By MAGGIE ISHINO
The newspaper, I have discovered, has more use than to just read and/or be educated or learn the activities of the world, community, etc. I have recently discovered some things that I never dreamed I could make use of a newspaper.
For one thing, you can cut a newspaper to any desired size, vertically and horizontally.
One morning, I discovered something else about a newspaper. I almost slipped on the bathroom rug and since I just had surgery, if I fell, that would have been a great tragedy. I thought, why don’t I put a thick layer of newspaper on the floor to the length and width of the rug and then cover the newspaper with the rug? I did just that and the rug did not slide as much.
Other uses of the newspaper:
- When you spill liquid such as water on the floor, cover the spill with a newspaper. It will absorb the liquid and the floor will soon be dry again.
- When you mail something that is breakable or something you don’t want crushed, gift-wrap the material and then wrap newspaper securely around it. The newspaper will act as a cushion.
- When I was in San Francisco and I bought fish at a neighboring Japanese market, the clerk would always wrap it with newspaper. This covered the odor of the fish.
- Line the bottom of the kitchen wastepaper basket, which you use to throw away wet garbage, etc. with newspaper. This will give your wastepaper basket a clean and dry bottom.
- If you have a pet not housebroken, line the newspaper where the pet has a tendency to do its business. Pets have their “territory” and generally will do their business at the same spot. The pet will usually use the newspaper. This will prevent some unpleasant odor on your rug.
- When you have extra glasses, plates and cups and you want to store them, wrap each of them separately with newspaper and this will prevent breakage.
- When I do hand laundry, I hang the wet clothes on the rod extended above the bathtub. It drips, so I put newspaper on the rim of the tub, which prevents the water from dripping onto the rug of the bathroom.
- Of course, you can take your newspapers to a recycling station and get cash for them.
As I have said a few times in my articles, I never write anything I have not tried and/or experienced because I firmly believe honesty is the best policy. So wrap ’em carefully.
Meow and Amen
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Maggie Ishino is a Rafu typist and can be reached at mishino@rafu.com. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.