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?

It also works brilliantly on random stains on upholstery and carpets (test somewhere inconspicuous first) but it’s gotten weird marks out of our playroom carpet that couldn’t be shifted with carpet shampoo

Do you condition all your hair or just the ends? I’ll try anything to not have to wash my hair daily

If you use dry shampoo between washes, spray it on the night before, rather than the morning.

After cleaning a glass shower screen a small spray of WD40 on a soft cloth rubbed on prevents calky/water streaks. You can also use a small amount on flooring to lift berry stains.

WD40 wiped onto terracotta pots can also prevent them from cracking in changing weather conditions.

I'd like to point out that I am not on any commission in regards to WD40 sales. 😅

I’ve two

1. on wet days in autumn winter I rely more on the tumble dryer but find once dry the clothes loose the smell from washing powder/fabric conditioner or the fresh smell you get from hanging out, so i soak a cloth or old clean rag in fabric conditioner and chuck that in the dryer with wet clothes - they come out dry and smelling good 👍
2. my kids love pizza and like making their own dough - we put cheese strings round the outside of the dough and fold the dough over to make a stuffed crust

😂😂😂

It’s also great at stopping doors squeaking. It’s a magical thing! Did you know how it was made?

Overview

WD-40 was made by the Rocket Chemical Company in San Diego in 1953 to prevent rust on the Atlas missile. After 39 failed attempts, chemist Norm Larson created the 40th formula, which was water-displacing and worked, giving the product its name: WD-40. Employees began taking the product home for personal use, which led to the company putting it in aerosol cans and selling it to consumers.

I will take your word for that as it sounds too dangerous to actually try😬

Probably known to many but practically any biological stain can be removed with sun light. Even after it’s been washed. Just hang outside or leave on a window ledge with the stain facing up for a few days. Tomato, blackberry, blood it all works and it’s chemical free. Doesn’t even need to be particularly sunny.

really makes you see why SPF is important for your skin.

On the topic of SPF, those yellow suncream stains are mostly oil so a degreaser will shift it (or most of it), the Elbow grease bar is good but fairy liquid works pretty well (concentrated)

If your wooden utensils and chopping boards are looking a bit faded then rub food grade mineral oil into them and it sorts them right out. Also works for a dull looking composite kitchen sink.

You can hard boil eggs in an airfryer, 4 large eggs for 16 mins at 120 degrees centigrade . I have a Ninja dual drawer airfryer, and need to select the Bake setting to get the 120 temp.

Vinegar dissolves slime.

a soak in salty cold water helps reduce staining from blood.

ice will freeze grease and candle wax.

@OneBookTooMany nope! Onto a plate and in it goes. I turn it half way. Usually about 15mins needed I've found.

It only takes 8 minutes to boil them in water…

Yes! The back of a soup spoon is far better at buttering bread than any knife!

I am always repurposing things. :) Friends think I am bonkers.

That’s amazing! I know sunlight is a natural disinfectant but didn’t know about the stains,

My optician said not do to this as my lenses have an anti-reflective coating and it could spoil it, but sometimes it’s the only thing to degrease the specs!

I don’t have a working hob at the moment, plus I always found it hit and miss getting the eggs just right in boiling water.

For a really blocked loo, pour a full bottle of cheap washing liquid down the loo. Then a full kettle of hot not boiling water.
Leave for one hour.
Fill a watering can up with water.
Flush the loo and pour the watering can water down the loo at the same time.

We heard the loudest noise in the pipes and then an explosion like noise and a gush.
It just missed my husband who was nearby🤣😬.
Saved us a lot as it was on the top floor and the pipes were awkward to get at.

It had been really blocked and had solidified as we had been away during the summer in the heat🤢

I will try this.

If you do not have a glacé cherry then just paint a grape with red nail varnish.

Make Parmesan last longer by mixing it with dandruff.

For jars you can't open - turn jar upside down and put a screwdriver or knife in a gap inside the rim (next to the bit where the lid and jar meet) & twist the knife/screwdriver. It breaks the air lock. Turn jar the right way and open. Works every time.

Toe-nails clippings, shurely?

Dust dry feet with talc to remove sand.

Use baby oil to remove micropore tape, plasters and play tattoos from the skin.

Remove marks from a permanent marker by scribbling over them with a whiteboard marker.

Might be a bit niche, but if you get any debts or depressions in wooden floorboards, they can be removed by steaming. Place a wet towel over the damaged part and use a hot iron to iron over the area. This worked for us when we used a ladder that had lost its protective rubber ‘foot’ and left circular depressions in the floorboards.

No, me either.

Whaaaaaaaaaat?
@OvenChickhow soon can you test this out and report back???

Don’t understand the baby one.