Reusing items is more frugal than just recycling them or throwing them away. Many times, we can find new uses for inexpensive things that we already have, making an expensive trip to the store unnecessary.
Chalk is pretty inexpensive, and if you have kids then chances are that you have chalk, since it is a popular and cheap toy that spurs on the creativity. Even if you don’t have kids, consider picking up some chalk, which may be on sale at the end of summer, and using it for one of the following tasks.
You can use chalk with some success as an emergency stain fighter. Rub the chalk over the stain on your garment. The chalk will absorb some of the oils right out of the fabric. This will make removing the stain much easier when you wash it. It doesn’t seem to work well on protein stains, such as blood, but I’ve tried in on many food stains and have been happy with the results. It worked very well on a cooking oil stain.
Chalk can often be a deterrent to bugs. Some bugs don’t like the calcium carbonate that makes up chalk, and they shy away from it. Draw a thick line (make sure it is thick) of chalk in front of a door or a window to prevent bugs, such as ants, from entering your home. Chalk is a safe chemical-free way to keep out those pests. Really determined bugs may still find a way to get in, but chalk is a cheap method to try first.
You can turn all of those little stubs of chalk that no one wants to play with into new rainbow colored sticks of chalk. All you need to do is to shave down the chalk, add a little water and pour the chalk into a mold or use your hands to shape it. Let it dry.
You can make marbleized gift wrap paper with old chalk. Get a shallow basin that will accommodate a standard piece of paper. Into the basin first add some water. Then use a butter knife to create flakes of colored chalk, adding them directly over the basin. Dip a piece of paper lightly into the water and remove it. Allow the paper to dry or use a hair dryer to speed up the process. Set the marbleized paper with a layer of hair spray.
Do you have any new used for chalk?
Do you have any suggestions for beating the shrink ray?
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