The origins of vodka are shrouded in mystery, with both Russia and Poland laying claim to its invention. Some say Genovese merchants brought vodka (then known as aqua vitae, or the water of life) in the late fourteenth century to Russia. For many years, vodka wasn't just an al ...more
Baking soda is a powdery miracle. Not only is it the secret ingredient to making mashed potatoes fluffy, it can help you make authentic-tasting soft pretzels at home and caramelize onions in half the time. It's actually got lots of surprising uses you might not know about, and ...more
Most wood furniture is long-lasting, durable, and resistant to great wear and tear over the years. However, set a single sweaty, wet cup or bottle on the surface of your favorite wood dining table, or your prominently placed wooden coffee table, and you'll end up with a round ...more
Feeling creative but don't want to venture beyond your kitchen to buy art supplies? Using baking soda, white vinegar, food coloring, and other common kitchen staples, you can very easily mix together your own watercolor painting set and create different colors in the individua ...more
With all the kitchen sink debris that goes down the drain, it should be no surprise that your garbage disposal sometimes gets a little smelly and needs some extra cleaning. Using common household items from your kitchen or medicine cabinet, you can easily clean your garbage di ...more
To make your own fabric softener at home, simply mix together six parts water, three parts white vinegar, and two parts hair conditioner into one solution. Once you're done mixing, use ½ cup of the solution for every load of laundry during the rinse cycle to soften your clothe ...more
In addition to unclogging your toilet using common household items, you can also clean and disinfect your toilet for cheap without ever having to use expensive and chemically-toxic toilet cleaners ever again. To prevent toilet rings from ever forming in your toilet bowl, peri ...more
Few things in life are as relaxing and enjoyable as baking. When I'm having a bad day, I make cookies. When I'm stressed out, I bake a cake. When I have a free Sunday with nothing to do but listen to music and drink coffee, I bake a tart or a batch of cupcakes. True, much of ...more
Removing a stubborn splinter from your finger or foot is never fun, especially if it involves digging into your skin with a needle or tweezers. But if you use common household or food items around the house, you can remove splinters from your skin very easily and quite painles ...more
You're in the middle of cooking and a car alarm, cute kitten, or neighborhood brawl made you step away from the stove for a few minutes longer that you should have. It happens to almost every home cook. Most of the time, nothing dramatic happens, but every now and then, you en ...more
After a few years, your cinnamon, paprika, and saffron begin to lose their vibrant hues, and the aromas that once filled your kitchen are barely distinguishable when you open their jars. These are telltale signs that your spices need to be replaced sooner rather than later. D ...more
White or light-colored dinnerware is a classic: it looks crisp, clean, and elegant. The only problem is that after you've used it for a few years, the surfaces bear a lot of grey scuff marks from forks, spoons, and knives being dragged across the surface. It's tempting to don ...more
When we tell folks how often we use apple cider vinegar, they are baffled and bewildered. "I've had a bottle sitting in my pantry for 10 years," is the response we encounter most. And "I never use it!" Some have never even used apple cider vinegar at all in their lifetime, bel ...more
Lemons and limes might be among the most useful fruits in the kitchen and even beyond. Their bright, tart flavor livens up just about any dish, while their mildly acidic nature makes them incredibly useful when you want to clean your house safely. We already knew lemons were g ...more
Hard-boiled (also known as hard-cooked) eggs are notoriously easy to mess up. We've all ended up with tough, rubbery egg whites and overcooked yolks that have that unappetizing gray-green ring around the edge. An ideal hard-cooked egg has a firm yet tender white, while the yol ...more
Eggs are incredibly important to cooks, and not just because they're tasty and a complete protein (many erratic genius/artist types make a point of eating an egg or two for breakfast). Yes, they are great when perfectly poached, scrambled, hard-boiled, and even scram-boiled, b ...more
All day I dream of eggs: scrambled, poached, over easy, hard-boiled, fried, baked, raw... Okay, the last one is a joke (unless you're Gaston, which means that you eat five dozen of them and you're roughly the size of a barge). But eggs are freaking good in just about any cooki ...more
