In earlier posts I talked about how to make simple yet helpful cleaning solutions with products you already have in your home. You can remove stains, disinfect, whiten your teeth and much more without buying expensive specialized products.

In the next few weeks we are moving out of our current place and into an new one. This means massive amounts of cleaning and fixing will occur and I am trying to find simpler ways of doing this.

My first old-fashioned know how concoction I want to share with you is homemade spackle- hole patcher for your walls . Everyone hangs photos in their home, but when you move and your landlord expects you to patch the nail holes don’t go buy a product, make it yourself- from scratch! All you need is table salt, cornstarch and cold tap water. It doesn’t get easier than that folks! Mix 2 tablespoons of table salt and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a small bowl then slowly add 5 teaspoons of water to the mixture- it should for a paste. If it’s too runny the mixture wont work… Now just fill the holes with your mixture, allow it to dry and then sand rough spots down. If you want you can go over the spot with a wet sponge to remove the dust from sanding.

In the house we are renting they provided a microwave in addition to all the other appliances. We have the bad habit of microwaving stuff without covering it first.. Bad news, I know. Obviously we need to clean the microwave before we move and I thought it would be fun to use this simple and easy Microwave Oven Cleaner.

All you need to do is get a microwave safe bowl, add 1 1/3 cups of water and 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Put the uncovered bowl inside the microwave and run it on high for 3-5 minuites. After the 3-5 minutes is up carefully remove the bowl- It’s going to be extremely hot! and wipe the inside of the microwave with a paper towel or dish rag.

The water and baking soda will steam and cover the interior walls of the microwave then you just wipe the excess liquid and the microwave oven is clean! You can also substitute 3 tablespoons of lemon juice in place of the baking soda or you can simply microwave a bowl filled with 2 cups of white vinegar. They all will work to remove the mess that accumulates inside your microwave.

Do you have a remedy you want to share? I would love to hear them.. I am expecially looking for a way to repair/ remedy a burnt wood counter top…

If you like this post consider reading some of these other do it yourself remedies that have been posted:
Homemade Cold Relief
Find the miracle products in your home that will clean and save you money.
Remove sweat/ perspiration stains naturally!
Alternative Hair Removal Recipe (sugaring)

The post Old-Fashioned Know How- Do it yourself remedies appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.

The most popular topic for this edition of make it from scratch is food, these ideas are mouthwatering and I can’t wait to try some of them out! If you are looking for creative recipes you have come to the right place.

One of the best ways to enjoy the food you eat is the raise it/ grow it yourself. This is the ultimate in self sufficiency and it’s easier than ever to Get Started Growing Vegetables. Home grown veggies are not old delicious but they are also very rewarding!

I know I enjoy freshly grown zucchini, green beans and perhaps some salad from my own garden and nothing goes better with freshly grown vegetables than some homemade Salad Dressings. Over at Funny about Money you will find six easy salad dressing recipes that are easy, delicious and addicting.

You could take your freshly grown green beans and onions to make Melissa’s Green Beans With Caramelized Onions recipe.

If you are looking for a creative sweet recipe head over at changing seasons you can find a creative recipe for Papaya Pie, it’s a great unique make it from scratch dessert recipe. If you like more traditional desserts you might consider making your own from scratch cake mix for a sweet treat.

Over at cheaphealthygood you can find a very inexpensive and delicious recipe that is great for entertaining… A Tale of Two Salsas. I love a good salsa and for about $.04 per serving the recipe is great for the pocket book too!

If you are like me you enjoy cooking enjoy making a meal for your loved one. Valentines day is just around the corner and you create a romantic home cooked meal for you and your loved one. Consider a quite evening at home by making Turkey Ragout with Rigatoni for you and your honey! Katy outlined the recipe so clearly and it seems very easy to try.

Or you could bring delicious Baked French Toast to your loved one in bed on valentines day with a single rose, a great way to start the day off and show you care!

Another delightful sweet recipe you could consider is making Quick and Easy Cream Scones recipe is courtesy of our red house and is one of the easiest and quickest make it from scratch recipes I have seen! Enjoying scones with jam and some coffee or tea is a great way to start your morning.

Making something from scratch can be very enjoyable and it’s also a great expression of love so give it a try for valentines day!

I hope you have enjoyed this edition of make it from scratch, next weeks edition of make it from scratch will be hosted by It’s all for the best and you can submit your own articles to the make it from scratch blog carnival

The post Make it from scratch blog carnival – Feburary 5th 2008 appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.

Garbage disposal cleaner-

You know how your garbage disposer gets that gross smell and sometimes a slimy film? Don’t but store bought cleaners for this simple cleaning task make your own! Did you know that white vinegar is a powerful disinfectant/ cleaner?

All you need to make your own garbage disposal cleaner is some white vinegar, and ice tray and a sealed baggie. Fill the ice tray with vinegar, freeze and when the cubes are nice and frozen transfer them to your sealed baggie for storage int he freezer.

Once a week place 2-3 cubes in the disposer with a slow stream of water turn the disposer on and let the cubes work their magic!

I am tagging April, N and Hyphen Mama for this meme! Here are the instructions:

Instructions for this meme:

Write your tip(s) with a link to who sent the meme to you, along with the instructions. They are better if they are your own discovery, or not widely known. Still, tips that make a difference to you are all good, post your tips in your blog and after your tips, you will want to tag some friends.
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The post The Good Household Tip Meme- Garbage disposal cleaner appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.