This awesome hack was emailed through to us by member Wendy H.

"I use a lemon cut in half and put it in the dishwasher somewhere you can spike it, leaves the dishwasher smelling lovely, no more stale smell and no chemicals."

How clever is that! And even better that it is chemical free :) Wendy also said she had a lemon tree that she could get her lemons from!
 
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If you spread salt on a carpet stain and then sprinkle milk over it and rub it in gently, leave for 20 minutes then rinse thoroughly with warm water it will remove stain. I have used this method on white shaggy carpet to remove red cordial and worked out well
 
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I always give my veggies and fruit( the ones I will eat with the skin like tomatoes) a vinegar bath for 10 minutes then wipe dry.
Always wrap lettuce in paper towel....... keeps them fresh for weeks and only wash the leaves you are going to use straight away.
Celery, wash dry and cut into manageable length and wrap small quantities in foil ,...... keeps for weeks
 
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After opening a large jar of tomato paste, freeze all the remaining tomato paste in an ice cube tray, cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Instant cubes of frozen tomato paste on hand!
No more discovering a mouldy jar of tomato paste festering in the fridge.
 
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Hi guys... We're trying to compile a list of all the best household hacks out there and want your help!

A household hack can be anything that makes life easier at home. Valid categories include (but are not limited to):
  • Cooking
  • Cleaning
  • Laundry
  • Gardening
  • Organisation
  • DIY / home improvement
You get the idea!

The best household hack submitted before the end of October will receive a $100 Coles or Woolies voucher (at the winner's discretion).

As an example, here's an awesome cleaning hack shared by member @CarolAusten a couple of weeks ago:



So don't be shy... Share your favourite hacks here!
The best thing I have discovered is using white vinegar instead of fabric conditioner in my washing machine. It stops clothes from fading, I've had navy blue towels for many many years, they have worn thing but never faded, black stays black, coloured clothes stay true and white vinegar is also a great softener, again towels, are fluffy, undies soft. Looking forward to seeing all the hints & tips. Cheers
 
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The best thing I have discovered is using white vinegar instead of fabric conditioner in my washing machine. It stops clothes from fading, I've had navy blue towels for many many years, they have worn thing but never faded, black stays black, coloured clothes stay true and white vinegar is also a great softener, again towels, are fluffy, undies soft. Looking forward to seeing all the hints & tips. Cheers
 
I love butter, to make it healthier I Soften the 500g butter blend in blender with 1/2 -3/4 good olive oil. bring it out of the fridge for a couple of minutes and it spreads easily. Store-bought olive oil butter has only a very small percentage of olive oil and a large amount of canola oil.
 
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I love pot plants and have many on my patio. I spray them with a concoction of water and garlic - 1 L. water 6 garlic cloves - to repel insects, especially grasshoppers.
 
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Tin Foil:
There's a perfectly easy alternative to keeping your clothing static-free. Just toss a crumpled up ball of aluminum foil in the dryer with your laundry instead. It does the same job softening clothes and battling static — plus you can use it more than once, making it eco- and budget-friendly. Just be sure the foil ball is smooth and doesn't have any jagged edges that could snag clothing.
 
A hack from member Milton B: "To clean grotty headlight covers spray a little WD40 on a folded paper towel & wipe over headlight."

Who knew WD40 could be used to clean things!
 

I've been using this Cleaning hack for years. I use it on my bathroom tiles, cutlery and more. I sprinkle the soda in the grout, then add the vinegar and use a scrubbing brush to lightly agitate, then wipe over with a damp cloth. My tiles come up a treat. The shower drain is the first to get blocked with hair and soap scum and this cheap, simple hack works. I also use an old bottle cleaner with a wire coat hanger to extend it, this scourers the inside of the pipe where you can't normally reach.​


How to clean clogged drains with baking soda and vinegar​

  1. Pour boiling hot water down your drain.
  2. Dump in about 1/2 cup of bicarb soda. Let that sit for a few minutes.
  3. Then, pour a mixture of 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup of very hot water down on top of the bicarb soda.
  4. Cover with a drain plug in order to keep the reaction below the drain surface. Let the reaction sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. Remove the drain plug and flush it down with one more pot of hot water.
  6. As one final touch, you can pour in a solution of lemon water (lemon juice + water) to make your sink smell really nice.
 

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Drop a Polident/ Steredent into the toilet great for getting rid of lime scale or any other discoloration!
 
When you receive multiple envelopes in the mail, or you purchase Baby Brocolli, Silverbeet or Asparagus, they usually come with rubber bands around the bundle. These are great for wrapping around an open bag of frozen veges, especially peas, once you've folded the open edge of the bag over, to stop the contents falling out. Pegs and clips etc get knocked off, but the rubber bands don't take up any room around the packet you are reclosing. Keep a small container handy to pop the free rubberbands in, ready for use. I add to them several times a week and use them just as often.
 
A great hack from member Jean M. "I spray hair spray on my artificial plants, helps them to ‘smell nice’ and keeps them looking fresh!" How great is this?! I have a few artificial flowers around my home, so I will definitely be doing this :)
 

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