A big new book on household solutions from the 5-million-copy-selling Who Knew? brand!Whether you’re cleaning house, cooking a meal, improving your appearance, or fighting a cold, this indispensable guide will help you with natural and simple solutions to your daily tasks requiring only basic—and inexpensive—items with multiple uses that you should always keep on hand in your home.Vinegar, baking soda, lemons, duct tape, and beer are just a few of the all-purpose tools you need to eliminate odors, keep your food fresher longer, get rid of pests, increase storage space, de-stress, give yourself a spa treatment, and so much more. With easy-to-follow instructions, you’ll discover clever and creative ways to give your home—and yourself—a makeover while saving time and money.
Frugal living devotees will appreciate this miscellany of valuable tips and tricks to save time and money around the home. It’s well organized into six main sections covering Who Knew? Heroes, Home & Auto Hacks, Chef’s Secrets, Health & Beauty Boosts, Healing Remedies, and Fun & Family Time, and then further divided into 48 chapters. The chapters run the gamut from pet solutions to pain relief and corresponding tips within each chapter are arranged into mini-sections. An index is included, a great feature that definitely assists in finding relevant tips quickly.
This is definitely a book that everyone can benefit from. Not all of the tips will be new, but this handy compilation makes a great reference book for dealing with life’s minor annoyances such as stains and pest control. I read through the whole thing and picked up some new tips and tricks, but it won’t be only read. (My memory’s not that good!) It’s a book I will refer back to when I’m in need of a low-cost and convenient solution that I probably already have around the house.
Well, I knew about 9,501 of these tips already. I read this in-between trick or treaters last night. I read the most absurd ones aloud to my son and it was marginally fun.
Glad the library has this book so people who didn't have a mother like mine can learn something.
Full disclosure: I didn't read the entire book, just looked it over to see if I should purchase it.
HOWEVER, while perusing the sections, I did run across a hint that is on the dangerous side. In the chapter on Cold & Allergy, there is a section on "Clear Your Nose" with the idea of DIY Saline Drops by mixing warm water with salt & baking soda to use in a neti pot. It doesn't mention that the water should be boiled or sterile as using tap water in a neti pot can cause infections and death, an incident that was recently reported. So if you use this book please do some research. In fact, it wouldn't hurt to check out some of the hints that require ingestion.
From what I could tell by looking over the rest of the book, some of the hints border on silly such as applying a warm oatmeal and water mixture on aching body parts, which seems rather messy and hard to apply on certain body parts. But I figured the helpful hints outweighed the ones I'll probably never use and will let the book reside on my Kindle until I need to refer to something like what part of the green onion to stick up my nose to alleviate a stuffy nose (no joke!).
This book is best used as a practical reference guide. While you can read it from cover to cover, the most effective way to use it—especially if you're looking to save money—is as follows:
Review your grocery receipt and identify the most expensive items. Reflect on the purpose each item serves (e.g., cleaning, flavoring, moisturizing, etc.). Use the index to locate that purpose—you’ll likely find several cheaper alternatives listed. Check if you already have a substitute at home or consider purchasing a more affordable option.
I read several chapters straight through, and that gave me a solid sense of the book’s format and tone. Each entry is concise, practical, and straight to the point, making it easy to jump around as needed.
You are reading this review, so the chances are good that you live in a house. You probably like inexpensive solutions to problems, as well. Bruce and Jeanne Lubin bring out great advice in this book.
The authors mention that they did not intend you to read the book from cover to cover. Instead, they suggest making use of the index. On the other hand, if you read it in order you can find out all the uses for vinegar.
Thank you for reading my review, and see you next time.
Hints from Heloise refreshed for today’s new adults, this book has the potential to be a go-to resource for all of the forgotten uses of household products like vinegar, oils, and black tea, plus many others.