Household items turned helpful

Running a household is tough. Whether you’ve just moved into your first flat or you have been running a household for more than 20 years, accidents are bound to happen.

Some stains just cannot be removed with commercial cleaners and Google can only take one so far. These few handy tips have been passed down from generations and has been tried and tested. It definitely works.

• Blood stains on clothes

Dip clothing in cold water and add one teaspoon of salt directly onto the stain. Leave it in the water for a while and then rub the stain. Wash as per normal in a washing machine.

• Red wine stains

Immediately sprinkle salt on the stain and leave it for a while, the salt will extract the red wine. Rub the stain and wash the item as per normal in a washing machine. If red wine spills on a carpet, put salt on the stain immediately and wash with carpet cleaner. The salt should have lifted up the stain.

• Oil or grease stains

Rub a oil or grease stain with any shampoo and dish detergent, preferably a brand name and wash as per normal. The ingredients softens the tough oil stains.

• Funny smells in fridge

Pour a bit of vanilla essence in a saucer and place it in the fridge until the smell is gone. A half a potato cut open and placed in the fridge also removes any bad odours in the fridge.

• Encrusted drains

Pour half a cup white vinegar and one tablespoon baking soda in the drain. Leave it for a while and it will start to foam, when it does pour boiling water into the drain.

• Cleaning of taps and showers

Pour white vinegar into warm water and rub taps until it shines. A half a lemon cut open could also be used for this purpose.

• Ants

Sprinkle baby power where the ants crawl, they won’t crawl over it.

• Silica gel bags

These bags can be found in a box of new shoes. In order to defog a windscreen a few of these could be thrown on the dash. The silicon dioxide absorbs moisture around it.

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