#95
>>Sind Haushaltstipps eigentlich typisch deutsch?No -- at least, not exclusively. (-:
In the US, a syndicated newspaper column called 'Hints from Heloise' has been sharing household hints from readers since the 1960s. Sometimes their value, too, is more humorous than practical -- though I can't imagine anything topping the 20-minute coconut oil swish. (-;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heloise_(columnist)http://www.heloise.com/(Her mom's recipe for 'German' potato salad is also good. (-: )
I don't have a very green thumb myself, nor am I really into homeopathy or natural remedies. But both these syndicated columns seem balanced and sensible, one on organic gardening and the other on medicines including home health remedies.
https://www.dirtdoctor.com/http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/Miscellaneous ...
Both my grandmothers kept
aloe vera plants to use the juice on kitchen burns, but I have more luck with cold water.
Very hot water for itches such as mosquito bites is something I've had a fair amount of luck with too -- but right away, not a day later. (But apparently one of the invasive mosquito species bites 'almost imperceptibly on the lower extremities'? *ulp* And hot water isn't going to stop West Nile or Zika -- I'm afraid that's one of the cases where chemical repellent, and long sleeves and pants, are our best bet. \-: )
A paste of baking soda and water for wasp and bee stings.
Boric acid around entrances for cockroaches -- though then you have a lot of white powder instead.
Running very hot water over the lid of a jar to make it easier to open. (I still remember how skeptical I as a very unscientific child was when my mom first told me about that one, but it works.)
Making your own hummingbird nectar instead of buying a mix -- 1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar per 1 cup hot water.
Things I've read about but haven't tried ...
Cleaning surfaces to remove the scent trails left by ants. (Boiling water might also do that.)
Vinegar not only for cleaning, killing bacteria, rinsing hair, & removing hard-water buildup, but also to kill weeds.
Meat tenderizer for jellyfish stings -- not sure exactly how you're supposed to apply it.
The chemists among us might be able to tell us what baking soda and meat tenderizer have in common, if anything. Somehow I would think a chemical might do more against stings than something like sand or flour -- but on the other hand maybe there's a chemical that the jellyfish leaves on the skin that you can physically rub off?