Hacks that make life a little bit easier.

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#2693979 16-Apr-2021 21:14

vexxxboy:

if you are not strong enough to remove the lids off glass jars then run the lid under hot water. Works every time.

Or - difficulty is usually caused by the vacuum inside. Jab through lid with a knife.

gml

neb

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#2694025 16-Apr-2021 21:58

timmmay:
I got a jar opener years ago, works great.

Tried one of those and wasn't very happy with it, it tended to just slip for anything too tight. I ended up getting the Oxo opener, which I couldn't live without.

Only downside is that, cross-referencing the outrageous examples of the NZ tax thread, it's only $9.95 if you get it outside NZ, here it's around three times the price.

tdgeek

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#2694066 17-Apr-2021 08:34

Baking soda mixed with water to a runny not thick solution to clean range hoods and hobs. Paint on wth a paintbrush, leave for a few minutes, test with finger to see if its all loosened on the stainless steel, and wipe off with paper towels. Spray after with white vinegar to take care of the chalky residue. Its a boon for grease

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#2694068 17-Apr-2021 08:37

Cleaning the bottom of alu windows. Baking soda with water as above, paint with paintbrush to get into the hard to reach corners, wipe off after a few minutes with paper towels, spray with white vinegar and polish. What goes on the windows leaves no marks. Using dishwash liquid is liable to end up with a dust gathering layer.

tdgeek

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#2694069 17-Apr-2021 08:42

How many modern can openers have you gone through? Get one like this, the old style type. Flimsy compared to the olden day ones but they always work and don't fall apart, or get loose and wont grip or cut properly.

https://www.newworld.co.nz/shop/product/5017070_ea_000nw?name=wing-can-opener

Its the complete opposite of you get what you pay for

Geektastic

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#2694073 17-Apr-2021 08:57

kobiak:
vexxxboy:

if you are not strong enough to remove the lids off glass jars then run the lid under hot water. Works every time.

for hard lids: just gently tap the side of lid on something hard and it would allow some air in - easy remove lid.

or something sharp under the side of lid to let air in - same result.

If you don’t need the jar, stick a knife point through the middle of the lid. Instant open.

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dafman

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#2694076 17-Apr-2021 09:36

Olive oil is great for removing sticky residue from most surfaces (eg left over from price or product stickers). Rub it on, leave for a bit, remove with cloth.

k1w1k1d

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#2694077 17-Apr-2021 09:49

De-solv-it is great for removing all sorts of sticker residues, marks etc.

Also good for loosening sticking plasters from skin. Found this out when removing 14 sticky patches from hairy back and chest after an ECG.

eracode

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#2694085 17-Apr-2021 10:25

tdgeek:

How many modern can openers have you gone through? Get one like this, the old style type. Flimsy compared to the olden day ones but they always work and don't fall apart, or get loose and wont grip or cut properly.

https://www.newworld.co.nz/shop/product/5017070_ea_000nw?name=wing-can-opener

Its the complete opposite of you get what you pay for

Crappy expensive can openers that lasted only five minutes were a bugbear of mine for years. Then I adopted your approach but found that didn't work either - I did get what I paid for - they too wouldn't last long at all.

We have now had an Oxo Good Grips opener for several years - it's excellent and shows every sign of lasting well.

One thing that bugs me with some openers are the ones that take the rim off with the lid - so that if you open a can of beetroot you can't avoid the liquid spilling onto the bench. The Oxo opener leaves the solid rim on the can and liquid much less likely to spill.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

eracode

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#2694087 17-Apr-2021 10:31

kobiak:

vexxxboy:

if you are not strong enough to remove the lids off glass jars then run the lid under hot water. Works every time.

for hard lids: just gently tap the side of lid on something hard and it would allow some air in - easy remove lid.

or something sharp under the side of lid to let air in - same result.

These cheap and simple plastic lever gadgets with no moving parts work brilliantly for opening vacuum-sealed jars. The lever lifts the edge a little - just enough to relieve the vacuum inside so that the lid turns easily.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

ojo

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#2694089 17-Apr-2021 10:45

neb:
timmmay:

I got a jar opener years ago, works great.

Tried one of those and wasn't very happy with it, it tended to just slip for anything too tight. I ended up getting the Oxo opener, which I couldn't live without. Only downside is that, cross-referencing the outrageous examples of the NZ tax thread, it's only $9.95 if you get it outside NZ, here it's around three times the price.

Same with Cuisinart. I don't believe these are flash brands by any means in the States (they're mostly made in China like everything else), yet they carry premium prices here.

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#2694140 17-Apr-2021 11:45

tdgeek:

How many modern can openers have you gone through? Get one like this, the old style type. Flimsy compared to the olden day ones but they always work and don't fall apart, or get loose and wont grip or cut properly.

https://www.newworld.co.nz/shop/product/5017070_ea_000nw?name=wing-can-opener

Its the complete opposite of you get what you pay for

Opening jars seems to feature highly already and @tdgeek has offered you a two for one here. As well as using this style of can opener to open cans, you can use the bottle opener at the other end to break the vacuum seal on jars quick and easily. Lid comes right off.

mdf

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#2694141 17-Apr-2021 11:48

Any good thread about life hacks should involve wire coathangers.

When painting, I always bend a piece of coathanger wire across the middle of the can and tape or rubber band the sides so it stays. Now I can wipe my brush and the excess falls into the middle of the bucket, instead of filling up the rim, drying out and making it impossible to close the can again.

neb

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#2694148 17-Apr-2021 12:48

tdgeek:
How many modern can openers have you gone through? Get one like this, the old style type. Flimsy compared to the olden day ones but they always work and don't fall apart, or get loose and wont grip or cut properly.

https://www.newworld.co.nz/shop/product/5017070_ea_000nw?name=wing-can-opener

Its the complete opposite of you get what you pay for

Ugh, they're slightly less awful than the injury-inducing pure steel ones, but still pretty ghastly. Get the Oxo one, nothing to slash your fingers open with and it cuts a clean ring out of the can, nothing there to slash your fingers either.

Dairyxox

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#2694189 17-Apr-2021 13:30

Towel in the car boot is also good for cleaning up in a spot, if you spill your coffee or the kids vomit etc.

Baking soda is cheap and amazing for different uses. It’s good at removing odours, sprinkle it onto anything that smells and leave for a while and vacuum up or wipe away.
I’ve done this in a bedroom that had a funky smell.
Shoes that smell.
On car carpet the kids vomit on.
Our rubbish bin.

You can also mix with water and use as mouthwash.

And as a previous poster mentioned when mixed with water it makes a good cleaning compound for cleaning many surfaces and removing rust.

Another use is removing toxic uranium oxide from your clothing when soap and laundry detergent doesn’t work.

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