Clever hints and tips for bathroom items
The items in your bathroom can be repurposed in dozens of weird and wonderful ways!
Here’s our favourite clever uses for bathroom items. Will you give any a go?
Remove sand with baby powder
While the beach might be brilliant, sand everywhere is not. Help prevent sand from making its way into your car and all over your clothing by rubbing baby powder on your skin – it will making brushing off any stick sand much easier.
Use aspirin as plant food
Help your roses or cut flowers last longer by adding a crushed aspirin to the water in the vase. Give it a quick stir and then add your flowers. Changing the water every few days – adding a ground aspirin each time – will also help extend the life of your flowers longer.
Clean your iron with toothpaste
If you have residue build-up on your iron, apply toothpaste to a cool iron, then scrub with a rag. Remove excess toothpaste and wipe away.
String garland with dental floss
This is a great trick for the upcoming festive season – if you like to make garland from popcorn or cranberries, use dental floss as your string. It fits easily through a sewing needle and is clean and safe for food.
Fix drawers that stick with a bar of soap
Old and antique furniture in particular can be difficult to open and close. Rub soap along the edges of a hard-to-open drawer to help them glide in and out with ease.
Protect recipe cards with hairspray
Protect old recipe cards from food splatter by spraying over with hairspray. It will lightly coat the cards, helping to ensure they don’t stain and can be wiped easily if they do get dirty.
Hold a nail in place with a kirby grip
Protect your fingers next time you’re hanging something on the wall with this simple trick. Place a nail inside a hairpin to secure it in place so you can hammer without putting your fingers at risk.
Remove carpet stains with shaving foam
You can remove stains on the carpet with this simple trick. Cover the area with shaving foam and wipe with a damp sponge. Leave it to dry overnight, then vacuum away any remaining shaving foam the next morning.
Clean hairbrushes with shampoo
Over time, hair brushes and make up brushes build up bacteria and need to be thoroughly cleaned. Mix a few drops of shampoo in a bowl of warm water, then place brushes and combs inside and leave to soak for roughly twenty minutes. Rinse and dry and your brushes will be good as new. This trick also works well with cleaning makeup brushes. Put a small drop of shampoo on the brush, wet gently, then swirl in your hand to lather and wash until they come away clean when rinsing.
Refresh your nail varnish with nail varnish remover
If you have an old jar of nail polish that has become thick and difficult to use, you can restore it by adding a few drops of nail varnish remover. Start slowly by adding several drops, then let rest. Shake vigorously to mix. Keep adding drops until it’s back to the correct consistency.
Freshen coats and handbags with cotton wool balls
Spritz some perfume over a cotton wool ball and place in your winter coat pocket before you put it away for the season. The cotton wool ball will hold the scent and keep your clothing smelling fresh. This also works very well with handbags, and even shoes!
Sharpen sewing needles with a nail file
You can use a nail file to sharpen small objects like sewing needles if they become dull. Gentle pull the nail file across the edge of the needle in one direction several times, then repeat in the opposite direction. This also works with blades and knives, too.
Keep wax off candlesticks with vaseline
Dripping wax from a candle can be difficult to remove from candlesticks without scratching the surface. Instead, rub a thin layer of Vaseline around the holder to prevent wax sticking and to make candles easier to remove.
Clean your cheese grater with a toothbrush
Cheese graters can be notoriously difficult to clean, particularly on the inside. A toothbrush with some washing up liquid can make light work of this job.
Remove pet hair with baby wipes
If your dog or cat sheds, baby wipes can quickly stop stray hairs in their tracks. Use a baby wipe to quickly rub down your pet; the moisture will attract loose fur – and also leave them smelling fresh! The formula is gentle enough for paws too, perfect for rainy or muddy days when you don’t want them trailing mess through the house.
Make a fire starter with toilet roll tubes
Stuff an empty toilet roll with any of the following materials to make lighting a fire easier: Newspaper, lint, paper towel, wood shavings and pure cotton rounds all work well.
Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor
Latest posts by Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor (see all)
- Summer asthma tips for World Asthma Day - May 2, 2024
- Graham Norton’s funniest interviews - April 2, 2024
- Chocolate dipped strawberries for Easter - March 28, 2024
- Elton John’s Greatest Hits Playlist - March 24, 2024
- The best of Diana Ross - March 23, 2024
