Start 2024 with a clean slate: Transform your home with these top tips!
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We've seen an online surge in innovative home improvement tips and tricks that have revolutionised our approach to cleaning, organising, and gardening. While diverse in their application, these tips share a common thread: they repurpose everyday items in ways we never thought possible.
To help you start your new year right, here are the top five home improvement tips that have taken the internet by storm!
1. Rice Water: The Secret to a Thriving Garden
Urban gardener Derek Vincent has revealed a surprising use for the water typically discarded after rinsing rice. According to him, this 'waste' product is actually a treasure trove of nutrients that can supercharge your garden's growth.
'Whenever I make rice, I always rinse it several times and save the rinsing water for my garden,’ Vincent said.
After rinsing the rice, Vincent strains the water into a jug and then pours small amounts onto his plants. The results are nothing short of impressive.
‘It has trace amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous, but it's loaded with starch, which can help feed the microbial load in your soil, which helps make soil nutrients available to your plants,' he explained.
2. Over-the-Door Storage: Maximising Unused Space
An ingenious woman has found a way to create additional storage space in the most unexpected of places—above the door frame.
Using a $15 Adjustable Shelf from Kmart, she has created a convenient spot to store toilet paper, making use of what was previously dead space.
This tip has sparked a wave of creativity, with many looking for ways to repurpose adjustable shelves in their own homes.
'Have always wondered why more don't do this,' one Aussie said in an earlier story featuring the tip.
'Oh, that's clever!' another said.
3. ALDI Di-San Pre Wash: The Unexpected Grout Cleaner
ALDI's Di-San Pre Wash Stain Remover spray, designed for removing stains from clothes and sheets, has found a new purpose as a grout cleaner. One woman discovered its incredible cleaning power on her kitchen tiles and shared her success online.
'For years, I've used the Long Life grout cleaner. I finally tried a different method of ALDI Di-San Pre Wash a little scrub. Left it for 10 minutes and mopped twice with hot water and a dash of vinegar! So quick and easy,' she said.
You can read more about her review here.
4. The Superpower Grout Cleaner: Bicarb Soda, Detergent, and Water
Yet another budget-friendly cleaning tip comes from Kacie Stephens, owner of cleaning company The Big Clean Co.
She shared her recipe for a 'superpower' grout cleaner made from everyday kitchen ingredients. She combines bicarb soda, her own detergent brand, For All, and water to create an effective cleaning paste. The real genius, however, lies in her application method.
Stephens uses a tomato sauce bottle to apply the paste to the grout lines, making the process quick and easy.
'I just give it a light scrub, and then I wipe it off—or you can mop it, but the point is no toxic fumes,' she stated.
5. Seam Ripper: The Ultimate Vacuum Cleaner Tool
Professional cleaner Brandon Pleshek has found a novel way to clean the roller head of a vacuum cleaner, where hair and lint often get stuck. Instead of scissors, Pleshek uses a seam ripper, a tool typically used in sewing.
'I've found the seam ripper works better than a knife or scissors because it can get underneath the hair much easier to pull it up and cut,' he said.
So, whether you're a gardening and cleaning enthusiast or someone looking to maximise space in your home, these practical solutions can hopefully make your life easier and more efficient this new year!
Have you tried any of these tips? Or perhaps you have your own unique cleaning tricks to share? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
To help you start your new year right, here are the top five home improvement tips that have taken the internet by storm!
1. Rice Water: The Secret to a Thriving Garden
Urban gardener Derek Vincent has revealed a surprising use for the water typically discarded after rinsing rice. According to him, this 'waste' product is actually a treasure trove of nutrients that can supercharge your garden's growth.
'Whenever I make rice, I always rinse it several times and save the rinsing water for my garden,’ Vincent said.
After rinsing the rice, Vincent strains the water into a jug and then pours small amounts onto his plants. The results are nothing short of impressive.
‘It has trace amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous, but it's loaded with starch, which can help feed the microbial load in your soil, which helps make soil nutrients available to your plants,' he explained.
2. Over-the-Door Storage: Maximising Unused Space
An ingenious woman has found a way to create additional storage space in the most unexpected of places—above the door frame.
Using a $15 Adjustable Shelf from Kmart, she has created a convenient spot to store toilet paper, making use of what was previously dead space.
This tip has sparked a wave of creativity, with many looking for ways to repurpose adjustable shelves in their own homes.
'Have always wondered why more don't do this,' one Aussie said in an earlier story featuring the tip.
'Oh, that's clever!' another said.
3. ALDI Di-San Pre Wash: The Unexpected Grout Cleaner
ALDI's Di-San Pre Wash Stain Remover spray, designed for removing stains from clothes and sheets, has found a new purpose as a grout cleaner. One woman discovered its incredible cleaning power on her kitchen tiles and shared her success online.
'For years, I've used the Long Life grout cleaner. I finally tried a different method of ALDI Di-San Pre Wash a little scrub. Left it for 10 minutes and mopped twice with hot water and a dash of vinegar! So quick and easy,' she said.
You can read more about her review here.
4. The Superpower Grout Cleaner: Bicarb Soda, Detergent, and Water
Yet another budget-friendly cleaning tip comes from Kacie Stephens, owner of cleaning company The Big Clean Co.
She shared her recipe for a 'superpower' grout cleaner made from everyday kitchen ingredients. She combines bicarb soda, her own detergent brand, For All, and water to create an effective cleaning paste. The real genius, however, lies in her application method.
Stephens uses a tomato sauce bottle to apply the paste to the grout lines, making the process quick and easy.
'I just give it a light scrub, and then I wipe it off—or you can mop it, but the point is no toxic fumes,' she stated.
5. Seam Ripper: The Ultimate Vacuum Cleaner Tool
Professional cleaner Brandon Pleshek has found a novel way to clean the roller head of a vacuum cleaner, where hair and lint often get stuck. Instead of scissors, Pleshek uses a seam ripper, a tool typically used in sewing.
'I've found the seam ripper works better than a knife or scissors because it can get underneath the hair much easier to pull it up and cut,' he said.
So, whether you're a gardening and cleaning enthusiast or someone looking to maximise space in your home, these practical solutions can hopefully make your life easier and more efficient this new year!
Key Takeaways
- Some home improvement tips involve repurposing items for other convenient uses.
- Gardener Derek Vincent recommends using starchy water from rinsing rice to nourish garden plants, highlighting its beneficial nutrients.
- An adjustable shelf from Kmart can be utilised if you need more storage areas.
- The ALDI Di-San Pre Wash Stain Remover spray has been repurposed effectively for cleaning grout, offering a budget-friendly alternative to specialised grout cleaners.
- Professional cleaner Kacie Stephens shares that a homemade paste of bicarb soda, detergent, and water can be used for cleaning, while another professional cleaner,
- Brandon Pleshek, another professional cleaner, suggested using a seam ripper for effectively cleaning the hair and lint from vacuum cleaner rollers.
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