Ok a thread for all those things you may need day to day help with , eg.
Nailpolish on the carpet, chewing gum in hair ect.
We can all help each other by posting helpfull hints and tips here.

HINT 1, When makeing gravy, mix the gravy granules with cold water first, before adding the boiling water.
Add a little cold water not to much just enough to mix it up nicely in to a kinda paste, then add the boiled water as normal.
Wallah no more lumpy gravy:razz:

Cherry, you mean "voila," not wallah, right? xD

for the chewing gum in hair, peanut butter works. i've tried it.

Cherry, you mean "voila," not wallah, right? xD

for the chewing gum in hair, peanut butter works. i've tried it.
No sorry hun i have a saying straight from the heart of essex which is indeed WALLAH LOL.:razz:

i have a hint!!

meatloaf tastes a lot better when you mix campbells tomato soup in with the meat :P

Avoid messes in your lab! Attaching 100x7.5mm test tubes to the side of the solution-dispensing beakers with rubber bands make a great mess-proof holster for those messy teat pipettes when you're working qualitative analysis in drops!

ooh good idea for a thread....

useful tip:
DON'T open tubes of paint with your teeth.

This might seem like useless advice, but some people just have to learn the hard way....
/me goes to call the dentist:sad:

A BIG tip, be aware of your surroundings, when vacuuming >_< For example, when vacuuming in close proximity of a perched cactus, one that is on a small table, do NOT drag that hoover along and hit the leg of the table with the clunky old thing! And when the pointy little devilish plant starts falling, it would be WISE to ignore all reflex of catching things that fall, otherwise you'll end up with an agonizing hand and a good 2 hours of pulling out thorns and pointy things.
Possibly a true story :razz:
That's just a little help for those vacuumers out there!

If you have a lot of wooden floors/tiles, and therefore spend half your life mopping, here is a tip for really lovely clean floors!

Get two buckets. Fill one with the water and cleaning solution, and leave the other empty. Make the mop wet with the first one, and then when it's dirty, squeeze it out into the other bucket. You then never get dirty water in the bucket with the cleaning stuff inside, meaning your floors will be truly clean!

Good thread cherry, and same great hints.
If you spill red wine on clothes/carpets, dab with white wine to remove the stain.

Chewing gum on clothes or shoes, pop item in a plastic bag (for hygienic reasons) then pop into a freezer for 2 hous + , remove from freezer the gum will be frozen so you can just peel it off.

If you get a rip/ladder in jeans/tights put (clear) nailvarnish around the edge of the tear and it prevents it from spreading. You have to re-apply fairly regularly though.

Jewels, your tip about cleaning up red wine stains by using white wine is right on...have used it many times. Used to be that I would only wear white blouses when I drank red wine, because I ALWAYS spill on myself (I talk with my hands a lot), and white is bleachable.

Remove calcium buildup from teakettles, vaporizers, etc. by soaking in a solution of 50% water, 50% vinegar. Remove mildew/mould stains from tile or other hard surfaces (not wood) by spraying a 50% bleach solution on it, then just let it sit for an hour or so. Works especially well on ceramic bathroom tile. I've also used it on plastic shower curtains, just be careful about breathing those fumes in an enclosed space.

When drilling on tiles ie bathroom or kitchen tiles,place a small piece of masking tape or selotape on the tile before drilling,that way the drill wont slip and scratch the tiles......... resulting in a neat hole and not scratches.

If you write/draw on a white board with permanent marker pen, just go over it with the white board marker and then wipe off.

If you run out of washing up liquid, use a tea bag instead

Whenever you burn your hand/fingers and it keeps hurting, soak a little piece of compression bandage (the kind that stays soft, I dunno what you call it exactly) in cold water and wrap it around the burnt spots. This significantly reduces the amount of pain you get from those awful awful burn wounds. Remember to re-soak the bandage every couple of minutes - you can extend this period of time further and further as your finger heals. Is niiice!

If you run out of washing up liquid, use a tea bag instead

really, wow wouldn't have thought of that one, not sure I want to try it, won't it make the water go brown ?
hang on is this a joke ?

next you be be saying if you run out of tea bags use washing up liquid. :razz:

When drilling on tiles ie bathroom or kitchen tiles,place a small piece of masking tape or selotape on the tile before drilling,that way the drill wont slip and scratch the tiles......... resulting in a neat hole and not scratches.

