Do you have a secret trick?

Green_hopeful

Brie said:

@Green_hopeful
@London_1
what type of paint brushes are we talking about??  The only ones I normally use are water colour but I think you might be talking about house paint or oils or something.

@comeandgo
ironing??  what ironing??????

Sorry I mean house painting ones. Just decorating the dining room. 

Green_hopeful

London_1 said:

Green_hopeful said:

Just been cleaning my paint brushes. I cut a fizzy drink bottle in half to use the bottom half to clean the brushes. The dimples in the bottom of the bottle seem to agitate the bristles and clean them much easier and you can rinse and recycle the bottle afterwards. 

If you wrap the clean bristles of the brush in cling film it keeps them soft and supple until the next time you need to use it. I have a bit of a thing about cleaning paint brushes I wonder how many get binned and new ones bought when a bit of white spirit and patience can renew your paint brushes (especially if white paint has been used )to last a long time I have brushes that I have had for at least 10 years if not longer.These things are too expensive just to bin, plus not good for breaking down in landfill. The bottom of a fizzy drinks bottle sounds brilliant well done.I've normally used an old clean jam jar. I have had my pasting brush since before my husband passed away and thats 20 years ago. Perhaps its because I was born in the 1940s and grew up having to make do and mend, and very little was thrown away back then  The availability wasn't as it is today so I tend to recycle almost everything if I can. My DGS reused some of an old shed thats been demolished at the bottom of my gardens shuttering for the vegetable patch.The planks were just the right size and he asked if I had a saw to trim them up and I said of course your granddad one is in the cubed under the stairs .When he got it out is was as almost new as when malate husband last used it in 2002 when he put it away he rubbed some oil onto the blade and returned it to its cover and hung it up.It had not been touched since then I'm past the age for sawing things But my OH ,like myself was brought up to take care of what you had as it was unlikely you could get another one. Definitely a different mindset back then 

JackieO xx

Yes I wrap the brushes in plastic or tin foil if I am going to use them again. I also use bags to line the paint tray and put that in a bag overnight if I am going to use it again. Bags are quite hard to come by these days. 

Yesterday my brushes had got really claggy after 3 coats of emulsion and one of the brushes being reused with water based satin. The bottle bottom dimples are also good for oil based paints with white spirit and nice to be ok to throw away the old bottle when you are finished. 

willow_loulou

I’ve not read through the whole thread yet so sorry if this is a repeat. With the weather heating up if you put eucalyptus oil on cotton balls in your shoes it helps keep them smelling fresh. I have a particular pair I’ve wiped the interior with the oil and left in the sun for half hour to dry to stop any risk of irritation and they’re smelling great. 

JIL

willow_loulou said:

I’ve not read through the whole thread yet so sorry if this is a repeat. With the weather heating up if you put eucalyptus oil on cotton balls in your shoes it helps keep them smelling fresh. I have a particular pair I’ve wiped the interior with the oil and left in the sun for half hour to dry to stop any risk of irritation and they’re smelling great. 

In this weather, even my sandals stink. I use baby wipes.

Rosa_Damascena

kboss2010 said:

@Brie Haha yes, the cat (Harry!) decided to jump into the photo as I was taking it but I felt it was a good indication of how cosy the waffle blankets are! 

Thank you, the bee cushion was from Markies a few years ago. I have another somewhere but I don’t know what my OH did with it (it was on his side of the bed & he HATES what he calls “unnecessary bed cushions” so he chucked it somewhere 😂)

I would be more inclined to chuck the unnecessary husband out and keep the bed cushions, 

London_1

Indeed I meant house painting brushes ,sorry I should have been clearer.. I'm definitely of the opinion the less we bin the better for both  our purses and the planet.

I tend to think of what I can reuse stuff for if kept. Today I have some paper in my spare room stash to wrap my granddaughters's 30th birthday present in.

Even my children know what I'm like and save things for me to find a use for.

 I know I have some nice satin ribbon thats in my needlework stash that came from something else, and will help to wrap her gift up.I have bought her a nice watch and I know she will appreciate it as it's a Vivienne Westwood one, and I had a good discount voucher as well which helped as it was a rather expensive one .

I don't mind though as she's a dear lass, and going through a bit of a hard time at the moment with a messy divorce and an ex-husband who is being a real pain. He broke her heart bless her, and she is slowly recovering so something nice to cheer her up was definitely on the cards.
Her house has been sold and hopefully she has a nice flat that she will move into in August so she can move on with her life without him in it.

Life can be so sad at times, and when its someone you have who is such a nice loving person ,I hate to see her so unhappy. but onwards and upwards for her  
Her Mum and I are doing our best to keep her positive and forward looking. I shall be away on holiday when its her birthday but we are going out for afternoon tea when I come home.

I found a home for my friends double blow up beds with my next door neighbour, and also found a place for another friends grandchildren's garden tent they had grown too big for.

That has gone to my great granddaughters to play with in their garden. My friend was going to tip them, and I said I'd find a place for them so they have been reused, and my neighbours two little girls can have their friends to stay for sleep overs and my two GGDs have a nice play tent for the summer.

Today I shall be going through some books from my bookshelves to see what can go to the CS as I am slowly whittling down my large collection.

Another warm day ahead I think so I'm getting early start before it gets too hot 

Cheers chums 
JackieO xx

bouicca21

Rosa_Damascena said

I would be more inclined to chuck the unnecessary husband out and keep the bed cushions, 

I will have to disagree. I have never understood the concept of bed cushions.  They serve no purpose and just get in the way when you go to bed before ending up chucked on the floor.  A lot of faff for no benefit.

kboss2010

Rosa_Damascena said:

kboss2010 said:

@Brie Haha yes, the cat (Harry!) decided to jump into the photo as I was taking it but I felt it was a good indication of how cosy the waffle blankets are! 

Thank you, the bee cushion was from Markies a few years ago. I have another somewhere but I don’t know what my OH did with it (it was on his side of the bed & he HATES what he calls “unnecessary bed cushions” so he chucked it somewhere 😂)

I would be more inclined to chuck the unnecessary husband out and keep the bed cushions, 

🤣 I do keep my unnecessary cushions to a minimum but the new ones were too irresistible! 

Brie

Rosa_Damascena said:

I would be more inclined to chuck the unnecessary husband out and keep the bed cushions, 

Disagree with both points.  Cushions are useless and no matter how often I chuck him the OH keeps coming home.  

calleyw

comeandgo said:

Now that the better weather is here I reduce the spin speed on my washing machine, clothes can go out on the line a bit wetter but they dry quickly and need no ironing.

When ever its good weather I do this.  Also means less strain on the machine as well. As its the fast spinning at the end that wears out the bearings