The pumpkin is everyone's favorite cucurbit come Halloween time, and while there are only a few types of Halloween-friendly pumpkins out there, there is definitely no shortage of what you can do with them. You can carve faces into them, perform brain surgery, make them sing, ...more
Most of us have conducted an investigatory science project without even knowing it, or at least without knowing that's what it was called. Most science experiments performed, from elementary to high school students and all the way up to professional scientists, are investigato ...more
Right now is that magical time of year when the general public decides to embrace their inner fattie and get baking in the kitchen. Hello, pies and cakes and cookies and everything carbs. Goodbye, diets—see you in the next year, when you cripple us with unbridled guilt and lon ...more
Brining is magic. All you have to do is make a mild saline solution, toss in your protein of choice, let it soak, and cook. You end up with incredibly tender, flavorful meat or tofu for very little effort. So why aren't more of us doing it? Pork chops soaking in a brine of sug ...more
Poison ivy, poison oak, and the lesser known skin irritator, poison sumac, can all cause a conundrum in the search of itch relief: to scratch or not to scratch. Fortunately, there are a number of home remedies one can try to help alleviate the itch(ing), with many like coffee, ...more
The oven is arguably our most essential kitchen appliance (right alongside the fridge, freezer, and yes, even the microwave). But even though we've been using them for a few millennia, many of us know so little about our ovens that our cooking or baking can feel like a roll of ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make hot ice with Dr. Lithium. This is the complete guide to making hot ice, more correctly called sodium acetate. See how to create it, fix it, and use it. All methods from baking soda and vinegar to laboratory synthe ...more
Real rockets require top ingenuity from physics and engineering experts, but you can construct a smaller replica that costs almost nothing can can be made from materials you already have at home or can find at a hardware store. Watch this video to learn how to create a soda b ...more
Have you ever wanted to launch your own rocket? Well, now you can, with little more than a two liter soda bottle, wire hangers, a bicycle pump and some PVC pipe Build a soda bottle water rocket. Click through to watch this video on pbs.org
No sane person likes the smell of vomit. Vomit is especially annoying when the smell lingers and wont leave your carpet. Fortunately, there is a way to get rid of disgusting carpet aromas. It involves the use of baking soda, a vacuum, and a flat tool. You will need to mix wat ...more
Learn how you can clean your bathroom without chemicals. Just use white vinegar and baking soda and a little elbow grease and you can get that bathroom spotless. Watch this how to video and you can clean your whole bathroom with all natural products you find in your pantry.
Now you see it, now you don't! Team up with the science sleuths of A-TV to make your own invisible ink. To follow along, you'll need these materials: baking soda paper water light bulb and light cotton swabs paint brush measuring cup grape juice concentrate The steps for th ...more
This video will explain to you, that you can use baking soda to maintain the PH level in your swimming pool, and will also help to keep the water crystal clear. Video: .
Why buy chemically made or synthetic air fresheners that only mask smell or can be unhealthy? Watch this video and learn how to make safe and effective air fresheners at home using baking soda, vinegar and whatever scents you choose like cloves, cinnamon or lemon. Make your ow ...more
Fourth of July is near, which means we'll soon be seeing an influx of red, white, and blue flags, banner, and of course patriotic sweets for those who indulge in the foodie side of the holiday. Bake your own red, white, and blue treats by watching this Fourth of July-themed e ...more
Here are some simple and fun tricks you can do at home with candles to astound and impress your friends and family. Create an extinguisher using baking soda and vinegar, use smoke to relight a candle and create a vacuum using a candle.
Sure, carbon and oxygen are two of very most fundamental building blocks of all life on Earth — but what have they done for you lately? With this free video guide, you'll learn how to build a safe, simple carbon-dioxide-powered bottle rocket with baking soda and a spent soft p ...more
In this trick, use vinegar and baking soda to isolate clear carbon dioxide gas, which you can then pour onto a candle to magically extinguish it.
