Page 13 | What hack has blown your mind?

MindblownMia · 2025-12-01T14:36:04+00:00

On the weekend I burnt some black felt onto my iron and it was impossible to get off. I tried spraying it with cleaner, scrubbing it with a sponge and scraping it when hot but nothing worked. I was about to give up when I learnt that if you pick up a piece of paracetamol or ibuprofen with some tweezers and then wipe it all over the hot iron, the marks literally disappear. My mind has been blown. My mind was also blown when I learnt on Mumsnet that the stripes on a super king duvet go horizontally not vertically 🤣 I just thought none of my duvet covers fit 💀 What other things like this have blown peoples minds? I can’t keep living without all these amazing hacks 😂

Themidnightelf444 · 02/12/2025 13:24

PassOnThat · 02/12/2025 13:14

The 5 chores in the morning, 5 chores in the evening approach. It reduces most of my everyday housework to 20 minutes twice a day.

Evening - 1) kitchen surfaces wiped down and cleaned, 2) dishwasher put on, 3) washing from washing-machine hung up to dry or tumbled, 4) downstairs toilet cleaned and sink wiped, 5) kitchen hoovered and floor wiped.

Morning - 1) washing-machine put on, 2) dishwasher emptied, 3) living-room and hall hoovered, 4) dry laundry taken upstairs and flung into the correct box for each person (no folding or ironing), 5) bins and recycling taken out.

I do these chores on repeat, every morning and every evening, so they are now automatic and I don't really have to think about them. Everything else can wait till the weekend or our fortnightly cleaner visit.

Upstairs loos and bathrooms are cleaned when the kids are in the bath.

I do something similar and add in cleaning one element of main bathroom eg sink or loo, surfaces, or shower or floor, per morning, every single morning because I hate cleaning the entire thing all at once. It helps.

PassOnThat · 02/12/2025 13:26

Letthemeatgateau · 01/12/2025 23:41

I always think this is the most pointless one suggested in these threads, it takes longer and doesn't actually achieve anything. Why open up a pillowcase and put stuff in it? Then have to tip it all out again. If you just tuck the pillowcases in with the folded duvet cover, that achieves the same thing. It's not like they move about in the cupboard.

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I was sceptical of this one too, but it's really worked for me. Maybe its utility depends on having a more... chaotic... lifestyle 😂.

The beauty of the pillowcase is that it acts as storage for the duvet cover, sheet and other pillowcases. So in my case, I can lob a filled pillowcase for each bed into the back of our airing cupboard, which doesn't really have any useful shelves, and then just pull out the pillow cases when the beds are being changed. No folding needed... I just stuff everything in and then chuck the pillowcases on top of the towel pile.

Lastfroginthebox · 02/12/2025 13:31

hevs03 · 02/12/2025 13:12

At least two washing machine repair guys over the years advised always use washing powder never liquid or capsules, they just said it is better for the machine (not sure how though) but I do always use washing powder.

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Powder is better for the environment too because it's lighter and smaller in volume which means it's easier and cheaper to transport. It also uses less - or no - plastic in the packaging.

Bloozie · 02/12/2025 13:37

A medicine-cup sized scoop of soda crystals added to the detergent of a white wash makes the whites brighter.

A mug of soda crystals in a bucket makes a great soak for white socks - the longer you can leave them, the better, I do it overnight - and helps considerably with whatever it is teenage boys do to make them so grubby.

My biggest one is a mental hack - reframing chores as self-care makes me hate most of them a lot less. "Cleaning the grate and laying a new fire ready is an act of self-care that future me will appreciate when she wants to light the stove." "Future me will appreciate coming downstairs to a lovely tidy kitchen not a shitshow."

Bloozie · 02/12/2025 13:39

ToadRage · 02/12/2025 12:42

Not necessarily a hack but everyone comments on it. My husband built me a laundry chute. He noticed i was struggling to carry heavy baskets of washing down the stairs, so he took out the floor/ceiling between the airing cupboard and pantry cupboard, bracketed a huge pipe to the wall, cut a hole in the bedroom wall, put on a little door on it so now i just put the washing down the pipe and it lands in a basket in the kitchen.

Edited

Wow... Is your husband married?

Asking for me.

QuaintCat · 02/12/2025 13:43

lcakethereforeIam · 02/12/2025 10:31

If your broccoli or celery has gone a bit bendy, cut a thin slice off the root end and stick it in cold water. Perks it right up. Will probably work with similar veg. Like Chinese cabbage.

Regarding the spring onion hack, I've regrow pak/bok choi from the root ends. Stick it in water or shallow compost. It just regrows leafy bits that can be used in salads or stir fries. It will send up a flower stalk if kept too long.

Same with green aspargus. I always snap the bottom part off when I get home and put the bunch in a glas with a couple of inches of cold water and leave it in the fridge overnight. When it's time to cook the apargus is stiff and crispy.

LupaMoonhowl · 02/12/2025 13:44

hevs03 · 02/12/2025 13:12

At least two washing machine repair guys over the years advised always use washing powder never liquid or capsules, they just said it is better for the machine (not sure how though) but I do always use washing powder.

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My life has been changed by DR Beckmans laundry sheets - no more messy powder.

Cailin66 · 02/12/2025 13:55

Sillysoggyspaniel · 01/12/2025 16:32

Then it has to sit in the machine starting to smell damp for half the night and until I'm back from the school run as I don't want the dryer on when I'm out. This way it finishes and I can chuck it in the dryer.

