Make a mess? Household items to help keep it together

HOUSTON – Whether it's spilled coffee on your pants in the morning or a button popping off your shirt after lunch, a day can always take a turn for the worse. But a few simple precautions can help you avoid total disaster.

The Wall Street Journal suggests making a tool kit with the essentials. Safety pins can help in a pinch if a button falls off a shirt or a blouse. Broken zipper? Celebrity stylist June Ambrose recommends keeping Velcro tape handy to close things up.

A small bottle of detergent can help fight stains, in case there's a ketchup spill at lunch. Just use a sponge and rub in a tiny amount.

Don't have a lint roller? Just use Scotch tape! Cleaning columnist Jolie Kerr said FedEx label is even better. And if an unsightly pimple pops up, Snapguide recommends using a safety pin to poke an Advil Liqui-Gel and squeezing the liquid on the affected area. It quickly takes away the pain and redness.

Hand sanitizer can make quick work of ink stains if there's no rubbing alcohol handy, and a marker can fix scuffed-up shoes.

 


About the Authors:

Passionate consumer advocate, mom of 3, addicted to coffee, hairspray and pastries.