So far, the only tip I've found for removing ink stains from suede: "dry-cleaning solvent." This concerns me. Not only are dry-cleaning chemicals dangerous to the environment and probably not the safest things to keep around the home (should one be able to acquire them), they also probably aren't that cheap, either. I notice that the sites recommending "dry-cleaning solvent" don't suggest how to buy it, and they all caution that anyone attempting to remove the stain in this way should 'test on an underside seam' first. Definitely doesn't inspire confidence. If I manage to get ink on a suede purse or pair of shoes, I wonder if the eco-friendly Dollar-Wise drycleaners' outfit might have a solution for me. I'd wander down and see.
Jasmine has also recommended Norwex cleaning products - if you already have them or are desperate to remedy the spill, you might want to try them out.
Did anyone take part in/enjoy the Free Weekend? I was looking for a computer monitor but didn't find one with the sort of cable I required. Ah well.
My mother surprised me this weekend with a 3-pack of coil bound books, each claiming to have "Over 100 helpful household hints" on how to use three ordinary products: baking soda, vinegar, and salt. Tracey would no doubt have a few choice words for the cover designs of these books, but the hints contained within are pure gold.
"Make your life easier with salt!" the blue book declares (its companions are also present in the primary colours red and yellow, to complete the set). Christine Halvorson, the salt book's author, claims that among other uses, salt can be used to
remove sticky spills from the oven - before you need to resort to that highly toxic oven cleaner. Just
"sprinkle the sticky area with salt, let it sit until spilled area becomes crisp, then lift off with a spatula when oven cools." Yay! The book also recommends removing fabric stains by
rubbing salt onto the fresh stain, soaking overnight in milk, then washing 'as usual.'The book also suggests avoiding frosty car windows in the mornings by rubbing them with a saltwater-soaked sponge in the evenings. If only that worked...I suspect the inconveniently low temperatures in Winnipeg will just turn the saltwater into another layer of ice to remove, if tried after mid-October.
Enough...for now...about books. I do love easy home remedies for things like oven-cleaning (have you read the disclaimers/poisoning warnings/instructions on those aerosol cans? That stuff is frightening) and stain removal, and drain unclogging, but what I'd really like to know is how to get the most computer for my money. I've had a lot of trouble with my laptop lately (it's 9 years old and was free, so I guess I got what I paid for!) and have accepted I'll have to shell out SOME money. But how much? And what will I get for what money I do need to shell out? I usually cave and fork over more than I should for purposes of ending the frustration of the chase...but this blog IS about my need to develop thriftier habits. If that needs to start anywhere, it's with a purchase as expensive as the computer! Especially since this current computer I have has: randomly disconnected me from the Internet; restarted in the middle of important homework assignments; recently informed me it doesn't have sufficient drive space to house anything manufactured by Adobe; and doesn't recognize my digital camera, hence it's been impossible for me to add to this blog any photos I've taken.
