The Lemon Fool

I haven't got dentures (yet) but I've been reading about all the things you can use them for. To my surprise and delight some clever person has worked out that you can use them instead of those astronomically prices espresso machine cleaning tablets. Anyone tried this? I'm off out to buy some today to give it a try. If nothing else I can finally get those 2 tall glass vases clean. The tablets cost pennies.

The missus uses them for cleaning the water bladder on her long distance running backpack.

They're mostly sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, with a side order of a detergent such as sodium lauryl sulphate, which is needed for removing tobacco stains etc. For most purposes, though, you can get the same cleaning results from a weak dilution of vinegar, which is what I use on my espresso machine. It gets the scale off vases, too. Just as long as they don't smoke 20 a day.

BJ

We use them for keeping the pipes & tanks clean in the motorhome.

Tedx wrote:The missus uses them for cleaning the water bladder on her long distance running backpack.

I remove the need for cleaning the bladder by storing it in the freezer when not using it.

Scott.

The two cleaning ladies that used to have their own TV programme [I know, culture ain't what it used to be] suggest putting them down the loo to prevent lime-scale build up if in a hard water area.

swill453 wrote:

Tedx wrote:The missus uses them for cleaning the water bladder on her long distance running backpack.

I remove the need for cleaning the bladder by storing it in the freezer when not using it.

Scott.

She does that too - but does freezing kill the bugs or just send them into hibernation?

Either way, dropping a denture tablet in there once in a while is no hardship

Tedx wrote:

swill453 wrote:I remove the need for cleaning the bladder by storing it in the freezer when not using it.

She does that too - but does freezing kill the bugs or just send them into hibernation?

All I know is I always got black mould before I did this, now I never do.

Scott.

James wrote:The two cleaning ladies that used to have their own TV programme [I know, culture ain't what it used to be] suggest putting them down the loo to prevent lime-scale build up if in a hard water area.

Right that's going on the list. Might need a couple of packs.

We use one in a glass of water to sterilise the toothbrushes.

Watis

Watis wrote:We use one in a glass of water to sterilise the toothbrushes.

I must confess I've never heard of sterilising toothbrushes, until now!

You can add water to turn the tube into a rocket. Google steradent rocket. But make sure you do it outside, preferably in an open space like a park. They go surprisingly far and fast!

Bought a tube of steradent yesterday £1.35 for 30 tablets as opposed to £6.99 for 6 coffee machine cleaning tabs.

One clean loo and 2 nearly clean tea-stained mugs later and I'm a happy LBYM bunny.

I've yet to tackle the coffee machine as I have to look up how to put it into manual cleaning mode rather than waiting for all the lights to start flashing - usually while I'm halfway through making a coffee but that's a whole other story of irritation and annoyance.