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Original poster

Let's start a thread of just random advise / hacks

380 replies

washingmachineslivelongerwithcalgon · 21/08/2023 17:19

No specific topic, just great advise you'd give.

Keep it simple.
(Apologies, I didn't know which other category to put this under that would gain traction)

I'll go first:

  • don't sweat the petty stuff, & don't pet the sweaty stuff.
  • if you can't open a food jar, pierce the top to get the air out and it opens right up!
  • drizzle a tablespoon of marmite into the cooking fat before you roast your potatoes (and drizzle some over the spuds)
  • if you don't have egg cups, use shot glasses
  • hair spray gets most things out of carpets. (Learnt this when staying at a boyfriends house as a teen and dropped lipstick. Blind panic and hairspray saved me!) used it ever since, in emergency situations.
OP posts:
anunlikelyseahorse · 22/08/2023 13:10

If your zipper keeps falling down, before you throw away the garment thinking the zips broken, make sure you're locking the zip first.
Zippers have a locking mechanism, when you pull the zip up to the top, make sure you push the ziphead down. It's easy to leave the zip head up or not push it down all the way so it engages the lock mechanism... I only learned this recently!

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 22/08/2023 11:43

LeopardsDontChangeTheirSpots · 22/08/2023 01:00

Hide your chocolate in amongst the tea towels..... they'll never find it.

Grin
tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 22/08/2023 11:42

Weatherwax13 · 22/08/2023 00:34

For that horrible band aid-like outline left when you remove HRT patches: get a bottle of coconut oil. Rub a little bit in and after a few minutes it wipes straight off.
Spent ages scrubbing them off leaving a red mark till I read that tip.

Baby oil also works

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 22/08/2023 11:40

Mooncup** excellent advice. Please come and be my friend Grin

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 22/08/2023 11:38

Betty** it was the wrestling with pigs one Grin

Deadringer · 22/08/2023 11:26

Hot spoon on mosquito bites, got that tip on here and my god it saved my sanity last month in Malta. I had several on my face and oh the exquisite relief.

GreenwichOrTwicks · 22/08/2023 10:40

meatbaseddessert · 22/08/2023 09:59

Haven't seen your friends for a while? Go and get a spray tan. As you make your way home dripping in green brown stuff, braless and pantless in baggy old clothes you will run into everyone you've ever known.

🤣🤣🤣

takealettermsjones · 22/08/2023 10:38

Can we put in tip requests? 🤣 If anyone knows how to get (supposedly washable 🤨) poster paint out of a bright orange cotton top without fading it, I'll be forever in your debt! (Many, many techniques have been tried already. A preschooler's happiness hangs in the balance.)

Grapefruitsquash · 22/08/2023 10:14

Fallingoutofsanity · 21/08/2023 17:33

This was going to be my tip. Works on everything including tumeric and oil stains

Show quote history

I have a pale aqua vest top with turmeric stains. Using Vanish twice has faded the stain but I can still see it. I'm going to try this.

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 22/08/2023 10:11

Summertiempo · 21/08/2023 23:27

Toothpaste for minor burns

And spots and inspect bites.

LemonDrizzleDessert · 22/08/2023 10:10

meatbaseddessert · 22/08/2023 10:02

I don't think she's suggesting you put chicken carcasses, baked potatoes and partially eaten lamb shanks down there.

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LOL oh Jesus I just clutched my pearls

meatbaseddessert · 22/08/2023 10:02

KirstenBlest · 21/08/2023 20:18

@Sugargliderwombat , the only things you should put down the loo are pee, paper and poo.

I don't think she's suggesting you put chicken carcasses, baked potatoes and partially eaten lamb shanks down there.

LemonDrizzleDessert · 22/08/2023 10:01

meatbaseddessert · 22/08/2023 09:59

Haven't seen your friends for a while? Go and get a spray tan. As you make your way home dripping in green brown stuff, braless and pantless in baggy old clothes you will run into everyone you've ever known.

When you want to see your crush you run into someone not keen on you. Or when you when you have a bad hair day, you'll run into everyone.

meatbaseddessert · 22/08/2023 09:59

Haven't seen your friends for a while? Go and get a spray tan. As you make your way home dripping in green brown stuff, braless and pantless in baggy old clothes you will run into everyone you've ever known.

Charrington · 22/08/2023 09:57

Ime the ink on receipts fade after a few months.

VisionsOfSplendour · 22/08/2023 09:55

Deadringer · 22/08/2023 00:42

Not nearly as good as pp tips but when you buy a new electrical item or appliance write the date of purchase and the shop you bought it in on the instruction leaflet in case it stops working prematurely.

Wouldn't stapling the receipt to the instructions be more efficient?

NoImnotcalledIgglePiggle · 22/08/2023 09:43

@washingmachineslivelongerwithcalgon

I was being tongue in cheek, but that obviously got lost in translation. Sorry you had such a busy day, hope it has calmed down a bit and that you have had some peace.

I am old enough to have fed my children way before the advent of all today's technology and I am sure that I would have been on my phone had that opportunity existed.

Definitely preferable to the very early Sunday mornings watching some guy drawing birds of prey whilst waiting for Dappledown Farm to come on!

whatwhatinthebutt · 22/08/2023 09:42

Piercing the lid of the jar will cause the food to spoil.

Run lid under warm water

Bang lid on counter lightly but firmly

Release air by pulling up the sides of the lid

One of those will work

BeyondMyWits · 22/08/2023 09:27

Notjustabrunette · 21/08/2023 22:45

If you don’t have shot glasses, use egg cups. As discovered on. Center parks stay in my 20’s.

We just used mugs. Height of refinement, us.

GreenwichOrTwicks · 22/08/2023 08:46

Ooooh just tried the kitchen sink of boiling water/zoflora trick -went out for 10 mins to the shop -came back -it works!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!

takealettermsjones · 22/08/2023 08:40

InvincibleInvisibility · 22/08/2023 06:47

If you have an early walking/climbing baby use simple commands to help them be safe. We always used to say "feet first" when they were climbing down instead of "careful".

Similarly as they get older make sure communication is clear and precise. Don't say "argh look out, is that really the best place to put that?" (Looking at you, DH). Say "put the glass away from the edge please".

Haha I felt this! I had a very literal toddler and also a husband who would say things like "get out from under't feet!" We needed to be explicit - "please take two steps backwards because I'm about to do X" etc and DH just never got it 🤣

Crucible · 22/08/2023 08:28

I take clothes off the line in person order. DH first as his are largest and go in the bottom of basket, then mine after. Socks and undies go in a bundle per person at either end of the basket. Easier to divvy out when putting away.(does not apply if it's raining)

I will iron for as long as it takes to use up one single little jug of ironing water. I hate faffing about with emptying unused water and it's a good marker for doing it in reasonable chunks of time. Once it stops steaming I am done.

Ironing boards are an excellent platform for gift wrapping.

andistheonlypersonIcanremember · 22/08/2023 08:20

Cantyouseeimanaubergine · 21/08/2023 22:16

What ratios?

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I wouldn’t do this, it leaves a waxy film over your furnishings. 🫤

LoverofGreen · 22/08/2023 07:38

RethinkingLife · 21/08/2023 21:54

Too many bits of advice to quote from Ted Lasso.

Higgins tells Ted to, “Find out before you flip out.” That's a very good tip.

Hah true!

My life has improved since watching Ted Lasso!

”be curious not judgemental”