The 5 Essential Everyday Super Items

Posted by David Moore     http://www.veteransunited.com/spouse/the-5-essential-everyday-super-items/?src=email&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRokvqvLZKXonjHpfsX76eglWKW0lMI%2F0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4FSMpqI%2FqLAzICFpZo2FFOG%2B2W

1. Baking Soda

Known as sodium bicarbonate in chemistry circles, baking soda has a long history of utility going back to the Ancient Egyptians. The reason for its popularity through the ages is clear: baking soda is a simple substance that can accomplish a lot!

Here are just a handful — there are too many to list here — of baking soda’s uses:

• Toothpaste — Learn how to make it here.
• Deodorizes trashcans, drains & other smelly spots — Just place a box or sprinkle some in your desired odorous location.
• Keeps drains clear — Regular use can help keep your septic systems freely flowing.
• Underarm deodorant — Apply it with a powder puff.
• Cleans your hair — Works as a shampoo alternative. Just dissolve about a tablespoon of it in a glass of warm water and pour through your hair in the shower — massage, rinse and repeat!

In addition, baking soda doesn’t harm the environment, it replaces a number of toxins found in household products and it helps regulate pH levels.

2. Olive Oil

Archeological evidence shows that olive oil’s use is rooted in civilization’s early stages. It was an integral part of life for the Greeks, Egyptians and peoples of the Middle East. Now, it’s time to make the versatile oil a part of yours! There are a number of benefits to using olive oil — from health to practical applications.

Like with baking soda, the variety of uses for olive oil are far too numerous to mention here. So, here are just a few:

• Shave — Olive oil can provide the lubricant for a close and safe shave. Rub some into your skin after you are finished.
• Fix a squeaky door — Add some to the hinge with a rag to quiet that annoying screech.
• Replace butter in recipes — It also works in baked goods. Use slightly less than the amount of butter that is called for.
• Clean a variety of items — Apply olive oil to household items to remove gum, sticky foods or grime. It’s also great for keep garden tools clean.
• Detangle Hair — Work olive oil into your hair, then comb the tangles right out.

Don’t use your expensive virgin olive oil for the around-the-house tasks. You can use inexpensive, domestic olive oil for that. Also, filling a spray-bottle with olive oil will help you efficiently use it.

3. Vinegar — White & Apple Cider

What do you get when you leave grape juice undisturbed for a really long time? You get wine and celebration! What do you get when you leave wine undisturbed for a really long time? You get vinegar and a sour face. Despite its acrid taste, history proves that vinegar is a super item that deserves a spot in your kitchen cabinet.

Here’s a sample of it’s innumerable applications:

• Remove smoke odor — Burnt a steak? Cigarette smoke lingering around? Place a cereal bowl about three-quarts full in the area affected and the smell should be gone by the end of the day.
• Remove mildew — White vinegar does the trick here. Dilute it with water for weaker stains or use it full strength for heavy duty mold problems.
• Remove bumper stickers — Still trudging around the political campaign sticker from 20 years ago? Vinegar will help remove the old to make way for the new.
• Keep car windows frost free — Spray a solution of three parts white vinegar and one part water to the outside of your windows. It should last several weeks.
• Get yellow out of clothing — Soak your clothes overnight in 12 parts warm water and 1 part vinegar. Wash them the next morning.

  4. Lemon Juice

  The first lemon trees in America were planted by Christopher Columbus and his explorers in 1493. By the 19th century, lemons were growing in abundance in California and Florida. And since then, the lemon and its citric juice has found many uses.

  Below are some of them:

  • Neutralize cat-box odor — Cut a couple of lemons in half and place them, cut side up, in a dish in the room. The room will soon smell lemon-fresh.
  • Deodorize the garbage disposal — If there’s a rank smell emanating from your sink, then take some leftover lemon peels and toss them down the disposal. Repeat once every month to keep the foul odors at bay.
  • Soothe a sore throat — Add some lemon juice to some herbal tea, or if you want a bit more kick, try a Hot Toddy.
  • Kill weeds — Replace harmful herbicides with this natural solution. Spray those pesky weeds with lemon juice and they won’t stand a chance.
  • Clean your microwave — Eliminate the hard, encrusted food gunk by microwaving a bowl of 1 1/2 cups of water mixed with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice for 5-10 minutes. Allow the steam to briefly condense on the walls of the microwave and wipe away the softened food with a dishrag.

    5. Essential Oils — Tea Tree, Lavender & Peppermint

    Essential oils are responsible for the scent a plant or flower produces, and so they are a concentration aromatic compounds. Each of these oils has a number of applications.

    Tea tree oil is derived from an Australian plant and its uses include:

    • Preventing infection — Just rub some in a cut or burn after you’ve cleaned the wound.
    • Eliminating body odor — Add a small amount to your bath.
    • Freshen Laundry — Add a few drops to each load to leave your clothes smelling cleaner.

    Lavender derives its name from the Latin word lavare, which means “to wash.” It is known to:

    • Help induce sleep — Spray some on your pillow and sheets 30 minutes before bedtime.
    • Treat skin — It can be applied directly to small areas or a tiny amount can be mixed with some lotion for larger sections of skin.
    • Calm nerves — Relax in a comfy chair as you inhale the soothing scent.

    Peppermint oil is commonly used to flavor foods and drinks. It can also be used to:

    • Ease a variety of digestive problems — Indigestion, heartburn, diarrhea, etc.
    • Ease tension headaches — Inhale the vapor from a few drops of oil on a handkerchief.
    • Treat stress and pain — After a long day, soak yourself in a bath after applying peppermint oil to your body.

    Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid essential oils because little is known about their safety during pregnancy and lactation.

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