OUTSMART STRESS
with easy problem solvers
1 End the pet accident cycle
Oh no! Your pup didn’t make it outside in time to do his business, and you worry that if you don’t get the spot clean enough, it’ll happen again. To help eliminate all of the traces of urine, try this: Saturate the area with club soda and let sit for 5 minutes before blotting with paper towels. Minerals in the soda will deodorize the spot to prevent repeat mistakes.
2 Add dazzle to a gelatin dessert
The next time you whip up a gelatin treat, jazz it up with the help of club soda. To do: Simply swap club soda for cold water when you dissolve the gelatin powder. The carbonation will add eye-catching bubbles to your dessert and give it a fizzy kick. Bonus: Use flavored club soda for even more “wow.”
3 Revitalize flat hair in a flash
If your locks are in need of a little extra oomph, skip pricey volumizing hair products. The affordable volume booster: club soda! After you shampoo and rinse as usual, simply pour a cup of club soda over your hair, then rinse with cool water. The drink’s sodium bicarbonate will break down any product residue, leaving you with a soft, bouncy mane.
4 Boost indoor plant growth
When your houseplants look a bit lackluster, give them a boost with club soda. To do: Open the beverage and allow it to go flat at room temperature, then simply pour it into the soil to water the plants. Club soda contains nutrients like sodium citrate, disodium phosphate and potassium bicarbonate that promote plant growth.
5 Polish dull chrome for pennies
When you’re giving your bathroom faucet a polish, skip tap water, which can leave unsightly spots. Instead, soak a rag in club soda and use it to buff. The carbonated molecules will flawlessly dissolve dirt and grime for spiffy, streak-free results.
6 Get a rusty screw to turn with ease
With spring around the corner, you decide to get your bike out of storage. The only problem? A rusty screw on the seat won’t budge. To fix: Tie a cloth soaked in club soda to the rusted hardware. Within an hour, the soda’s carbonic acid will loosen the rust so you can turn the screw with ease.
7 Preserve cherished newspaper clips
The little one in your life made it into your local paper, and you want to save the feature. To prevent it from aging, dissolve a milk of magnesia tablet in 1 liter of club soda and refrigerate overnight. The next day, stir well, then soak the clipping in the solution for one hour. The soda and magnesia combination will safely deactivate the acids in the paper to prevent yellowing. Lay the paper clipping on paper towels and let dry.
8 Lighten up hearty pancakes
Flapjacks are a weekend favorite in your house, but such a heavy breakfast often leaves you feeling sluggish all day. What can help: Replace the milk in your recipe with an equal amount of club soda. This swap will cut 148 calories for every cup of whole milk that’s cut, plus the soda will aerate the batter to create lighter pancakes.
9 Unclog a stuck drain fast
Your kitchen sink is slow to drain, and you don’t want to use chemical-laden products to clear the blockage. The save: Pour 2 cups of club soda and 2 Tbs. of salt down the drain. After 1 minute, follow with hot water. The fizzy soda, along with the abrasive salt, will break down grime so the warm water can wash it away.
10 Banish stubborn mug stains
Nothing beats starting your day with a steaming cup of delicious tea—if only the brew didn’t turn your mug brown! To remove the stain, pour club soda into your mug and let sit overnight. The next morning, simply rinse with water before cleaning as usual. The soda’s acids will eat away at the stain so it can be easily washed away.