By Mike McClintock
Des Moines Register

Little fixes for household problems sometimes come in unusual packages and from unexpected sources, like walnuts. There are countless proprietary products for repairing scratches in wood furniture, but one of the best ways to conceal small nicks is to rub in freshly cracked walnuts.

Although they are not always scientifically tested or United Laboratories-listed, uncommon fix-it solutions are no less effective.

Part of the pleasure of using somewhat unusual solutions is not using expensive products and complicated gadgets that may not do as good a job as something simple like a walnut.

Here are a few sworn-to-be-successful remedies by an unscientific but reliable sampling of home consumers.

Removing adhesive labels: They are glued to almost every new product as price tags, instructions, warning labels and other notices. The trouble is, only some of them peel away without leaving a gummy residue.

If the adhesive is stuck to a solid, smooth surface such a porcelain tub floor, a new safety razor blade works well, if handled safely. Use a lubricant such as salad oil or baby oil to prevent the blade from becoming gummed in the adhesive. Or try another slightly oddball solution - bath gel. A product by Avon called Skin-So-Soft is alleged to be one of the best goo-removers going.

Cleaning oil off driveways: This common problem also sparks varied solutions from consumers, all generally along the lines of blotting - using a dry material to soak up the oil.

One favorite is Kitty Litter, a material similar to the oil-dry used on race courses after a car blows an engine and deposits crash-causing oil on the track.

Sweep the litter repeatedly over the stain until it discolors, then add a fresh supply and sweep repeatedly.

Another highly recommended oil pick-up is dry Portland Cement. As it is brushed over the stain, the powdery cement starts to ball up as it gathers oil. When that happens, remove the debris and repeat the process with fresh cement powder.

Porcelain stains: It's difficult to remove long-term discoloration that has settled into the eroding surface of old porcelain fixtures.

Once the surface is streaked with red-orange or blue stains, resurfacing might be the only solution - a relatively expensive process of applying a new glaze over the old surface.

Before taking that step, try lightening porcelain stains by scouring with a household cleaner or a mixture of lemon juice and salt. For deep stains, add baking soda to the mixture to make a wet paste that can be applied on the stain overnight.

Tile grout: To lighten and disinfect discolored tile grout, add enough household bleach to a scouring powder to make a cleaning paste. Make sure to use a powder that does not contain ammonia, which produces a dangerous reaction with bleach.

Scrub the paste on dirty grout with a brush, then rinse.

To clean particularly stubborn stains, leave a small amount of the cleaning paste on the stain such as a poultice and cover with plastic wrap to keep in moisture.

Remove it the next day and continue the cleaning procedure. Using a poultice sometimes helps by drawing out stains and reducing scrubbing time.