Clever uses for household items

Everyday life is notorious for creating little annoyances from squeaky door hinges to dropping your phone in the bath. Fret not – for there is always an (affordable) solution and you don’t have to look too far from home to find them. Here are some clever ways to use everyday objects in new and inexpensive ways to make your life easier.

Post-it notes
Food, fluff, dust, unidentified gunk – computer keyboards can get seriously grimy. Luckily, the humble Post-it note is great for cleaning between the keys – just run the sticky side between them.

Cat litter
As strange as it sounds, cat litter is twice as absorbent as uncooked rice. So if your phone goes for a swim, put it in a container with clean cat litter for a day or two. Just remember to take out the SIM card and battery first.

Lint
Once you’ve done a few cycles in your tumble dryer, take out the lint and store it in a Ziploc bag. You’ll have instant fire-starting material that takes up very little room when you squeeze out the air.

Tin foil
Speaking of the tumble dryer, there’s an easy way to stop your clothes sticking together. Before you press ‘start’, toss a small crumpled up ball of aluminium foil in with your clothes. Bye bye, static.

Cooking spray
Are your door hinges squeaking and you have all out of Q20 or oil? Just grab the can of Spray and Cook and spray it on the hinges.

Rubber gloves
These do so much more than just protect your hands from soapy water. You can use them to open jars whose lids just won’t budge. Alternatively, put on a pair, wet them slightly and run your hands over the furniture to get rid of pet hair.

Scrub sponges
Is your favourite sweater looking a little tired? Grab a new scrub sponge and gently rub the scrubbing side over the fabric to get rid of built-up fuzz.

Baby powder
This household staple is handy for just about anything. Use it as dry shampoo by putting some on your hands and running them through your hair, or work it into greasy carpet stains before you vacuum to help lift those marks. You can even use it to get sticky sand off your skin after a trip to the beach – just shake some onto your skin and rub the grit away.

Ziploc ice packs
Whenever you’re in need of an ice pack, just pop some ice cubes into a Ziploc bag, squeeze out most of the air and seal. Voilà – an easy, drip-free ice pack.

These are some cool ways to use everyday items in unexpected ways. For a hilarious local take on life hacks, like how to peel a bag of potatoes fast with a drill and a sponge, have a look at Suzelle DIY’s YouTube channel.

Of course, with Dialdirect you can Do It Yourself too – with us you can do everything online from quotes and buying insurance to managing your policy and putting in claims. It’s insurance made easy.