Useful Tips

If you have course hair do not use shampoo for a few time when you wash your hair--Just use conditioner--it worked for me

I hate ironing, but my late mother loved it. She would iron everything, even dusters, towels, and underwear. When she came to my house she would do the ironing. I like doing the washing, especially when I can hang it outdoors. Really I like watching tv, reading, knitting, and looking at my computer best!

Elegran I've just done your silver trick. It was with a jumble of chains and stuff which I almost never bother with, but some have a sentimental connection. Everything came up beautifully shiny except for a Thai Silver bracelet which was my mother's. The silver is shiny but the black in which it is set is now dull and has lost its shine altogether. Any suggestions?

And you forgot to mention the pong. HymnsElf has just come in and says the whole house smells of rotten eggs. Can't detect it MiceElf but then I've been unknotting chains and fiddling with foil and bicarbonate for some time.

I did a candelabra last night (used soda crystals as didn't have any bicarb) and it was gleaming!

Mice you could try the toothbrush & toothpaste method mentioned up there ^ to see if I improves it at all?

I suspect that the setting of the bracelet is not silver, MiceElf and I am not sure what to do with that. A soft toothbrush and toothpaste may be the answer. Keep us posted on how it goes.

Yes, I forgot the pong (how could I?). Sorry about that. Opening a window and/or using the extractor fan is a good idea.

I've just cleaned my glass shower doors, taps and sink with toothpaste on a damp cloth..........brilliant, and the bathroom smells lovely and minty!

I have a large, round Indian brass tray which makes a coffee table when on its legs. It's easy enough to polish, except for the raised pie-crust edge which takes an age. Any tips?

Lemon juice or vinegar? Try Googling it.

anno try brown sauce.

Jane, thanks for the painting trellis with gloves idea, I am going to try it this year to do the top of my fence. I have been putting it off for 2 years, now I have no excuse.

When DH eventually came out of hospital after his transplant, my MIL came to stay for a couple of weeks as I had to get back to work. I was initially bemused when she got me to take her to John Lewis so that she could buy silver polish etc as I felt that if she wanted to be useful while I was out () there was an ironing pile, an underused hoover etc etc. After the first week DH developed a fever and was rushed back into hospital in London and I found out that her way of dealing with stress, rather than gin or pills, was to clean the silver. She admitted that she found it the best way of dealing with worry (and God knows we had enough at the time) . I may have had other problems, but the family silver was in perfect condition!

As well as toothpaste, Listerine is very good for cleaning baths and sinks. Apparently it was first developed for that purpose!

As well as toothpaste, Listerine is very good for cleaning baths and sinks. Apparently it was first developed for that purpose!

After using it once, I can well believe that

I have a tiny bit of mould in a corner of my shower unit. Any bright and cheap ideas for removal?

Dettol mould & mildew remover. I recommended it before and a GN'er wrote a review thingy saying how good she had found it.

Here it is!

www.gransnet.com/forums/product_reviews/1201825-Dettol-Mould-Mildew-Remover

I use dettol mould and mildew remover and am going to do the shower room and bathroom with it before DD1 arrives. Then I will have to hide it as I am not supposed to use any chemicals apparently.

The plumber said that using hair conditioner encouraged mould.

Going back to soda crystals, as used instead of bicarb for the silver soaking tip, someone said that they would not fancy putting their hands in a solution of it? I've used it for various things and never had a problem.

Just the other evening there was a particularly grim looking pyrex dish amongst the washing up. It had contained Mr P's special macaroni cheese, which we had for supper then bunged the same dish in the oven the next day to heat up the remainder for lunch, so the hard residue was twice baked!

I ran some very hot water, a squirt of washing up liquid and a couple of tablespoons of soda crystals and left it to soak for 10 minutes. Came up brilliantly, no scouring or scrubbing!

It works out much cheaper than things like Fairy Power Spray.

Also am I right in thinking that the bath salts many of us used years ago were just scented and coloured soda crystals anyway?

Yes Phoenix, newly delivered mothers were told to use soda crystals in the bath.

I don't remember that sal however I do remember the tubs of salt in the maternity ward bathrooms. I have also have a strong memory of a thing called (I think) a Closimat.....................

Yes, we were told to use salt in the bath.

These days they are told to put a cup of milk in the bath water with a squirt of tea tree oil Just saying......!

Wusses Gally

yes, AND they probably wash with a wussy sponge, not like wire wool in our day! Even then you got the posh ones who had a Brillo...........