TV presenter teams up with Smart Energy GB to debunk popular myths as survey shows nearly half of Brits question whether their household habits actually work
Millions of Brits are clinging to household ‘tricks’ they’re not even convinced actually work. A study of 2,000 adults found that nearly half doubt whether their routines genuinely do the trick, yet persist with them anyway. These include watering the grass at night, using vinegar as a universal cleaner, and placing conkers on windowsills to spook spiders.
The research also exposed widespread bewilderment surrounding energy-saving ‘tricks’. It revealed that families are convinced consuming electricity during the night is universally cheaper. In addition, many people believe maintaining heating on a constant low setting cuts costs, and coating radiators black enhances energy efficiency – all despite not knowing if they actually work.
Nick clears the air on some of the most common ‘household hacks’(Image: PinPep)
Television personality Nick Knowles has joined forces with Smart Energy GB to debunk some of these misconceptions. He said: “For a long time, I believed that lemon juice cleans everything, and that I’d definitely catch a cold if I went outside with wet hair.
“At the time you take it as gospel, but later on you realise some of it may not actually be true. The same goes for energy – lots of people think it’s cheaper to run the washing machine or charge the car at night, and this can be true, but you actually need to sign up to a specific tariff or scheme to be rewarded for using electricity flexibly.”
He said the good news is that more of these flexible tariffs and schemes are becoming available, meaning households with a smart meter can be rewarded for being flexible with their electricity.
The research went on to find 44% like to experiment with the way they do things around the home and 53% of those do this because they are looking for ways to save time.
He said the good news is that more of these flexible tariffs and schemes are becoming available, meaning households with a smart meter can be rewarded for being flexible with their electricity.
The research went on to find 44% like to experiment with the way they do things around the home and 53% of those do this because they are looking for ways to save time.
The presenter says smart meters can help reward people for their flexibility (Image: PinPep)
For half of adults, the most popular way to get everyday household advice is from friends or family. And 40% say most of the tips they follow have been handed down through generations of relatives.
Social media and news articles are also popular sources of information. While two thirds (66%) make sure to double check what they’ve been told to make sure it’s accurate, according to the stats by OnePoll.
Around the same amount (67%) said they are always on the lookout for ways to save energy in their home, and 41% said they’ve changed their energy habits based on something they saw online.
A spokesperson from Smart Energy GB said: “Smart meters enable you to access schemes that reward you for being more flexible with your energy usage, which you can’t access with a traditional meter.
“That can be especially helpful at this time of year when we’re spending a lot more on heating, hot water and lighting.
“It’s great to see millions of smart meter owners are benefiting and saving money on their bills.”
TOP 30 HOUSEHOLD BRITS DO, BUT ARE UNSURE IF THEY WORK:
- The best time to water the grass is in the evening
- You should always scrub stains immediately
- Turning off Wi-Fi at night saves electricity
- Leaving the heating on low all the time is more efficient
- You can use bleach on mould
- Vinegar cleans absolutely everything
- Wooden chopping boards are unhygienic
- You should always rinse dishes before the dishwasher
- You should always warm up your car for a few minutes before driving it
- You can’t dry clothes indoors without causing dampness in the room
- Conkers on your windowsill will keep away spiders
- Cheese is the best bait for mousetraps
- You should always keep the oven door closed after cooking
- You can use lemon juice to clean everything
- Bleach cleans everything
- You can’t save energy without sacrificing comfort
- Solar panels don’t work in cloudy weather
- More detergent means cleaner clothes
- It’s automatically cheaper for everyone to use electricity at night
- You should always keep windows closed in winter
- You only need to change bedding once a month
- You should always keep curtains open for warmth
- Setting the thermostat higher will heat your home quicker
- You can’t use smart plugs with older appliances
- You can use washing-up liquid in the dishwasher
- You should always soak pans overnight
- The tumble dryer kills germs
- Coffee grounds can unclog drains
- You should always wash clothes at 60°C
- Painting a radiator black will make it more efficient
