skimmer basket. It will catch a lot of tiny dirt particles and hairs that would otherwise make their way into -- and possibly clog -- your pool's filter unit.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

great tips

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your helpful tips with panty hose! Great ideas.