make do and mend for tougher times

Niknoo83

Thank you Pooky! I hadn't thought about asking family and friends!

shegar

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Hi Bobs! I used something called 'Stove black' which we get from our lovely old-fashioned hardware shop. I think the local coal merchants sells it as well, but can't find the tin for the name! It's like shoe cream, but for stoves :rotfl:

ETA: This is similar, but I did not pay that much!

I do believe thats called "hot spot".................Some you can paint on and the other you can polish......:D

shegar

katieowl wrote: »

Not particularly cheap (therefore not OS) but Fairy Power spray in the green bottle is ACE for getting soot off the glass door of my woodburner. Brilliant on the oven too...leave it for ten mins and no scrubbing. I was converted when we were cleaning holiday cottages last year - brilliant stuff!

Kate

Quite agree with you on the fairy power spray, anything dirty and it will clean it like new, Ive given it some tough tasks in my home, I know its around £3.00 per bottle but worth every penny.........:D

Niknoo83

katieowl wrote: »

Not particularly cheap (therefore not OS) but Fairy Power spray in the green bottle is ACE for getting soot off the glass door of my woodburner. Brilliant on the oven too...leave it for ten mins and no scrubbing. I was converted when we were cleaning holiday cottages last year - brilliant stuff!

Kate

would it work on my heavily encrusted oven?! :rotfl:

westcoastscot

Niknoo I don't have access to charity shops and second Abakhan - its a fantastic place for fabric and they do some great bundles for good prices - always good quality. I also use Croft Mill mail order. My favourite was Hartley's - was gutted when they closed down.

My stove doors are never clean for more than five minutes.

WCS

fuddle

prepareathome wrote: »

I read somewhere on here how someone is using on of these in their fire place as they don't have a grate as yet. I think that is a great idea and if I get that horrible gas fire out will see if this fits in the space, would much prefer looking at that in fireplace than horrible gas fire.

pahmake sure your chimney is ok if you're going to do this. Carbon monoxide is a real awful killer.

I've asked DH if we can pull the electric fire out to have a look to see what is behind where the chimney is. He's said no as he believes the chimney would have been sealed when the gas was installed and with it not being our house he doesn't want to risk any expense. I'm actually quite upset about it

stiltwalker

westcoastscot wrote: »

Niknoo I don't have access to charity shops and second Abakhan - its a fantastic place for fabric and they do some great bundles for good prices - always good quality. I also use Croft Mill mail order. My favourite was Hartley's - was gutted when they closed down.

My stove doors are never clean for more than five minutes.

WCS

Oooo - can't believe I forgot croft mill amd they are less than a dozen miles from us! Dont you just love the descriptions in the catalogue? Was so pleased when they continued in the same style on the internet.

A current example for those who don't know the place :-
"60” (152 cm) wide white, quite heavy, cotton twill/drill, much used in the making of chefish garments, hats and the like. Making him an apron for the barbeque season so he has something proper to wipe his hands on"

shegar

Niknoo83 wrote: »

would it work on my heavily encrusted oven?! :rotfl:

Yes definately ,ive used it on BBQ chrome grill rack and its got every bit off , and thats what you call burnt on ......................:)

lisakay_2

so now i remember why i didn't want to go back to work. only just sat down and had tea!
Had washing on line by 8am replaced it with another lot when i got home from work. picked kids up, dashed round asd* but forgot to buy new work shoes, folded all washing while kids played/fought/whinged, made rollies for DH for work, ironed all 4 uniforms, dashed round to friends for half an hr to help clear a few weeds, bathed kids and spent half an hour on each girls hair getting knots out (despite it being plaited all day), stories and bed, hoovered all downstairs,
made blackberry and almond cake for butty boxes(if any makes it til morning it's that good)
made butties and drinks ready to just pack up in the morning

then finally got round to cooking my tea! just the pots to wash before bed now.

I'm very excited though...rummaging in friends garden and found sloes and what i think are quinces:D have brought one home and it certainly looks like it and the fruit smells lovely even though it's not ripe yet. hopefully will be able to add quince jam to the christmas hampers :cool:

tomorrow night i have to get all the veg chopped for mum's chillililli recipe. i should have done it tonight and got it salted but i ran out of oomph:rotfl:
at least i should have a nice easy morning, girls cant wait to get back to school and insisted on having their uniform laid out on their beds so they can get dressed as soon as they wake up;)

I finish work at 12 tomorrow and the girls dont finish school til 3.15 so will go straight on the lotty after work and get some nice peaceful graft in.

SpikyHedgehog

lisakay wrote: »

so now i remember why i didn't want to go back to work. only just sat down and had tea!
Had washing on line by 8am replaced it with another lot when i got home from work. picked kids up, dashed round asd* but forgot to buy new work shoes, folded all washing while kids played/fought/whinged, made rollies for DH for work, ironed all 4 uniforms, dashed round to friends for half an hr to help clear a few weeds, bathed kids and spent half an hour on each girls hair getting knots out (despite it being plaited all day), stories and bed, hoovered all downstairs,
made blackberry and almond cake for butty boxes(if any makes it til morning it's that good)
made butties and drinks ready to just pack up in the morning

then finally got round to cooking my tea! just the pots to wash before bed now.

I'm very excited though...rummaging in friends garden and found sloes and what i think are quinces:D have brought one home and it certainly looks like it and the fruit smells lovely even though it's not ripe yet. hopefully will be able to add quince jam to the christmas hampers :cool:

tomorrow night i have to get all the veg chopped for mum's chillililli recipe. i should have done it tonight and got it salted but i ran out of oomph:rotfl:
at least i should have a nice easy morning, girls cant wait to get back to school and insisted on having their uniform laid out on their beds so they can get dressed as soon as they wake up;)

I finish work at 12 tomorrow and the girls dont finish school til 3.15 so will go straight on the lotty after work and get some nice peaceful graft in.

Lisa, do you put conditioner on the girls hair? Mum never used it on our hair, but I noticed the difference when I started using it, & when DS1 had long hair, he'd been grumbling about it tangling until he started using the conditioner I'd got him... He has eczema, & has to be really careful about what he uses, so I got him the Simple one, & it helped. I also find my hair tangles more when I have split ends...

& well done for the garden finds!