Sprinkling flour over ripening berries or tomatoes helps to keep bugs off them. The egg shell really do work - I used them for the first time this year. For potatoes I've read that horsetail works really well for blight - you have to let it soak in water for a day or two and then spray the plants with it - I don't know for sure how well it works because I haven't had to use it myself yet - thankfully all my spuds are blight free for the moment
Lisa xx

To Clean Washing Machine & Dishwasher
 

To clean the inside of your washing machine, pour a cup of white vinegar into the detergent drawer and run machine with no clothes in it on any short programme. The vinegar removes soap scum, limescale etc. Also works on dishwasher.

hiya
 

A saucer of milk absorbs any nasty niffs If you put a couple in a just painted room the smell dissapears very quick like wise a fridge that had fish or other smelly stuff in it
I did not believe it would work but was proved wrong not long ago after painting floorboards The smell was gone in no time and could sleep in the room that night

Flies
 

Marie If when planting cabbage you put a little collar, just recycle a bit of cardboard and tie close to stem, you'll find flies won't touch your cabbage. Some garden centres sell collars but it's cheaper and just as good to make you own. I've used cardboard and old yogurt pots! Cut and taped! It's worked a treat.

Carrot fly strikes in May and September. 1st and last week of May are the worse but you can cover your carrots with a little clear plastic. Don't put it over the carrots, use a stick to keep it a bit higher and hold bit on the ground with gravel or stones. I did that this year and all my carrots survived the nasty!

Then you should also think in terms of rotation. Making a point of rotating vegetable families from one bed to another the following year avoids disease and pests. I can let you know more about it if you wish.

Finally the best thing is to check your garden twice daily. i find slugs ... pick them up and get rid off them. Also make sure that there is no high grass near your beds because they find it a very convenient way to get to your vegetables. So make sure areas round your beds are all clear and wood board is indeed a good idea. Alternatively gravel or stones. It put them off.

Take care

Ros

Help!!!
 

does anyone know a home remedy for cleaning dried blood off white carpet... my cat the serial killer that he has killed a pigeon and brought it up stairs for me to inspect and managed to get blood all over my lovely carpet on the landing. I have tried most products and just cant seem to shift it. Cat now is locked out at night due to the pigeon being the 3rd body that i have found in my house late a night... finding dead birds around the house is hard hard for an animal lover to take especially one that has a very weak stomach!!

Stains
 

OK this is where white vinegar comes handy too! Dab a little white vinegar on a cloth, rub gently over the stain, not too harsh! You may have to do that a few times before you get stain removed. Remember don't rub too hard. Then you can make a paste using soda bread or cornflour and water (Water must be cold not tepid). Again rub gently, then go over with a clean wet cloth (Cold water) Before going back with paste.

Best wishes

Ros

does anybody know how to keep greeny blue stain off white sink? the colour comes from the hot tap only, i suspect its from the copper pipes and the soft water.

How to
 

There's a product called Barkeeper's friend. Don't know where you could find it, you might need to search on browser. Otherwise you can fill sink with cold water
and bleach for 15 minutes and empty it

Barkeepers friend
 

Kilk, if you know anyone with a Kleeneze catalogue it's in that, i've never used it though.

Speaking of sinks, has anyone got a tip for cleaning rust stains off a porcelain one? My son left a can of foam soap on it and so far nothing i've tried has worked to remove it.

Thanks & regards,
colmsmum.

rust stains
 

My mam swears by pouring table salt on and soaking that with lemon juice. leave overnight and wash off. Worth a try.

Rust
 

Thanks unapam, i'll give that a go tonight & let you all know if it works.

alternatives to Cleaning Products
 

Hi All
What brilliant tips , I'm going to print these pages off and stick them on my fridge to have close at hand...
Here's a couple of my own, Tried and tested...
White toothpaste....use this to clean out your fridge, it works really well on the inside walls of the fridge and especially on that little drain hole at the bottom and leaves it smelling minty fresh..
Cut a lemon in Half and rub it on to your radiators just before your heating comes on and the whole house smells lemon fresh..
Tea ...Ive used a pot of Tea and a soft cloth to clean my parents wooden kitchen cabinets ( I saw it on a TV programme) it really worked a treat and brought the wood back to life..

Regards
The Mammy

Hi The Mammy,
They're great tip's, i'm going to try the lemon one on the radiators, while i'm using it on my sink tonight, might aswell make the most of it, lol!
regards,
colmsmum.

Patio Weeds
 

Hi, I have tried the salt on my patio weeds and....ALL GONE!

Hi all,

Have to say this is a great thread, all the ideas are brill and all stuff you would probably never think to use! I have a couple of my own to add:
A half cup of white vinegar (great stuff!) poured directly into your dishwasher (with no dishes of course!) and turn on as normal works better than any of the dishwasher cleaners you get in shops and is a lot cheaper too!
If you have anything brass that needs a good polish, a little bit of tomato sauce goes a long way! Just put a small bit on a cloth and rub into the object and with a little elbow grease it will clean it right up!
If I think of any more I'll post them as well.
Thanks for all the great tips everyone, cant wait to try them out!