Air Your Laundry

Tips on using clothes lines*: 

• For softer line-dried clothing, add a half cup of vinegar to your washer's rinse cycle.
• To keep dark or brightly colored clothes fading in the sun, hang them inside out. 
• Hang shirts by the hem or tail and clothespin marks won't show
• Don't set up a clothesline under trees! Birds might use your wash for target practice. 
• IN cold or wet weather, hang the laundry on the line in large, heated space that has good air circulation. 
• Shake and snap items briskly through the air before you hang them.  Most of the wrinkles will disappear. 
• To get jeans and towels completely dry, hang folded over the line until the outer sides are dry. Then refold and hang again, damp sides out.
• Put heavy items near ends of the line to reduce sagging
• Drape fitted sheets folded over the line so pockets are on the inside, where they won't catch leaves or debris.

*All tips taken from Country Women Magazine :)

Ice Packs- Homemade

Traditional commercial freezer gel packs are very hard to find here and can be expensive. Homemade ice gel packs can be made using things you probably have in your kitchen. In fact, there are several types of freezer packs that can be made economically from common household items. Here are a few creative ideas.

Homemade Liquid Dish Detergent Gel Pack

You can make a liquid detergent gel pack using whatever size zipplock you would like.  Fill the bag 2/3 full of liquid dish detergent, force excess air out of it and seal. Place in bigger plastic bag for precausion of spillage and place in freezer.  It does get hard but after about 45 min it gets a nice moldable gel pack that stays cold for hours.  Another option is to put in the freezer one hour before wrapping it in a small towel and applying where it's needed.

Freezer Pack

These are easy to make and always are "moldable".  Just sew 2 wash cloths together leaving a 2" opening in the seam to fill the bag.  Fill the bag 1/2 to 3/4 full with uncooked rice, wheat, feed corn, buckwheat hulls, barley, oatmeal, dried beans, or flax seed.  Then stitch the bag closed. Freeze.  The washcloth freezer pack can be used directly on the skin unless it feels too cold, then it can be wrapped in a towel and applied.

Sock Pack

You can make a smaller freezer pack using an old cotton sock. The sock can be filled full of uncooked rice, wheat, feed corn, buckwheat hulls, barley, oatmeal, dried beans, or flax seed. The sock pack is knotted or sewn closed to finish. Before freezing the sock pack is wrapped in newspaper or paper towels to protect it. The sock pack can be used directly on your skin.

Tip: The washcloth freezer pack and the cotton sock pack can double as a heating pad by putting it in the microwave to heat it. A cup of water is placed in the microwave next to your sock or freezer pack for moisture during heating. Microwaving is done slowly one minute at a time and then checked. If it is not hot enough, it can be microwaved for another minute, and then checked again. This process can be slowly repeated to avoid burning the contents until the pack is hot enough. The pack should never be left unattended in the microwave or overheated.