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?

I've done that! Do you happen to have a hack that sorts it out? The sink looks awful now, I'm gutted

Or.....just make the bed the old way, with bottom sheet, top sheet, blanket(s). Eiderdown in winter (aka - coverless duvet).

I don't understand the function of an empty duvet cover here, let alone two.

I was about to say the same thing. It makes no sense to use a duvet cover let alone 2?

What's wrong with sheets?

Trying to remember, I think I might have used a vinegar and bicarb paste on it before that, rinsed it off but maybe not well enough before applying Brillo. I've just realised that the tarnishing is not quite so bad now.

Nothing. I was just trying to point out that if you didn't want to bother putting the duvet in its cover, you could just use the duvet and cover separately and there was no need to buy a separate 'washable blanket' as one poster suggested.

@DeetreThe tarnishing has faded a bit over the last year or so @PigletJohnmight know of a fix?

Had microwaved swede for the first time last night. So thank you MN posters. Took about 35 minutes as biggish swede. Were a few tough bits on the outside but most was smooth enough to mash. Makes the taste more intense and swedey

Good point haha. That’s actually what I meant, but didn’t write it clearly - was pretty tired when I wrote this 😅

No no noooo.

Only a real eiderdown will do. They are like gold dust.

I don't know all the chemistry of it, but stainless steels form a protective layer on the surface, by reacting with air, that protects them from rust and corrosion.

Some chemicals can destroy this layer, allowing the steel to be attacked. Acids, and for some stainless alloys, salt, can do it.

If you don't clean them off immediately, you can get deep corrosion.

As far as I can see,the only cure is to polish it off. I use a green nylon pan scourer. I fear a metal scourer would leave fine scratches.

There are metal polishes you can use with a felt polishing mop, they can take off surface tarnish but they would be very slow on deep damage. Solvol Autosol is an example, and you can get solid versions called polishing soap which are clean to use.

BTW, on "brushed finish" stainless pans or sinks, only rub in the direction of the original brushing, never in circles which will catch the light wherever you view them from. I don't think you can restore mirror finish stainless without leaving marks.

I like this post and I’ve already got a few good tips from it, so no shade on you, OP but I completely agree with this use of the word hack!

The other one I hate is “coded” instead of something like “suggested” (seems to happen with stereotyping: a male character wearing eyeliner might be described as being “coded gay”).

My uninformed reckon is that these are two words that have been adopted by non- techies from computer programming to make something sound more convincing, exciting or modern.

My own tip for an easier life is to switch to making coffee in a toddy cold brew pot. It takes less than a minute to make and a big jar of cold brew lasts in the fridge for a couple of weeks. All you have to do is add boiling water for a really delicious low acidity cup of coffee

How do you calculate cooking time for microwaved swede, or test when it is done?

I just did it for the 25 minutes mentioned on here @PigletJohn and then tested it with a knife and put it back if it's not soft enough (mine needed an extra 10 minutes)

Mine is head-sized. Might need to cut it in half.

@changednameagain1234 Not read through to the end of the thread but take a look at Nancy Birtwhistle on Instagram. She leaves her oven shelves outside on the grass overnight in her garden. Easy to wash the next day but not tried it personally.

Plain washing up liquid is a safe bet as it's just a degreaser making the dirt slide off. Light non creamy liquid soap is also good. You can just dot a tiny bit from the lid/spout of the bottle lightly on the lens The cloth that you dry it with is the most important and it's best to avoid clothing or anything that might have been exposted to fine dust and debris that can scratch the lenses. I am lazy though and often use the inside of my shirt or tshirt, if out and about, as it has only been exposed to my clean skin.

I often clean my glasses this way before getting into the shower; leave them to drip dry, and then its only the water marks need to be buffed off with a lens coth after your shower.

Thanks to this I have eaten three oranges this week!

Tried this and it didn't make any difference.

Maybe you have to have cleaning fairies living in the garden or something.

My dad always pops them into the dishwasher overnight and his are always shiny. Mine don't fit it.

Don't like the thought of slugs and snails sliding over kitchen equipment

And no dogs or cats weeing on them, though the acid might help!

Might be that sheets aren't warm enough for some souls
Especially some with different health conditions
I'm suffering from Hypothyroidism so immensely feel the cold
Sheets alone wouldn't be warm enough 💚

Thanks for the stainless steel sink tips & science behind tarnishing, I definitely won't be using Brillo pads again! If you microwave a large Swede for a while it's easier to saw in half. I suggest washing the whole thing first and once you've sawn in two, place the unskinned side down in a pyrex type bowl of shallow ish boiling water then microwave for 10/15 mins. Check if it cooked and cut off the cooked parts, keep microwaving in increments until all done. I sometimes score the cooked swede within the skin into squares without going through the skin, flip inside out & cut the cooked cubes off. You can save the semi raw half in the fridge for a couple of days or cook after you've done the first half and mash up or whatever or microwave some carrots too and blitz together with a hand blender & oil or butter etc. I microwave potatoes too in a pyrex dish of water and peel afterwards once cooled slightly.

Hoorah! Was it easy as pie?

Any tips for getting dried nail polish off a sofa? 🙏