Adding to that, if someone can help you, have that someone pour water dropwise where the drill is going in, that way you'll avoid the messy dust.

Chewing gum on carpet - obviously you can't put that in the freezer - just apply ice cubes to the chewy and scrape it off once it's hard.

If iSketch seems to be playing up for ANY reason - immerse your keyboard in a bucket of mild cloudy ammonia solution.

Arsenal fans. Avoid an asymmetrical bulge in your right arm by masturbating furiously with your left arm too.

If a small child is choking on an ice cube, don't panic. Simply pour a jug of boiling water down its throat and hey presto! The blockage is almost instantly removed.

Avoid cutting yourself while clumsily slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.

Girls. Too old to go on an 18 to 30 holiday? Simply get pissed, lie in a sand pit in your garden and shag every bloke who looks at you over the fence.

Save money on expensive personalised car number plates by simply changing your name to match your existing plate. - Mr. KVL 741Y.

Thicken up runny low-fat yoghurt by stirring in a spoonful of lard.

LOL!!
/me plucks the rescue squad card out of BM's hands before someone chokes on an ice cube.....

really, wow wouldn't have thought of that one, not sure I want to try it, won't it make the water go brown ?
hang on is this a joke ?

No its not a joke and yes it does make the water go brown. you just need to rinse after with clean water. You do have to use the tea bag to wipe around with too. It works as a de-greaser.

Honest !!!

I have done alot of hillwaking/camping/mountaineering it brings pots and pans up clean(well as best you are gonna get stuck up a mountain in the middle of the wildness)

I don't think Fairy need worry yet(or any other leading brands)

If you have a lot of wooden floors/tiles, and therefore spend half your life mopping, here is a tip for really lovely clean floors!

Get two buckets. Fill one with the water and cleaning solution, and leave the other empty. Make the mop wet with the first one, and then when it's dirty, squeeze it out into the other bucket. You then never get dirty water in the bucket with the cleaning stuff inside, meaning your floors will be truly clean!


Now this is a tip most gratefully recived.
I will do this from now on as i mop everyday, due to haveing 4 kids and two dogs.
And a hubby who,s a builder

Whenever you burn your hand/fingers and it keeps hurting, soak a little piece of compression bandage (the kind that stays soft, I dunno what you call it exactly) in cold water and wrap it around the burnt spots.

Rubbing margarine on the burn also makes it feel better as long as it's not an open wound.

Rubbing margarine on the burn also makes it feel better as long as it's not an open wound.

OMG Noooooooo!!!

That's almost as bad as the boiling water to stop kids choking on ice cubes.

Margarine is highly susceptible to heat and all it does is heat up and cause even more damage to the burned area.

Appropriate treatment for burns depends on the extent of the tissue damage, the cause of the burn, and whether or not infection is present.

All burns (with the exception of mild, first-degree burns) require immediate medical attention because of the risk of infection, dehydration, and other potentially serious complications.

The following steps may be taken in an emergency situation:

First-degree burns:

Run cool water on burned area for 5 to 10 minutes or cover the area with a cool compress
Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve pain and swelling
Seek Medical AidSecond-degree burns:

Do not break blisters
Do not remove clothing that is stuck to the skin
Run cool water on burned area for 5 to 10 minutes or cover the area with a cool compress then carefully remove clothing
Elevate burned area above the heart
Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve pain and swelling
If not near a medical facility, apply bacitracin ointment or honey on broken blisters to prevent infection (this is the only situation in which bacitracin or honey should be applied to burned skin)
Seek Medical AidThird-degree burns:

Call 000 (UK) or 911 (USA) or 000 (AUS)
Check airway, breathing, and circulation
Do not remove clothing that is stuck to the skin
Run cool water continuously on burned area
Elevate burned area above the heartSee I can be serious from time to time.

OMG Noooooooo!!!

That's almost as bad as the boiling water to stop kids choking on ice cubes.

Margarine is highly susceptible to heat and all it does is heat up and cause even more damage to the burned area.

