When I say ancient way to dry clothes the clothes pulley has probably been about for 150 years – not that ancient but ancient enough.
A clothes pulley, also known as a ceiling airer or a laundry rack, is a device that hangs from the ceiling and allows you to dry your clothes by using the natural heat and air circulation in your home. The “Pulley” as it’s known in Glasgow has been around for a very long time approximately 150 years. Every home would have one when I was a bit younger but were removed for the preferred new tech – the tumble dryer.
They have been used in homes for very good reasons especially when you compare them to the tumble dryer.
Clothes Pulley in action
Benefits Of a Clothes Pulley
Some of the main benefits of fitting a clothes pulley are:
A pulley saves energy and money by reducing the need for a tumble dryer, which is one of the most expensive household appliances to run.
Pulleys reduce the environmental impact of your laundry by avoiding the carbon emissions and waste associated with tumble drying.
A pulley can preserve the quality and lifespan of your clothes by preventing them from shrinking, fading, or damaging in the high heat of a tumble dryer.
There are no maintenance costs – once fitted there is very little to go wrong and it does they are easy to fix
A pulley uses no energy
A pulley takes up no floor space
Why Fit a Clothes Pulley?
You might want to fit a clothes pulley in your home if you:
Have limited space for a tumble dryer or a clothes horse, as a clothes pulley can be raised and lowered to the ceiling as needed.
Want to save on your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, as a clothes pulley uses no electricity and relies on natural drying. .
Care about the quality and durability of your clothes, as a clothes pulley avoids the harsh effects of tumble drying.
Appreciate the aesthetic and historical value of a clothes pulley, as it can add a touch of charm and nostalgia to your home.
The cost of a clothes pulley compared to a tumble dryer depends on several factors, such as the size, type, and model of the device, as well as the frequency and duration of use. However, based on some average figures, we can use the following as a rough guide:
The initial cost of buying a clothes pulley ranges from around £30 to £150, depending on the quality, design, and features of the product.
The initial cost of buying a tumble dryer ranges from around £250 to £1000, depending on the energy rating, capacity, and technology of the product
The running cost of using a clothes pulley is negligible, as it does not consume any electricity or require any maintenance.
The running cost of using a tumble dryer varies depending on the type, load, and cycle of the device, but it can be anywhere from £0.17 to £1.76 per use, or £0.56 to £1.43 per hour
The lifetime cost of owning a clothes pulley is low, as it is likely to last for many years without needing any repairs or replacements. The lifetime cost of owning a tumble dryer is high, as it is likely to need servicing, parts, or replacement after a few years of use, as well as adding to your energy bills and carbon footprint.
Fitting a clothes pulley can be a much more economical and eco-friendly option than using a tumble dryer, as it can save you hundreds of pounds and tonnes of CO2 over the years. However, the choice ultimately depends on your personal preferences, needs, and circumstances.
In a country with a climate like Scotlands a pulley is essential for drying clothes. It can be expensive to dry clothing especially for a large family. The pulley offers an almost free way to get your clothes dry.
I have personally used one for the last 15 years and have never missed the tumble dryer. We have positioned ours above a radiator and most clothes will dry overnight.
Here is a video about how to fit one if you are interested.
If you have a toilet seat that’s loose or broken and you want a nice solid seat to sit on comfortably while you pass the hours on TikTok or Facebook then this is for you.
Changing a toilet seat is one of the easier jobs you can do in your home and if you are lucky you won’t even need any tools, well maybe a tape measure and a screwdriver, but there are a few of things that are good to know.
Let’s get into it –
If you are thinking that toilet seats are all the same and you can just go and pick one up you would be wrong There as so many to choose from so where do you start?
1. Toilet Shapes
The first thing to consider is the shape of your toilet. There are several different shapes of toilet bowl. You have to choose one that is the shape of your toilet. There are Oval, D-shape (or U-shape), V-shape, or Square among others but these are the main ones for the UK, not really sure about the rest of the world.
