Did You Know? Part I

Did your mom or grandma ever have some obscure trick, cure or a know-how that sounded so bizarre that it may just have worked or been true? Like using peanut butter to get gum out of your hair or some other strange concoction? Well, here's a list of some really weird stuff that you may not have known.

1. Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately - without the unpleasant side affects caused by traditional "pain relievers?"

2. Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

3. Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffy nose.

4. Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture it for 30 minutes, then apply as a massage oil, for instant relief of aching muscles.

5. Sore throat? Just mix ¼ cup of vinegar with ¼ cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

6. Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating the infection almost instantly - even though the product was never advertised for this use. (Note: Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine is not the same. And contains aspirin, which can cause stomach bleeding if you have ulcers).

7. Honey remedy for skin blemishes: Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria and keeps it sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

8. Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

9. Easy eyeglass protection: To prevent screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

10. Coca-Cola cure for rust: Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca-Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the Coke is what gets the job done.

11. Cleaning liquid doubles as bug killer: If menacing bees, wasps, hornets or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

12. Smart splinter remover: Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

13. Hunt's tomato paste boil cure: Cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

14. Balm from broken blisters: To disinfect a broken blister, dab a few drops of Listerine. It's a powerful antiseptic.

15. Heinz vinegar to heal bruises: Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

16. Kill fleas instantly: Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Ad a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid irritation. Goodbye fleas.

17. Rainy day cure for dog odor: Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any other dryer sheet - instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

18. Eliminate ear mites: All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

19. Quaker Oats for fast pain relief: It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute. Cool slightly and apply mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

20. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, and also condition your hair!

I know some of these 'cures' do sound totally strange, and some almost seem logical. Hang this list on your fridge, and next time you're plagued by one of these situations, maybe, just maybe… well, you never know!