| How to Make a Balance Scale for Kids Posted: 08 Mar 2018 04:00 PM PST Learning to balance counterweights is a useful skill for young kids, and a balance scale is a great way to teach them. By making a balance scale, you can start a solid foundation in physics in a single afternoon. All you need to get started are some simple household items. EditMaking Buckets for the Scale - Use a hole punch to make holes in 2 small paper cups. Punch 2 holes in each cup. Make the holes close to the rim of the cups and on opposite sides.[1]
- If you don't have paper cups, you can make the buckets for your balance scale with plastic cups instead.
- Cut 2 pieces of twine that are each around long. Any kind of twine will work, but a thick, strong twine will make the balance scale more durable. After you cut the twine pieces, lay them next to each other to make sure they're the same length. If they're not, cut them with scissors to adjust their lengths.[2]
- Tie the ends of the twine through the holes in the cups. Use 1 piece of twine per cup. When you're finished, the twine pieces should form thin handles on the cups, like the cups are little buckets.[3]
EditPutting the Scale Together - Find a notched clothes hanger. A plastic, metal, or wooden hanger will work, as long as it has a notch on both sides of the hook. Otherwise, the paper buckets will slip and fall right off the scale.[4]
- If you don't have a notched clothes hanger, you can use some more twine to tie the handles on the paper buckets to the bottom of a regular clothes hanger so they don't fall off.
- Hang the buckets on the clothes hanger using the twine handles. Hang the cups on opposite sides of the clothes hangers in the notches. When you're finished, lift up the scale and hold it by the top to examine the buckets. Both buckets should be hanging at the same level — if one is higher than the other, you'll need to adjust the twine handles.[5]
- Let your kids decorate the buckets on their new balance scale. Put out stickers, markers, and crayons and let your kids personalize the scale. They'll enjoy playing and learning with it more if they get to add their own personal touch.
- One way to decorate the scale is to help your kids write their names on it.
- Don't attach anything too heavy to the buckets or it could interfere with how the scale works.
EditUsing the New Scale - Hang your balance scale on a door knob. Door knobs are great to hang balance scales from because they're low enough for kids to reach them. If you can't find a door knob to use, look for any kind of handle or bar you can hook the clothes hanger onto.[6]
- Help your kids look for objects to put on the scale. Any kind of object will work, as long as it's small enough to fit in the paper buckets you made. Some fun objects you could try weighing are:
- Your kids' favorite small toys.
- Different rocks that your kids find outside.
- Small fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and grapes.
- Have the kids experiment putting the different objects in the cups. When the object in 1 cup weighs more than the object in the other cup, the heavier cup will sink and tip the scale. Explain to your kids that the lower bucket has the heavier object, and the higher bucket has the lighter object.[7]
EditThings You'll Need - Notched clothes hanger
- Hole punch
- 2 paper cups
- Twine
- Scissors
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Introduce a Cat to a Dog Posted: 08 Mar 2018 08:00 AM PST Getting a new pet can be such an exciting and fun experience, but if you already have another pet at home, you'll need to take some precautions. Move slowly with the introductions by keeping the dog in a crate at first, then later on a leash, while the cat roams free. It may take a few hours or even a few months for the cat and dog to get used to each other, but it'll be worth it when the process is complete! EditLetting the Animals Smell Each Other - Keep the animals in separate rooms for the first few days. You want to start the process slowly by keeping the dog and the cat in separate areas. If both animals are indoor-only, you might want to consider locking the cat in a bedroom for a couple of days while everyone adjusts to the change.[1]
- If you separate the cat in a bedroom, make sure you put everything it will need in there too – like food, water, litterbox, and some toys.
- When you first bring the cat into the house, it's best to have the dog either locked away or out of the home. This way the dog won't jump around the pet carrier and scare the cat as you bring it into the home for the first time.
- Touch one animal, then let the other smell the scent on you. Let the animals get used to each other's scent before actually introducing them. Pet one of the animals individually, then, without changing clothes, go to the other animal and let it sniff the scent. Do this for each animal so that they can grow accustomed to the scent of the other animal before a real face-to-face encounter.[2]
- It's best if you can keep swapping the scent for a few days, or until the dog and cat stop acting so interested in the new smell.
- Let the animals smell each other underneath the door. Once both animals have become accustomed to the others' scents, let them interact from opposite sides of a door. Bring your dog to the outside of the door to the cat's room and let them sniff each other from underneath the door.[3]
- If the dog gets too wild or starts digging at the door barrier, you should remove the dog and try again another time when it has calmed down.
- Don't move forward to a face-to-face encounter until both animals can smell each other under the door without getting agitated.
EditAllowing Face-to-Face Interactions - Let your cat be in charge of how much it interacts with the dog. During the entire process, you should never force the cat to interact with the dog. Give your cat a way to escape (something high to jump on) and keep the dog at a distance.
- If the cat doesn't seem interested in engaging with the dog right away, don't force it. Wait a while and let your cat approach the dog on its own.
