Store chisels safely

Cut a small slit into several tennis balls or other rubber balls and insert the chisel blades into the holes. Your chisels will be protected against chipping and will be safer for all concerned.

Baby proofing cabinets with VELCRO

If you have kitchen cabinets like mine that are not suitable for the commercial child-proofing locks--or you don't want to drill holes in the wood--try using self-adhesive INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH VELCRO.

I use Velcro for my dish, plastics, and food-storage cabinets that are accessible to my children (DO NOT USE VELCRO TO LOCK CABINETS WHERE DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES ARE STORED). I cut strips of Velcro and stuck them to the door frames and doors of my cabinets so that the Velcro interlocked when I closed the cabinet door.

I put three or four three-inch strips per door or drawer, top, bottom, side. My two-year-old twin toddlers can't budge them. Even my hefty four-year-old son cannot open them. I, myself, have to use a little muscle to open the cabinets, but I find opening the Velcro less frustrating than fumbling with a plastic baby door lock.

My cabinet doors are not defaced with holes and such, and this is an economical solution. You can find INDUSTRIAL STRENTH VELCRO in hardware stores.

You can also get EXTREME LOCK VELCRO if you want a really tough lock, but for me that's going a bit too far.

Store putty with this cool tip

A good way to store putty, which is the stuff you use to fix panes of glass into a window frame, is as follows.
If you have left over putty, wrap it in silver foil and store it in the fridge, it will keep for up to a year. If you do not want it in your fridge a cool outhouse, garage or shed will have the same effect. It will make your partner happier as well.

"When my sink drains I hear gurgling sounds."

While your sink or tub is draining, you hear gurgling noise coming from your pipes. Rest assured, it is not gremlins. What you are hearing is air trapped in the pipes. The presence of air in the pipes signifies the need for a vent in the pipe. Also, if you have a garbage disposal it could be clogged with some sediment and air is trapped behind the clog. Do you notice the gurgling after using your kitchen sink? If you do not know how to install a vent, then it would be best to hire a plumber. A plumber would be able to determine the source of the problem and where a vent is needed.

Why does my water smell like rotten eggs?

This is common for people on well water but does not exclude public water. The odor has nothing to do with eggs of course, but results from a bacteria known as Divibrio Sulfurcans. This happens when there is a break in the water pipe. The odor is actually gas that the a bacterium had created to live in. The bacteria changes sulfate into Hydrogen Sulfide which results in the stench and can make water have an unpleasant taste. Chlorinating your water would resolve the problem. Sometimes it could be in your drains, simply pour a cup of bleach down the drain to kill the bacteria and stop the odor.

Q - Can I put coffee grounds in my disposal?

This may be the most controversial issue. Ask five plumbers and you probably get five different answers. Some recommend coffee grounds, some say lemon wedges. This is safe, fill sink more then half way with warm soapy water, then pull sink plug and turn on disposal. This creates high powered suction effect that will clean the disposal. However, it is always best to check the manual.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!