We’ve all been there. You’re in your room studying for that big calculus exam, when something unexpected happens. You just spilled Coke all over your white pants. What do you do? If you’re like me, you don’t have Tide to Go in your desk drawer, so do you run to the store to get stain remover? Ain’t nobody got time for that! After hours of extensive online research and several test studies in various labs (my bedroom), I’ve found a few items that you probably have in your room that you can use to fight the unexpected, and a few fun ideas that might make your life a little easier:
Flat iron: Almost every girl has a flat iron or hair straightener, but you’d be surprised what else this tool can do besides straightening your hair. If you turn it to a medium temperature, you can use it as an iron to get out those pesky wrinkles in your collar.
Newspapers: After reading your favorite section of The Daily Illini, don’t just toss it. You can use newspaper to clean your windows or TV screens for a streak-free shine.
Post-it Notes: After you finish your to-do list, take the back of the Post-it Note and clean your computer keyboard. The sticky end can make it easy to pick up dust in between the keys.
Dryer sheets: If you have an offensive odor coming from your feet, you can solve the problem with dryer sheets. Place one in your shoes overnight and the next day your shoes will smell as fresh as spring.
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Table salt: Remove those hard-to-get-out stains with a little bit of table salt and some hot water. Stretch the shirt over a bowl and sprinkle the affected area with salt, then pour hot water over it and toss it in the wash.
Banana: Nothing is worse then watching a movie with a scratched disc. If you have some bananas on hand, it won’t be a problem anymore. Take a banana and rub it on the DVD, and then clean the disc.
Mayonnaise: If you have water rings on your table, use a dollop of mayo to get the stain out. Just rub into the table and wash off with a damp cloth.
Toothpaste: We’ve all had that one pimple that just won’t go away. Take a pea-size amount of toothpaste, rub it into the pimple and let it dry. Then, rinse with warm water. The ingredients in the toothpaste will dry out the oil in the pimple and you will notice a decrease in redness and size.
Old CDs: Take your old beat-up CDs that you already have in your iTunes playlist (and that you haven’t cleaned with the banana), glue them together, and ta-da: you’ve made some pretty awesome coasters.
Altoid tin: Grab an empty Altoid tin and use it to carry your credit cards, IDs and even your room key. If you’re going out for a run, or for a night of bowling at the Union, you don’t want to carry around a huge purse anyway.
Raymond is a junior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected].