- Don't force the cat to interact with the dog, no matter how long it takes. Keep making slow progress until the cat feels comfortable enough to approach the dog on its own, even if this process takes weeks.
- Make sure the cat's front claws are trimmed, and monitor the pets while they're together. Until you're sure they get along peacefully, pay careful attention to where the cat is in relation to the dog. Make sure the cat cannot scratch the dog's face.
- Keep the dog in its crate and let the cat roam free for the first few encounters. With the cat in the other room, put your dog in its kennel and lock the door. Then let the cat out and encourage it to follow you into the room with the dog. The cat should eventually get curious about the dog and come close enough to smell the other animal.[4]
- If your dog goes crazy when it sees the cat, try to calm it down using a soothing voice. Encourage the dog to remain calm and use positive reinforcement by giving it treats when it acts the way you want it to.
- If treats and soothing reassurances aren't enough to calm your dog down, remove the cat and revert back to the smelling under the door step until the dog is better able to control its excitement.
- Keep your dog leashed and let the cat roam free once they have adjusted to the kennel step. Let the dog out of its crate, but keep it firmly controlled on a leash. The cat should be allowed to roam free so that it feels comfortable and able to retreat if necessary. Allow the animals to sniff each other. If the cat reacts poorly by hissing or hiding, this isn't unusual. Try to let the animals interact for a couple of minutes, but put the cat back in its separate room if it seems too anxious or upset.[5]
- Always keep the dog on a leash (or at least hold it firmly by the collar) to control how close the dog can get to the cat.
- If your dog jerks at the leash or lunges for the cat, go back to the previous step and put the dog back in its crate.
- Try distracting your dog with treats to teach it to ignore the cat. A great way to train your dog to leave the cat alone is to teach the dog that it is more rewarding to not look at the cat through positive reinforcement with treats. When the animals are in the same room, try giving your dog a verbal cue (by using a clicker, or saying a word like "good") to draw the dog's attention. Then give the dog a treat.[6]
- This will teach the dog that there are positive consequences for ignoring the cat and looking at you instead.
- Do this several times throughout each day until the dog loses interest in the cat and focuses on the positive reinforcement treats with no trouble.
- Keep the initial interactions to a minimum. It can be quite stressful for both cats and dogs to meet new animals. Try to keep the first few introductions quite short to avoid overloading your pets. Let them see and sniff each other for a few minutes, then separate the animals again.[7]
- You don't want to create a negative association for either of the animals, so don't force them to do anything they don't want to do.
- A good rule of thumb is that the animals are ready to take the next step when they stop acting upset/overly interested in the current level of interaction.
- For example, once your pets don't act interested when they smell each other under the door, it's time to move to the kennel step. When they don't get upset being in the same room while the dog is in its crate, and the cat roams freely around, it's time to move to the leash step.
EditTaking the Proper Precautions - Watch both animals' body language. During interactions, make sure you monitor both the dog and the cat to make sure they are doing okay. It's normal for them to be excited, or even a little bit upset, but you don't want the animals to get too stressed out.[8]
- Some signs that your cat has had enough include pinned back ears, swishing tail back and forth, and growling sounds.
- If your dog stiffens, stares motionlessly at the cat, or starts barking uncontrollably, it might be time to separate the animals for the moment.
- Monitor your cat's litterbox habits. You should watch your cat's litterbox for signs about how the introduction is going. If the cat is using the litterbox normally, then it is probably relatively happy and feeling secure with the situation. If your cat is defecating outside the litterbox, it's quite possible that the stress of the new dog may be causing it. In this case, you'll need to slow down the introduction process.[9]
- Normal litterbox behavior means that your cat should be using the litterbox several times each day, with no accidents outside the box.
- Make sure that the dog cannot get into the cat's litterbox. It should also not be able to trap the cat in the litterbox area.
- Use positive reinforcement. You want to make the introduction experience as pleasant as possible so that both animals will associate the new pet with something happy or enjoyable. Try to give the cat and the dog treats during the introduction process, especially if they are behaving calmly.[10]
- You should also use a soothing voice and stroke the cat during the introductions. Another person should do the same to the dog. This will also help to create a positive association with the other animal.
- Use a baby gate to give the cat an escape option. You might want to consider using a baby gate to partition off part of the house. This way, the cat can jump over the gate and go relax in parts of the house that are inaccessible to the dog.[11]
- At the very least, make sure there are some tables, counters, or high shelves that your cat can jump on to escape from the dog if necessary.
- This will allow both animals to have the space they need as well as giving your cat the freedom to choose how much or how little it interacts with the dog.
- Spray the dog with water if it refuses to get along with the cat. Spraying the dog with water is a counter conditioning strategy that will help the dog learn that being mean to the cat is not allowed. When the dog misbehaves, simply spray it with water. Over time, it will start to avoid those behaviors.
- For example, spray the dog if it nips at the cat.
- Alternatively, you could use a halti or gentle leader collar or a behavior correcting collar.
- Make sure that neither pet gets into the other's food or water dish, as this could cause territory issues.