Look at the shape of your toilet bowl and work out which one is your shape. Once you have decided on the closest shape to your toilet it’s time to move to the next point.
My toilet is the most common shape – the O shape.
2. Measure the Size
Once you know what shape of seat we have we then need to measure the size of the bowl from side to side and from the fittings to front.
Once you have measured the size of your bowl you may not have the exact same measurements as the replacement seat. What I tend to do is get one that is about up to 20mm larger and usually you can adjust it to sit perfectly on your toilet without a ridiculous overhang.
Then you need to order the seat that will fit your size of the bowl.
But Wait! There is something else we need to consider.
3. Decide on the Material
Before we order there are a few things to consider, mainly, the types of materials that toilet seats are made from. There is MDF, wood, plastic, Duroplast, and a few others.
Mdf is really quite common- that’s what my old seat is made from. Now if water gets into MDF it starts to swell. Once swollen it’s not going back to the way it was. The toilet seat is basically finished.
This toilet seat started swelling about 2 weeks ago and once the swelling started it very quickly lost strength and fell off one side.
Usually, your toilet seat won’t get wet and I have no idea why this happened to this seat so quickly, obviously, it did get wet at some point and pretty much exploded.
So I thought about a wooden one but wood really doesn’t like the moist environments of a bathroom.
Plastic is a good option but some plastic seats are really flimsy and the cheaper ones tend to discolour over time.
Then I found something called Duroplast. These seats seem to be tough and durable, colour fast, easy to clean, and strong- most importantly they don’t mind getting wet. The one I chose is UF Duroplast which should look good and last a very long time.
Now we need to order – well, not yet – one more thing to consider
PlasticMDFDuroplast
4. Different Seat Fittings
If you have access to the rear of the toilet and can reach the seat fittings you are in luck.
So there are a couple of ways to fit the seat to the bowl – generally you either have access to the rear of your toilet or you don’t
If you have access to the seat fittings you can fit the bolt-type fittings. These are probably the most common type of fitting. They are quite easy to put on and can be tightened up so they don’t move again. Fitted properly they will last a very long time without moving.
The main downside is that they can rust and seize and they become very difficult to get off.
If you can’t get to the rear of your toilet you have no choice but to use the top fixings. These are great for fitting and are generally easy to put on. The downside of these is that they can loosen off over time.
But usually, they are very easy to tighten again so it’s not a big problem and you won’t have to pull the toilet off the wall for access to the screws.
5. Time to Order
Finally, time to order but before you do just double-check you have the info required.
So the four things to know
1. Toilet Shape
2. Measure the size
3 Material preference
4 Type of fittings required
Once you have done this and order a seat with this in mind fitting the seat should be an absolute breeze
All there is to do now is wait for your new seat to arrive.
Here is the toilet seat I ordered for my toilet, we have been using it for quite a while now and had no problems with it. It seems to be very durable and is very easy to clean. Click the image to find out more.
6. Fit Your Toilet Seat
The very first thing to do is check out your new seat and make sure all the parts are there and the fittings are there. If you do this first then you won’t have to do without a toilet seat if there are any parts missing.
So when you are fitting you have to take the old seat off. Go to the back of the toilet and undo the fittings. Now sometimes they may have rusted up and you may need a pair of pliers or grips to get it to turn
Undo the fittings
2. Remove the old seat
3. Clean up the toilet before fitting the new seat.
I have to use the top style fitting as access is really restricted making the bottom fittings almost impossible to fit.
4. Fit the fittings so they can move a little
5. Put the seat gently on the fittings and straighten the seat up with the bowl
6. Tighten the fittings
Fittings are generally hand-tight and but you can just give them a little more with some pliers – I’m talking about a quarter turn above hand tightness. Any more and you can cut through or warp the rubber or plastic washers, which can cause your seat to go loose sooner than it normally would.
