Sometimes you just need some handy hints for keeping your household spic and span. Here are a range of handy tips to help you around the home – who knows, we may be able to save you hundreds of dollars in call out fees and labour!!
CLEANING MILDEW: Light stains on fabric may be washed out in the laundry. You could also try soaking in diluted bleach, rubbing with a cut lemon dipped in salt or dabbing with hydrogen peroxide. Keep moist until the spots fade, rinse and wash as usual.
UNBLOCKING SINKS: Flush sink with a cup of ammonia in a bucket of boiling water. Use a piece of wire with a hook bent into the end to scrape out any blocking soap and hair from pipes. Smelly floor drains can be flushed out with a bucket or two of boiling water mixed with ammonia.
CLEANING BATHTUB STAINS: Make a paste out of cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide. Apply a small amount to the stain. Use a nylon net scrub or an old toothbrush to gently scrub the area. Repeat for stubborn stains, then rinse thoroughly.
REPLACING HALOGEN GLOBES: Never handle new tungsten halogen globes because oils from the hand can cause the globe to fail or shatter. Use a tissue to handle globes and if necessary clean globes with mentholated spirits. And remember to store globes on an angle for them to remain active.
DRIPPING SHOWER HEADS: The solution to a dripping shower head is to replace the washer in the tap handle. A blocked shower head needs to be removed and washed out in hot water and detergent. Then use a piece of wire to clean out the holes
CHANGING TAP WASHERS: Turn off the water main or the hot water supply. Next, turn the tap to its fullest open position, undo the nut, and expose the valve assembly. Lift it out and replace with the new one. You can purchase a valve assembly at your local Home Timber & Hardware store. Then replace the handle assembly, tighten the nut, and turn water on at the mains. Turn off the tap and check for leaks
MOWING TIPS: The basic rule is to under-mow rather than over-mow. Leave the new grass until it is as least 6cm high before mowing. Ensure the mower blades are sharp and remove no more than one third of the grass length the first time. Thereafter, gradually lower the blades.
WEED CONTROL: Most summer weeds can be effectively controlled with one of the herbicides that work only through green tissues, not through the branches, trunk or soil. Purchase a weeding wand for easy application and apply to the mature leaves as well as the new growth.
HOW TO SAVE WATER: Water your garden early in the morning for best results. That’s because evening watering encourages fungal disease and watering during the day is less effective due to increased evaporation. And remember, too much fertilizer makes lawns thirsty and healthy ones use less water than sick ones.
MAINTAINING GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES: Remove leaves and other debris with a small brush and use the garden hose to wash away the pieces. Then place the garden hose into down pipes with the water turned onto full. A plastic mesh gutter guard can be easily fitted to ensure leaves are kept out.
REMOVING CONCRETE STAINS: Scrub area with hot water and grease-cutting detergents or scouring powders. Solvent based pavement cleaners are also effective and are available from your local Hardware store.
FIXING FLY-SCREENS: Cut wire and pull at the centre of each edge to line strands along the frame and fasten. Cut away excess wire. Mitre-cut the beading, prime the raw wood ends and nail to frame at about 100mm centers. The beading should hide the wire edge and its inner edge flush with the frame’s inner edge.
POOL MAINTENANCE: Before starting up for summer, check your water test kit and buy new bottles of liquid reagents because they only last one season. Switch on the pump, check your pool’s filters for holes and tears and discard old cartridges.
HOME SECURITY: Never leave keys hidden outside the house and it’s a good idea to leave a spare set with your neighbor. Lock away ladders and tools that could be used in a burglary and install movement activated lights to deter thieves.
HOME FIRE SAFETY: If fire breaks out get all the family together and leave the house at once, closing as many doors and windows as possible on the way. Where there is heavy smoke stay low because smoke is less dense closer to the ground where the temperature is lower.