Let’s share some household hints! Here’s a couple of mine to get started.
You know that Blue-Tak stuff–that playdough-like substance for securing small househeld items? Instead of using that, go to your local foodstore and get some of those round cheeses with the red waxy rind. Eat the cheese and use bits of the waxy rind to hold things down. I find this works better than Blue-Tak and doesn’t leave any residue (and if it does, heat it to remove it).
Humane spider catcher: say you see an unwelcome spider on your wall. Get a small glass–a shot glass or small wine glass works perfectly–and a stiff piece of paper, like those subscription cards in most magazines. Cover the spider with the glass, and slowly–don’t want to slice off your spider’s footpads!–slide the card under the rim of the glass. Carefully slide your finger under the card and maneuver the glass off the wall. Examine the spider under glass if you are into that sort of thing, otherwise just proceed outside and release it a good distance from your house. (This is excellent for scoring point on a date).
Peel a Kiwifruit thus:
Slice off both ends, insert a teaspoon in one end so that the convex side is just under the skin, run the spoon around the fruit, keeing it as close to the skin as possible, repeat at the other end, then squeeze and out pops the peeled fruit with almost no waste or damage at all.
When buying red peppers for cooking (as opposed to buying them for a salad), look for the ones that are the deepest red in colour and possibly even those that are a little wrinkly - the flavour will be better.
Sellotape is your friend if the pollen from lilies (or any other flower for that matter) makes its way on to your clothes.
When scooping formula into a baby’s bottle, rather than levelling off the scoops with a knife, just run them up the side of the packet as you scoop. You’ll get a perfectly level scoop every time and it’s much quicker and cleaner.
When you clean windows it doesn’t really matter what cleaning product you use. Just spray it on and wipe it off with a newspaper going in very small circles. That way you’ll get none of those pesky streaks that occur when you use a rag or some such.
We clean our microwave with potatoes. Just take a large potato and overcook it in the microwave. The steam loosens all the crud, and then can be easily wiped out with a paper towel. Then we wipe out with baking soda and water - all natural - yeah!
This is how hausfrau Marlene Dietrich cleaned her kitchen counters, and now I do, too!
Spray 409 or Fantastic, or sprinkle Clorox, on kitchen counter. Cover with a layer of paper towels. Wet towels (if you’re lucky you have one of those spritzy things attached to your sink—otherwise, use a watering can or just pour water on them). Leave it for about 20 minutes—not long enough for it to dry—and wipe it up. Clean as a whistle!
Aerosol hairspray removes ballpoint pen ink on fabric 99% of the time. I’ve only had a few instances where it didn’t work. Very few. Does not work on roller ball ink or magic marker and the like.
I’ve also never had non-aerosol hairspray do the trick, either, but a couple of my friends say it works just as well. YMMV.
Vinegar run through a coffee-maker about once every month or so will keep the crud from building up in it. Follow with several flushes of water before making fresh coffee.
:dubious:
For those of you who are leery of exploding potatoes in your microwave, substitute the potato with a ceramic bowl of water with a good splash of vinegar in it. Microwave for ten minutes, let sit for ten, then wipe clean with a damp cloth or sponge.
Oh, and that red bar at the top of your electric oven? That’s really, really hot. Don’t touch it.
And Iron and Newspaper does the trick perfectly.
You hate those pecky little flying nuicanses that fly around your plants, or you hate those little gnats…A bottle cap full of vinegar will attract them to no end, and eliminate the problem…
How about flying insects around your outdoor porch? Hate those nasty flies or mosquito’s… A hanging glass of water preferably spherical glass, will cast millions of beautiful prisms around your porch, effectively eliminating a fly or any flying insects ability to navigate in the air, thus reducing and almost eliminating the flying insect problems on an outdoor porch.
Thank you, Phlosphr! I bought an ivy a few weeks ago. The ivy died, but the gnats stayed. Until now…
I use isopropyl or rubbing alcohol to clean everything. White vinegar is also a great cheap cleaner…I don’t buy any other household cleaning products, except for liquid & powder bleach.
When making hard-boiled eggs, add a little bit of vinegar to the water to make for easier peeling.
After using eggs, put the shells into a jar filled with
water and let sit for a week. Take out the eggshells and
use the water to fertilize your indoor plants. Crush the
eggshells and sprinkle around rose bushes and flowers. It
helps to keep bugs away from them.
Tired of bacon shrinking and popping? Dip each piece lightly in flour before frying.
When boiling or steaming greens (collard, kale, turnip, etc.) add a spoonful of sugar to the water. Keeps the color of the greens bright and keeps them from getting too bitter.
When cutting an avocado or mango, slice the fruit all the way around lengthwise and remove the pit. In each half, cut a grid into the fruit, and then turn it “inside out”. The fruit will come out easily and less messy.
To keep tupperware from discoloring when using it to store tomato sauce, soups, stews, etc. spray a light coating of vegetable spray to the inside before adding the food.
I found, much to my chagrin, that this only works if the rug is made of natural fibers. Had the iron on as cool as it could be set but it melted my synthetic rug.