Hints and Tips - 5

Oven Odours

To remove the odour from the oven place a bowl of vinegar in the oven an leave for a while. The vinegar will absorb the smell.

Linen Closet

In the linen closet place cotton balls that have been sprayed with your favourite scent. Once they are dry place them in corners and on the shelves.

Trainers

Take a few teaspoons of baking soda and put in the centre of a cotton cloth. Tie the cloth and rubber band the edges securely creating a baking soda sachet, which you put in the trainers overnight as well. These sachets can be used over and over in any kind of shoe.

Spoiled Food Odour

Place a bowl of white vinegar on the counter for a few hours. The odour will disappear for good.

House Plants

Keep your house plants looking good. Wipe the leaves with mayonnaise, it makes the leaves shine. It's cheaper than sprays and does not harm the plant.

Old Paint Brushes

Old hardened paint brushes can often be saved. Soak in hot vinegar and comb through with an old fork.

Fabric Softener

Use an old tea towel as a fabric softener sheet. Pour a couple of capfuls of softener on it and throw it in the dryer. Add more softener about every 15 loads or when you notice a little static. It helps to use a towel that is distinct.

Cheese

To easily grate cheese, leave in freezer for 20 minutes. The firmer cheese is the less likely to make a melted mess on your grater.

Boiling Over

Butter the rim of a pan in which you cook rice or pasta so it won't boil over.

Greasy Gravy

Add sage and onion to gravy granules they soak up the grease and thicken the gravy so you need less gravy granules.

Too Much Salt

If you accidentally over salt a dish while its still cooking, drop in a peeled potato. It absorbs the excess salt.

Broken Bulbs

When you break a light bulb in its socket, it can be very difficult to remove it for replacement. Try jamming a bar of soap, or a piece of raw potato in to the base of the bulb then twisting it. The broken bulb should come out with no problem.

Painting

To catch paint drips, glue on the bottom of the tin a paper plate 2 or 3 inches wider than the paint tin. It also gives you some where to put the brush

Clean a Toilet

Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush.

Advice on this page is given in good faith it is made clear these remedies are undertaken at your own risk. No responsibility can be taken as regards their results or any consequences relating to their use.