tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67692715065953677242024-03-13T07:03:31.962-07:00That Can't Work!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-35277924443181864132011-01-27T06:26:00.000-08:002011-08-07T03:18:52.675-07:00More Baking Powder Tricks<span style="font-family:verdana;">Who would have thought that something so simple as baking powder could have so many cleaning uses. Here's a couple more:</span><br /><br /><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li>poor baking powder and vinegar (in equal parts) down a sink drain to clean and deodorize. (Watch out for any fumes that may be given off and make sure the area is well ventilated)</li><li>coffee or tea stains on your counter tops can be removed with gentle rubbing with a baking powder and water paste<br /></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-90297362824562031622011-01-27T06:21:00.000-08:002011-01-27T06:25:04.224-08:00Stop Bad Smells WIth Baking Soda (Home or Car)<span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's another use for our old friend baking soda.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">If part of your home or car has a bad smell you could try using some baking soda.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Before vacuuming sprinkle a little baking soda onto the carpets (if in doubt make sure you test an inconspicuous area first). The baking powder "soaks up" some of the smell leaving a fresh clean scent.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, a little baking soda disolved in water is great for cleaning your fridge or freezer. Some chemical products can leave a distinct smell in your appliance whilst baking soda cleans and removes smells at the same time.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-48998741914599010452011-01-27T06:12:00.000-08:002011-01-27T06:16:37.255-08:00Cleaning Grout With Baking Soda<span style="font-family: verdana;">For a mild, safe cleaner for your grout why not try baking soda.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Make a paste using baking soda and water and then using a brush (or even better a toothbrush) rub this in small circles around the grout.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">For an even better cleaning effect leave the baking soda paste on for 5 minutes or so before cleaning it off.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm told an even better effect can be had by using a baking soda / salt / vinegar mix (1/3 of each). </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-22041332836695453362011-01-27T06:03:00.000-08:002011-01-27T06:08:50.400-08:00Stop Your Bathroom Mirrors Fogging Using Shaving Foam<span style="font-family:verdana;">If your bathroom mirror fogs up a simple but effective tip is to use a little shaving foam.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Apply a little shaving foam to the mirror and then spread it all over. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Clean away with a clean cloth (or even </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://thatcantwork.blogspot.com/2011/01/streak-free-windows-using-newspaper.html">newspaper</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This sounds counterintuative but try adding this to half your mirror and watch the results!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-49600197101521667072011-01-27T05:57:00.000-08:002011-01-27T06:01:14.645-08:00Streak Free Windows Using Newspaper<span style="font-family: verdana;">I can't believe that this works ... but it does!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Use old newspapers (without coloured ink) to create streak free windows.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wash or clean your windows as you would normally but then use newspaper to dry them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unlike many types of cloth the newspaper will not leave any bits of lint on the windows. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, it seems that the ink can actually make the window shine more. (I'd love to find the scientific reason why this happens).</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-19690599732196923482011-01-27T05:49:00.000-08:002011-01-27T05:53:04.932-08:00Cleaning With Alka-Seltzer (Not just good for your tummy)<span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:Trebuchet MS;" >Alka-Seltzer is amazing for cleaning around the home.<br /></span><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li>3 tablets put down your sink followed by some white vinegar can clear blocked pipes</li><li>3 or 4 tablets in your toilet bowl left overnight can clean up stains and make it shine</li><li>1 tablet put into your flask and left overnight can not only clean the flask but also remove any lingering odours.<br /></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-10227999378877404102011-01-27T05:43:00.000-08:002011-01-27T05:47:17.436-08:00Removing Wax From Your Carpet or Rug<span style="font-family: verdana;">This one is an "oldie but a goodie"!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">First remove any hard pieces of wax with a butter knife.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Get some newspaper and an iron.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Place the newspaper over the wax and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana;">gently</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> heat with the iron.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The wax should melt and soak into the newspaper and can easily be removed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Be very careful when doing this that (a) you don't burn yourself or (b) that you don't burn/melt your carpet!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-39802633993956915032011-01-27T05:17:00.001-08:002011-01-27T05:29:40.643-08:00Unfreezing Frozen Pipes In Bath Or Basin<span style="font-family:verdana;">I really did wonder if this one would work!<br /><br />Here in the UK we've had one of our coldest winters for years and lots of homes have suffered from frozen pipes.<br /><br />There's variety of ways of dealing with this but this is one way I hadn't hear of before.<br /><br />Get a bucket of hot water and a lot of salt (over here dishwasher salt can be bough quite cheaply from "pound shops".<br /><br />Disolve the salt in the hot water. Keep adding salt until it no longer disolves.<br /><br />Pour the resulting mixture down the pipe.<br /><br />A little searching on Google would suggest that this works because the freezing point of a saturated salt/water solution is -21.1 degrees Celcius. So, the hot water will start to melt the the frozen pipe whilst the salt will stop the water freezing again once it cools it it doesn't unblock the pipe first time.<br /><br />If it doesn't work first time, as they say on the shampoo bottles "rinse and repeat".<br /><br />It's worth also saying that if you're going to try to use this method don't add any other chemicals that may react with the salt.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-59254231231295395402011-01-16T14:44:00.000-08:002011-01-16T14:52:12.403-08:00Unblock A Toilet Without A Plunger (Using A Toilet Brush and Some Plastic Bags)<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This one sounds like a nasty joke you'd play on someone but it really does work.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We won't even discuss how your toilet became blocked in the first place but we've all been there.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We'll join the story where you're looking down at a toilet filled with ... water ... and you want it unblocked as soon as possible. However, if there's no plunger in the house what do you do?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">1) Get an ordinary mop or toilet brush</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">2) Wrap the head of the mop in a plastic bag (like you'd bring your shopping home in)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">3) If you have more plastic bags keep adding them until you've used three or four bags to cover the mop head or toilet brush</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">4) If you have a bit of string tie the tops (the handle end) around the mop or brush handle</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">5) Proceed to push this down firmly into the blocked toilet bowl</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">6) Repeat until unblocked</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When I first tried this I couldn't believe it would work but trying this was worth it when weighed against leaving the toilet blocked.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It seems that the plastic bags form an air tight seal around whatever's in the bowl and act even better than a regular plunger.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6769271506595367724.post-68286990503072357602011-01-16T14:35:00.000-08:002011-01-16T14:54:43.514-08:00Cleaning/Removing Rust From Chrome With Tin Foil<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We recently sold one our daughters bikes on Ebay. It was in beautiful condition except for a few rust marks on the chrome handlbars.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I wanted to clean off the rust but wasn't sure how to do it. Back when I was a lad (in the late 60s) we'd get out the Brasso but I was sure there must be some better way to do it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So, I turned to Google and, what should I find, but suggestions that you use tin foil.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That can't work ... can it?!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Well it did! Better, and easier, than I could imagine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here's what to do:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1) Get a small ball of ordinary household tin foil.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">2) Wet the tin foil.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">3) Lightly rub the rust with the tin foil ball.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">4) Clean with a cloth.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That's it!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Obviously, the amount and depth of rust may mean that you don't receive the same amazing results that I did but it worth trying this on an unobtrusive part you wish to be cleaned.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0