Unexpected life hacks you stumbled across

[Janboree]

I’ve just discovered that my body mist cleans my spectacles brilliantly. As good as my opticians cleaning spray and a lot cheaper. Added bonus it makes my glasses smell nice too and I didn’t like the smell of the glasses spray. I only used it as it was to hand and my other spray had run out.
Have other mumsnetters stumbled across any life hacks unexpectedly?

If you have a African grey parrot and a dehumidifier that blows through the top, they like sitting on the top and having it blow through their feathers. Great for removing parrot dust.

I'd be really careful using that as it might take the coatings off your glasses (Optometrist here)

Blocked toilet?

A few large dollop of fairy liquid and flush the loo mucous times often does the trick

I use white vinegar and lemon juice for almost everything! You can buy spray bottles of white vinegar (e.g. from Savers) and then add a few drops of lemon juice from a bottle.

If clothes ever get musty/mouldy (e.g. left damp in a bag) then soak a bucket of water with white vinegar and lemon juice for a day or so, then also add the white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to usual detergent when you wash them.

A paste made with bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar, applied to grouting and left overnight will remove discolouration.

The optician told me I’d probably damaged the coating on my specs by opening a hot oven and getting a faceload of steam…
🤣🤣🤣

Well today I’ve discovered I probably need to up my reading glasses prescription.
I always thought that the 🤯 emoji was a person in a shower cap! 😂
I mean, I can see it as clear as day now you’ve said it’s ‘mind blown’, no idea why I thought there would be an emoji wearing a shower cap.

What microwave setting to use?

I hadn't ever heard of cooking salmon in the dishwasher, but having googled it, it's apparently a thing:
That's a hack I certainly won't be trying. Thanks for all the other great tips/hacks - especially the parrot on a dehumidifier one.

I thought it was too and also have no idea why!

Put some nail varnish remover on a cotton wool ball, then wipe along white charging cables to clean them.

Those tiny interdental brushes are great for cleaning fiddly bits of jewellery.

😳

Mince pies for Christmas - I make them early and freeze uncooked in the tins. Once they are frozen you can turn them out into freezer bags and leave them in the freezer (they take up much less space, and I need the tins!) and just bake as many as I need at the time. That way I can always have freshly cooked hot mince pies at the time I'm too busy to make them.

To quickly dry nail polish, hold fingers under the cold tap

Painful for you ❤️

@YouDriveMeCrazyButICanDoThatMyself and @breezyyy that's hilarious and cute! 😄

To make more room in my freezer I remove cardboard packaging then bag and label stuff.

This is noted - I am sorting out the freezer today ahead of Christmas

Best one I saw in Viz was

"See someone choking on an ice cube? Pour boiling water down their throat to melt it"

This also works on those godawful TKMaxx price labels.

Thankyou! I put snowflakes on my windows every year, and last year they were stuck fast. I gave myself a few months of "trigger thumb" symptoms, getting them off.

🤣🤣

We do this. Especially pizza.

Are you a serial killer?

Sweet potato in the microwave.

5 mins on full power, then turn over for another 5 mins.

Cut in half and squeeze the potato out.

If you want to steam something like a Christmas pudding, use a slow cooker. Put a folded tea towel in the bottom so the bowl isn't in contact with the sc. Pour in boiling water until it is about 2-3 inches up the bowl.

I’m sure I read here that John Wicks never does any washing, when his clothes get dirty he just throws them away and buys new ones (probably not in that order).

oh wait, that was Jack Reacher. As you were.