Alka-Seltzer is an effervescent antacid and pain reliever, first marketed by the Dr. Miles Medicine Company, in 1931. But, it does more than give relief from hangovers and indigestion.
1. Clean your coffeemaker:
Fill your percolator or drip coffeemaker with water, and plop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets. When the Alka-Seltzer has dissolved, put the coffeemaker through a brew cycle to clean the tubes. Rinse the chamber out two or three times, then run a brew cycle with plain water, before making coffee.
2. Clean a vase:
That stuck-on stuff at the bottom of narrow-neck vases may seem impossible to get out, but you can easily bubble it away. Fill the vase halfway with water, then drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets. Wait until the fizzing stops, then rinse the vase. It works for glass thermoses too!
3. Clean glass cookware:
Say goodbye to scouring stubborn stains off your ovenproof glass cookware. Fill the container with water, add up to six Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour. Then easily scrub the ‘crusties’ away.
4. Clean your toilet:
The citric acid in Alka-Seltzer, combined with its fizzing action, is an effective toilet bowl cleaner. Simply drop a couple of tablets into the bowl, and leave twenty to thirty minutes. When you return, a few swipes with a toilet brush will leave your bowl spotless and gleaming like new.
5. Clean jewelry: Drop your dull-looking jewelry in a glass of fizzing Alka-Seltzer for a couple of minutes. It will sparkle and shine when you pull it out.
6. Unclog a drain:
Drain clogged? Drop a couple of Alka-Seltzer tablets down the opening, and pour in a cup of vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run hot water at full force to clear the clog. It eliminates kitchen drain odors too.
7. Soothe insect bites:
To ease the itch of mosquito, or other insect bites, drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets in half a glass of water. Dip a cotton ball in the glass and apply it to the bite. Caution: DO NOT DO?THIS if you are allergic to aspirin, which is a key ingredient in Alka-Seltzer.
8. Attract fish:
All avid anglers know that fish are attracted to bubbles. If you use a hollow plastic tube jig on your line, just break off a piece of Alka-Seltzer and slip it into the tube. Once it hits the water, the jig will begin to produce an enticing stream of bubbles as it sinks.