Test the seat.
Start Scrolling
Here is a video I put together showing the whole process.
Once silicone goes black it is very difficult to clean but there is a very easy method and if you are lucky it may work for you.
I always seem to be trying to stop silicone from going black. You know the silicone seal that goes around the bathtub or your shower. It looks lovely for a while and then goes black over time and looks really unsightly. Well here is how to fix that problem.
Why does SIlicone go Black?
Silicone goes black when it is damp and there are soap deposits on the silicone. This encourages mould growth and it’s the mould that causes the silicone to go black.
The good news is this is preventable. I have fitted silicone in some houses that only last a few months before going black and I have fitted silicone seals in other houses where it has stayed looking brand new for years.
The difference between these two examples is that one household has many teenagers using the shower once or twice a day. The shower was getting used about 6 times a day, it was never cleaned down or dried after use and the silicone became black very quickly.
In the other household the shower was used once or twice a day, was dried and cleaned after use – that silicone lasted about 6 years before renewal.
I use the same make and type of silicone in every job.
Now both these scenarios are quite different and there could be differences between both bathrooms with regard to airflow but in general, if you dry off the seal after every use it will last for many years. The less you clean it the quicker it will stain and the harder it will be to get those stains off.
I guess what I am saying if you want silicone to last you have to dry it after use. That’s the best way to keep the silicone from going black in the first place. But, you’re here to find out how to fix it once the silicone has gone black.
Let’s proceed.
Three Methods to Clean Silicone Rubber
There are three methods that I use for cleaning black, mouldy silicone. Each method gets progressively more difficult so it’s a good idea to start at method 1 and progress from there.
Methods 1 and 2 are both chemical solutions and method 3 is a mechanical solution.
Before even starting any of these fixes the seal should be inspected for any damage. Make sure there are no splits, make sure the silicone has not come away from one of the surfaces. If the seal appears to be intact then the first two methods are good to try. If the silicone is coming off the wall or the bath/shower then Method 3 is your only option.
Method 1
Use a product called HG Mould Remover. (check the cost here – https://amzn.to/2r9whII)
This is a great spray to use as long as the silicone seal is in good condition – that is if it has not been compromised and the seal still works.
I have used this on some really black stained silicone and the results can be surprising. the less time the silicone has been black the better the chance of removal with the mould killer.
All you have to do is spray this product directly onto the black silicone, leave for about half an hour and rinse off. The results can be amazing.
The advantage of this method is it’s fast and easy to do.
The only disadvantage is that it’s not quite as powerful as the other 2 silicone repair methods. It does smell very much of bleach so be prepared.
This spray works really well with grout. If you have mouldy grout give this spray a try. No home should be without it.
If it helps I made a video about this mould spray, have a look below.
If this method is not working for you then you may want to try method 2
Have a look to see how to clean up black mould.
Method 2
This method involves the use of neat Bleach (undiluted bleach) – the thick stuff, so you may want to have some rubber gloves and safety glasses. Be very careful when using bleach and don’t get it on anything you don’t want it on.
For this method of getting silicone back to white, you will put bleach directly onto the silicone and leave it for 12 to 24 hours. To hold the bleach directly onto the silicone you will have to use some toilet roll and place this onto the silicone and add more bleach is required. You want that bleach soaked tissue on the silicone seal.
It is important that you check that your fittings and wall will not be adversely affected by the bleach and is good to test in an unseen area first.
Once the toilet paper has bleach and is sitting directly on the seal then all you have to do is wait. Obviously, keep children and pets away for the time required.
I found that 24 hours works great but if it’s still not completely gone then just repeat the process. You should get rid of most of it if not all.
I have found the results of this method surprising and should get rid of almost all the staining.
In the pictures, this part of silicone was black for years and after 24 hours most of the black was gone. Amazing! Usually, for that degree of discolouration, I would use method 3.
