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How to repel mosquitos - part 2

2009-01-01T17:35:00.000+08:00

Now for the things that work.

First of all, before you start shopping for commerical repellents, you may like to consider some tips first, no money required. You can use these tips for things to avoid or things to lure them away.

Mosquitoes use their vision to locate targets from far. Avoid wearing dark clothes, or use dark objects as decoys.

Mosquitos are attracted to carbon dioxide. When you are hot, you tend to give out more, so keep cool to give out less carbon dioxide. Fire is another source of carbon dioxide, so why not lit a candle to lure it away.

Mosquitos can smell. So go easy with perfumes, scented fragrances coming from fabric softeners, etc.

Mosquitoes like perspiration and the humidity around your body. Keep dry. They like the extremities, so protect your arms and legs accordingly.

How to be repel mosquitos - part 1

2008-12-31T16:42:00.011+08:00

First of all, lets talk about what does not work.

Electronic mosquito repellents based on ultrasound (very high frequency inaudible to the ear) claim to repel mosquitoes within a range of up to 2.5 metres. It is said to target female mosquitoes. It is believed female mosquito mate only once in their lives, and so the ultrasound frequency mimics the sound of males in order to repel the female counterparts. Other belief is that the ultrasound frequency sound like bats which prey on mosquitoes. Yet another belief is that it sounds like dragonfly's wings,another one of mosquito's predators. Problem with this belief is dragonflies don't produce ultrasonic sound.

However, numerous studies found that these devices do not work, although the marketing of such devices has not been dented(Interestingly, even mobile phone companies have also marketed anti-mosquito ring tones!). It is even said that mosquitoes are stone-cold deaf, so you can already see in theory why it won't work.

How to recycle old socks

2008-10-20T10:48:00.001+08:00

Put a few tablespoons of fresh coffee inside the sock. Tie up the end and place in a closet to prevent odors.

Use them to make mitts for dusting, cleaning, dishwashing, waxing your car, polishing your shoes or cleaning your blinds. Can also be used for hard-to-reach places under closets, furnitures, appliances. Reach high places by placing it on a long stick.

How to vacuum and leave a nice smell

2008-10-10T10:55:00.000+08:00

Just add to the bag a freshener - it's a great way to leave your carpets smelling fresh and clean !

Cloves, a few tea bags (this is my favorite), a cotton ball sprayed with your favorite cologne or
perfume will do the trick.

How to buy water melons

2008-09-21T12:35:00.009+08:00

Look for nice looking watermelons - firm and symmetrically round or oval, that means no dents, bruises, etc

Check the bottom what is sat on the ground and became ripe. It should be creamy yellow or light, not covered with stripes.
Tap or slap on the watermelon and listen. Listen for what ? Signs of hollowness. Look for the most hollow one with the highest pitch. Not hollow - not ripe.
Check the weight. Heavy ? Yes, that's best. Watermelons are mostly made up of water - 92 percent & fat free.
Avoid watermelons that still has a part of a stem still attached. Melons with part of the stem still attached means it was picked when it was green.

How to buy papayas

2008-09-06T02:07:00.005+08:00

Papaya matures through several stages. First is the green stage, then followed by more and more yellowing, starting from the bottom working its way to the top. Buy papaya when it's about half yellow, half green. When is yellow, it's probably about 75% ripe. When it's ripe, it would have a light fragrance and yield slightly to pressure. Look at the stem end for signs of any decay or over-ripeness.

Papayas are ethylene sensitive. To speed up the ripening process, put it in a paper bag along with an ethylene-producing fruit. eg apples or bananas. But avoid doing this when the papaya is fully ripe.

How to decordrize shoes

2008-08-21T14:16:00.006+08:00

Got a smelly shoe ? Your feet stinks ?

First of all, it is important you dry your shoes first. Put it under a sun.

Next, try one of the following methods:

Sprinkle baking soda into the shoe. Baking soda can be used as an odor absorber.
Rub alcohol inside. Or better still, use a spray bottle and spray the alcohol inside.

How to choose durians to buy

2008-08-06T19:48:00.003+08:00

Pick the one that is comparatively light but the stem should appear big and solid.

Look at the shape, it should be oval or a little oblong. Funny shaped ones tend to have fewer chambers inside and fewer "meaty seeds". On the other hand, rounded durians are less aromatic, have bigger seeds rather than more "meat".

Smell along the seams and split lines of the durian, it should have a slight aroma. The fruit has no aroma if it is unripe, but if the smell is very strong, it may be over-ripe. Do not smell the base of the husk, it is too thick to get the smell.

