I love when something makes my life easier or more efficient. With these life hacks, I can do just that even if I don't have what I would call the right product for the job. Substituting isn't a bad thing as long as the job gets done in the proper way. So read on for these simple health and beauty hacks. Disinfect A Cut No rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide? An alcohol-based mouthwash can clean a shallow cut and disinfect your skin. Alternatively, you can dab a few drops of lemon juice directly on the cut. Treat Minor Burns If you sustain a minor skin burn, quickly pour some baking soda into a container of ice water, soak a cloth or quake pad in it, and apply it to the burn. Keep applying the solution until the burn no longer feels hot. This treatment will also prevent many burns from blistering. Another option: Apply vanilla extract. The evaporation of the alcohol into vanilla extract cools the burn. Ease Achy Spots For pain in your knee or other joints or muscles, rub in some warming liniment and wrap the area with plastic wrap. The wrap will increase the heating effect of the liniment. Test on a small area first to make sure your skin does not burn. Relax Stiff Muscles If you prefer to soak your sore spots, take a bath in Epsom salts and throw in a few tablespoons of prepared yellow mustard. The mustard will enhance the soothing effects of the salts. Remove A Splinter You can avoid the agony of digging a splinter out with a needle by covering it with adhesive tape instead. After about three days, pull the tape off slowly, and the splinter should come out with it. Save Your Shave If you run out of shaving cream, try slathering some soft butter on your wet skin for a smooth, close shave. Make a Dehumidifier A humid closet, attic, or cellar can wreak havoc on your health as well as on your clothes. Get rid of all that humidity with homemade dehumidifiers. To make one, just put some charcoal briquettes in a large, clean, lidded can and punch a few holes in the lid. Place one or more in humid areas. Replace the charcoal every few months. Repel Ticks And Other Insects Going for a walk in the woods? Smear some mentholated chest rub on your ankles, wrists, and neck before you leave the house. It might not be your favorite scent, but gnats, mosquitos, and disease-carrying ticks hate it, and they'll go in search of a sweeter-smelling victim. That's it friends. Check-in next week to get some more life hacks. But in the meantime remember to stay healthy and free! Heather EarlesHeather is married to a retired Special Forces Officer, and they live on a sustainable farm with their four children. She is an established author of inspiration, fiction, children’s books, a journalist, a stay-at-home mother, and an advocate for healthy living. She publishes a weekly blog and podcast (Herb ‘N Wisdom™) and is a Print Specialist for Pufferprint. Learn more about the author