Handy Household Hints.
If you have any household hints or tips, send them to us via our message board.
A shower gel cleans your tub and prevents ugly soap scum build up.
To remove the stain of blackberries, strawberries, etc. from your hands without using smelly old bleach, soak your hands in a bowl of warm water and denture cleaner for about 3-5 minutes.
Clean carpet stains with a mix of laundry detergent, water and white vinegar. For wine stains, add salt to absorb the stains to make it clean easy later.
Clean your automatic coffee pot by running vinegar through it, just like you are making coffee. Then instead of pouring it out, pour it down your kitchen, bathtub and sink drains to also clean them and to prevent hard water build up.
Use a mixture of ice cubes, some salt and a bit of lemon juice on a sponge to put the shine back in your glass coffee pot.
Alcohol is an excellent eyeglass cleaner. Used with a paper towel, it dries almost instantly, and keeps your lenses streak and fog free.
For a quick way to clean your sink and bathroom faucets, wipe them down with a tip of cotton swab soaked in alcohol.
The collars ands cuffs of washable jackets and blazers stay clean longer if you spray them with fabric protector after each wash.
The fastest and easiest way to clean a lamp shade is to gently run a lint brush over it.
Courtesy of Marygold Challenor
Animal Hair - Use Sellotape to remove any unwanted hair. Wrap the tape around your fingers or a brush ( sticky side out) and brush downwards.
Ants - Use sodium bicarbonate (bicarbonate of soda) to discourage those little pests.
Baths - Remove any unsightly stains or marks using a paste made of lemon juice and salt then rinse well. Or again bicarbonate of soda.
Candles - increase the life time of your candles by placing them in freezer for a few hours before using. Soak the ends in Hot water to help them fit into your candle holders.
Car - prevent bumping your car doors by attaching old pieces of carpet to the garage walls, also place an old tyre to prevent hitting the end wall.
Cooking smells - Boil one teaspoon of ground cinnamon in half a pint of water for 15 minutes.
Grass - Prevent grass growing between paving stones or path, sprinkle salt in the cracks, or pour very salty boiling water.
Greenfly - Discourage greenfly by planting garlic around the plants.
Lids - Run hot water over the stubborn lid to help loosen.
For Aggie MacKenzie's ten top cleaning tips see here.
Treating Specific Stains
Blood - Blot fresh spills with a paper towel or cloth. Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. Vacuum the area.
Butter - Scrape off as much as you can. Apply a dry-cleaning solution and let the carpet dry. Repeat if necessary. Vacuum the area.
Candle Wax - Wait until it is hard, then scrape off as much as possible. Cover the remains with kitchen paper and press with the tip of a warm iron. The wax will melt and be absorbed by the paper.
Chewing Gum - Place a bag of ice cubes on top to freeze it, then break off as much as you can. Clean off the remainder with a little white or methylated spirits on a cloth.
Chocolate - Scrape off any solid chocolate pieces, then treat with a spot carpet shampoo, if greasy marks remain treat carefully with a grease solvent.
Coffee - Blot fresh spills with a paper towel or cloth. Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. Apply a dry-cleaning solvent and once dry, vacuum the area.
Crayon - Wait until it is hard, then scrape off as much as possible. Cover the remains with kitchen paper and press with the tip of a warm iron. The wax will melt and be absorbed by the paper.
Fruit - Acting quickly is key, as once fruit stains are dry and hard they are very difficult to remove. Scrape up as much as possible, and blot any juice. Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. Repeat if necessary, then vacuum the area.
Ink - Rub with a cloth moistened with methylated spirits for ballpoint and felt tip pens; use cold water to shift fountain pen ink.
Lipstick - Carefully scrape off any excess with a knife, then treat with a carpet shampoo. If any colour remains, use a little methylated spirits on cotton wool.
Milk or Ice Cream - Sponge with soapy warm water, rinse, then treat with a grease solvent.
Mud - Wait until it is dry and hard, then scrape off as much as possible. Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. If the stain remains, apply a dry-cleaning solvent and once dry, vacuum the area.
Scorch Marks - Trim lightly with a pair of scissors.
Shoe Polish - Scrape off as much as you can, treat with a dry cleaning solvent, then methylated spirits. You may also need to finish off with carpet shampoo.
Tar - Use a small amount of solvent, such as WD-40 on the stain. Blot the dissolved area with a paper towel. Mix a small amount of mild detergent with warm water and apply to the stain: this will remove the smell of the solvent. Next sponge the area with fresh water and let dry.
Urine - Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. Repeat if necessary, vacuum the area.
Vinegar - Dilute the spill immediately with baking soda and water. Apply a solution of 1 part ammonia to 10 parts water. Rinse with cold water. Let the area dry and vacuum.
Vomit - Blot up as much as possible. Dilute with baking soda and water. Apply a solution of 1 part ammonia to 10 parts water. Rinse with cold water. Let the area dry and vacuum.
Wine - Blot fresh spills, then use carpet shampoo. Don't sprinkle it with salt as it may change the colour of the carpet. On old stains try rubbing in a mixture of equal parts glycerine and water. Leave for an hour, then rinse off
If you have any household hints or tips, send them to us via our message board.
