Top 10 Good Housekeeping solutions

Ask us Anything

How to clean a vacuum flask

Q: Now that it\'s getting colder, my husband wants to start taking soup to work for lunch, but his vacuum flask has been lurking at the back of the cupboard for months. What\'s the best way to freshen it up?

A: If it\'s just a bit stale, put two teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda in the flask and top up with just-boiled water (you\'ll need twice the amount of bicarb for a two-litre flask). Leave for at least 20 minutes then rinse. If the flask is stained or smells unpleasant, you might want to try a product we\'ve found very effective on even the most unappetising container. It\'s called Thermoclean, £2.99 plus p&p for a pack of four sachets, from Lakeland. In future the flask needs to be put away without the lid on to allow moisture to evaporate.

Electric blanket fire hazard

Q: I have a 10-year-old electric blanket that I\'d like to start using again. Is there anywhere I can have it checked over?

A: Sorry, but the Electrical Safety Council can no longer suggest anyone in the UK who\'ll service old electric blankets. According to fire service statistics, a shocking 5,000 fires a year are caused by faulty electric blankets. So yours needs replacing - and newer ones need careful checking before use. Never use a blanket that\'s frayed, heavily creased or has scorch marks, exposed elements or signs of wear round the plug or cord. For more electric blanket do\'s and don\'ts, you can download the Electrical Safety Council leaflet.

Renting out your driveway

Q: I remember reading somewhere that it\'s possible to rent out your drive as a parking space to earn extra income. How would I go about it?

A: There are several websites you can use with to advertise your driveway. Registering with Your Parking Space is free, but other websites take a percentage of the rental and may charge other admin fees. Parklet, for example, there\'s a 15% commission and a one-off administration fee of £20: it collects rent from the tenant on your behalf and will intervene to resolve any disputes. Park At My House allows you to rent your driveway by the hour, which could be handy if you live close to a major sporting venue. Before you go ahead, it\'s your responsibility to check with your insurance company that your cover won\'t be affected.

Grubby sink

Q: I have a white plastic sink in my utility room that stains easily. Bleach seems to be the only thing that gets it clean, but I hate the smell. Is there another way to get rid of the stains?

A: We found a solution of biological washing powder was the easiest way to shift stains - even if they\'re severe. Half fill the sink with warm water and add a mug of biological washing powder, stir to dissolve and leave for a few hours. when you pull out the plug, the sink should be clean - but will need a good rinse. If staining is light, we have two other solutions:scrub it with a thick paste of bicarbonate of soda and water or half fill the sink with water, add Milton sterilising liquid or a Milton tablet and leave to soak for a few hours.

Keep it watertight

Q: My walking jacket is letting in water. I don\'t want to replace it yet - is it possible to re-proof it at home?

A: Yes, it is. We found two products, Granger\'s 30°C 2-in-1, £8.99 for 300ml and NikWax SoftShell Proof, £6.99 for 300ml that re-proof machine-washable waterproof clothing. Add the product to the detergent dispenser of the washing machine and set a low temperature wash. The Granger\'s product suggests tumble drying afterwards to activate its water-repellent properties, while the Nikwax is water based so can be drip dried. Spray-on re-proofers, suitable for daypacks, boots and shoes, are available from the same suppliers.

Pictures of the past

Q: I was cleaning out the loft when I discovered some unprocessed camera films in a format I\'ve never seen before. High-street processors I\'ve tried say they can\'t handle them, but I\'d love to get them developed. Do you know of a firm that could do the job?

A: We\'ve found a company that claims to be able to handle almost any film ever made, as well as negative or slide format film. It\'s called Process C-22. We\'d suggest you ring up to describe your finds before sending them in, to check developing is possible. Prices start at £15, depending on the type of film. Be prepared for a wait as this is a specialist, labour-intensive service.

A weighty matter

Q: I\'ve been stung with excess baggage charges in the past, so before our next trip I\'d like to make sure the weight of our cases falls within the allowance. Can I buy a set of luggage scales?

A: Lakeland sells a digital luggage scale for £19.99. Here\'s how to use it: put your filled suitcase on the floor, then clip the scale\'s strap around the bag. Holding the handle of the scales, lift the bag off the floor. Once the scale beeps, put the bag back on the floor and check the reading (in kg or lb). Our testers found the measure was accurate and straightforward to use. The scale weighs bags up to 44kg and comes with two AAA disposable batteries.

Stamp collecting for a cause

Q: Do any charities still accept used stamps? I have a big pile of them and don\'t want to throw them away if they can be put to good use.

A: Yes, a number of charities accept them. The stamps are sorted and sold by weight to dealers and collectors. If you\'ve amassed enough to fill a black bag, Leukaemia Care will collect them - call 0845 521 3456. Or send to: Leukaemia Care, Charity Stamp Support, 46 Church Hill, Chorley, PR6 7LQ. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds uses them to raise money for its Save the Albatross Campaign. Send to: RSPB Stamps, PO Box 6198, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 9XT. Oxfam accepts used stamps via its shops. Also, the Royal National Institute for the Blind: RNIB Stamp Recycling, PO Box 185, Benfleet, SS7 9BH. When you tear a stamp off an envelope, leave about 1cm of envelope visible around the edges. Keep foreign and UK stamps separate as foreign stamps raise more money.

Just a lot of hot air?

Q: My neighbour says she uses plastic tumble dryer balls to cut down drying time and save energy, but I\'m sceptical. Do they really work?

A: Yes, the ones we\'ve tried work surprisingly well, but they take a long time to pay for themselves. We\'ve tried Dryangles from Lakeland and spherical ones from JML Direct. Both cost £9.99 for a pack of two, and you use them together. These products claim to cut drying time by up to 25%, which they achieved in our tests, matching in 58min the dryness of a mixed cotton load that took 1hr 15min without them. There was an energy saving of around 25kW, which works out at 4p, so it would take 250 loads for the balls to produce a financial saving as well as an environmental one.

A cover that fits

Q: My ironing board cover is torn, but I can\'t find a replacement that\'s large enough. I\'m reluctant to buy a new board just because of the tatty cover. Any suggestions?

A:  There\'s an easy solution to this: ironingboardcovers.co.uk make cotton made-to-measure drawstring covers with felt padding for £10.You need to tell them the length of your board and the width at its widest point. If it\'s an unusual shape, draw round the ironing surface on a piece of paper and send it of to see if they can make a cover to fit - or take a digital photo of the board and email it. The same company sells ready-made covers up to 60cm x 155cm in size at Blip.