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Tips From The Masonic Shop www.themasonicshop.com

To unclog a plugged drain, try pouring 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by a 1/2 cup vinegar, into the clogged drain and covering it tightly. After a minute or so, rinse the drain out with two quarts of boiling water. Cleaning the drain in this manner from time to time will help keep debris from building up. To clean your oven, use a mixture of ammonia and water. The solution may be stored in a spray bottle. For tougher stains, apply a mixture of baking soda and water directly to the stains and let the mixture stand for several minutes before wiping the oven surface clean. To clean the microwave, put about two tablespoons of baking soda or lemon juice into a cup of water in a microwave-safe, four-cup or larger bowl. Let this mixture to boil in the oven for about five minutes. The steam will condense on the inside walls of the oven. (Caution when opening the door.) You can then simply wipe off the walls, the inside of the door and also the door seals. To clean your coffee or spice grinder, grind several pieces of white bread. This is really good, if you've used your coffee grinder for grinding spices. The bread helps pick up oils too. Of course, if you use it only for coffee, you won't have this problem if you keep the coffee beans in the freezer! For a great smelling air freshener, mix 1/2 cup crushed bay leaves, 1/4 cup dried sage, one cup witch hazel and let it sit un-refrigerated for three days. Strain out the herbs and transfer the remaining liquid to a spray bottle. Garbage disposal odor? Sprinkle baking soda in it along with a few drops dish-washing liquid. Scrub with a brush, getting under the rubber gasket and all around the inside. Then turn on water and the disposal and flush thoroughly. For a fresh citrus scent, throw in a few cut-up lemons or limes and run them through. Make your own window cleaner by mixing equal parts of vinegar, ammonia and water. Put in a spray bottle , squirt on windows and wipe off with newspaper (Elbow grease required, but the results are worth it) or towels. If you're having trouble with ants, stir together 1/2 cup molasses and six tablespoons of both sugar and active dry yeast. Place the paste strips of cardboard or even bottle caps near the infested areas. To keep ants out, locate their outside nests and dowse them with several gallons of boiling water. Stir the ground between each dowsing. Then pour talcum powder, cream of tartar, borax, powdered sulphur or oil of cloves on the entire area. To eliminate cockroaches, mix oatmeal or flour with an equal portion of plaster of Paris and spread the mixture into the infested area. To clean ceramic tile, mix 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/3 cup ammonia, 1/3 cup baking soda and seven cups warm water. Store the solution in a spray bottle for easy bathroom cleaning. Clean your toilet bow with small amounts of baking soda and vinegar. To create a safe disinfectant for cleaning, mix either 1/2 cup borax or mixture of 1/2 cup ammonia and 1/2 cup washing soda into a gallon of warm water. Clean your carpet by sprinkling it with cornstarch and letting it sit for 30 minutes before vacuuming. A liberal dosage of baking soda will deodorize your carpet. Let it stand for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming. For heavy stains, apply either baking soda, cornstarch, cornmeal or talcum powder. Let it stand for six hours before vacuuming. To remove candle wax from carpets, scrape up what you can with a dull knife. Put paper towels or and old, white cloth over the area; with iron on low-warm (no steam), gently press. As wax is lifted, move towels so a clean part covers the remaining wax; repeat until wax is gone. If you don't have an iron, hot water will do the trick too. To clean brass, mix 1/2 cup portions of all purpose flour, salt and powdered detergent. Add 3/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup of very warm water. Stir together and shake well before using. Pour a dab of the mixture onto brass and rub with a washcloth. To polish silver, use toothpaste and warm water. An old, soft bristled toothbrush will yield the best results. You can also use them to get leftover bits of food from graters, sieves, food-processor blades or any hard-to-clean stuff. Use a small brush type hair roller to clean radiators. Stick a pencil into the brush, making a handle and it's great tool for hard to get clean areas. Fill a paint roller with your favorite wall washing solution and use it to wash your walls. Rinse with clear water. It goes much more quickly than sponging. To clean mini-blinds or slats of shutters, use a clean paintbrush. It's a lot cheaper than expensive blind cleaning tools. Black scuff marks on a floor are instantly wiped away with a small amount of baby oil or petroleum jelly on a cleaning rag. Afterward, be sure to wipe the floor with a spray cleaner so the spot won't be slippery. To remove gum from leather, just put a dab of peanut butter on the gum. In a little while, the gum will peel right off. Baking soda with ground cinnamon or cloves makes a great carpet freshener. To clean pewter, rub the item with the outer leaves of a head of cabbage. Then buff with a soft cloth. Use a dryer softener sheet to wipe your TV screen to remove static electricity. Chip clips? Try binder clips. Much cheaper and stronger. Use 'em for chips, coffee beans you keep in the freezer or anything you want to keep fresh that has an inferior seal of its own. Find them in any office supply store. Gift tags? Don't buy them, print them! Just do a web search for gift tags and you'll come up with tons you can personalize for any occasion! Add class to your gifts.