Not just for sandwiches

So I was doing some cleaning around the house and came across a mark on a piece of furniture. Normally, a mark would be something you could just rub off or use a little soap and water to remove, but not this mark. A guest must have had a glass of something that sweated all over the place and now I have a big ring on the wooden end table. What to do? Old English, Endust, even some stain pens? Nope, mayonnaise. Mayonnaise creates a chemical reaction between the wood and the moisture that is now trapped inside the wood. It will pull the water out and let the wood seal up again. You can use the other items, but after some time (few days to weeks) you will be reapplying over and over. Mayonnaise is the long-lasting answer!

A plumbing secret the 'man' doesn't want you to know.

So today I thought I'd start with a little known fact about kitchen/bathroom/wash room drains. Every house has this issue at some point: you're taking a shower/washing the dishes by hand, and the water is so slow in going down the drain that you can go watch your favorite movie (or go out to the movies) and it still won't be cleared 100% when the movie is over. Most of the time a clogged or slow-running drain is going to be a build-up of grease. The main stream society says to use 'Liquid Drano" or call Roto Rooter. I say save your money and clear this drain yourself for under $10.00.

All you need to do is go to your local grocery store and look for Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soap (AHSWS). It should be in the cleaning supplies section. Around here I have an ACME Supermarket and it runs in price for under $10.

Once you have this, stop up the sink/tub and fill it about half way. Take 1 cup of the AHSWS and stir it into the water until it is all dissolved. Once it is dissolved, opened the drain and let it work it's magic.

Now your probably asking yourself (and me), "Why use this method? Just because it's cheaper? And how is this better than Liquid Plumber or Roto Rooter? Well, first off not everyone is sure as to the materials of all the pipes in their home (be it apartment, house, condo, RV, etc...).
Liquid Plumber can't be used in all pipes. Certain metals will react to the chemicals in it that can eat away at the inside of the pipes and then you have a leak. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but in the near future. Then you have to worry about replacing pipes, calling in a plumber, cleaning out all the things under the cabinet and quite possibly in the basement to make sure the damage is not too severe. This is very costly and time consuming.

Roto Rooter is great if you have all new pipes and you don't mind paying someone else to fix your problem. Be prepared to pay. Note that worse case scenario, they may be your best bet, or your local plumber, but if it is just a clogged drain try my method first and save the money if possible.

Now to the all important question: why try this method? It's simple really. The grease is a solid blocking up the drains. Kind of like cholesterol blocking the arteries. What the AHSWS does is chemically (safely, not an acid) transforms the grease back into a liquid state - permanently. It will stay a liquid from your drains to the treatment plants and it can then be filtered/evaporated out of the water systems and is not harmful to the environment.

You can also use this method for washing your clothes as that is what it is truly intended for. If you are a mechanic, chef, fast food attendant, anyone that works around/with grease of any kind, this is the stuff for you. It will do the same thing to your clothes as is does for the drains and won't harm the material. Imagine not having to buy the expensive laundry detergents as often because every other load of laundry is washed with AHSWS.

And there you have it, a little secret that they won't advertise on tv/radio/internet, until now. I'll have more tips to come in the future, until then -

A new life starts.... yesterday

So 2 months ago I began a new chapter in my life, I got married. And since then everything else has seemed to go downhill. My job cut me out of the budget so I'm unemployed, my pending lawsuit for things that happened almost 2 years ago is going to take even longer, and mother is having a major empty nest breakdown. Trying to balance all this and have my wife as the bread winner has hurt my ego, but not my pride.
I've learned so many skills in my life that I know I'm an asset to anyone willing to hire me, the problem is finding the company. If it's one response from an interviewer I dislike more than anything, it's "you're overqualified for this position". In this lovely economy, a lot of people are going to be overqualified for jobs they are trying out for but that does not mean they don't want the job. Why apply for employment somewhere if you are underqualified?

Anyway, had to get that off my mind. More ramblings to come about life and the pursuit of getting by in this economy.

Rumplestiltskin

Now that I have your attention, how are you today? Good I hope, because if not then maybe there is something I can help you with. Up until the day my father died, I had been taught to be a "Jack of All Trades, Master of None". I still believe in this so that I am always looking for new things to add to my extensive list of experiences. I've learned tidbits on motor vehicle repair, cabinetry, electronics maintenance, building construction (both new and remodeling), as well as a great number more.
I have been told I should write a book of all the things I've done and experienced through my travels but thought that this may be an easier (and cheaper) way to share these thoughts. Hope my advice helps and if you have a question about how to make something work or fix, please ask away and I'll add it to my lists of topics to come.

Thanks for visiting, talk to you soon.

Bill