Page 4 | Tips/hacks that just dont work for you

Sidebeforeself · 2024-12-15T13:26:55+00:00

Another failure has inspired me to start this thread! Just tried heating dinner plates by keeping them in hot water..just got a slightly warm plate for the first few seconds, yet I always read this tip around Christmas time. White vinegar and dish soap to attract and kill little black flies - nope Bicarb of soda in boiling water to give extra crisp roasties - no discernible difference! Getting a bit of eggshell out using a bigger piece - nope!

ForestAtTheSea · 16/12/2024 15:48

boxoftoads · 15/12/2024 18:53

DH tried to defrost my car with a food bag full of warm water.
It melted the ice which hardened again instantly.
Made it worse.

Anything that involves suddenly putting hot water onto a frozen surface could result in cracks (also: defrosting a freezer).
It's good that he probably only put the hot water inside the car instead of on the windows; so at least nothing bad happened.

Many things are easier to fix with constructive measures:
flyscreens for keeping insects out (except for fruit flies), if it is your own place or a removable screen in rented
covering the car with a plastic cover or covering the windows with cardboard or the protectors from the shop to prevent them freezing but that does not help when you're suddenly surprised by the weather. Then I use defrosting spray (glycol).

Have to say that the soda and vinegar-thing works for me in certain settings, even though it's only water in the end. It's the foam that does the work while the chemical reaction is going on.

boxoftoads · 16/12/2024 15:51

ForestAtTheSea · 16/12/2024 15:48

Anything that involves suddenly putting hot water onto a frozen surface could result in cracks (also: defrosting a freezer).
It's good that he probably only put the hot water inside the car instead of on the windows; so at least nothing bad happened.

Many things are easier to fix with constructive measures:
flyscreens for keeping insects out (except for fruit flies), if it is your own place or a removable screen in rented
covering the car with a plastic cover or covering the windows with cardboard or the protectors from the shop to prevent them freezing but that does not help when you're suddenly surprised by the weather. Then I use defrosting spray (glycol).

Have to say that the soda and vinegar-thing works for me in certain settings, even though it's only water in the end. It's the foam that does the work while the chemical reaction is going on.

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Oh, as the scientist of the household he got an earful off me when I spotted what he was doing.

I was horrified.

ForestAtTheSea · 16/12/2024 15:54

boxoftoads · 16/12/2024 15:51

Oh, as the scientist of the household he got an earful off me when I spotted what he was doing.

I was horrified.

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😁😁

VesperLind · 16/12/2024 18:12

TheFairyCaravan · 15/12/2024 16:47

That works like a dream. As does a piece of chalk.

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Because the paracetamol tablet is a chalk base. It’s not the drug that’s having the effect on the iron.

Topsy44 · 16/12/2024 18:45

MichaelAndEagle · 15/12/2024 17:12

Not quite in the same vein but I've never got on with anything along the lines of: make sandwiches and lay out school uniform the night before, or batch cook at the weekends.

These things just eat into spare time I want to use to lay about staring into the middle distance, and I honestly think having less down time is worse than a more hectic morning or making dinner every night (but then I'm not above thinking fish fingers, chips and peas is an adequate dinner).

I couldn’t agree more!

Teachymummy · 16/12/2024 18:50

PuppyMonkey · 15/12/2024 17:52

Using baking powder to clean my thermos flask - does absolutely bugger all.

We use violets natural bleach powder. I get mine from an online shop called babipur. Put a bit in flask, add boiling water carefully as it will fizz up then leave. Works like magic!

ForPearlViper · 16/12/2024 21:47

CarefulN0w · 16/12/2024 07:53

You are my people!

I've never seen the point of concoctions of vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and lemon juice when nine times out ten, fairy liquid will do the job.

Likewise, the clever hack about duvet covers and pillowcases. This lazy mare has managed to work out all by herself that if you put the pillowcases on top of the cover in the drawer, as if by magic, they appear when you need them.

My actual tip for what it's worth, is that you can do a surprising amount of general cleaning with ecloths or decent microfibre cloths and plain water.

An e cloth is just a standard micro fibre cloth a big marketing budget you're paying for. A lthough I am now phasing them out because they a big source of micro plastics.

But totally agree. Often you just need water and I also keep spray bottles with a dilute washing up mixture at hand. If you problem a grubby bit that won't come off, give a spray, plop a damp cloth on top of it, go away and have a beverage of your choice, come back, and it will generally wipe off without you going environmentally nuclear with other clean products or gradually ruining your surfaces with light abrasives.

wizzywig · 16/12/2024 21:50

TheFairyCaravan · 15/12/2024 16:47

That works like a dream. As does a piece of chalk.

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Don't you just get chalk all over the iron?

ApocalypseNowt · 16/12/2024 21:58

Literally any hack concerning how to make poached eggs. Nope. I am convinced the ability to make poached eggs is genetic, like being able to roll your tongue.

I do not have the gene.

MagpiePi · 17/12/2024 16:55

freshfrule · 15/12/2024 16:31

Not a hack but the Dr Beckmann carpet cleaner works really well on my pale carpets.

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I tried it once. Same result - a bigger smeary patch.

GreyBlackBay · 18/12/2024 00:06

ApocalypseNowt · 16/12/2024 21:58

Literally any hack concerning how to make poached eggs. Nope. I am convinced the ability to make poached eggs is genetic, like being able to roll your tongue.

I do not have the gene.

This one is easy, get some chickens. You need fresh eggs.

Better still adopt some battery hens, they still lay well and have many useful years left and you'd can give them a beautiful life.
https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-adoption/

Hen Adoption | British Hen Welfare Trust

We provide hen adoption across 46 sites nationwide. We rehome thousands of commercial laying hens destined for slaughter each year. Adopt ex-commerical hens today!

https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-adoption

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 18/12/2024 00:43

Sidebeforeself · 15/12/2024 16:33

Oh just remembered - holding your breath and pinching your nose to get rid of hiccups doesn’t work

Get someone to put their hands over your ears and then drink a glass of water.