A shower gel cleans your tub and prevents ugly soap scum build up.
To remove the stain of blackberries, strawberries, etc. from your hands without using smelly old bleach, soak your hands in a bowl of warm water and denture cleaner for about 3-5 minutes.
Clean carpet stains with a mix of laundry detergent, water and white vinegar. For wine stains, add salt to absorb the stains to make it clean easy later.
Clean your automatic coffee pot by running vinegar through it, just like you are making coffee. Then instead of pouring it out, pour it down your kitchen, bathtub and sink drains to also clean them and to prevent hard water build up.
Use a mixture of ice cubes, some salt and a bit of lemon juice on a sponge to put the shine back in your glass coffee pot.
Alcohol is an excellent eyeglass cleaner. Used with a paper towel, it dries almost instantly, and keeps your lenses streak and fog free.
For a quick way to clean your sink and bathroom faucets, wipe them down with a tip of cotton swab soaked in alcohol.
The collars ands cuffs of washable jackets and blazers stay clean longer if you spray them with fabric protector after each wash.
The fastest and easiest way to clean a lamp shade is to gently run a lint brush over it.
Courtesy of Marygold Challenor
~*~
Animal Hair - Use Sellotape to remove any unwanted hair. Wrap the tape around your fingers or a brush ( sticky side out) and brush downwards.
Ants - Use sodium bicarbonate (bicarbonate of soda) to discourage those little pests.
Baths - Remove any unsightly stains or marks using a paste made of lemon juice and salt then rinse well. Or again bicarbonate of soda.
Candles - increase the life time of your candles by placing them in freezer for a few hours before using. Soak the ends in Hot water to help them fit into your candle holders.
Car - prevent bumping your car doors by attaching old pieces of carpet to the garage walls, also place an old tyre to prevent hitting the end wall.
Cooking smells - Boil one teaspoon of ground cinnamon in half a pint of water for 15 minutes.
Grass - Prevent grass growing between paving stones or path, sprinkle salt in the cracks, or pour very salty boiling water.
Greenfly - Discourage greenfly by planting garlic around the plants.
Lids - Run hot water over the stubborn lid to help loosen.
~*~
For Aggie MacKenzie's ten top cleaning tips see here.
~*~
Treating Specific Stains
Blood - Blot fresh spills with a paper towel or cloth. Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. Vacuum the area.
Butter - Scrape off as much as you can. Apply a dry-cleaning solution and let the carpet dry. Repeat if necessary. Vacuum the area.
Candle Wax - Wait until it is hard, then scrape off as much as possible. Cover the remains with kitchen paper and press with the tip of a warm iron. The wax will melt and be absorbed by the paper.
Chewing Gum - Place a bag of ice cubes on top to freeze it, then break off as much as you can. Clean off the remainder with a little white or methylated spirits on a cloth.
Chocolate - Scrape off any solid chocolate pieces, then treat with a spot carpet shampoo, if greasy marks remain treat carefully with a grease solvent.
Coffee - Blot fresh spills with a paper towel or cloth. Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. Apply a dry-cleaning solvent and once dry, vacuum the area.
Crayon - Wait until it is hard, then scrape off as much as possible. Cover the remains with kitchen paper and press with the tip of a warm iron. The wax will melt and be absorbed by the paper.
Fruit - Acting quickly is key, as once fruit stains are dry and hard they are very difficult to remove. Scrape up as much as possible, and blot any juice. Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. Repeat if necessary, then vacuum the area.
Ink - Rub with a cloth moistened with methylated spirits for ballpoint and felt tip pens; use cold water to shift fountain pen ink.
Lipstick - Carefully scrape off any excess with a knife, then treat with a carpet shampoo. If any colour remains, use a little methylated spirits on cotton wool.
Milk or Ice Cream - Sponge with soapy warm water, rinse, then treat with a grease solvent.
Mud - Wait until it is dry and hard, then scrape off as much as possible. Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. If the stain remains, apply a dry-cleaning solvent and once dry, vacuum the area.
Scorch Marks - Trim lightly with a pair of scissors.
Shoe Polish - Scrape off as much as you can, treat with a dry cleaning solvent, then methylated spirits. You may also need to finish off with carpet shampoo.
Tar - Use a small amount of solvent, such as WD-40 on the stain. Blot the dissolved area with a paper towel. Mix a small amount of mild detergent with warm water and apply to the stain: this will remove the smell of the solvent. Next sponge the area with fresh water and let dry.
Urine - Mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon mild detergent with 1 litre of warm water. Apply this solution to the stain and let dry. Repeat if necessary, vacuum the area.
Vinegar - Dilute the spill immediately with baking soda and water. Apply a solution of 1 part ammonia to 10 parts water. Rinse with cold water. Let the area dry and vacuum.
Vomit - Blot up as much as possible. Dilute with baking soda and water. Apply a solution of 1 part ammonia to 10 parts water. Rinse with cold water. Let the area dry and vacuum.
Wine - Blot fresh spills, then use carpet shampoo. Don't sprinkle it with salt as it may change the colour of the carpet. On old stains try rubbing in a mixture of equal parts glycerine and water. Leave for an hour, then rinse off