Learn how to polish silver with the folks from Martha Stewart's REAL SIMPLE. Beautiful silver pieces shouldn't languish at the back of a shelf. Removing tarnish might seem like a time-consuming task, but some simple household products make for an easy clean? no backbreaking sc ...more
Ravi Carlson teaches you how to make potato plastic in this video tutorial with glycerin, a potato (or pre-made potato starch), baking soda, and white vinegar. So, don't save plastic grocery bags, or go out and buy plastic materials that will cost you millions, make your own. ...more
Amaze and amuse your friends with this fun magic trick! Using only vinegar and baking soda, which you may remember from some of the bottle-bomb-making videos elsewhere on the site, you can create carbon dioxide which, since it's heavier than air, can be used to invisibly fill ...more
If you've been wondering how to clean your silver, this video will show you a simple way to do it using products you have laying around. To do this, you will need baking soda, aluminum foil, hot water, and your dirty silver of course. First heat up water so it's close to boili ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a volcano. The materials required are: baking soda, red food coloring and vinegar. For the base of the volcano, users will simply need to use a cup and cover it with some dough in a shape of a volcano. Now add 1-2 tsp of baking ...more
Manjula shows viewers how to make Tandoori Roti. Traditionally, recipe is cooked in Tandoor oven, but this version uses regular oven and a pizza stone. This recipe will make 4 rotis. Ingredients include 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1 1/2 ...more
This video shows you how to prepare a few different kinds of vegetables and fruits to cook with. The first thing that this video shows you how to do is peel a tomato. This video shows you a very simple way to do this using only a knife, a pot of boiling water, and a pot of wat ...more
This how-to prank video will teach you how to plant a condom that will grow when watered. Learn how to grow a plant using condoms and create a whole new vibe in your house. Condom plants are practical and do not require a lot of time watering or grooming. Grow a garden of cond ...more
Ingredients for Taiyaki (5 pieces) - Taiyaki Batter - 100g Cake Flour (3.53 oz) 2/3 tsp Baking Soda 2 tbsp Sugar 1/2 Egg (30g/1.06 oz) 100ml Water (3.38 fl oz) 150g White or Black Bean Paste (5.29 oz) 30g/1.06 oz for each piece Ingredients for White Bean Paste (approx. 800g ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to restore silver with electrochemistry. You can restore old silver with aluminum foil or a battery by simple electrochemistry. Old silver is often tarnished by a thin layer of silver sulfide that appears as a brown colo ...more
Bake a red velvet cake whenever you want to serve a dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. You Will Need: * 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, sifted * 1 tsp. salt * 2 tbsp. cocoa powder * 2 1-ounce bottles of red food coloring * 2 sticks of softened unsalted butter, divid ...more
A great holiday treat! For the cookies, you will need: 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 cup hot water, 1 cup molasses, 1/2 ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to make Indian chaat: Batata vada. To make the vadas, you will need: 2 lbs peeled and mashed potatoes, 1/2 tbsp ginger, 1/2 tbsp green chili paste, 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, 1 tsp sugar, salt, `.5 tbsp lemon juice, and 10 sprigs cilantro. To ma ...more
Take 2 cups of baisan in a large bowl. Add salt, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, chopped coriander, 2 chopped green chilies, 1 teaspoon baking soda and one chopped onion. Put at least 2 cups of water to make a smooth paste. Keep it on a side for about half an hour. Then take s ...more
Hydrogen can be used to improve mileage. The hope with this method is that hydrogen will increase the amount of gasoline combusted and increase fuel efficiency, as you trickle hydrogen into the tank. Often propane is used to increase gas mileage. The studies are still being do ...more
Attention all Guinness lovers… did you know that Guinness doesn't have to be enjoyed merely by itself? You can do all sorts of things with this Irish beer, like mix specialty drinks, cook, and bake… A dessert that looks like a pint of Guinness? We were intrigued. Clare Garlan ...more
Science experiment with acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda and vinegar) giving off carbon dioxide and other gases. You will need vinegar, baking soda, a jar and a latex glove. Experiment with acedic acid and sodium bicarbonate. Click through to watch this video on ...more
In this classic Science Experiment tutorial video, we douse a flame with nothing more than the Carbon Dioxide given off by our homemade Fire Extinguisher. The science experiment of making a fire extinguisher in your home requires only the following: a candle and bowl, baking ...more
Want to see what happens when baking soda and vinegar become mixed together? Well, this science video tutorial will show you how to do a baking powder and vinegar carbon dioxide experiment. To do this science experiment, you will need a plastic bottle, a balloon, baking soda ...more
See the electrolysis of water (baking soda dissolved) with copper wire. The negative side has hydrogen bubble, and the positive side has oxygen bubble. Watch the positive side as the water turns blue.
Disney star Raven teaches us how to polish our old silver jewelry. To keep that sterling silver shiny, you will need baking soda, water, aluminum foil, a bowl, and the tarnished sterling silver jewelry. Watch this video jewelry care tutorial and learn how to polish tarnished s ...more
Watch this video to learn how easy it is to clean your bathroom with natural eco-friendly ingredients. Use baking soda, vinegar and lemon to leave your bathroom squeaky clean.
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to easily clean sterling silver. The materials required for this task are: ceramic or glass bowl, tablespoon, hot water, baking soda and aluminum foil. Begin by crumpling up the aluminum foil and place it at the bottom of the bowl. The ...more
In this tutorial, learn how to make spooky voodoo inspired cupcakes. These are great for Halloween and any other party that needs a little funky factor. Cupcakes: You Will Need: *3 1/3 cups cake flour (not self rising) *3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened *2 1/4 cu ...more
Don't call a pricey plumber! Anyone with a few tools can unclog a drain -- without even resorting to those strong, toxic chemicals. Most of the time, anyway. You will need baking soda, vinegar, rubber gloves, cleaning rags or duct tape, a rubber plunger, a plumber's snake, pet ...more