Clever Uses for Ordinary Stuff
Find uses for common things you have
Do you throw away common household items like newspapers or old socks? Did you know they could be put to new uses? Or you may have items like cotton swabs and cotton balls. Use them in new ways to make your life better. Here are some clever uses for ordinary stuff.
Dust with old socks: Put a clean sock over your hand to dust tables and desks. Also dust items like computers, printers and pictures.
Clean hard to reach places with cotton swabs: Use cotton swabs to dust between keys on computer keyboards. Also dust scanners, telephones and other electronic equipment.
Clean mirrors or windows with newspaper:
Newspaper can be used to wipe cleaner off glass. It leaves glass clean with no spots.
Fix eyeglasses with clear nail polish: Tighten the loose screw on your glasses. Paint a little clear nail polish across the top of the screw, and let it dry. Now the screw won’t fall out.
Word Bank:
dust(v.)除去灰尘；担灰尘
Maria always dusts the furniture before guests come.
keyboard(n.)键盘
Mary never looks at the keyboard when she plays the piano.
wipe(v.)擦拭
Anne used a cloth to wipe the spilled tea off the table.
tighten(v.)使……变紧
Tighten the lid on the bottle before putting it away.
screw(n.)螺丝钉
Jake used two screws to hang the picture on the wall.
Keep places smelling fresh with cotton balls: Spray some cotton balls with your favorite perfume. Leave them in drawers, closets and other places in your home. Also put some in your purse, shoes and under the seats in your car. The cotton balls will keep everything smelling fresh.
Fix scratched CDs with toothpaste: Your favorite CD is scratched. Fix it with a small dot of toothpaste (not gel) on a cotton ball. Rub in a straight line from the center of the CD outward over the scratch. Wash the toothpaste off with water.
Remove stains from a teacup with vinegar:
Put a little vinegar in the teacup, and move the cup in circles. Then wash it. The stains will disappear.
Protect your shoes with men’s socks:
When packing your bag for a trip, put each of your nicest shoes into a large sock. The socks will protect the shoes when you are traveling.
Be creative and think of some tips of your own. Share them with your friends.
Word Bank:
spray(v.)喷洒
Alan sprayed white paint all over the wall.
perfume(n.)香水
I love to wear this perfume because it smells lovely.
scratched(pp.)刮坏的，划破的
Emily couldn’t see very well out of her scratched eyeglasses.
vinegar(n.)醋
Emma usually adds vinegar to the sauce for chicken and vegetables.