Appropriate treatment for burns depends on the extent of the tissue damage, the cause of the burn, and whether or not infection is present.

All burns (with the exception of mild, first-degree burns) require immediate medical attention because of the risk of infection, dehydration, and other potentially serious complications.

The following steps may be taken in an emergency situation:

First-degree burns:

Run cool water on burned area for 5 to 10 minutes or cover the area with a cool compress
Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve pain and swelling
Seek Medical AidSecond-degree burns:

Do not break blisters
Do not remove clothing that is stuck to the skin
Run cool water on burned area for 5 to 10 minutes or cover the area with a cool compress then carefully remove clothing
Elevate burned area above the heart
Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve pain and swelling
If not near a medical facility, apply bacitracin ointment or honey on broken blisters to prevent infection (this is the only situation in which bacitracin or honey should be applied to burned skin)
Seek Medical AidThird-degree burns:

Call 000 (UK) or 911 (USA) or 000 (AUS)
Check airway, breathing, and circulation
Do not remove clothing that is stuck to the skin
Run cool water continuously on burned area
Elevate burned area above the heartSee I can be serious from time to time.
;0),,,Lol a serios BM im impressed

OMG Noooooooo!!!

Third-degree burns:
Call 000 (UK) or 911 (USA) or 000 (AUS)
Check airway, breathing, and circulation
Do not remove clothing that is stuck to the skin
Run cool water continuously on burned area
Elevate burned area above the heartSee I can be serious from time to time.

UK people will already know this but for the sake of anyone who's planning to visit the UK, the number for emergencies here is 999! You can also use 112, which is the number used in most of the rest of Europe (Eire and Poland also use 999). But using 000 will get you... three puzzled operators (who'd put you through anyway but 999 is quicker).

OMG Noooooooo!!!

That's almost as bad as the boiling water to stop kids choking on ice cubes.

Margarine is highly susceptible to heat and all it does is heat up and cause even more damage to the burned area.

wow, ok thank you. Didn't know about the damage it causes, all I know is it makes the burn feel better and made sense for me since all my burns seem to come from the kitchen anyhow.:embarrassed:

cold water ONLY on burns, I agree with that so so much. I know someone who had 90% burns as a child and the neighbour decided to put flour on them for some old wives tale :rolleyes: the paramedics and the hospital couldn't treat them until it had been removed, just making the process more dangerous than it already was. Water, water, water. *rant over*

If you have a tea-stained, manky tea pot or mugs, cups etc. Soak overnight in washing powder and hot hot water and it will bring them up a treat :biggrin:

Ok a thread for all those things you may need day to day help with , eg.
Nailpolish on the carpet, chewing gum in hair ect.
We can all help each other by posting helpfull hints and tips here.

HINT 1, When makeing gravy, mix the gravy granules with cold water first, before adding the boiling water.
Add a little cold water not to much just enough to mix it up nicely in to a kinda paste, then add the boiled water as normal.
Wallah no more lumpy gravy:razz:
Essex for life! Haha!

Useful tip; IF YOU CANT TEAR OPEN THE BAG OF MALTESERS JUST GET THE SCISSORS AND CUT THE TOP OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Useful tip: If you turn your boxers inside out you can increase the wear time by two weeks. Save on laundry time and bills.

Useful tip: If you turn your boxers inside out you can increase the wear time by two weeks. Save on laundry time and bills. :eek:

Tip, do not, I repeat do not hire Ches to be your house keeper:razz:

Useful tip: If you turn your boxers inside out you can increase the wear time by two weeks. Save on laundry time and bills.


/cherry slaps the dirty bugger, on his head with a box of bold 2 in 1.
Now go wash your smalls ffs:rolleyes:

Useful tip: To prevent your scissors or clippers from becoming blunt, chew your toenails instead.

Useful tip: To prevent your scissors or clippers from becoming blunt, chew your toenails instead.
Lol bad images.

Essex for life! Haha!