- Remember that it might be a good idea to get two animals with similar energy levels to help the introduction go more smoothly. An elderly cat will not be amused by the antics of an energetic kitten.
- Try to disrupt the resident animal's normal daily routine as little as possible when brining the new animal into the house.
- If either animal shows signs of aggression, remove them from the situation immediately and start the introduction process over again – beginning with swapping scents, then moving to smelling each other under the door, then put the dog in the kennel, etc.
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| How to Get a Bad Smell off Your Hands Posted: 08 Mar 2018 12:00 AM PST Whether you were dealing with gasoline, cooking with onions, or bleaching your clothes, you may have an unpleasant smell lingering on your hands. Fortunately, there are a variety of home remedies you can use to help your hands smell nice and clean again. EditIn a Hurry? After you've washed your hands with soap and water, try splashing some mouthwash on them to get rid of the bad smell — mouthwash can kill smelly bacteria. If that doesn't help, try washing your hands with vinegar or rubbing alcohol. For really strong smells, soak your hands in a bowl of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 3 parts water for several minutes. For more ways you can get a bad smell off your hands, like using baking soda or coffee grounds, keep reading! EditChoosing a Quick Fix - Wash your hands with soap and cold water. Always use cold water for this, as hot water can dilate your skin's pores and let the odor-causing oils and dirt penetrate further. Create a nice lather with the soap and scrub your hands together thoroughly before rinsing them with cold water.[1]
- Splash your hands with antiseptic mouthwash. In addition to neutralizing odor-causing compounds, mouthwash can kill the bacteria on your hands that can cause odor. Scented varieties will also lend a minty smell to your hands that can cover up any remaining odor.[2]
- Remove the odor from your hands by rubbing a stainless steel item. Simply take any stainless steel item (such as a piece of silverware or a mixing bowl) and rub it all over your hands under cold running water. Continue until the odor is neutralized.[3]
- Any stainless steel item will work for this method, including the basin of your sink if you have a stainless steel model.
- You can buy stainless steel bars of soap that are designed specifically for removing odors from your hands.
- This method is great for removing the smells left from garlic or onions.
- Rinse your hands in vinegar to suppress the stench. When you rinse your hands with vinegar, you don't need to rub your hands together. Simply splash on some vinegar and let your hands air dry. If you want to reduce the vinegar smell, you can wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.[4]
- Vinegar is good for removing smells left from fish or onions.
- Rub your hands together with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Pour into your hands and rub them together until the rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer evaporates and your hands are dry.[5]
- Since alcohol can be very drying on your hands, it's best to only try this method once and move on to another if the odor still lingers.
EditMaking Scrubs and Pastes - Squeeze toothpaste onto your hands to tackle the smell. Squeeze a little section of toothpaste — the kind that has baking soda in it is best — onto your hands and rub them together. After you've been rubbing them together for a couple of minutes, wash your hands off with clean water.[6]
- Rub your hands together with wet salt to create a scrub. Pour a small amount of salt into your hands and rub them together. You may want to moisten the salt with some water to improve its adhesion. When finished, rinse the salt away with water and dry your hands.[7]
- You can also lather your hands up with dish detergent before sprinkling salt on your hands. Scrub them together to begin eliminating the odor, and rinse your hands with clean water once you're finished.[8]
- Cover your hands with coffee grounds for great-smelling hands. If you don't mind your hands smelling like coffee, use coffee grounds to eliminate any odors. Cover your hands entirely with coffee grounds and then gently scrub your hands together in a bowl of water. As an alternative, you can also rub whole coffee beans together in your hands until the odor starts to disappear.[9]
- Make a paste of 1 part baking soda and 3 parts water. Mix together 1 part baking soda with 3 parts water in a bowl to create a paste. Rub the paste all over your hands thoroughly for at least 1 minute. Rinse the mixture off with clean water afterwards.[10]
EditSoaking Your Hands - Combine 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 3 parts water. By mixing together hydrogen peroxide and water, you'll create a disinfectant that's safe for your hands. Soak your hands in the mixture for 1-3 minutes, and then rinse your hands off with clean water before drying them.[11]
- Neutralize the odor on your hands with lemon or lime juice. Lemon juice can be used full-strength, or it can be diluted with a small amount of water to reduce its harsh effect on your skin. Lime juice works as well. Just squeeze the lemon/lime in a bowl of water and soak your hands in it.[12]
- Putting 1 part lemon or lime juice in a bowl with 1 part water is an effective method for soaking your hands.
- Add of vinegar to water for a diluted option. Fill a small bowl with regular water and pour in of vinegar. Soak your hands in the mixture for 2-3 minutes. Rinse your hands with clean water after the time has elapsed.[13]
- Wearing gloves when working with strongly scented ingredients will help prevent lingering odors on your hands. You can also purchase specific tools designed to peel and cut ingredients like garlic without requiring hand contact.
- Note that salt, lemon juice, vinegar, and solutions containing alcohol can irritate cuts and bruises on your hands. You may want to avoid these methods if your skin is cut or otherwise irritated.
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