Home hints

Georgina Bitcon has tips on detangling earphones, sorting shoes, taming hair static and more, plus a reader’s hint.

Tangle-free earphones

If you’re sick of yanking your earphones from a tangle in your handbag, coil them into a small empty pill bottle and pop on the lid.

Odour resistant

To prevent cooking odours, lay a slice or two of white bread on top of cauliflower or cabbage when steaming. Paint protection

When you’ve finished painting, slip a plastic bag over the paint can lid before replacing it, so that dirt, rust or flakes of dried paint on the lid’s underside won’t fall into the paint.

Shoe storage

Instead of keeping shoes in one messy pile at the bottom of your wardrobe, install a couple of tension curtain rods (from a hardware store) across the width of the wardrobe, creating a customised rack above the ground, giving two levels of storage.

Hair static remedy

If your hair is flying away with static after combing or pulling on clothing, gently wipe a dryer sheet over it a couple of times and the static will disappear.

Microwave freshener

To clean and freshen your microwave, cut a lemon in half, put it in 1¼ cups of water in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave for 10 minutes, then wipe down with a clean cloth.

Tissue quick fix

If you’ve put a tissue through the wash with everything else, toss the whole load in the dryer and the tissue bits will all be sucked into the lint filter by the time everything is dry – not for every day, but a lifesaver.

Fancy feet

Before wearing your shoes without socks, spritz dry shampoo over your feet to help keep them dry and odour-free.

Power cords sorted

Use the tags from loaves of bread and a fine-tipped permanent marker to label all the cords in use on a power board.