And what do you mean by essex for life lol, dont you have gravy where you live lol:razz:

And what do you mean by essex for life lol, dont you have gravy where you live lol:razz:
I think he meant the Wallah bit coz you were talking about it earlier in the thread =]

I think he meant the Wallah bit coz you were talking about it earlier in the thread =]

Lol i see.
Hahahaha im sorry we do have some idiotic phrases round here.
None of which do our minds any justice what so ever.
Cherry promises to try to sound more educated from now on pmsl

lol at the Essex language debate in here!!

I've thought of something else, one found by accident.

More washing powder uses: If you've a burnt pan, fill with boiling water, put back on the heat and simmer with some powder in the water, the same works if you just leave it to stand and soak but simmering makes it quicker.

Dishwasher Tablets: Pop one in the loo overnight and it'll make everything under the water level gleam.

Fabric Softener: Found purely by accident while dropping a bottle on the floor, when mopping tiles or wooden floors add a *little* softener to bring up the shine. Don't add buckets because you'll be slipping everywhere, just a small amount will do.

Vinegar: The two most usefull things I've found are 1: Add some in your softener drawer when washing towels and they'll be softer and 2: Mix a 1:1 ratio with cheap washing-up liquid (and I mean cheap Value stuff) and it's such a brilliant stain pre-treater :biggrin:

I could go on forever...

Useful tip: If you turn your boxers inside out you can increase the wear time by two weeks. Save on laundry time and bills.

And you can DOUBLE that by wearing them back to front.

Girls: the next time you feel like throwing a ball over-arm, don't do it, because you can't and it looks very silly. Just throw it girlie under-arm style and no one will laugh at you or get hurt.

Obtain the effect of New Year's Eve revelling this year, without the expense, by staying in and watching tv. Then wash your teeth in turpentine, drink a glass of washing up liquid and hit your head against the wall a few times before going to sleep.

Dog owners: next time your dog does a 'soft one' on the beach, annoy metal detector owners by dropping nuts and bolts into it and covering it with sand.

/me bites bad manners hand...
when i was a much younger tupp i used to play cricket and bowl over arm!!!

BM - last year in spring festival time, one of my (male) friends came over from England for a visit. Me and Mr. Vik took him to the carnival, and we saw a basketball game fairground stand, where you had three throws of the ball to try to get it into a very small hoop (you know how much these fairgrounds try to rip you off). Mr. Bigshot friend had a go - 3 shots, no score. Mr. Bigshot Vik also tried his luck - 3 shots no score. Lil' Miss Vik stepped up, amid the condescending smiles and tolerant glances of her two male companions and BAM! 3 shots, 3 scored - I'll have the big cuddly toy at the back thank-you vareh MUCH! Spent the whole way home with a Cheshire cat grin, getting funny looks on the train because of the giant squirrel sitting next to me, which to this day resides in the living room as a companion to Charlie (he likes to bite its nose) and a reminder to Mr. Vik of the day he got beaten by a girl.

But I do have to say, I look a bit like windmill on speed when I try to bowl overarm - but only cause you boys had to do it in school! Us girlies never got given any practice!

To stay on topic - useful tip for those who have millions of wires and cables under their desk - Use an empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to. And I guess you can decorate them too!

:razz: :smile: :biggrin: i meant most girls... :eek:

* element212;75895 hides

Nicely got out of there ele lol.
Most girls can out throw you guys

:razz: :smile: :biggrin:

Nicely got out of there ele lol.
Most girls can out throw you guys

The male body happens to be optimized for athletic activities as throwing ^^ Therefore, averagely, you could conclude most guys would outthrow you girls :P

Now when you're talking about throwing parties I'm not so sure anymore XD

Ok to get your microwave clean and fresh smelling.
Get a lemon squeeze the juice in to a bowl, add some water, then put the juice the lemon and the pot of water in he microwave.
Then turn it on to full heat and let it run for about 10 mins.
Then you should have a lemony clean microwave.
Just wipe round with a cloth done:biggrin:

that sounds extremely dangerous.

i have this image of the microwave blowing up...

Has anyone got any suggestions for how to clean charred bits of exploded lemon from the walls and top of my microwave?

