What OS tip didn't work for you?

Austin_Allegro

Coke (the drink) down loo didn't work - left it overnight and it made no difference to the limescale.

I also don't think much of stardrops! It just seems like concentrated washing up liquid to me.

wendym

Shopping with a fixed list.
I save much more if I go with an open mind and see what's on offer/reduced.
And I then find cooking it more interesting.

And I have never produced a slow cooker meal that I was really happy with.

Lillibet_2

Stardrops & MF cloths are both failures in the Lillibet household.:p

Love my SC, YM, BM , vinegar & soapnuts though.:D

kingshir

Using cheap washing powder instead of proper dishwasher powder or tablets. Ok the first wash and then things just not cleaned properly. So back to the real thing for me. I don't like the slow cooker either but then I'm not a casserole type of food fan. I LOVE my breadmaker and yogurt maker and micro fibre cloths. I use Stardrops but don't find it as miraculous as some folk seem to. I don't try to keep my food shopping bill down either. Eating should be a real, true pleasure and I refuse to eat or serve my family with cheap and nasty.

Triker

My yogurt maker, tried unsuccessfully 4 times to make yogurt, all horrible, smelly and very runny.

I've given up and have to bear those 'looks' that OH gives out everytime he catches sight of it, especially after yet another convincing argument by myself about how I would save us oodles of money by purchasing the yogurt maker originally:rolleyes: .

rachelleblondel_2

Not a fan of stardrops either...much prefer my BioD multisurface which has a lovely orange smell & I know its made by an eithical company...works on all muck except tea satins & have to call out the big guns for them...bleach is the only way for a tea bag like myself

Ditched the bread machine for wholemeal loaves made in my Kenwood chef much nicer & stay fresh for a couple of days..I also get a 16kg bag of organic wholemeal flour by marriages which is great to use.

Yogurt maker - Make yogurt all the time but little tip Triker, I always strain it through a cloth & seive, scraping the thicker yogurt from the sides so it drains evenly. I then use the strained liquid in place of buttermilk in some recipes. Gets rid of that whole slimey look & texture. Liquid can go in smoothies as well, shame to waste all that goodness.

Slow cooker - love it as long as meat steers well clear. Great for pulses & large amounts of porridge.

Soap nuts, fine for lightly soiled, again wash on a short cycle but higher temp but I am a bit fussy over my whites so I give them an eco laundry bleach blast. I also use muslin bags of egg shells when I have enough these are great for sparkly whites.

Cloths - I use these fabulous unbleached cotton fairtrade cloths that I bought from Sainsburys for £1.49 for 2. They are washed every night and are still great after 2 months. Nice, thick, get the job done & good for the environment + the people who make them get a good deal.:D

I always write a monthly food menu & shopping list but do buy reduced bargins whip them in the freezer & then they make up meals for the following month, this also includes reduced veg which is made into soup straight away & frozen.



Rachelle

thriftlady_2

Triker wrote: »

My yogurt maker, tried unsuccessfully 4 times to make yogurt, all horrible, smelly and very runny.

I've given up and have to bear those 'looks' that OH gives out everytime he catches sight of it, especially after yet another convincing argument by myself about how I would save us oodles of money by purchasing the yogurt maker originally:rolleyes: .

Have you tried using UHT milk ? -no need to heat first and then wait for it to drop to thecorrect temperature (I never have any luck with fresh milk).

Also, for thick yogurt I always add half a cup of dried milk. My yogurt comes out thick and set after 8-10 hours in the machine.

Nelski

I loathed Stardrops and ended up binning it - it actually made me cough the chemical smell was so bad:eek:

Thankfully I resisted the urge to buy a bread maker (it was close though) living on my own and not eating that much bread means it would have been a very large annoyance on my kitchen surface (and tbh having eating some HM bread at a friends house I frankly thought it was horrible - doughy and thick)

I do use my SC occasionally but only in the winter

Vinegar I used well before I read the OS thread so no news there

Micro fibre cloths I use but as someone else said I think i must be missing something cos they dont seem the wonder cloths they are supposed to be

Would never use soap nuts when arial does the job fantastically:D - although I do use just one tab now instead of two and have cut the temp down to 30

So what do I use OS for.................well its mostly for some amazing recipes and the people are fab:A

vivw_2

skywatcher wrote: »

Tried making those gel air freshners once. They all went mouldy after a couple of days and smelled pretty awful. All ended up in the bin.

Same here.....also easiyo yogurt made with just a spoon of yogurt and milk [ its much easier with the sachets]

rachelleblondel_2

Why Soap nuts,

well apart from not supporting any product made by proctor & gamble who choose to put profit before ethics & continue to test on animals they are.....
Eudermic: 100% natural and without any chemical additives. The perfect choice for allergic persons, people suffering from neurodermatitis and people with sensitive skin.
Gentle Soapnuts preserve the colour of your valuable laundry better than chemical detergents. In Nepal, people wash even the finest silks using soapnuts. Admittedly, white laundry may become slightly grey after extended use - you can counteract this with the use of a bleaching agent from time to time.
Non Polluting Soapnuts do not pollute our environment. Furthermore, soapnuts are considered renewable primary products. The soapnut trees absorbe carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen.
100% biodegradable Simply add the used soapnuts directly to your compost heap - your garden plants will be grateful

but hey different strokes for different folks i just do my bit for the environment however small...:D