Using the Microwave For More Things Than Just Cooking

!±8± Using the Microwave For More Things Than Just Cooking

"Maybe saving yourself a little money too"

You can use your microwave for many more things other than cooking. You can make liquid soaps, lip-gloss, finger-paints for the children and more. Everyone knows that the price of everything is going up and up nowadays. Getting the most out of what we buy helps us to save a little more money. It can make us feel better about ourselves as well when we are not wasteful. Below are a number of different things that can be made at home by using your microwave:

Liquid Soaps; How many times have your just tossed the small pieces of soap because they became too hard to use? Save them and after you have several pieces you can make some liquid soap. First start by grating or shredding them into a bowl that is microwave safe. Add water to the soap and microwave on high five or six minutes or until the soap has melted, stirring every minute or two. Allow the mixture to cool and then pour into a container or soap dispenser.

Also you can use an oil such as olive, jojoba, avocado, coconut or almond oil to make moisturizing soaps. Wonderful stuff here. Instead of the water use the oil instead. Following the same steps listed above.

Tips: It may be trial and error as to how much water to use. Too little water can make the soap because hard again. And when using oil you will not need as much oil as water when making the liquid soaps.

Lip Gloss; Do you know that your tubes of lipstick still have a lot left in them when you think they are time to throw away? Save them and when you have several of the same color dig out the lipstick from the dispenser with a toothpick and place in a microwave safe container. Add equal amount of petroleum jelly and heat of high for 30-60 seconds, stirring with the toothpick every 15 seconds. Now your favorite lipstick can become your favorite lip gloss. Imagine the money you can save just by doing this one thing. Lipsticks can be very expensive.

Tip: You will want to use the same container to heat the mixture in that you will be saving the lip gloss in, so choose accordingly.

Hot Towel Treatments; Fold a slightly damp large towel and place in microwave. Heat on high for about a minute maybe two. The towel can then be placed on your back, legs, arms or neck as a heating pad. For a hot towel facial treatment place a damp folded wash cloth in the microwave and heat on high for about 30 seconds or more if needed to be hotter.
Tip: Be very careful when heating the towels to use on skin. They can become very hot very quick and you may easily burn the skin if the towels get too hot.

Hot Oil Treatments; Have you ever bought those little tubes of hot oil hair treatments? The oil treatments can really make a difference with unmanageable hair. Put the tube in a cup of water and place in microwave for 30-45 seconds. It will shorten the time it takes to heat the oil and will get it hotter than letting it set in just the hot water.

Have you found that the hot oil treatments that come in the tubes are just not enough and you have to end up using two or more of them to cover your hair when it is long? Try buying a large bottle of oil. Jojoba, almond, avocado and coconut oils are wonderful to use for hot oil hair treatments. Place the amount of oil needed in a microwave safe cup and microwave on high for 30-60 seconds.

Tip: Be very careful when heating the oils in the microwave. They can become extremely hot in a very short amount of time. This can cause severe burns to the skin.

Soiled or spotted clothes; Stains or soil clothing may be cleaned by taking a soapy dish cloth or soapy clean rag and place in microwave then heat on high for 30-60 seconds. Use the cloth to scrub the stain or soil. The extra heat can add to cleaning power and may be all that is needed to lift the stain.

Tips: Test should be done first on a spot where it won't show to make sure that the material is safe and no damage done by cleaning it this way. Also be careful when removing the soapy cloth from microwave. It can be very hot.

Potting Soil; Did you know that you can sterilize the potting soil by placing a one pound bag in the microwave and heating on high for two minutes? This will prevent weeds from popping up that may have gotten into the soil.

Stamp Collectors; Here is a neat little trick. You can place the envelope in the microwave and heat on high for 30 seconds to loosen the stamp.

Citrus fruits; You can squeeze more juice from lemons, limes and oranges if you first place them in microwave and heat on medium heat for 30-60 seconds.

Tomatoes; The skin on the tomato can be much easier to peel if the tomato is first placed in microwave and heated on high for 15-30 seconds. After allowing the tomato to cool the peeling should come right off.

Fun for the kids; Rainy days and the kids inside with nothing to do? Finger painting can be very enjoyable for them and help in building cherish memories that can last a lifetime.

Recipe for making finger paint - In a large microwave safe bowl place 1/2 cup of corn starch, 1 cup of water, mix until blended. Add 2 more cups of water and stir. Place bowl in microwave and heat on high 8-9 minutes or until the mixture thickens, stirring every two minutes. Pour the mixture into small bowls and add different food colors to them. Allow the mixture to cool before giving to the kids to paint with.