1950's

For clearing the lawns of dandelions plantains and other weeds use a potato peeler, the apple corer type. One scoop and they come out root and all. Miss H. MacGregor, Sutherland Cottage, Keir Street, Dunblane.

A little vinegar added to the water used for washing floors softens the water and prevents a scum forming. This makes easy cleaning and the floors are easier to polish. A little vinegar used in the water for cleaning windows will make the dirt come off more easily and help to keep the flies away. Mrs L. Davie, Melville, Insch, Aberdeenshire.

Stains On Socks - 1956 A reader wanted to know how to remove stains from children's socks. My method is to wet the sock and apply baking soda generously to the stain, rub well and wash as usual. Mrs B.M. Davidson, Hurley Aboyne.

If the slide fastener in a purse sticks, take a lead pencil and rub it up and down on the fastener a number of times, then the purse opens.

Before scraping new potatoes, soak them for half an hour in cold water which has been salted. Not only do the skins peel off easily but the hands are not stained.

Think twice before you cook that joint, many women may not know that they are losing half the flavour and tenderness of the weekend joint by cooking it too soon, particularly if they are Saturday shoppers. Read more......

I seldom use shoe polish for brown shoes. I take a banana skin and rub them with the side next to the fruit. This also removes spots or dark marks. I learned about the banana method in 1903. We got banana's at 9d a dozen then, and a fellow home from Jamaica gave us this tip. Read more......

If you wear spectacles with plastic frames you can rim the frames with nail varnish to match your colour schemes or make-up. Apply the nail varnish and leave overnight to dry. Wipe off the varnish with remover. Read more......