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Put it on a timer to finish when you are ready to take the clothes out!

pontipinemum · 02/12/2025 14:01

Daygloboo · 02/12/2025 00:03

Ive started doing this recently funnily enough. It works !!

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I check all bedrooms and get a wash done most days now too. BUT how do I find the will to fold it and put it away!!

Lifestooshort71 · 02/12/2025 14:03

BrownTroutBluesAgain · 02/12/2025 13:02

Install a dumb waiter
or marry one
( oops was that sexist sorry guys )

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I thought installing a chute for his wife/gf to throw his dirty washing down was pretty sexist in the first place 😊

pontipinemum · 02/12/2025 14:07

I had a load of unused measuring cups. I started leaving them in thing. e.g

Inside in the porridge jar I have a 1/4 cup scoop which is 40g
In the sugar tin I have a tsp - so no wet teaspoons get dipped back in
In the cornflower I have a tsp also
flour I have a 1/2 cup

Underconstruction · 02/12/2025 14:12

I remember a jar being passed around our dining table. No-one could open it. When it got to my dad he passed it straight on to my great aunt who tapped around the edge with her knife and it popped open. Dad grinned and said he know he wouldn't be able to do it but she would so better not even to try and have an 85 year old open it effortlessly after he'd failed.

PassOnThat · 02/12/2025 14:16

pontipinemum · 02/12/2025 14:01

I check all bedrooms and get a wash done most days now too. BUT how do I find the will to fold it and put it away!!

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Boxes. One box for each family member. Line them up, throw the stuff in the correct box, job done.

60andcounting · 02/12/2025 14:17

butternut123 · 02/12/2025 06:42

If you’re struggling to take the lid off a jar, use a sharp knife and put a small hole in the lid. It takes all the air pressure out and opens so easily afterwards

Or, use a knife to lift the lid a little. You will hear it 'click'

ProfessorRedshoeblueshoe · 02/12/2025 14:19

Driftingawaynow · 01/12/2025 15:07

Flames started coming out of my microwave , looked on YouTube and basically you just have to replace a bit of silver card stuff that’s in there, £3

My microwave is in the car waiting to go to the tip. So thank you, I will bring it in. Amazon has the card stuff for about £3.

Tamrastarr · 02/12/2025 14:24

buckeejit · 01/12/2025 14:40

Keep the roots of scallions in water & they’ll keep growing

Thought you were Irish when I saw scallions, then I saw you username and knew 100% 😁

CloudSky · 02/12/2025 14:28

FiveCustardTarts · 01/12/2025 19:44

You can also use a plug in timer.

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How would a plug in timer press the “start” button? 🤣

pontipinemum · 02/12/2025 14:34

Very good, DS's are still toddlers so I'll need to fold put away theirs but at least it will all be seperatd.

Cabinqueen · 02/12/2025 14:49

ToadRage · 02/12/2025 12:42

Not necessarily a hack but everyone comments on it. My husband built me a laundry chute. He noticed i was struggling to carry heavy baskets of washing down the stairs, so he took out the floor/ceiling between the airing cupboard and pantry cupboard, bracketed a huge pipe to the wall, cut a hole in the bedroom wall, put on a little door on it so now i just put the washing down the pipe and it lands in a basket in the kitchen.

Edited

Genius 👏🏼👏🏼

LupaMoonhowl · 02/12/2025 14:50

Lifestooshort71 · 02/12/2025 14:03

I thought installing a chute for his wife/gf to throw his dirty washing down was pretty sexist in the first place 😊

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Meanwhile the rest of us want to marry him 😂

LupaMoonhowl · 02/12/2025 14:58

TrickyD · 02/12/2025 06:12

My duvet changing hack is let your DH do it. Mine does, no idea what technique he uses and I don’t care.

😂

unospaghetto · 02/12/2025 15:01

FrodoBiggins · 02/12/2025 01:39

That spaghetti one is bollocks but I've got a good spaghetti one.

Use a piece of spaghetti (let's use the correct word, a spaghetto 😂) to light candles, fires, barbecues etc when you can't get too close with a lighter/ matches or the angle is weird. Works a charm and only smells a tiny bit horrible

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Thanks for using ' spaghetto'...I remember someone telling me (in Italy) that they used a spaghetti to space tiles on the floor when tiling.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 02/12/2025 15:05

I swear by one of those electric candle lighters for this. You can light a candle that's burned a long way down without scorching your knuckles and they are great for lighting a firelighter that's buried right underneath newspaper (if you're as bad at lighting fires as I am). Best £5 I ever spent on Amazon!

PigletJohn · 02/12/2025 15:10

Lougle · 01/12/2025 14:46

Porridge - I realised that you can use the overnight oats method to speed up porridge making in the morning. Put the oats and the milk in the pan the night before, then it's half the time to make your porridge in the morning.

I bring mine to the boil, then turn the heat off, stir it, and put the lid on, the night before. Though I use water, in case the milk goes off overnight. I stir in milk, in the morning.

Anyahyacinth · 02/12/2025 15:14

AutumnLeavesFallingFast · 01/12/2025 23:37

I don't leave the washing machine on when im
out either.

i used to think my friend was nuts, not leaving her WM on if she went out, but about 2 years ago our local fire service did an awareness thing & said they attend almost as many fires due to WM's as dryers!

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Yeah that’s why I wouldn’t put it on overnight either