Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

Guinea_2

Hi everyone
Does anyone have a cheap and effective way of making drains smell nice? I seem to have a problem with the pipes in the bathroom smelling a bit. I do buy an effective cleaner from Mr T but it's expensive and little wonder what it does to the environment and me breathing it in when I use it!! Also, apart from bleach, what can I possibly use to get rid of the gunk that accumulates in the plug hole? Usually I use cotton buds or tweezers but I think they're only so good.
Thanks for any replies
G xx

quintwins

Guinea wrote: »

Hi everyone
Does anyone have a cheap and effective way of making drains smell nice? I seem to have a problem with the pipes in the bathroom smelling a bit. I do buy an effective cleaner from Mr T but it's expensive and little wonder what it does to the environment and me breathing it in when I use it!! Also, apart from bleach, what can I possibly use to get rid of the gunk that accumulates in the plug hole? Usually I use cotton buds or tweezers but I think they're only so good.
Thanks for any replies
G xx

i would dig out the gunk then use some bicarb and vinegar, i have awful trouble with my kitchen drains and this always helps

GreyQueen

stilernin wrote: »

As well as diluting the WUL, put it in a hand wash pump. It look neater in the kitchen and tends to restrict how much is used. I just put the sponge under the nozzle and use one squirt at a time. You get loads of bubbles that way.

A trick to handle pump-dispensers, if you think each "squirt" is a bit too much, is to wind a bit of string tightly around the vertical bit of the pump, so it doesn't go all the way down when pressed. Fine -tune until it's just right. :rotfl:

scottishminnie

I've made a hand scrub a while back and gifted it in a nice jar with pretty ribbon. Was a big success - ingredients were

2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
about 1 fl ounce olive oil
4 teaspoons almond oil
1 teaspoon lemon oil
brown sugar

I kept it in the fridge which was also nice as it was summertime and hot and sticky.

scottishminnie

I've also started on some little gifts in case I need them throughout the year.

I had some spare nutella jars/glasses and a few of the little glass ramekins that come free with the "gu" type desserts.

A friends teenage daughter has given me some glass paints, a hot glue gun and loads of beads, gems and sparkly things so I'm decorating the ramekins and glasses to use as candleholders with tealights in them.


I've also partly created some nice new table mats for next Christmas. I cut up some old white sheets into table mat sizes, hemmed them, dyed them with some dylon and I'm thinking I'll now add some of the beads/gems to each. I figured they would be nice for special occasions - could also give them as gifts though.

salski

soda crystals down the drain and plug hole is very effective x

DdraigGoch

If you're getting a problem with badly smelling drains, make sure that you're leaving water in the U-bend each time. Often this happens when a washing machine/the bath/toilet/something else which uses a lot of water drains away and causes a vacuum in the pipes and thus sucks the water out of the U-bend, thus allowing foul air into the room. This is the whole point of having a U-bend, the water locked in it locks out the foul air. This problem can sometimes be cured by having a vent put into the system somewhere sensible.

So, to save buying stuff to put down the drain, try plain water first! It worked for me when we had a shower which was hardly used and it used to smell awful - the U-bend had dried out. I've asked plumbers about this too, and they agree that that's the most likely reason. It might even be worth getting a properly qualified and personally recommended plumber in to check/put in a vent to solve the problem, particularly if you're trying to sell the house!

Guinea_2

Thanks for this Goch. I think after reading these posts I do actually need to get someone in as the toilet also makes a noise when being flushed. It's like niagra falls and does sound like something is sucking all the air out. And...you must be psychic as we are thinking of selling the house!!

mama67

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Done, it looks fine

Now on to shampoo, conditioner, hand soap and shower gel...

I'm after some containers to decant into but ideally I want them labelled so that there is no confusion about what is shower gel and what is MY BEST hair conditioner.

Any suggestions?

when i started to water down things like shampo etc, I kept the empty container from the time before so could split the new bottle 50/50 with the old bottle then add the water in and voila 2 new bottles.

Eenymeeny

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Done, it looks fine

Now on to shampoo, conditioner, hand soap and shower gel...

I'm after some containers to decant into but ideally I want them labelled so that there is no confusion about what is shower gel and what is MY BEST hair conditioner.

Any suggestions?

Hi Pitlanepiglet, I've found some pump dispenser bottles of hand soap etc at B&M, Home Bargains etc which have a printed plastic sleeve around them. When you've used the contents, peel off the sleeve and you're left with a black and chrome (ish!) clear bottle. (Not bad for about 89p!)Now I'm looking for nice waterproof labels with shower gel, shampoo etc on or could I maybe print my own? so any ideas would help me too. Thanks:)