handy hints for clothing

Clothing




Soak stiff starchy new cottons in a solution of 1/2 cup milk to 7 water. Soak for at least 1 or 2 hours. Wash off with regular detergents. This will soften the cloth removing undesired stiffness of the starch.

Remove coffee stains from fabrics, sponge stained area with borax solution, And wash off with warm soap suds. If stain is old and dried, loosen first with Glycerine solution.

Remove grease stains: Put a few drops of methylated spirit on cottonwool and rub stain. If fresh, keep stained portion between layers of blotting paper, and rub gentlyl with hot iron, so it absorbs the grease. Then wash with warm soapy water.

Remove lipstick stains from fabrics, by first rubbing with Vaseline. Then sponge with soap suds and wash with warm water.

Try removing ball pen ink stains with nailpolish remover. Dab over it and rub gently with cotton Soaked in remover. Wash after drying, with mild detergent.

Rub tomato juice on moistened stain on fabric or garment. The stain will eventually disappear. Then wash with soap suds as usual. Hang out to dry.

Rub tomato juice on moistened stain on fabric or garment. The stain will eventually disappear. Then wash with soap suds as usual. Hang out to dry.

Boil clothes soiled in holi colour in water (1/2 cup sugar added to a bucketful water), for a few minutes. Allow to cool, add detergent, continue as for normal wash.

While washing fine and expensive china, place a towel at the bottom of the sink to act as a cushion. This will prevent the many chippings and cracks caused while washing.

Place empty wrappers of fragrant toilet soaps in wardrobe corners to spread a cool aromatic feeling in the closet and the clothes.

To remove lint from coats, trousers, etc. Take strips of wide white medical sticking tape. Place over lint-covered area sticky side down, press evenly. Peel off with a jerk. The lint will stick to the adhesive. Repeat several time with the same tape in other areas, till stickiness is not left.

Rub soap cake over food stains on fabric. Dry in sun for 2-3 hours. Wash with regular detergent and see the stain clear or lighten to almost invisible.

To remove grease stains from fabrics. Soak stain in pure petrol. Allow to dry. Wash with soap and water as usual. Do not soak in soap.

Use starch water from rice to give a light starch to your cotton or silk scarves, dupattas, or sarees. Dilute before using.

Rinse white clothes in water to which some alum powder is added, for better whites.

Black and blue cloured clothes which have faded, look new if dipped in concentrated aquamarine blue solution.

Bring the shine back on jari work of a saree by rubbing alum powder on the work with a small soft brush. Dust off and wipe.

Handy Hints
Buying Beans
Buy beans that are firm, clean, whole and uniform in colour and size.

Washing & Sorting
Before soaking or cooking any peas, beans or lentils it is important to sort through them to remove any broken, discoloured or damaged legumes. After sorting, rinse them thoroughly in cold water.

Boiling
Do not hard boil the whole cooking time as this will tend to overcook the legumes and split the skins, reducing them to a mush. Taste test often to check for desired tenderness. To help prevent the water boiling over add a tablespoon of oil to the cooking water.

Adding Acid Ingredients
If your recipe requires acid ingredients (e.g. tomatoes, lemon) wait until the legumes are nearly cooked as the acids will slow down the cooking time and harden the skin.

Storage
Always store beans, peas & lentils in a cool, dry place.

More Household Hints! Handy Household Hints!

More Household Hints! Handy Household Hints!


Have a squeaky door hinge?
Get a can of lubricating oil and some paper and cloth. Hold the paper or cloth near the squeaky hinge.. Put a few drops of oil at the top of the hinge and let the oil run in and down by moving the hinge back and forth. Wipe off the excess oil! No more squeaks.

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Have Wooden Floors?
Tired of your rocking chair making marks on those shiny floors?
Glue some felt weather stripping underneath the rockers!
Should stop some of the creaking, too!


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Do you have an old piano bench but no piano?
You can make a lovely coffee table. Remove the sea and fill in the
hinge marks with plastic wood. Now, you can fill this with anything you like-a collection of paperweights, small dolls, whatever. Cover with a glass top, cut to fit the dimensions of the bench.



