10 must-know handy household hints

10 must-know handy household hints

Did you know that separating bananas from the bunch makes them last longer?

Or that the best way to reheat a pizza (so it retains its crispy base) is to warm it in a fry pan?

No? Then read on because these must-know household hints will change your life!

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Handy hint 1  - bananarama

Pull bananas apart before displaying them in your fruit bowl. If you leave them connected at the stem, they'll ripen faster and go brown quicker. Who knew?!

Handy hint 2 - flexible vacuum

To suck up hard-to-reach gunk under your fridge, or behind a bookshelf, insert an empty paper towel roll into the end of your vacuum cleaner and bend, or flatten it, to squeeze into these difficult spots.

Handy hint 3 - buying capsicum

We're not sure why, but a capsicum with three bumps on the bottom is sweeter than one with four. Oh, but four bumps makes for a crunchier, firmer capsicum, so you should weigh up crunch vs. sweet when picking out your pepper!

Handy hint 4 - fend off weeds

Instead of tossing your daily rag in the recycling bin, use the newspaper as mulch and deter noxious weeds. Simply wet the sheets and put the layers around your plants and garden beds, covering with soil as you go. The weeds won't be able to get through the wet newspaper layers.

Handy hint 5 - so cheesey

Wrap cheese chunks in aluminium foil and store in the fridge to keep your cheddar fresher for longer and to keep mould out.

Handy hint 6 - mozzies be gone!

If you have the kind of blood that attracts mosquitoes like a moth to a flame, then listen up. To keep the pesky blood suckers at bay, place a fabric softener dryer sheet in your pocket. Mosquitoes are repelled by the scent and you'll smell like summer breeze all night!

Handy hint 7 - crispy leftover pizza

To reheat a pizza so that the base is out-of-the-oven crisp, heat your leftover slices in a fry pan on low-medium heat on the stove until warm and wave goodbye to the days of soggy microwave pizza.

Handy hint 8 - reopening envelopes

If you seal an envelope and realise you've forgotten to include something inside, just place it in the freezer for an hour or two and voila, the envelope will unseal without a trace!

Handy hint 9 - the power of garlic

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a subtle taste and towards the end to blast it with flavour.

Handy hint 10 - getting rid of ants

It may sound cruel, but if you have an ant problem, desperate times call for desperate measures. Put small piles of polenta where you see ants and they'll gobble it up, return 'home' and won't be able to digest it. Your ant problem (and the ants) will soon be dead.

For great rates on pest control, call us today on 1300 08 25 52

Or visit our website at: www.Provenpest.com.au

Pest Prevention: 5 Ways to Stop the Problem Before it Starts

If you really want to prevent pests from invading your home you have to stop the problem before it starts. That’s right, prevention is the best medicine when it comes to winning the battle against household rodents, insects, and all those other creepy critters. With that in mind, the following 5 tips will help you prevent pests from entering your home.


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Fill-In the Cracks

All those cracks and crevices around your home’s windows, door frames, siding, and brick exteriors are basically open doors for insects. Likewise, gaps and holes in interior walls due to plumbing and wiring are another wide-open entrance for critters.
In order to prevent these little breezeways from becoming insect attractions, you must fill-in the gaps. For cracks and crevices, slowly apply a line of block ensuring the space is adequately filled. Larger openings in your home’s interior walls may call for a plasterboard patch to properly seal the potential pest entrance.

Screen-Out Unwanted Visitors

Almost all homes have openings that are just part of the structure’s design and function. For instance, the openings in your roof eaves are there to vent the roof cavity and the crawl space on the side of the house acts as an access point for raised foundation homes.
Just because these openings are necessary doesn’t mean pests can use them as they please. Cover your vents with steel porch screen to prevent rodents from entering your roof cavity. Likewise, a piece of plywood or framed screen is another great deterrent for critters trying to gain access through openings on the side of your home.

Take Out the Trash

Putting food away everyday is a great way to keep cockroaches and ants out of your kitchen, but that rubbish bin is pretty tempting. Even if your kitchen rubbish bin has a lid, it’s best to not only take your trash out every night, but also make sure your outdoor bin is well away from the house.
The absence of food scraps will definitely keep those hungry kitchen creatures away. But if kitchen pests do become a consistent problem, it’s best to call a pest control professional to prevent any further infestation.

Cleanup the Clutter

Household clutter makes the perfect hiding and breeding place for pests of all kinds. Make your house that much more pest-free by cleaning up the clutter. Vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning your house on a regular basis will also reduce the likelihood of pests setting up shop in your home.

Groom the Family Pets

Cats and dogs are like city buses for outdoor pests looking for a one-way ride into your home. Since it’s impossible to thoroughly wash your pets everyday, brushing them when they enter the house will reduce the risk of any bugs that are along for the ride.
In addition, using monthly flea and tick treatments is another great way to make sure your pets aren’t creating a pest problem. While you’re at it, spray your yard with grass-safe flea and tick treatment to create a bug-free barrier around your home.
By following the prevention tips above, you can stop your home from turning into a roach motel.

For great rates on pest control anywhere in Sydney, call us today on 1300 08 25 52

Or visit our website at: www.Provenpest.com.au