Catch new tips every quarter
	in the AMS Mortgage Times!

Have a clogged drain? Drop 3 Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of white vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run hot water. Problem Solved!
	Can't keep the dust off of your T.V.? Take a used dryer sheet and rub your T.V. screen. It gets rid of the dust and keeps it from resettling as quickly! You'll have to dust half as often.
Can't get those grease stains out of your laundry? Add a can of Coca-Cola to your load of laundry along with your detergent. The Coke will loosen those stubborn stains!
	Tired of scrubbing that baked on food off your pans? Put a Bounce dryer sheet in the pan, fill it with warm water and let it sit over night. The anti-static agents weaken the bond, and the food wipes right off!
You say potato; I say wonder food! Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub a raw potato on your hands and rinse with water. Works great to remove Jello stains! AND, if you over salt a dish while it's still cooking, add a raw peeled potato. It will absorb the excess salt for a "quick fix!"
	Can't clean up that spilled candle wax? Lay a damp cloth over the spill, then iron over the cloth on medium to high heat. The wax will stick to the cloth, and come right out of the carpet or upholstery! Terry cloth works best, but keep in mind that whatever cloth you use will be ruined by the wax removed from the spill area.
Tired of getting bitten by those nasty mosquitoes? Bounce, the dryer sheets, help to repel mosquitoes! Tie a sheet or two in your belt loops during mosquito season, and you'll stay bite free. It makes a great repellant for camping or hiking trips!
	Ants, ants, everywhere ants! Put that nasty bug killer away! If you have a problem with ants, just draw a chalk line around the perimeter of the problem area. It is said that ants will never cross a chalk line - - find out for yourself!
Do you dread having to bag your leaves this fall? Before you start the treacherous job of raking and bagging, grab an old bed sheet. Stretch the sheet out, and rake the leaves onto it. When you have a large pile on top of the sheet, just gather up all four corners and pull them together in the center of the pile. The sheet works as a make shift trash bag, and you can drop all of the leaves into a bag in one large swoop!
	Can't get that stubborn wine stain out of your carpet? Pour some white wine over the stain as soon as it happens, and blot well, then sponge with clean water and blot dry with paper towels. If you can't catch the stain as soon as it happens, don't worry. Sprinkle salt over the stain and leave it to absorb, then brush off. Repeat as many times as necessary to remove the stain.
Replace a broken light bulb, without cutting your fingers. It never fails, you pull out an old strand of Christmas lights, and there's a broken bulb. Well here's a simple, fast way to replace the bulb with out hurting yourself. Cut a raw potato in half and shove the freshly cut end onto the remaining shards of glass. Twist the potato to the left; and the glass and metal will come right out. This works on regular household light bulbs too!
	Love the holiday sweets, but hate the fat? Well this Christmas, enjoy the snacks and do away with the fat. Just replace the oil your recipe calls for with the same amount of applesauce. The finished product tastes exactly the same, and you can eat twice as much!
Can't keep the family cat off the Christmas tree? An old wives tale says that cats hate the smell of citrus. Peel some citrus fruits and slice the peel into 3-inch long strips about a quarter of an inch wide, then hang them from the inside branches of your Christmas tree. It should act as a deterrent for cats.
	Tired of tomato stains on your plastic food dishes? Just spray the dish with non-stick cooking spray before putting the tomato based food in it-no more stains!
Have a headache that just won't go away? An old wives tale says to cut a lime in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing should go away quickly!
	Can't loosen that old rusty bolt? Soak a cloth in Coca-Cola, and apply the cloth to the rusted bolt for several minutes. The Coca-Cola eats right through the rust and you'll be able to twist it off in a snap! Coke also cleans road haze off of your car windows.
Can't seem to reach those nasty cobwebs way up in the corner? Just get a tennis ball and put it into the toe of an old pair of knee-highs. Then toss the ball up to the cobwebs. The spider web will stick to the nylons, and you won't have to strain your neck or back standing on your tip-toes!
	Ever wish you didn't have to clean the oven? Well with this quick preventative measure you'll never have to spend hours scrubbing again! Just take a sheet of aluminum foil and spread it across the bottom of the oven. (If you have an electric oven, make sure to place it under the electric coils.) Then remove it once a week or so and your oven will stay as clean as new!
Want to make your house smell like you spent all day cleaning? Cut a lemon in half, and squeeze it into a small pan of water. Then add the lemon halves. Simmer the pan over low to medium heat for 10 or 15 minutes. Voila! Your kitchen will smell freshly cleaned!
	Can't get the indentions from your furniture legs out of your carpet? Place and ice cube on the flattened spot. Let sit. Then rub. The carpet should stand back up to its regular height.
Want to add a fresh coat of paint, but can't stand the mess and cleanup? Well, here are 2 simple fixes to make painting and cleaning up a lot less messy! Get a strong paper plate and glue it to the bottom of the paint can. This will prevent drips. Next, take a garbage bag and put your paint tray inside. Then fill the tray with paint. When you're done, just pull the clean tray out of the bag and throw the bag away. With these two hints, painting is virtually cleanup free!
	Tired of those annoying mosquito bites that just won't quit itching? Try applying a drop of dish soap to the bite. It should provide instant relief!
Can't keep the crawling insects out of your garden? Crushed sea shells will keep crawling bugs out of your garden. When they try to walk across the shells it cuts their feet like glass. Most gardening stores sell crushed sea shells for this purpose.