Good GOD Mumsnet tips actually work!

[stinkingbishop]

1. Have smeared the twins' cradle cap liberally with rapeseed oil, left, combed through, left Dentinox on in the bath for ten mins, rinsed through, and it all came off in big satisfying clumps. I got a bizarre amount of pleasure from this.

1. I bit the bullet and got Plumbs round to reupholster my awkwardly shaped sofa and it's gorgeous! And the covers are just about less tricky to take on and off than a sleeping bag is to put back in its bag IYKWIM and they're machine washable. I, embarrassingly, may have punched the air. I need to get out more.

1. Storing complete bedding sets inside one of the pillow cases has led to uncrumpled sheets and duvets that MATCH.

1. Tomatoes out of the fridge are sweet and juicy.

I is DELIGHTED with the MN service. Please continue revolutionising my life .

Really?? It's tesco where I usually fill up. I'll be scared next time now!

Instead of spending ages scrubbing your bathtub to get the grime off, have a lovely big bath in the evening. After you've got out, fill the bath up to the top (or the line of the overflow) and add a couple of cups of soda crystals. Leave overnight and in the morning it's really easy to clean off all the grime and your bathtub will be sparkling. It's avoids using tonnes of bleach too.

Sizzlesthedog dry sand, not wet/damp/clammy. Works wonders for feet, inner elbows, down the cleavage etc

essential oil on lightbulbs, or a bit on the back of radiators - yes this does really work - I use lavender oil it makes people think you have been busy dusting & polishing

washing machine drawer - yes it's a hotpoint, I will try again giving it a good yank - I decided I was going to break it when it was not coming apart easily.

talc on beach - it does not work for very muddy WET sand. we always use it - DH loves me for this little trick as he suffered years of living by the sea and having his legs and feet roughly rubbed with a towel before leaving !

we could publish a book of these tips!

gah, serves me right for trying to be funny

elQuinto thanks. Ah DRY sand. That makes sense. This was wet muddy Cornish sand. DH was not impressed with the sand talc paste. Even more so when he realised the taps weren't working and he had to try to remove the "paste" with baby wipes.

Anyone know how to get oil off driveways (block paved)?

Love a good MN tip thread.

My only tip is instead of fiddling with double-knotted shoe lace, if you pull the correct loose end the whole knot will undo with one tug. The way I tie my knots it's the right-hand end for me.

Maybe everyone knows that but I loved it when I found that out!

Love this thread! Celery keeps for ages if you wrap it up completely in foil. I add grated cheese and Italian seasoning to leftover bread made into crumbs to freeze for instant topping for gratin dishes. Split and re-pot living herbs to grow them on your window ledge.

wrap runner beans or lettuce in a damp tea towel in your salad drawer, keeps them fresh for ages

Love this thread

My best one is that a slice of bread is great for picking up small pieces of broken glass. DH looked at me like I was a mad woman but it really works.

Also, shampoo is really good for cleaning makeup brushes

Oil off driveways ski can be removed with a good yard brush and a bottle of value fairy liquid.
My TR7 spat an entire engine full on my mums drive last summer. She wasn't impressed. Fortunately elbow grease and fairy removed it.

Ski - have you dried a dishwasher tablet - I'm not saying I know that works but judging by the rave reviews they are getting for cleaning greasy ovens it might be worth a try!

Actaully I found this www.wikihow.com/Clean-Oil-Off-a-Driveway and it does mention using detergent along with lots of other methods

Foil wrapped celery in the fridge, duh.

Microwave a lemon cut in half on high for one minute - the steam it produces means you can clean any grime off the inside of your microwave really easily! It's also a good way to use any manky looking lemons that you might otherwise chuck out.

If you get grease on your clothes rub a bit of baby powder onto the stain and leave it for a couple of days. Brush it off gently with a washing up brush and then wash, and the mark should be gone. If it's particularly bad it might take a couple of tries.

Excellent thread!
Mine tip is to peel a hard boiled egg; slam the egg down onto counter hard and roll around. The shell will come away in one go with the inside membrane holding it together

I use a dab of washing up liquid on oil stains on clothes. Work it into the stain with a bit of water and then wash as normal.

My tip is to put essential oil in the cardboard tube inside loo roll to scent your bathroom.

I only ever use half a tablet of washing powder and run the machine on extra quick programmes, our clothes always come out clean.

Any particular stains I rub with Fairy household soap, or grease based stains ones with a pre-wash stain remover, sainsbury's own brand is as good as any. Failing that, a day in the sun.

Hang clothes straight from the wash (better if you don't do the highest spin for cotton shirts) and they don't need ironing.

Tea tree oil in the final rinse of a nappy wash.

Fry onions in bulk and freeze.

Soft carrots will go crisp in a glass of cold water for half an hour.

Most things can be frozen, you don't have to rely on the the 'can be frozen' symbol.

Most sofa covers can go in the wash, and if they are cotton based, if you can wash them, you can re-dye them.

Which way do you rub the toothpaste on a CD? In towards the middle or round following the grooves?

I use shampoo to handwash woollens in, cheaper than fancy wool washes.

Toothpaste buffed on and off in little circles. Microfibre helps here.

Carrots keep forever in the fridge if you top and tail them then put in an airtight box (MN tip!)
Refill hand wash bottle dispensers from a big value bottle of bubble bath, so much cheaper, same stuff!

when you have washed your sofa covers, put them back on still slightly damp.

a little tip that makes me very happy.....square bread/ round ham- cut ham in half, put curved side to middle of bread, straight sides to edges of bread.looks a lot neater.

I need to get a life.......