Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol is a common household item, but did you know this ordinary product has many uses?

Here are 7 Uses for Rubbing alcohol:

Hand Sanitizer
Long before the fancy, expensive itty bitty bottles of hand sanitizer became such a sensation, we were cleaning our hands with rubbing alcohol while away from home. If you check the label popular brands, you’ll find alcohol at the top of the ingredient lists.

Clean Your Phone
After using your cell phone all day, it’s a prime bacteria breeding ground. Alcohol is an all-in-one cleaner and disinfectant. It cuts greasy, grim collected on any small electronics.

Remove Ticks
Something we discovered many years ago is to soak a paper towel with alcohol and place it on a tick. The alcohol suffocates the scoundrel causing it to pull its head out of the victim long enough so you can remove it properly. Be sure to wipe the infected area with alcohol after the tick is gone. This works on people and pets

Dissolve Windshield Frost
On those chilly winter mornings, would you rather be enjoying your coffee instead of freezing your fingers off chipping away at the ice on your windshield? Now you can! Simply fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and spray on the any the car glass, then wipe the frost off.

Heavy Weight Champion
Another trick is using that spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol is on fruit flies. Just spray a fine mist on these little pesky varmints. The alcohol knocks the insects out cold and floor to the floor. You can then promptly squash and sweep up.

Permanent Marker Eraser
Apply rubbing alcohol on non-permeable surfaces such as plastic laminates or marble to gently remove little Suzie’s artwork. It’s also an excellent cleaner for white boards.

Make a Shapeable Ice Pack
Have a banged up knee? My DS does. I’m gonna try this one: a slushy ice pack. Directions: Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with 3 parts water in a zip closure plastic bag and toss it the freezer. Next time, he injures his knee, I can pull this out of the freezer and wrap the now conforming ice pack in a towel for him to apply to his knee. Cool!

With cold season just around the corner, then you may want to read: 5 Cold Proof Tips for Your Cosmetics.

Now, let’s dash over for some Chats on a Farmhouse Porch. Patrice wants to know….

1. Please tell me a fond autumn memory. Or tell me something interesting you’re doing now that fall is here. I have many fond fall-time memories of us venturing to the Smoky mountains for the day taking in the foliage, getting cider and fried apple pie at the Apple Barn & Cider Mill in Pigeon Forge, picnic lunches, photo shoots, ….I would love to do this all again this fall, but now with DS in college then I know won’t have much opportunity to squeeze this in. I’m thankful for the lovely memories just now.
2. What’s your favorite kind of cheese? I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t like, you see. Actually, I would say my all-time favorite is sharp cheddar. That goes with just about anything.
3. Have you ever been in a wedding, other than your own (if applicable)? I was a part of a wedding, but not actually in a wedding. I sat at the table for guests to sign the Bride & Groom’s guest book. It was nice to be thought of in this way.
4. Did you ever do anything as a child to earn money? (Lemon aid stand, crafts, mother’s helper, chores, etc.) I use to clean a house for a few neighbors and would babysit for my aunts.
5. Do you wear a watch? Nope. I haven’t in many years. My watch stopped working and I never replaced it, then I got a cell phone. Who needs a watch now, if you have a mobile phone, right?

1. The Wednesday Hodgepodge this week,  falls on John Chapman’s birth date.  He’s more famously known as Johnny Appleseed…what’s your favorite variety of apple?

2.   When did you last say ‘ick’? I’m drawing an absolute blank on this one…yep, still nothing. I’m gonna have to get back to you on this one…well, maybe if I can EVER remember.

3.   Do you think there’s a generation gap?  Explain. My first thought was yes, but then I pondered on this a bit more and decided not really. Generation gap is a temporary mindset. When we’re kids, we think anyone who is a few years older than us then they have no clue to what is going on. I mean after all, how can mom or dad know what it’s like to be young today? The reality is, we are all in the same spot once in our lives, but then we grow up and recognize circumstances are very much the same from one generation to another, except the names have changed. The key to remove the generation gap is helping preteens/teens understand their parents/grandparents walked a similar path and for parents/grandparents to remember those difficult years. Perhaps somewhere in-between the generations will meet with a newer understanding.

4.  What’s on your computer screen saver?  Do you leave it alone or change it often? Most of the time on our main computer, I have a blank screen saver.  But, the one on in my dining room I have a cosmic type slide show going with the clock displayed. This helps me to see the time from across the room.

5.  If you had the attention of the entire world for two minutes, what would you say? We are a people created to live forever, but that changed in the Garden of Eden. Many things since that time divides people and nation. The sins of our fathers carry down and we cannot EVER go back to the way things were in the beginning. We need to respect one another and accept we are all equal in God’s eyes regardless of religion, race, or gender. We should subscribe to the golden rule, “Do unto others, as you would have others do unto you.” While our world may never be at full peace, I’m certain this will help our nations to live together in more harmony.

6.  Four fashion trends to try this fall are-brocade/Jacquard (fancy printed fabrics), peplum, lace, and printed pants…which of these four would you be most likely to wear? Hmm, I would say lace would be my forte. I love soft, feminine things and lace symbolizes this in my mind.

7.  What can make your bad day better?  A big bear hug!

8.  Insert your own random thought here. I’m ecstatic over the return of DWTS. I think this season will be good one with past seasons’ stars on the show this year. This should mean most are excellent dancers. My favorite star is Apollo Ohno partnered with Katrina Smirnoff.

But, my favorite professional female dancer is Kym Johnson partnered with Joey Fatone formerly with NSYNC.

These two guys are so much fun to watch on the dance floor and they can be so hilarious at times!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!