Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things: Featuring Vinegar, Baking Soda, Salt, Toothpaste, String, Plastic Cups, Mayonnaise, Nail Polish, Tape, and Mor

by Reader's Digest Association

Book Overview

Discover ingenious ways to use or reuse more than 250 common household items to replace, restore, repair, or revive almost anything in your household including yourself. When you have a household... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0762106492
• ISBN13: 9780762106493
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Reader's Digest Association
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.8" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

fun and useful

I never thought I would enjoy this book as much as I have been. It is 400 pages of fun facts with all those things you would find in your home and all the normal problems you would run in to. For example, onions remove rust stains from silverware, use bananas as a face mask, nail polish to remove warts, vinegar for carpet stains and to defrost windsheilds, beer and salt to make windows frosty for the Christmas holidays, use a vacuum nozzle with a pair of pantyhose to find that valuable object on the floor without sucking it up, etc.. I love this book! =)

extraordinary hints for the ordinary person!

Yes, how cheesy sounding that was, but really, this book is worth it's weight in gold. Listed in this book are so many common, inexpensive items that the majority of us have in our households right now. It is a great reference source for advice on cleaning and just using natural products if you prefer that over using harsh chemicals. I honestly did not know that you could use those tablets to clean dentures to clean your toilet. This would make a very interesting gift for anyone. It isn't just cleaning tips but there are beauty tips, solutions for burned foods, organizing and first aid advice. This book is like a "jack of trades" when it comes to truly ordinary items.

Great value for the money.

You know, I paid $30.00 for this book and I have absolutely no regrets. There are so many useful tips in that book. I have read and re-read this book several times. I always refer back to it for something because I forget what to use for certain issues. Good thing they have that glossary in the back. Just look it up and you'll be directed to the page. So, I rate it 5 stars on ease of use also. I put the book on the bookshelf once and, it may have stayed there all of 2 hours. It hasn't been back on the shelf yet. I use it too much. My favorite tip, as a gardener: Instead of buying miniature greenhouse kits to start plants, use rolls from toilet paper, paper towels, gift wrap, and other items. Cut them down to size, fill with dirt and when you're ready to plant, simply cut down the sides and put the whole thing in the ground. Simple and inexpensive. I have already saved more than the cost of the book. I highly recommend it.

Many useful ideas that you'll want to try!

I often see ads that promise you all sorts of money-saving secrets . . . one, though, did catch my attention to the extent that I even sent away for it: EXTRAORDINARY USES FOR ORDINARY THINGS, published by Reader's Digest. The top of the book promises "1,200 money-saving secrets," and while I don't know that I will be able to use all of them, there were quite a lot that caught my attention--and that I might even someday try. For example, there was this one: To keep ice cream smooth and free of those annoying, yucky ice crystals that form once the container has been opened--rewrap the container completely in plastic wrap before you return it to the freezer. Or put the container inside a large seal-sealing plastic bag. And here's another that I liked: To fix tiny holes in your window screens, just dab some clear nail polish over the holes. It will stop those tiny (and often biting) insects in their tracks. I was amazed that there were so many other products that I could use for a whole host of purposes, including bread, dental floss, mayonnaise, oatmeal, sandpaper, and straws. Several boxed inserts added to my enjoyment of EXTRAORDINARY USES, such as this one that gave me background on the development of a shampoo icon: One of the longest-running advertising campaigns in history, "the Break Girl," was the brainchild of Edward Breck, a member of the family that started Breck Shampoo Co. The ads, featuring wholesome, beautiful girls with gorgeous hair, began in 1936, during the Great Depression, although they didn't go national until 1947. Only two artists were used during the 40-year campaign. The best known was Ralph William Williams, who took over the job in 1957. Among the models for Williams's Breck girls were Cybill Shepherd, Kim Bassinger and Brooke Shields--all unknowns at the time. The campaign ceased soon after Williams's death in 1976. Lastly, I've always heard that vinegar could be used for many reasons other than cooking--but the total of 188 surprised me . . . yet that said, I will now know to use the product to steam-clean my microwave: To clean your microwave, place a glass bowl filled with 1/4 cup vinegar in 1 cup water inside, and zap the mixture for five minutes on the highest setting. Once the liquid cools, dip a cloth into it and wipe off stains and splatters. What an idea. What a book!

Excellent, but Look for a Bargain

This book is fantastic. I saved probably $50 and have only had it a month...using newspaper instead of Painter's Blue Tape alone saved me a lot of money. I read it cover to cover in 2 days, and recommend it highly. My only complaint is that I paid too much for it. I paid $40 for it and within 2 weeks Reader's Digest offered it for $9.99. If you can find it for $10 or so, go for it. Excellent book chock full of useful info.