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Have Grease Stains on your wallpaper?
Try mixing corn starch and water and make into a paste. Rub on with a soft, clean cloth.
Test this in an inconspicuous area first.

Foggy Windshield
Don't you hate having a foggy windshield? Go to your stationery store and buy a chalkboard eraser. Keep the eraser in your glove compartment of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser!
Works better than a cloth!


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Have grease stains on your carpet?
Shake some cornstarch over the grease stain and let set there overnight or at least 8 hours. Vacuum.

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Cleaning Woodwork
Did you know that cold tea will clean woodwork? Give it a try!


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Wallpaper
If you need to make a patch for your wallpaper, never cut out a piece.
Always use a piece that you have torn by hand and be sure to tear toward the wrong side of the wallpaper. This will make the patch nearly invisible.


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Kitchen uses for Baking Soda:



Did you burn your favorite pan? Put 1/2 cup of baking soda in the pan and fill it 1/2 full with water. Set the pan on the stove, and let boil, till the burnt particles float to the top! That's what I call a self cleaning pan! :)

Do you have coffee, tea or cigarette burns on your china and ceramic ware? Just rub the stained sections with a damp cloth that has been dipped in baking soda!

Have stuck food on your casserole dishes? Fill with boiling water and add 3 tablespoons
of baking soda or salt and let sit for an hour.

Have a drain in your sink that is clogged? Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda over the drain, and then pour a cup of vinegar over it. Let set for a minute till it foams, then run your hot water or pour boiling water down the drain! You may need to repeat the process. Works in most simple clogs.



Have silver? Polish it to a shine with a soft cloth and some dampened baking soda placed on the cloth.

Counters or stove have stuck on grease splatters or dried food? Sprinkle baking soda on the areas, and then rub with a wet sponge. Rinse with clean sponge. I find this also works for a countertop that has grape juice or other fruit stains, too! Like before, you sometimes need to do two applications



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Life span of Household Appliances



The average life span for household appliances:



Central Air Conditioner 15 Years

Room Air Conditioner 12 years

Clothes Dryer 18 years

Washing Machine 13 years

Dishwasher 12 years

Refrigerator 20 years

Upright Freezer 20 years



Kitchen Stove 18 Y ears

Water Heater 13 years




Here are 3 methods for you to try to remove the odors:

1. You can try freezing the empty containers.

2. You can set the containers in the sun for several hours.

3. You can put a piece of lemon in the container and put the top on.
This method might take a few days.

STAIN REMOVAL

A slice of cut lemon rubbed immediately over a paan stain, and then washed, will leave the fabric free of all traces of the stain.

Heat used lemon peels in heavy iron skillets with some water and salt. Cover and allow to stand for an hour, before scouring gently with a soft steel scrubber and some dishwashing soap. The skillet will come out very clean.

Remove coffee stains from fabrics, sponge stained area with borax solution, and wash off with warm soapsuds. If stain is old and dried, loosen first with glycerin solution.

Remove grease stains. Put a few drops of methylated spirit on cotton wool and rub stain. If fresh, keep stained portion between layers of blotting paper, and rub gently with hot iron, so it absorbs the grease. Then wash with warm soapy water.

Rub slices of fresh cut raw potato over mud stains, allow to dry, then wash with detergent to remove effectively.

Try removing ball pen ink stains with nail polish remover. Dab over it and rub gently with cotton soaked in remover. Wash after drying, with mild detergent.

Use a dishcloth, which has been wetted with rubbing alcohol, to rub away stains caused by water in stainless steel sinks.

Rub cigarette ash (that doesn't t mean YOU should smoke!!) over crayon stains on smooth surfaces. Wipe off the ash and the stain with it.

To remove lint from coats, trousers, etc. Take strips of wide white medical sticking tape. Place over lint-covered area sticky side down, press evenly. Peel off with a jerk. The lint will stick to the adhesive. Repeat several times with the same tape in other areas, till stickiness is not left.

To remove grease stains from fabrics. Soak stain in pure petrol. Allow to dry. Wash with soap and water as usual. Do not soak in soap.

