Saturday, April 16, 2011

A Giveaway!

For this weekend post I am having another giveaway! The prize is your choice of one (aqua, green/black, or smoke) of the following bracelets in the photo...

Here is the deal. To be entered in this giveaway all you have to do is leave a tip to solve a common problem in the studio whether it be a solution for cleaning up something (without chemicals), keeping cords out of the way, or unsticking a paint tube, or other ideas relate to the content of this post. You can leave up to 3 of these comments - each must be a different idea/solution (please don't post the same thing three times). After you have left a comment sharing your tip, leave a separate comment to let me know you are following this blog for one additional chance. I will have a friend draw a name and will announce a winner May 1. Good luck!


Let me start off by saying this is not your typical organizing or storage solutions blog post. It does, however, relate to the studio and little mishaps or problems that we sometimes face in our studio such as spilling ink, wax or paint, minor burns, and even glue or stickers where they don't belong. I did a little Internet research for some solutions to share with you on this topic. I have also included links for those of you who wish to delve deeper. I hope you find it useful. Sorry it is a bit lengthy. I tried to stick with green solutions, avoiding the use of chemicals.
Here are some of the things I've found...



Removing Paint: Soy gel and citrus-based paint removers are a biodegradable product now available that can replace harsh chemical strippers. However, though the products used may be biodegradable, you still need to dispose of paint removed according to recommendations by your local waste management company or other authority. To remove paint from metal hardware, place the hardware in a pot of boiling water and baking soda. Boil for twenty minutes. Lightly scrub afterwards with a toothbrush. (Do not use a container that will later be used for food). Sandblasting is an alternative way to remove paint, but is best left to professionals. The above tips for removing paint were taken from the following site:


http://homebuilding.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/06/green_ways_how_to_remove_paint.php A friend of mine used meat tenderizer disolved in water to clean up her cabinet hardware. I have also heard that lemon works for this, but haven’t tried it and don’t know this first hand.




Staining concrete: According to another friend great look is achieved by staining your concrete floor with recycled oil. I would love to hear if any of you have tried this and how it worked!




Ink stains on fabric: According to eHow Style at


http://www.ehow.com/how_5738458_remove-stains-chemicals.html the best way to remove ink stains (before they dry) from clothing is to first rinse the still wet ink out with cold water. If the stain does not go away with that, rinse it in milk. If your clothing is still stained, soak it in sour milk for a day or two.




Crayolas on drywall: I used to use toothpaste to clean my children’s crayola creations from the drywall. Just dab a small amount on a cloth and gently scrub.




Gum: Hairspray or ice is good for removing gum. I believe peanut butter also removes gum from hair (should you fall asleep in your studio with gum in your hair~lol, it could happen).




Sticky Label/Tape Residue:




has several ‘green’ solutions on their Eco Blog. To remove sticky label residue, Adam suggests a strong damp cloth and elbow grease. He states a microfiber cloth is preferable. I have used hairspray to remove that annoying residue left by stickers. Whatever you use, be sure to test it first in an inconspicuous area. I have never used masking tape as a cleaner, but on the following link the author found it worked for removing residue left on surfaces from kids’ stickers. Who knew?






Speaking of masking tape, Ambrosia offers tips on how to remove the masking tape residue using simply warm water or applied heat from a hair dryer. Check it out on the following link:






Treating minor burns: This is not cleaning, but I keep an Aloe Vera plant in my house. I had read where the goo it produces is good for burns. Since we crafters use irons, heat guns, soldering guns and other sources of heat, this might be worth including. I simply pinch off one of the sections and squeeze the liquid of the plant onto the burn. Obviously, if you have a severe burn you will want to seek immediate medical attention from a trained professional, but for minor burns this has worked great for me. Plants are good to include in any setting as they produce CO2 and help purify the air and look great!




Miscellaneous: Coke might be a product worth trying if you have oil stains. I haven’t tried it on anything else, but do know it works to cleanup auto battery terminals. It also works to unclog drains and to remove other stains from vitreous china. Google 'using coke to remove stains' and you will be surprised at all the uses of coke! Lemon and salt make a good gentle abrasive if you need something with a little grit.




Hard Water Stains on Glassware: Try a couple of denture cleaning tablets for this.




Removing silvering from backs of mirrors: I have used liquid toilet bowl cleaner for this and it works great! Wear gloves and other protective gear though such as eyewear.


