Common things used ....

[Enclave]

The wife has a habit of using common things in strange ways .... For instance, she cleans our stainless steal sink/ drainer with English Mustard .. It comes up a treat leaving it looking very clean and shiney.. Says it is something she has always done !
Just wondered if anyone else here uses strange things for purposes it is not intended for.

 

[uncle]

Cola Brings up brass lovely as does tomato ketchup
Denture cleaning tablets clean toilet bowls lovely
Vinegar cleans windows and adds shine to brunette hair colour
Lemon juice is a quick tooth whitener
Banana peel is good for polishing shoes

 

[lessci]

Denture Tablets also good for tea stained mugs cutlery and teapots

 

[izzzi]

Clean your windscreen wiper rubbers with vinegar ( just wet a kitchen roll sheet with vinegar) you will be amazed with the amount of dirt etc; that comes off.

 

[Enclave]

If you dilute I part Vinagar to 8 parts water, you can use to wipe over an incontence dogs mishaps .. So if they get up with a very wet side, clean it and any bed with this mix and it will stop urine burns ...

 

[lessci]

Tinfoil, washing soda and boiling water for tarnished silver. All the tarnish sticks to the foil

 

[chris lowe]

Cola Brings up brass lovely as does tomato ketchup
Denture cleaning tablets clean toilet bowls lovely
Vinegar cleans windows and adds shine to brunette hair colour
Lemon juice is a quick tooth whitener
Banana peel is good for polishing shoes

No, not lemon juice for teeth! It's really very acidic and will remove the enamel bit by bit.(unless you're talking dentures, but I'd still be wary)

 

[chris lowe]

Mr. Chris saw a money saving tip the other day for a cheap version of a wheat heat pad- fill an old sock (without holes obviously) with long grain rice then tie the opening very tightly with string then heat in the microwave for 2 mins max and wrap around the bit you want to warm up. As it's so cold I did wonder if I could fill up an old onesie then spread it out and wrap it round me but I don't think Tesco have got enough rice in stock to fill it and it would probably need a couple of hours to warm it up. Back to the drawing board.

 

[lessci]

For shaving your legs use hair conditioner instead of shaving foam, cheaper and a better result

 

[Robinredbreast]

Use any shampoo for cleaning the top of your cooker, brings it up a treat. Use lemon juice to clean water marks/limescale around the taps in the kitchen or bathroom. I use an old coleslaw tub ( cleaned) to fit the sunflower oil bottle in, as any oil drips go straight into the coleslaw tub and not onto your cupboard shelf. Clean your grill out with Bio washing powder and boiling water. Fill it up and leave overnight to soak

 

[uncle]

No, not lemon juice for teeth! It's really very acidic and will remove the enamel bit by bit.(unless you're talking dentures, but I'd still be wary)

Dab on teeth with cotton to remove stains, no worse than drinking a fruit juice

 

[Robinredbreast]

A dentist told me not to use lemon juice on the teeth or salt, so I haven't.

RRB

 

[andcol]

Teapot becomes spotless overnight with just a little biological washing powder and cold water left in it

 

[Robbity]

• Toothpaste is also apparently good for getting rid of stubborn tea stains, particularly on melamine cups (do we still use these???) though I've not ever been in a position to try this
• bicarbonate of soda is good for cleaning sink and basin drains as well using for baking
• white vinegar on very hot wash helps clean and descale washing machines (tip via a friend given by a washing machine engineer)
• A squirt from a soda syphon is good for cleaning and neutralising smell from puppy puddles on carpets
• tomato paste rubbed into offending fur helps with decontaminating stinky dogs
• paper bags, plastic bottles filled with pebbles, cardboard boxes, all make good doggy toys
• all sorts of kitchen and bathroom stuff can be used by crafters, e.g. :
  • toothbrushes can be used for cleaning rubber stamps,
  • cling film, salt, and bubble wrap for making inky patterns,
    
  • kebab skewers and cocktail sticks are great for poking, pricking and curling things round...
  • hairspray, cotton wool, wet or baby wipes, cotton/baby buds also have crafting uses
  • OHP transparencies are good for die cutting and stamping on

• our empty test strip tubs can be used by crafters for storing beads, glitter, (dead) craft knife blades,... etc. (As can 35mm camera film ones and these I've seen sold for this purpose on ebay)
• little 10mil plastic medicine syringes are commonly used by crafters for dispensing silicone gel

A lot of my crafting goodies have been relieved of their proper use, and as such (whisper!) they all originally came out of the general households budget so this is a crafty money saving tip too!!

Robbity

And PS Dogs make excellent alternatives to hot water bottles and don't go cold overnight

 

[chris lowe]

• Toothpaste is also apparently good for getting rid of stubborn tea stains, particularly on melamine cups (do we still use these???) though I've not ever been in a position to try this
• bicarbonate of soda is good for cleaning sink and basin drains as well using for baking
• white vinegar on very hot wash helps clean and descale washing machines (tip via a friend given by a washing machine engineer)
• A squirt from a soda syphon is good for cleaning and neutralising smell from puppy puddles on carpets
• tomato paste rubbed into offending fur helps with decontaminating stinky dogs
• paper bags, plastic bottles filled with pebbles, cardboard boxes, all make good doggy toys
• all sorts of kitchen and bathroom stuff can be used by crafters, e.g. :
  • toothbrushes can be used for cleaning rubber stamps,
  • cling film, salt, and bubble wrap for making inky patterns,
    
  • kebab skewers and cocktail sticks are great for poking, pricking and curling things round...
  • hairspray, cotton wool, wet or baby wipes, cotton/baby buds also have crafting uses
  • OHP transparencies are good for die cutting and stamping on

• our empty test strip tubs can be used by crafters for storing beads, glitter, (dead) craft knife blades,... etc. (As can 35mm camera film ones and these I've seen sold for this purpose on ebay)
• little 10mil plastic medicine syringes are commonly used by crafters for dispensing silicone gel

A lot of my crafting goodies have been relieved of their proper use, and as such (whisper!) they all originally came out of the general households budget so this is a crafty money saving tip too!!

Robbity

And PS Dogs make excellent alternatives to hot water bottles and don't go cold overnight

When I used to go camping at festivals (I'm a semi detatched hippie now - stay in a travelodge) I used to use the emply film canisters for salt and pepper, just punch a hole in the top with a skewer.

 

[chris lowe]

If any one has any tips for cleaning the oven and would like to come round and demonstrate .............

 

[andcol]

If any one has any tips for cleaning the oven and would like to come round and demonstrate .............

yes buy a pyrolitic oven

 

[chris lowe]

yes buy a pyrolitic oven

Now you're just showing off (and I'm not even going to ask, I will pretend I know what you mean la la la la)

 

[andcol]

Basically the oven turns into a kiln (about 400-500 deg C) and burns all the fat and turns it into ash leaving it clean after you brush away the ash.

 

[chris lowe]

Basically the oven turns into a kiln (about 400-500 deg C) and burns all the fat and turns it into ash leaving it clean after you brush away the ash.

I can do that with the food in the oven I've got - does that count?