Method 3
Silicone removal.
This is the most difficult method. Silicone is designed to seal two surfaces and in order to do that has to adhere incredibly well to both of the surfaces. If the silicone is not stuck then it’s not sealing.
There are several ways to remove silicone but I have found that the chemical silicone removal products are not very good. My prefered method is to cut it out using a knife. This can be very tricky as you do not want to damage your tiles or scratch your bath. If you are not confident with a blade, a silicone removal tool like the one below would be good.
You can use a Stanley knife to get the bulk of the seal off. Then you can use a blade holder to get the rest off the tiles and just work away until you get it all off the wall and the bath. That may sound easy but it is not. It takes time and patience so give yourself at least two hours to complete this method.
Once all the silicone has been removed clean the wall and the bath with some white spirit and let it dry.
Only when the wall and the bath are completely dry put on the new silicone. To put it on cut the nozzle at about a 45-degree angle and apply a bead of silicone at a consistent speed so you get an equal thickness. Then run over the silicone with either a wet finger (i recommend you wear rubber gloves) or a silicone finishing tool if you have one – a bit more difficult to use but will give you a better, neater seal. I use the finishing tools below which are excellent. There are cheaper ones available. Click on the pictures below and have a look.
The crucial thing about silicone is to be very tidy, keep it clean. Wipe up any silicone you don’t want to be there, if it doesn’t look good it won’t look better when dry and you will be stuck with removing the silicone again. A little bit of care goes a long way. When doing a bath I like to do one edge at a time, usually working from left to right – short edge, long edge, short edge. make sure the edge you have just done looks good before you move on to the next edge.
Easy!
Stop Silicone Turning Black
Silicone is one of the main sealants used for sealing sanitary fittings for good reason. It seals extremely well, it’s very strong and it remains flexible for many years. It is perfect for sealing.
The only problem is it discolours, it gets attacked by mould. There are silicones that resist mould and these are the types to use in your bathroom and kitchen. The mould resistance does not work permanently so – is there a way to prevent the silicone from turning black in the first place?
Yes, there is. Just follow these simple steps and you will save yourself a lot of work.
Wipe off any soap scum or residue from the silicone around the bath.
Dry the shower area – if you dry up any wet silicone this will prevent anything growing on the silicone. Warm and damp are best for growing mould so bathrooms and kitchens are great for this. Just keeping the area dry will significantly slow down the growth.
Occasionally spray with a bleach cleaner if you see it is beginning to discolour or go black.
If your bathroom has a window or a fan make sure you use them to provide good ventilation. A lack of ventilation can be a cause of black silicone. I have vents on the bathroom window and make sure I have them open. If you have a fan make sure it is on, this will help a lot with keeping the bathroom dry.
If you follow these simple steps your silicone will last for years. I have been back to jobs the people who look after the silicone still have white silicone. The people who don’t keep the silicone soap-free and dry have black mould on the silicone within months. I always use the same brand of silicon so the difference really is down to care
It can be a real shame to go back to a bathroom that we fitted and see its rapid deterioration just because the seal has not been kept dry.
Choice of silicone.
There is a wide range of silicones available. Over the years I have used different types from £4 to £10 per tube and more. You may think that the more you pay the better the silicone will be at sealing but that is not necessarily the case. I have used various types and found that some of the cheap ones are rubbish and so are some of the expensive ones. I use a type of silicone that gives consistent results.
A few years back I started using silicone at £7 per tube (that was more than double the price of cheaper silicones at the time) and under a trusted brand it was absolute rubbish and had to go back over the jobs I used it on to replace with a tried and trusted silicone. The silicone was literally peeling off the surface so the good thing was it was easy to replace.
I have used this No-Nonsense Sanitary Sealant (https://amzn.to/2w1ATpQ) for some time and it works, gives a good seal, is very strong, is mould resistant and will last for many years if looked after. Mine is now six years old and still white.