LOL!!! It isn't dangerous at all! In fact, it is the best way to clean your microwave as it uses steam. Of course, you have to keep an eye on it... but I promise you, you will not be disappointed :biggrin:

BM - I take it that you forgot to put the lemon's in a bowl of water :razz: Typical Man :razz:

My suggestion to you: Immerse Microwave in Cloudy Ammonia Solution :razz:

I thank my favorite timepiece, for backing up my microwave tip lol.
Now on to shopping for my dear friend facey.
If you have no option other than to go shopping with mr facey, here are some tips
1. tie him to a lampost, you wont have to look for him then after you finish shopping.
2 Leave him in the car, at least he cant nag you there.
3 Promise him a night of passion if he behaves while your shopping, then get a headache at bedtime lol ( works for me ).
Failing all these, get him to do the shopping alone, while you stay home on isketch:rolleyes:

erm.. I have one..
When you wear short skirts, boys look, lmao.. jk

Okay, serious advice: When cooking pasta, always put in the onions first and stir fry it with all season, so it caramelizes and looks golden, then add in the meat. Mmmm

3 Promise him a night of passion if he behaves while your shopping, then get a headache at bedtime lol ( works for me ).


thats supposed to help with headaches!

thats supposed to help with headaches!


Ok typical man, you have me there.
My hubby always tells me he has a cure for a headache and its always passion lol:eek:

3 Promise him a night of passion if he behaves while your shopping, then get a headache at bedtime lol ( works for me ).

That's really evil, but if the purpose is getting him off the shopping spree, effective. That can only lead to him hating shopping more than he already does.

/me has a headache

I thank my favorite timepiece, for backing up my microwave tip lol.
Now on to shopping for my dear friend facey.
If you have no option other than to go shopping with mr facey, here are some tips
1. tie him to a lampost, you wont have to look for him then after you finish shopping.
2 Leave him in the car, at least he cant nag you there.
3 Promise him a night of passion if he behaves while your shopping, then get a headache at bedtime lol ( works for me ).
Failing all these, get him to do the shopping alone, while you stay home on isketch:rolleyes:

Some kind of shop with electronics could also work.

I actually like shopping by the way. :rolleyes:

Hoax warnings don't usually scare me, but this one is important.
Please send this to everyone on your email list.
If someone comes to your front door and says they are conducting a survey and asks you to show them your arse, DO NOT show them your arse.
This is a scam; they just want to see your arse.
I wish I'd got this yesterday. I feel so stupid and cheap.

I thank my favorite timepiece, for backing up my microwave tip lol.
Now on to shopping for my dear friend facey.
If you have no option other than to go shopping with mr facey, here are some tips
1. tie him to a lampost, you wont have to look for him then after you finish shopping.
2 Leave him in the car, at least he cant nag you there.
3 Promise him a night of passion if he behaves while your shopping, then get a headache at bedtime lol ( works for me ).
Failing all these, get him to do the shopping alone, while you stay home on isketch:rolleyes:

That's really evil, but if the purpose is getting him off the shopping spree, effective. That can only lead to him hating shopping more than he already does.

Did you ever wonder what a husband does while he is in a store waiting on his wife to shop? Check out the following letter.

Dear Mrs. Fenton:
Our store is considering banning your family from ever shopping with us again, unless your husband stops his antics. Below is a list of offences over the past few months... all verified by our surveillance cameras:

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in house wares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the restrooms.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official tone, "'Code 3' in house wares!" The he stood around watching what happened.

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and asked to put a bag of M&M's on lay-away.

6. September 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. September 15: Set up a camping tent in the sporting goods department, and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they'll bring pillows from the bedding department.

8. September 23: When clerks ask if they can help him, he begins to cry and asks "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"

9. October 4: Looked right into the security camera; used it as a mirror, and picked his nose.

10. November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, asked the clerk if he knows where the antidepressants are.

11. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously loudly humming the "Mission Impossible" theme.

12. December 6: In the auto department, practiced his "Madonna look" using different size funnels.

13. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled "PICK ME!, PICK ME!"

14. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumes the foetal position and screams "NO! NO! It's those voices again!!!!"

....and; last, but not least

15. December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door and waited awhile; then, yelled, very loudly, "There is no toilet paper in here.”


NB: Perhaps some of these are similar reasons for why Mrs Bad wants me to pick her up outside the shopping centre and never asks me to come shopping with her.

