Handy Household Hints

Freeze your assets - literally. Encase your credit cards in ice: you'll have to wait for them to thaw, giving you time to decide if you REALLY need that pair of shoes.

A saucer of vinegar left in the room overnight will remove stale smoke odours.

Add some salt to the washing up water to get glass sparkling.

Coca-cola is an excellent jewellery cleaner - soak items in a bowlful of Coke for a couple of hours, then rinse.

When buying Cox's Pippin apples, check for ripeness by shaking. The pips will rattle if the apple is ripe.

When shopping for fish, head to the fish stall with no odour - if you can smell the fish, they're not fresh.

For perfect pork crackling, score the rind with a sharp knife and pour boiling water over the joint to open the rind up.

For a tear-free way to chop onions, try wearing swimming goggles, or chop the onion under water.

If you hate watered down drinks with ice in, make ice cubes from leftover dregs of the beverage instead.

Keep your salt flowing properly by adding a few grains of rice or dried peas/lentils to the shaker to absorb moisture.

If you suffer from damp in your home, keep small bowls of salt in the worst places to absorb moisture.

Remove odours for the microwave by placing a bowl of water with a splash of lemon juice in and set on a medium heat for one minute.

To clean a chopping board, rub bicarbonate of soda into the surface with a clean cloth.

To remove food stains from your hands, rub them with a slice of potato.

For healthier rice, pour water into the pan containing rice, swirl round, tip water out. Repeat 4-5 times. The water will go cloudy each time - this is the starch.

To remove hair-dye stains from skin or smooth surfaces, rub with a small amount of the same dye, then rinse off. Like removes like.

For smooth, plump, soft lips, smear them in Vaseline, leave for a minute then gently scrub with an old toothbrush.

To get rid of adhesive or hairspray spots on mirrors or windows, use surgical spirit - works on almost anything!

If you're going away for a period of time, place a wet towel in the bath and stand your plants on it - they can still absorb the moisture.