To remove mud stains from clothes, soak and wash them in water collected after boiling potatoes.

To remove the stains of citrus fruit juices, especially of lemons from the floor, smear the stain with coconut oil and rub well. The stain will vanish within a few days.

Dirty collars - Brush shampoo into a dirty shirt-collar before running it through the washing machine. Well worth the extra effort.

Rain spots on satin, felt or similar fabrics will disappear if you brush them in a circular motion, using a soft ball of tissue paper.

Rub powdered borax on fruit stains, and then pour boiling water through the fabric before washing it.

Remove yellow food stains from tablemats, etc. by applying a paste of detergent and water to the stained areas and keep in the sun for an hour. Wash like your other laundry.

Mix spirit and milk in equal quantities, and wipe paint or ball pen stains from foam leather, like sofas, purses, etc. with ease.

Apply toothpaste on both sides of an ink-stain on cloth. Wash after dry.

Add a little alum to the last rinse water for cleaner, whiter white clothes.

handy tips for cleaning

Cleaning



Add lemon peel to a jar of castor sugar and close lid tightly. The sugar will have a beautiful mild lemony taste and smell to be used in pastries, cakes, puddings, etc.

To clean a pan or any other nonstick pan easily, without scraping, dump a few onion peels in it, add 1 tsp. vinegar, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover and leave aside for 10 minutes, wash pan all over with this liquid, then wash with a mild detergent and sponge. Wipe clean and dry.

Wash ring bag, with contents intact, under running water to clean out completely. Then add it to your hot tub and bubble bath, run in contents in water, using sachet as a scrubber and letting lemony flavors into you bath water for invigorating and fresh feeling.

Always rinse containers in which sauces have been made, with some vinegar and hot water, to alleviate the sauce odours before using for another dish.

Always strain sugar or jaggery syrups before adding to sweets, so as to remove the muddy grains.

Use a soft nylon cloth to wipe away dirt stains from walls, painted furniture, electronic gadgets like TV sets, computers, etc. Take care to keep the cloth slightly moist.

Use old shaving brushes to clean insides of ovens, toaster, etc. to reach the difficult corners, crevices, etc.

Rinse glassware in a solution of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water after washing with soap. This will make the glassware gleam and clean.

Do not throw away the solid residue left after pressing out water from soaked tamarind. Mix in some salt and use to scrub copper and brassware to bring a shine. Follow with a normal soap wash.

Clean stains from electronic items like TVs, computers, etc. with some cotton doused in spirit. Follow with a soft clean moist cloth, and finally a dry flannel cloth.

Rub mirrors with first wet and then dry newspaper. Crush into a loose ball and rub vigorously. The mirror will sparkle without leaving any wipe lines.

Always hold fresh vegetables under running water for a minute. After boiling and draining, to enhance their colour, eg. carrots, greens, peas, etc. Hold in a colander or strainer so that the water passes through.

Clean unreachable places and crevices in ovens and waffle trays etc. by using old toothbrushes dipped in soda bi-carb. Then wipe clean with a soft cloth.

Make a concentrated solution of bleaching powder and water. Apply on stained surfaces and washbasins in a bathroom (tiles, etc., not metallic), leave overnight. Wash clean with water next day. Will keep the bathroom sparkling.

How to cut some of the fat out of your frying.
For foods like gujias, samosas or puris, that are made of or have an outer covering/wrap of flour-dough and need deep-frying, prepare in advance and chill them in the refrigerator. This way when you do fry them they will consume less oil and therefore have a lower fat content!


Onions:
Chopped fine, sliced thin or ground to a paste, onions form the base of gravies, a complement to veggies or an important ingredient in salads. Chop, slice and grind them and freeze in labelled freezer bags.
That way when a recipe calls for onions you have them quickly at hand fat content!Get well browned onions quickly.


Most Indian recipes call for onions that need to be sautéd till light brown. To get this done quickly, just sprinkle a good pinch of salt on the onions (salt quantity for approximately 1 large onion) while browning and they will get done sooner. It is a good idea to brown onions in advance and store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator to save time while cooking.