Did you ever wonder what a husband does while he is in a store waiting on his wife to shop? Check out the following


Hahaha! And I laugh because I've just sent Mr. Aero to the supermarket with a fully detailed list of items, including name, size, cost and in which aisle it can be found yet I fully expect at least two items to be missing besides for a purchase of something useless to us in bulk size such as pencil sharpeners plus some sort of cheese flavored snack item.:razz:

Oh yes, tip of the day: A really nice smile will get significant others to go to the supermarket for you:biggrin:

That's really evil, but if the purpose is getting him off the shopping spree, effective. That can only lead to him hating shopping more than he already does.

Yes i suppose it can be termed as evil, and i dont really promise him something like that lol. and not deliver.
But if a women has a NON shopping bloke, i think its fair game to get him out to the shops this way.
As men have there evil schemes as well:twisted:

As men have there evil schemes as well:twisted:


Here's a save for us men, cherry, we're not that smart.

yussss another score for perpetuating the myth that men are dumb creatures, thus freeing up some more time for men around the world to go golfing. or vegas.

If you have an ants nest in your garden.and have pets so you cant use the poison, use grated fresh garlic.the ants dont like it and will move away

If you have an ants nest in your garden.and have pets so you cant use the poison, use grated fresh garlic.the ants dont like it and will move away

This is a nasty solution for ants and other insects, and much safer to use than organophosphate insecticides, which are deadly to all forms or life and have a long prevalence in the environment.

Buy a packet of cigarettes and remove all the tobacco from each cigarette (discard the white paper and filters). Put it in a pot with about 1/4L of water, and boil it, making a tea of it. Filter the tobacco out. Pour the cigarette tea down the ant nest. Be warned: The tea smells nasty, and given this is a concentrated cigarette solution, keep away from children, pets, etc.

Nicotine is a very effective insecticide, it's water soluble and readily biodegradable.

/me feels just an incy wincy bit sorry for her ants nest in the garden

Ok, I'm not sure if this has been covered, but I thought how good it would be if we could share our top tips for the odd problem that occurs.

I have a couple, and I also have a lil prob that someone might be able to help me with, so here we go.

To remove limescale from a kettle, add a lil vinegar to the water, then part boil. Clean as a whistle!

To make the best cocktails, dip your cocktail glass in crushed ice, then dip in sugar to coat the edge of the glass in crystal crunchie sugar!

OK one more... and its more of a hint... to get red wine out of a carpet... make sure you never spill it in the first place, what a waste of good wine!

And here's my problem/dilemma. I have new shoes, which are black. The dye from the shoes stains the heels of my feet. Anyway to stop the dye from transferring onto my feet?!

... to get red wine out of a carpet... make sure you never spill it in the first place, what a waste of good wine!

ROFL..... FairyNuff.....I can't believe people actually waste their red in this way....how atrocious! :eek:

And here's my problem/dilemma. I have new shoes, which are black. The dye from the shoes stains the heels of my feet. Anyway to stop the dye from transferring onto my feet?!

wear socks!:twisted::razz:

hmmmm

/me is debating whether to merge this one into Useful tips and ideas (http://www.isketchforum.net/useful-tips-and-t1425.html) or not.

It's been dead for over a month yet i feel that given the forum's condition, that this is by no means a "long dead" thread.

If it's better to merge them, go for it sugar. I didn't know whether this had been covered before (far too lazy to search I'm sorry!) Still no reply to my problem I see. C'mon girlies, someone SOMEWHERE will know what to do regarding my shoes!

And I can't wear socks, the shoes are sandals!!

the only thing i can think of, it to put a plaster on the inside of your shoe, this may or may not work, but give it a go!!!! otherwise just wash your feet after you've taken them off,lol

can you put some sort of clear sealant like clear nail varnish over the inside of the sandal it might stop it from "bleeding" x

you know the water repellant stuff people spray on hats?... try some of that.. it might work

The problem of shoe dye staining your feet is probably caused by the tanning method used to cure the leather. In the good/bad old days, leather was tanned using some heavy duty chemicals that stuck colours fast but they are being replaced, for environmental reasons, with vegetable dyes. Vegetable dyes are less colour fast and they react more, and more quickly, to moisture. You can't help the fact that your feet sweat but even a tiny bit is enough to make the dye stain socks, tights, or your feet.