When shaking the durian, the seed should move.

Insert a knife, stab the fruit, the knife should come out sticky.

Finally and obviouly, avoid fruit with holes, unless you like worms.

Various types of Durians:

XO durians - small size
Red Prawn durians - large size
Mao Shan Wang
D24

CAUTION:
If you are sold a LARGE XO durian or a small Red Prawn, you may be taken for a ride.

How to choose mangosteens to buy

2008-08-03T01:31:00.006+08:00

Mangosteens - South East Asia's Queen of tropical fruits

First, look for those that are dark purple or reddish purple in colour - not the ones that are blue-black. The fruit should be firm.

Secondly, avoid those with blotchy-looking skin or have a powdery yellow appearance. This is a sign that the fruit is already overripe.

Thirdly, the stems and leaves should be green and fresh. Old fruits will have crispy-brown leaves.

Would you like to find out before opening up a mangosteen how many segments there are inside ? Typically, it will contain about 4 to 8 white to pinkish segments. But you can know before hand by just counting the remnant flower parts on the shell. So the more the flowers, the more the segments, the lesser the seeds .. something mathematical to think about !

How to clean a wound

2008-07-21T20:24:00.004+08:00

Onion is a natural antiseptic. Use the inside of a clear onion skin, press it onto a cut and leave it there for some time.

How to clean toilet bowls

2008-07-03T20:18:00.003+08:00

Here are some things you may like to try:

Keep odors and clogs away by pouring baking powder into your bowl.
Make use of citric acid to remove stains. Use 2 teaspoons of orange juice powder, and start scrubing. Vitamin C capsules, which is acid-based may work also.
Try pouring a bottle of carbonated beverages like coke, let it settle for an hour ... then flush.

How to keep your bed sheets & pillow cases organized

2008-06-12T18:50:00.004+08:00

When you fold your bedsheets,
- put the folded bedsheet and all the pillowcases inside one "master" pillowcase

All the sheets and cases are all compact neatly into one set so that you can easily identify them in your closet.

How to open a jar or bottle lid easily

2008-06-11T01:37:00.000+08:00

If you often find yourself struggling to open a jar lid or bottle lid that has been screwed on too tightly for whatever reasons or maybe somehow it just got stuck, here something that you may like to consider.

Keep one of those rubber computer mouse pads in the kitchen. They come in handy when the need arises. With the trend towards, optical mouses, you should have one of these extras. They make a good grip on the lid, with a slight twist, the lids comes off easily.

See the picture on the right --->

How to revive limp vegetables

2008-06-10T18:43:00.000+08:00

To revive limp vegetables,
- put them in cold water, then
- put them in the refrigerator.

Soon, your vegetables will perk up!

How to make a simple game for your toddler

2008-06-08T21:08:00.000+08:00

Here's a little game that's both educational & fun for your child to play. Just cut out shapes made out of hard paper. Put them all into a tissue box with a hole large enough for your child's hands, and there you go, a little game that is fun and educational.

How to buy the right size High Def TV

2008-06-07T10:37:00.003+08:00

What's the difference between a HDTV with full HD resolution that is expensive, vesus a bargain-price HD-ready set ?

This link shows anything smaller than a 46-inch size is not worth it.

Click here for explanation:
http://www.asiaone.com/Digital/Features/Story/A1Story20080606-69381.html

How to soften hardened brown sugar

2008-06-02T20:28:00.000+08:00

To soften hardened brown sugar, try adding a slice of apple.

How to shine your kitchen knives

2008-06-02T20:18:00.001+08:00

How to shine your kitchen knives - simply rub the blade of the knife with leftover pineapple peel.

How to do up your boring looking title floor

2008-05-16T11:52:00.000+08:00

Want to do up your boring looking titled floor ? Select a good adhesive primer and apply entirely over the surface(including the grooves in between tiles). Let them dry overnight, then paint them with high-end semi gloss floor paint. Create designs with stencils, stamps and sponges!

How to get rid of Pests - Part 2 (Mice)

2008-05-13T01:27:00.005+08:00

To prevent a problem with rodents, you can made a non-toxic rodent repellent. Make a very strong peppermint tea. After it cools, strain it and pour it into a spray bottle. Then spray where you think the mice a likely to go to. Mice can't stand peppermint, so they will avoid such places.

