Everybody knows the problem: bristles on a broom or handbrush have become twisted and out of shape. Broom bristles straighten out again if you hold them briefly over steam. Once you've straightened the bristles, hang the broom or brush up to dry and it will soon look like new again.
Natural bristles last significantly longer if you dip them in salt water before using the brush for the first time. Then leave the brush or handbrush to dry, standing on its bristles. You can also suspend the bristles in lukewarm water before using for the first time and they will remain more hard-wearing and the brush or broom will last longer.
Tarnished silver
Are you expecting visitors and want your table to look extra-special? Will you be using the best cutlery that you keep for special occasions? A beautiful tablecloth, carefully folded serviettes, two candles for that special atmosphere and your best silver - that is tarnished black? It's always the same story. Because your best silver is not in daily use, you have to clean it every time you use it. As if you didn't have enough to do! And chemical cleaning potentially involves unnecessary poisons.
Don't worry - I have a much smarter solution to the problem. All you need is a plastic washing-up bowl, warm water, aluminium foil and a little salt. Tear off approximately two metres of aluminium foil and use it to carefully line the bowl. Then fill the plastic washing-up bowl to about three quarters full with lukewarm water and add around 250 grammes of salt. Next, place the tarnished cutlery in the water. For five minutes, keep turning the knives, forks and spoons over. Then rinse off the cutlery briefly and dry it. Job done! The aluminium foil you have used must no longer be used for packing foodstuffs. If you find two or three spots where the tarnishing refuses to budge, just rub them off with a silver cloth to get a perfect result. The visitors can come now!
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Cleaning leather shoes
If your leather shoes have got really dirty, just take an old toothbrush and a little ordinary hand soap.
Rub some soap onto the toothbrush, wet it a little and brush the dirt off vigorously. In between, rub the shoes with a cloth to wipe off the dirt that has been collected and rinse the toothbrush out several times with clean water.
Just moved house? Then you will be familiar with this problem: mould in the grouting between tiles. Dissolve a little powdered yeast in a cup of water, then apply it onto the grouting with a toothbrush, leave it to do its work and then after about 10 minutes, brush over again with the toothbrush.
To clean off dirt or limescale between tiles, all you need is a toothbrush and a little clear dishwasher liquid. Just apply the undiluted dishwasher liquid to the grout with the toothbrush. It's very quick and extremely effective. Rinse off with clean water, leave to dry and hey presto!
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