You can’t beat feeling prepared: like finding exactly the ingredients needed for a recipe in your cupboards without needing to shop, or making a house repair at a time when there’s money in the bank to cover the expense instead of reaching for a credit card.
It was with this sense of security in mind that I turned to “The Bottom Line Book of Everyday Solutions: How to Fix, Solve, Protect or Prevent Practically Anything” (Bottom Line Books, 2005). Here are three of its helpful tips.
Cordless phone alert: Although cordless phones are convenient, they can become inconvenient during a power outage as they require electricity to operate. Make sure to have at least one conventional phone in the house; it may be the only one that works during certain emergencies.
Personal care: Sensitive-formula toothpaste tends to be less toxic than products with whitening and tartar-control agents, or anything with a swirl formula, as these can contain ingredients that irritate the lips and mouth.
Nursing mothers have long used skin-care products with lanolin, but a 1988 study found 16 pesticides in lanolin samples. Instead, lanolin-free products should be used on or near babies.
DEET is a popular insect repellent but it also can affect the central nervous system and is particularly dangerous to children. If you must use a product with DEET, spray it only onto clothing, avoid skin contact and bathe as soon as possible.
Buzz, buzz: Two ways to keep the mosquito count down in your yard are burning citronella candles or planting basil and tansy in patio containers.
Staff writer Elana Ashanti Jefferson can be reached at 303-954-1957 or ejefferson@denverpost.com.