Cleaning Glass/Windows: You can also get tips on making your own glass cleaner by mixing the following ingredients in a sterile spray bottle: lemon essential oil (1 drop) white vinegar (1/4) eco-friendly washing up liquid (1 teaspoon) and warm water (3/4) The glass cleaner information was found on the green clean solution link here:






Removing spilled wax: This remedy was found at http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-remove-wax-from-carpet.htm “If you want to remove wax from carpet, there are easy ways to go about it, and the process doesn't take as long as it may seem. The first thing you need to do is remove as much of the hardened wax as you can. A butter or putty knife works well for this but you can use anything with a dull blade. Scrape up what you can and vacuum the debris. Next place a clean cloth, paper bag or paper towel over the wax. Run a warm iron over the cloth until the wax melts. A hot hair dryer can also be used. Once the wax is melted, it should adhere to the cloth. Lift the cloth and the wax should lift with it.” Pretty much the same info is offered at the following sites as well as numerous other sites, so I’m guessing it is a great solution. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/tips/how-to-clean-up-spilled-wax-036151 http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-up-Melted-Plastic-and-Wax




Fabric Glue removal: The following solutions for removing fabric glue and stains is offered at: http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=215399 “you can place the glue spot on top of a paper towel or piece of cloth (Side note: I think it should read that you place the paper towl or cloth over the glue spot) and run an iron over the garment until the glue melts. The towel/cloth will absorb some of the melted glue; you'll just need to repeat the process until all the glue is gone (remember to move the glue spot over a clean part of the towel/cloth each time).I've also read something about making a solution of 1 quart warm water, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and 1 tsp laundry/kitchen detergent and soaking the garment in it for 15 mins, then blotting at the glue spot and throw it into the washing machine. (Obviously, this method doesn't work if your costume can't be machine washed or drowned in a solution)I've never tried this but you can also freeze your costume in the freezer and then quickly scrape off the frozen glue with a dull knife.”




Removing photos from old albums: A problem many of us have had is safely removing photos from old photo albums and scrapbooks. There are some great tips on this through the following about.com link:






Super Glue: The following is a link with tips on how to un-stick Super Glue…






Use Elmer’s Glue? Here is a tip from their site… “How can I un-clog my glue cap—what’s the proper way to clean? The glue caps can actually be taken apart to help remove any blockage. Simply open the cap as far as it will go and then pull the orange part straight up and it should "pop" off. This should allow you to easily access any blockage. The blockage can be cleared with something like a toothpick or paper clip. You can also soak these separated parts in room temperature water which should help to more easily free up any blockage. Once clear, the orange part can simply be pressed/snapped back into position.” And here is a link to their site: http://www.elmers.com/about/faqs




Removing Burned Fabric on bottom of iron: Several ideas on this site. I used their solution of warming the iron to soften the fabric (in my case it was a piece of ribbon, pretty ribbon ~oops) and then scraping it off with a wooden spatula.








Disclaimer: Some of the above I have tried while others I have not. If you have tried any of them I would love to get feedback from you. I do suggest trying any ideas in an small inconspicuous area just to be certain the surface isn't damaged in the process. I think we all want to do our share to take care of the planet so I wanted to share ideas that are green, earth-friendly solutions.


I linked up with Tuesday Tutorials. Click on the link on my sidebar to see all the other tutorials being shared!

4 comments:

Annesphamily said...

Wow! Information over here is great! I love the bracelet giveaway but I always said you were so sweet and talented. I keep having troubles with blogger. Taking away my followers and than taking away my blog list! Argh....so here I am coming over before blogger takes you away! Have a terrific week.
My cleaning solution is a simple one for drains. Add half a cup of baking soda to each drain in the house and pour one cup of white vinegar over it! Let set until you can boil a big pot of water. Then flush the drains. It works. we do this monthly.

Mosaic Magpie said...

I have had a need at one time or another for all those clever hints and tips. The sticky residue from labels can also be removed with cooking oil spray. Of course this would be when it is on glass or a hard surface like that. Spray the residue and it will come right off.
I do the baking soda/ vinegar drain cleaner too, it works!
To clean silver, place a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom of a large pan and add water. Bring to a boil, add the silver pieces and then add lemon juice and baking soda. The silver comes out clean. My grandmother cleaned her silverware this way.
Deb

Connie Eyberg Originals said...

Great ideas so far! I had never heard of the aluminum foil method for cleaning silver. I had heard of putting vinegar down the drain, but not with the baking soda. It makes sense though since baking soda and vinegar are both great for cleaning. We have sprinkled baking soda on our carpet, let it sit for a while and then vacuumed it up. I forgot that one. This whole thing started because I bought a wall lamp for my studio and of course the sticker left residue all over the main area. I'm not sure why those stickers can't go on the back!

Shawkl said...

My tip for you is about burns. Basically really bad sunburns, but might work for general burns too. A gel icepack. I keep a large size one in the freezer. When my daughter or DGD has too much sun on their back...I lay them down and put the ice pack on their burn area for 10-15 minutes. We do this every 2-3 hours and after a couple of times the stiffness is gone. By morning, they are almost good as new!

And, yep...I'm following you gal!
Kathy
www.shawkl.com