Homemaker Tips and Tricks

Best ever play dough

6 cups plain flour
3 cups salt
1/3-cup vegetable oil
6 cups water
1 cup cream of tarter
food colouring of choice

Place in a heavy bottomed saucepan, stir over medium heat until too difficult to stir. Allow to cool, and use to children’s hearts content! Store wrapped in gladwrap and in an airtight container. ** This makes a huge amount so I halve the recipe which is plenty for my three children to use.


Broken Glass

Use a piece of bread to pick up small fragments of broken glass

Window Cleaner

1 cup metholated spirits

1 cup amonia

1 cup kerosene

1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in large bottle. Always shake well before using. Apply to windows, then polish with a clean cloth.

Chewing gum in hair

Soak cloth in eucalyptus oil and dab on affected hair till hair comes free.

Another alternative is to wrap ice cube in a cloth and apply to chewing gum until it is chilled. It should then lift off.


Removing blood stains

Soak overnight is disolved salt and water, then wash in normal way.


Removing grass stains

2 parts metholated spirits, 1 part ammonia, 3 parts water. Soak soiled part, then wash in normal way


Removing lipstick stains

Dab stain with white spirit (available at hardware shops) on a damp rag until stain lifts. Wash in normal way.

Another alternative is to use spray on carpet cleaner on the stain, then wash in normal way immediately. Test the carpet cleaner on an unexposed piece of garment firstly to make sure colours will not run or fade.

Shine and clean floorboards naturally

Use a cap of eucalyptus oil dissolved in a bucket of hot water to add shine and remove marks from polished floorboards

Cleaning Sink/Drains

2 tablespoons bicarb soda
2 tablespoons vinegar

Place bicarb down the sink drain, followed by vinegar and leave to dissolve both unwanted odours and accumulation of grime.


Cut Flowers

Place cut flowers into vase of water with ½ teaspoon of bleach added. Flowers will keep longer.


Remove Fridge Odours

Wipe walls of fridge and freezers with vanilla essance dabbed on a damp cloth. Place saucer of bicarb soda in fridge to remove food odours.


Clean a Dirty Iron

Clean a dirty iron plate with cold tea.


Keeping a clean oven

Place aluminium foil on base of oven to catch spills and grease drips.


Cleaning stainless steel

Use vinegar soaked cloth to clean stainless steel items


Baked on food

Soak dishes in water and fabric softener for 2-3 hours to save scrubbing with steel wool !

Sources: Various cookbooks, magazines, grandmothers 'useful book' as gathered throughout the years.