Winter is in the rear view mirror, and spring and summertime activities have begun to whisper their beguiling invitations to you.
Let’s go camping again. Remember those crackling wood campfires, toasting those yummy marshmallows, and sleeping under the stars?
Time to gather the fishing gear. Being on the water is so restful and peaceful!
Get that garden rototilled and ready for planting! Ah, can you taste the sweetness of those fresh beets and carrots?
While all of that is well and fine, I’m sure you’ve discovered that summertime fun includes sticky, smelly, and stained skin.
The solution is not to avoid the activities that put you into close contact with pine pitch, fresh fish, and brightly colored vegetables, but to know how to clean up afterwards.
How to remove pine pitch from your skin
This sticky stuff collects dirt, and then shows up as semi-permanent black splotchy areas that make it look like you have contracted some awful disease. There just doesn’t seem to be anything that will take it off.
But there is. It is–drum roll, please– peanut butter.
Just scoop some out of the jar onto a plate, and use a towel or paper towel to apply a small amount to the offending area, and scrub.
Repeat if needed. Generally, the condiment will do a good job removing the sticky pitch and the dirt.
Of course, make sure you wash well with soap and water when you are done.
How to remove the smell of fish, onion, and garlic from your skin
Steel.
Yes. Steel.
While you wash your hands, also rub them on your stainless steel sink and/or faucet. I know that sounds strange, but it works.
You can also buy steel soap, such as the Blomus Stainless Steel Soap
Ladies, do not doubt me. I have done this countless times, and each time I am still amazed that the metal completely removes the smell.
It works well on other lingering, nose-wrinkling aromas, such as fish. A woman commenting on Amazon wrote that she bought one for her husband’s fishing bag, so that the smell from his hands wouldn’t transfer to the steering wheel of the car.
Ahh, I can hear the gears in your head turning, my friends.
How to remove beet stains and others from your hands
Last but certainly not least is how to remove the deep red color of beets or other veggies from your hands. According to Cook’s Illustrated, you just need to “sprinkle the stained area with salt, rinse, and then scrub with soap”.
I cannot testify to the effectiveness of this, as I have never tried it. However, since I have had stellar results with recipes and suggestions from this great organization, I would expect this method to work.
Other folks have also recommended using about a quarter-sized amount, and rubbing your hands together gently for up to about a minute, and rinsing and repeating as needed.
So, there you have it. You can have your cake vegetables and eat it clean up effortlessly too.
As always, use your wonderful parental common sense when using any of these tips. See your doctor if the situation merits, and don’t use peanut butter on or around kids with allergies.
Comment: What do you use for cleaning up from summertime fun?
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