Useful tips for everything in life

[Perdita]

Could not find another thread on this but think this could be useful for letting others know useful tips.

For example, buying bread.

When you buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest? Many people "squeeze" for freshness or softness. Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Each day has a different color twist tie. They are:

Monday = Blue

Tuesday = Green

Thursday = Red

Friday = White

Saturday = Yellow

So if today was Thursday, you would want a red twist tie -- not a white tie which is Fridays (almost a week old)!

To remember the colors of the twist tie, they go alphabetically by color - Blue-Green-Red-White-Yellow, Monday through Saturday, skipping Wednesdays.

Very easy to remember.

I thought this was interesting so checked it out. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different color twist ties; and even the ones with the plastic clips DO have different colors.

I learn something everyday. Now you can enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are shopping.

I am sure all of you can add to this list

[StarsOfCCTV]

Ooh thats good!

Pitta bread - its fine to eat it 2 weeks past its sell by date. It goes a bit hard but stick it in the toaster and it'll be fine. As long as it isn't mouldy.

I may think of more later...

[Perdita]

Ring around the collar is caused by oil, dirt and grime that

gathers around the neck. Shampoo is made to remove body oils

and will work on an item that is made from those same body

oils. Apply your regular shampoo to the neck area of the

garment, gently scrub, then launder as usual......

[Perdita]

1. Eradicate stains:
If you have a fresh stain on your furniture, a quick solution is to reach for the shaving foam. Simply spray it on to the stain, then wipe with a damp cloth. Blot dry and you will be amazed at the results.


2. How to hide odours:
Put a few drops of your favourite perfume on the bulb of a table lamp and switch it on. The heat from the bulb will pass a fragrant aroma around the room.

3. Banish pet smells:
This is the best way to remove odours from your carpet or fabric: wet a cloth with soda water, wipe the area and the smell will disappear. Baking soda is also very good. Just sprinkle on, leave for a while and vacuum up.


4. White scorch marks on tables:
Take a wet sponge and rub generous amounts of dry baking soda in circular motions on the mark. The stain will soon disappear.


5. Sparkling glass and mirrors:
Mix white vinegar and water in equal parts in a spray bottle. Spray on the window or mirror and dry with a rag. For a smear-free finish, remove any streaks with crumpled-up newspaper rather than paper towels.


6. Streak-free stainless steel:
To clean and polish stainless steel, moisten a cloth with undiluted white or cider vinegar and wipe clean. Rub olive oil on to clean steel worktops and sinks to remove streaks.


7. Clean lime scale:
You need to reduce the alkalinity of lime scale with an acid such as neat vinegar or lemon juice.

8. Remove mildew:
Wipe any mildew away with a vinegar-soaked cloth. Use an old toothbrush to scrub mildew from the grout between your tiles. For more stubborn stains, cover them with a paste of scouring powder that contains bleach, leave for a few hours, scrub and rinse clean.


9. Banish bathroom odours:
Place a shallow dish of baking soda or vinegar behind the toilet to absorb offensive bathroom smells. The odours will be absorbed rather than masked.


10. Unclog a blocked drain:
Pack the drain or plug hole with as much baking soda as possible. Pour a pint of boiling vinegar very carefully down the drain. There will be a violent reaction, so keep your face well out of the way. Let it sit for two hours and then flush through.


11. Clean marks from walls:
Simply rub the area with baby wipes! You will be surprised how quickly marks such as crayons disappear.

12. Remove chewing gum:
Egg whites will remove chewing gum from most things. Put the white of an egg on the gum and leave for a couple of minutes, then work the gum out. Of course, freezing it with an ice cube will also make it easy to remove.

[Abigail]

If your fridge smells, place a dish of bicarb of soda at the bottom.

[Perdita]

If your fridge smells, place a dish of bicarb of soda at the bottom.

Is it just the powder you put on a dish or do you add water or so as well?

[Abigail]

Just the powder. I've never tried it but apparantly it works.

To avoid smells in your fridge, cover food and clean the fridge regulary.

[Perdita]

You should try the powder in the bathroom after a night out

[Perdita]

To speed drying time of big bulky items and jeans, add a dry towel to the wet items you're placing in the dryer. The towel will help absorb some of the excess moisture.

When you need to touch up a scratch or other type of blemish on a painted wall use a drop of paint on a cotton swab to fix the problem. You won't waste a bunch of paint and you won't have to waste time cleaning a paint brush.

Don't want to spend a lot time on oven cleaning? Place ammonia (about 1 cup) in an aluminum pie pan and place it in the oven overnight. In the morning, simply remove the pan and wipe the oven clean with a damp sponge If you do this often (about once a month) you won't have to spend money on harmful chemicals to do the job.

To help new or just cleaned drapes stay fresh and crisp looking, spray them with a few coats of unscented hair spay before hanging them up. Allow the hair spray to dry between applications.

[Perdita]

If you have burnt the bottom of your pan, try adding lemon juice and a little water, boil and leave to cool. It should come off quite easily then. If not, add a dishwasher tablet and again, heat and leave to cool. Then you should be able to clean it all off with a scouring pad.