Dental floss has a number of other uses around the home besides keeping teeth clean. It's inexpensive, can save time in the kitchen, and even help remove a stuck ring off a finger.
Never use flavored dental floss with food. "Minty fresh" might be effective when talking to someone, but it's not nearly as pleasing when paired with cheese or chicken. For any hack requiring heat, do not use waxed floss; the wax can soften and get on the food.
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Cut soft cheese
Don't have a fancy cheese slicer? No problem. Grab a length of unwaxed dental floss, making sure you have enough at the ends for a solid grip. Place the floss across where you want to slice the cheese, and pull the floss taut and downward. The best way to hold the floss is to use your middle fingers to press it against the fleshy base of your thumbs. Once the floss is taut, grasp it with your thumb and forefinger, and pull down or use a back and forth sawing motion.
Don't have a fancy cheese slicer? No problem. Grab a length of unwaxed dental floss, making sure you have enough at the ends for a solid grip. Place the floss across where you want to slice the cheese, and pull the floss taut and downward. The best way to hold the floss is to use your middle fingers to press it against the fleshy base of your thumbs. Once the floss is taut, grasp it with your thumb and forefinger, and pull down or use a back and forth sawing motion.
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Remove a stuck ring
If heat or activity has made your fingers a little swollen and you need to remove a ring, waxed dental floss might help get it off. Unspool at least 12 inches of waxed floss. Slide the floss under the ring, and wrap one end of the floss up somewhat tightly around your finger above the ring. Gently pull the other length of the floss upward. The ring should gradually move up your fingers until it comes off.
If heat or activity has made your fingers a little swollen and you need to remove a ring, waxed dental floss might help get it off. Unspool at least 12 inches of waxed floss. Slide the floss under the ring, and wrap one end of the floss up somewhat tightly around your finger above the ring. Gently pull the other length of the floss upward. The ring should gradually move up your fingers until it comes off.
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Use floss as a clothing line
Thick floss wrapped multiple times around tree branches serves as a makeshift clothesline for light items. The floss needs to be taut to support clothing. Do not hang heavy items such as wet towels, because those might bend the branches.
Thick floss wrapped multiple times around tree branches serves as a makeshift clothesline for light items. The floss needs to be taut to support clothing. Do not hang heavy items such as wet towels, because those might bend the branches.
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Remove a stuck photo from a photo album
Floss acts like a razor blade when used to remove items with sticky backing. Place the waxed floss flat above whatever you want to remove. Grasp each end of the floss near the object, and carefully slide down the floss behind it. Use a gentle sawing motion if necessary.
Floss acts like a razor blade when used to remove items with sticky backing. Place the waxed floss flat above whatever you want to remove. Grasp each end of the floss near the object, and carefully slide down the floss behind it. Use a gentle sawing motion if necessary.
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Reduce the noise of leaky faucets
The steady "plunk, plunk" of water dripping from a leaking faucet can drive you batty — especially at night, when everything else is quiet. Wrap waxed dental floss around the threaded opening, leaving a good length hanging down to touch the drain. The water droplets will slide down the floss and drip gently into the drain. This is far less noisy than a drop hitting the sink from a distance.
The steady "plunk, plunk" of water dripping from a leaking faucet can drive you batty — especially at night, when everything else is quiet. Wrap waxed dental floss around the threaded opening, leaving a good length hanging down to touch the drain. The water droplets will slide down the floss and drip gently into the drain. This is far less noisy than a drop hitting the sink from a distance.
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Bind food for cooking
Tie unwaxed floss around fowl legs to keep stuffing inside the bird. This also keeps the chicken, turkey or pheasant from spreading out while cooking, which makes for a neater presentation if you're trying to impress guests with your culinary genius.
Tie unwaxed floss around fowl legs to keep stuffing inside the bird. This also keeps the chicken, turkey or pheasant from spreading out while cooking, which makes for a neater presentation if you're trying to impress guests with your culinary genius.
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