There's no complete answer to the problem but you will reduce the amount of staining if you let the shoes dry out for a day between the times you wear them - that means drying naturally, away from heat sources. In fact, wearing the same pair of shoes two or more days running isn't a good idea if only because shoes (or parts of shoes) that are saturated with sweat get salt stains and the leather will harden and crack. It won't do much for your feet or your spine either.

Not that I'm saying you have sweaty feet... but in fact we all do! :razz:

flopsy is smart!

flopsy is smart!

/me hugs ele!

My dad was a craftsman who worked with leather a lot so I learned a lot of stuff like that when I was knee high to a grasshopper :smile:

What an answer!! Flopsy, you're clever, but this also means I will have to take more shoes on holiday if I can't wear my sandals two days running LOL. Seriously though, it dyes my right foot more than my left, as my right foot is always on the accelerator in the car, meaning the heel of my foot is constantly touching the back of the shoe/sandal. But saying that, I won't be doing any driving in Spain, so I might still take them and see!

can you put some sort of clear sealant like clear nail varnish over the inside of the sandal it might stop it from "bleeding" x

You're smart too! I remember doing this on the back of a watch. The metal used to give me a rash on my wrist, and the clear nail varnish would stop it. Simple ideas are always the best my nan says!

Thanks everyone for your help.

Top Tip for Fairy's house yesterday was: NEVER put a pale pink t-shirt in the washer with whites.

You could always paint your feet black. Or wear those black knee high granny stockings/tights. That would be a good look.

Don't know if this request would come under the 'tips' banner but...
What's a good product for a young gent like myself to style his hair with?
I like to have my hair longish but it's not floppy hair, it sort of grows up and out as opposed to down. Whatever I use doesnt give enough hold and it ends up collapsing. Then I get fed up and end up cutting it short.
Answers on a postcard please.

How do you stop your hands sweating in the summer? =|

Don't know if this request would come under the 'tips' banner but...
What's a good product for a young gent like myself to style his hair with?
I like to have my hair longish but it's not floppy hair, it sort of grows up and out as opposed to down. Whatever I use doesnt give enough hold and it ends up collapsing. Then I get fed up and end up cutting it short.
Answers on a postcard please.


SOAP!!

How do you stop your hands sweating in the summer? =|


In the warmer months, always wash your hands in cold water. People think that only hot water gets them clean, but its the cleaning agent (soap or hand gel) that actually removes dirt. Also, cologne is great for cooling yourself down. Try and get yourself some Spanish cologne (Boots used to sell it), smells lovely and cools you down a treat!

Soap??
Discuss.

Don't know if this request would come under the 'tips' banner but...
What's a good product for a young gent like myself to style his hair with?
I like to have my hair longish but it's not floppy hair, it sort of grows up and out as opposed to down. Whatever I use doesnt give enough hold and it ends up collapsing. Then I get fed up and end up cutting it short.
Answers on a postcard please.
Black and white. Always. My salon has huge tubs but the small ones you can get everywhere and they last. MrFacey and I both use it, I have a short bob and hes...well...*ahem* a little thin on top *ahem*...anyway, it has great hold and any length hair without being stiff like gel. I have my bob flipped out sometimes and it holds it all day. Just be careful not to add too much or it can make your hair look greasy.

God bless you:biggrin:
I'll get some soon

God bless you:biggrin:
I'll get some soon
You're very welcome. Forgot to say that it smells lush too!!

Anyone know how to clear a burn up? I did it on the iron a few days ago and it's still swollen and hurt. I only put water on it immediately and have been putting savlon on everynow and then but I take it since it's not an immediate burn anymore that I can put more on it? What do you do?

burns---sudocrem. Fantastic stuff for burns, nappy rash, spots etc

Alright kids! Top Tips! by our resident fairy has been merged! Enjoy! Why do i use so many !? !! !


!

Hair Gel - Garnier Fructis Style - HARD GEL - Ultimate Hold - Extreme

No other gel on the market can compare - and trust me - keeping the flat top in check when it's nearly due to be re-flattened is no mean feat.