Blogger Tips

2008-05-12T21:05:00.002+08:00

linked back from many sites
an about page and an author photo

http://www.johntp.com/2006Post Options/04/06/how-to-increase-your-blogs-traffic-from-yahoo/

How to get rid of Pests - Part 1 (Ants)

2008-05-10T02:03:00.004+08:00

Put a tablespoon of household laundry/dish detergent in a plastic spray bottle, and mix it with water. Shake well. When ants appear, a squirt of sudsy water will kill them!

How to make a room spray

2008-05-06T01:57:00.002+08:00

Want to make your very own room spray ? Just fill a flowering spray with lukewarm water and some lemon juice and cinnamon. Easy ?

How to clean sturborn dirt in wooden cutting board

2008-05-05T01:15:00.004+08:00

If salt can't clean your wooden cutting board enough (previous tip), try sprinkling it with salt and BAKING SODA.

How to use salt and baking soda to clean your kitchen

2008-04-27T01:33:00.003+08:00

Here a some kitchen tips you can use using just ordinary salt and baking soda ...

To disinfect your sink, don't use strong chemical solutions which may damage your sink. Ordinary household salt will do the trick just as well.

A good scouring powder for sinks is the humble Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). And if you dissolve it in water, it makes a good natural cleaner.

Try scouring your stains on chopping board with salt, it will come up clean

How to save water and time when doing dishwashing

2008-04-24T01:21:00.003+08:00

Soak dishes for 10 minutes in a washing up bowl before you wash them. It will be easier to wash and save water running while you try to scrub them. You can also use a second bowl of clean water to rinse the dishes.

How to go GREEN with newspapers

2008-04-21T01:54:00.003+08:00

You can clean fish on newspapers. After that, just wrap the waste up and throw it into the bin.
The dirty contents of your vacuum cleaner can be emptied onto a damp newspaper. Wrap it up and throw it away.
Soaked shoes that smell ? Just stuff them with newspapers and leave them out to dry naturally.

Where to recycle for cash and redeem items

2008-04-18T01:13:00.004+08:00

Don't throw away those junk ! You might like to recycle them and at the same time earn some points to redeem for items. Visit this site for more details http://www.recycling-bank.com/

Where to buy plastics cheaply

2008-04-15T01:45:00.005+08:00

If you like a place that you can buy plastic stuff on the cheap try this warehouse:

Toyogo Supermart
Blk 11 Toa Payoh Lor 8
#01-1207
Tel: 2502960

How to get the same food for less

2008-04-12T01:44:00.002+08:00

Medium-sized prawns give the same nutritional value as big prawns and costs cheaper. So instead of buying a kg of big prawns, why not just buy a kg of medium-sized ones instead.
There is no need to buy big expensive fish to get the necessary proteins. The little ikan bilis packs the same amount of nutrition.

How to recycle old home belongings Part 2

2008-04-11T02:09:00.002+08:00

If you have one of those pin-striped giant straw shopping bags, you can fill those with fluffy cushions to get your very own sitting 'beanbags'
Got a piece of beautiful leftover fabric ? Use it as a book cover for your child's favorite book.
Going to throw away your old shower curtain ? User them as dirt resistant shelf dust protectors.

How to recycle old home belongings

2008-04-08T22:14:00.003+08:00

Breathe life into an old scarf by dyeing it a bold single colour and draping it over an old couch.
If you have your child's old kindergarten paintings and drawings, you can cut them out and create an interesting collage. Soft laminate it and use it as a series of colourful placemats or as a large table top cover.
Here's a simple way to make your own sculptural statement. Keep those liquor bottles. Light colourful candles in those bottles, and let the wax drip all over the sides of the bottle. Line them up in a corner or on a shelf.
Got an old Singer sewing machine ? Convert it into a side table by placing a piece of glass over the top. When your guests comes, it will make a great conversation piece.

How to store children toys

2008-04-08T21:34:00.002+08:00

If you have large coffee cans, ice cream tubs and boxes, cover them with contact paper and a picture of what would be stored inside. For example, one container may be for small toy cars, another for pretend food, and another for toy animals. This will not only help you when your child requests for a certain toy, but also during clean-up time, when you and your child can practise categorizing the items.
If you need an excellent toy box, consider using laundry baskets. They can carry them around.
Paint your child's storage shelves in different colours. Colour code all toys. This way, your child will know which toy goes into which shelf during clean-up.
Place cup hooks on the shelves, so that you can hang small baskets of small items.

How to make your home more appealing

2008-04-08T21:26:00.003+08:00

Put plants
Repaint the front door
Organize your store room. Hang those sporting goods, ladder, tools on wall hooks. Install shelves and stack boxes neatly
For a homely touch, put a bowl of potpourri on your coffee table