Top ‘Good Housekeeping’ tips

On 2nd May 1885, domestic bible Good Housekeeping was first published. It has always been a source of sensible, effective tips for keeping your home and belongings in good condition. Here are a collection of the most useful tips, as voted by readers over the last 131 years…

TV character Macgyver was known for his love of duct tape, as he could get out of nearly any tricky situation is he had a roll nearby. Similarly, no home should be without a large container of baking soda – it’s cheap and incredibly useful when it comes to cleaning and deodorising.

• For a home made cleaner recipe that will make nearly every surface gleam (especially kitchen benches, appliances, and inside the refrigerator), combine 4 tablespoons baking soda and 1 quart warm water, and use it with a sponge to wipe messes away.
• Freshen up stinky shoes by sprinkling some baking soda inside after you take them off. Just tap it out before you wear them again.
• When your child’s artistic efforts end up all over your new paint job, scrub lightly with a damp sponge sprinkled in baking soda.
• Deodorise the soft, cushy places around your house — including the dog bed — by sprinkling surfaces with baking soda, letting it sit for 15 minutes, and then vacuuming it up.
• Run the cut side of a lemon over the board to remove food stains and smells. For extra cleaning power, sprinkle it with salt or baking soda first.
• Just as in the fridge, leave an open box of baking soda placed near your sheets and towels in the linen cupboard to ward off smells.

Then there’s toothpaste, which can be used in the following ways:

• Toothpaste will remove marker stains from wood — a handy trick to have in your back pocket if you’ve got artistic kids.
• Get your tennis or gym shoes back to their just-out-of-the-box state by scrubbing with toothpaste.
• When your morning cuppa leaves a stubborn unsightly ring, use a little toothpaste to clean it off.
• Rub a bit of toothpaste over your bathroom fixtures with a wet sponge to get gunk off chrome.

And then for some other little tips:

• Remove sour smells from your waste disposal by blitzing a few lemon rinds and rinsing through with cold water.
• Clean the upholstery in your car with a lint roller – it’s lighter and easier than a vacuum cleaner.
• After you finish doing the dishes, run your hands (still in the damp rubber gloves), over the furniture to pick up pet hairs
• Untangle a knotted necklace by sprinkling it with a little baby powder and then use a pin to pull it apart.
• Disguise scuffs or scratches on wooded furniture by rubbing it with a walnut (shell removed) to mask the damage.
• Clean porcelain fixtures to a bright shine by moistening a soft, clean cloth with vodka, then applying a little elbow grease.
• Use white vinegar to clean your windows. Mix 1 tablespoon of white vinegar with a litre of water, and dispense into a used spray bottle. Squirt on your windows and wipe away with a clean microfibre cloth (not paper towels, which can cause streaking).
• Clean your microwave by  heating a cup of water and a chopped-up lemon on high until the microwave’s window is steamy. Let the bowl sit for 15 minutes before you open the door, and clean away any grime with ease.