Handy Household Tips

Window cleaning tip.

Ever cleaned a window inside and out only to find a smear and you don't know which side of the window it's on? An easy solution to this is to clean one side of the window e.g. the inside, Vertically, and the Outside, Horizontally. So now if you find a smear, you know that if it is vertical it is on the inside, but if it is horizontal it is on the outside. Enabling you to immediately go to the correct side to remedy it. To finish off, rub vigorously with dry newspaper. The ink and sizing in the paper will give you a perfect finish with no smearing. This also works with glass mirrors as well.

Flies on windows.

To prevent flies from landing on a window just rub on a mixture of cold water with a few drops of paraffin added. That should do the trick.

See also Condensation.

Food lice.

Certain types of these like to breed inside food storage places e.g. kitchen cabinets and the containers therein.
To destroy these safely without using chemicals that may affect foodstuffs, use a hair dryer on high heat. Go over all cupboard and container surfaces inside and out.
This will decimate any eggs that may be inside. It is also an idea to inspect all food items and the packaging as you re-stock, for many types of these creatures are brought - in this way. For example, bags of flour, particularly if they have a split in them can carry weevils as well as other nasty things.
Just because it comes from the nice shining supermarket down the road, don't think that there won't be anything other than what you expect either inside or out. It's always worth very close scrutiny.

Heat marks on polished furniture.

Make up a paste using cigarette ash and olive oil. Apply to the damaged area and then rub off. This is extremely effective for heat stains on polished surfaces. Alternatively pour a little Linseed oil on the damaged area and then sprinkle with sugar. When the sugar is absorbed just wipe off.

Polishing tip.

If using a spray polish for furniture never apply it directly to the surface, instead apply the polish to a duster and rub on, then polish up in the usual way. This prevents build-up of excess polish, which is wasteful and also difficult to remove.

Water marks on mahogany furniture.

To remove these, make up a paste using coffee granules and a little warm water. Leave the paste on the mark over night then polish up as normal.

See also Keeping pets off furniture (cats & dogs).

Mildew.

This can be simply treated using household bleach. Just brush on and wipe off. If in any doubt about a certain surface or fabric test a small hidden area first. As an alternative, Lemon juice can be used instead. It acts as a more gentle natural bleach, with the advantage of a pleasant perfume as well.