Readers' tips
Home » Latest issue » Good, issue 20 » Readers' tipsTips and tricks from readers
Clever-er cleaning
Eliminate odours in the bathroom using a glass jar with holes punched in its metal lid. (Use a nail to do this).
Put 1/4 cup baking soda and eight drops of lavender oil in the jar. It works a treat!
–Kylie Fagan
Clean your windows with water and newspaper or an old towel. My husband is an ex-glazier and he says there’s no need for any chemicals.
It’s worked just fine for me too.
–Francesca Nixon
Granny’s secrets
This tip was handed down to me by my grandmother – a stickler for clean floors, and a farmer’s wife with five muddy-footed children to clean up after! Clean and freshen your carpet by sprinkling a mixture of half-and-half unprocessed wheat bran and baking soda (half a cup is enough for a weekly treatment of a large lounge). Lightly sweep the mixture across the floor and leave for half an hour before vacuuming. –Carmen Walker
My mum doesn’t spend a single five dollar note that passes her way and now she has a stack. It’s a good way to save for a holiday. – Sarah van Iddekinge
If I was a hammer
When hammering a small nail place it between the teeth of a comb, or hold with pliers or tweezers and you won’t hit your fingers. –Linda Flynn
Tidy up drill
For families with children, get everyone to tidy up for ten minutes at a time. There are five members in my family, so that’s nearly an hour’s worth of housework done in ten minutes. –Joanne Hodgson
Winning ways with soap ...
Save soap dregs. Grate and boil in a saucepan: two tablespoons of soap to one cup of water, plus two teaspoons of glycerine and a few drops of favourite essential oil.
When cool, pour into a flowing soap bottle.
I use natural soap to make it kinder to the skin – no nasty chemicals in my house – and haven’t had dermatitis on my hands since.
–Kylie Fagan
Save small scraps of soap, fill a net bag and leave in the laundry to use when washing hands. –Julie Tribbe
... and lemons
Clear the smell of burned food by bringing a pan of water to the boil. Drop in a sliced lemon and simmer. –Judi Bain
Tue August 14, 2012 @ 08:30 AM
