Household Hints
THOSE OLD WIVES' TALES AND BELOW-STAIRS TRICKS WHICH DO WORK, EVEN TODAY!
We all know them – those old wives' tales which sound completely off-the-wall but actually do work. The trick is knowing which ones to rely upon and which to give a well-deserved thumbs-down. Even in this age of convenience where machines can do (almost!) anything about the house, there are still household tasks where elbow grease and some below-stairs secrets from an age with little man-made help, produce the best results. Let's demystify those myths with what really does work... RED WINE Everyone knows the best way to deal with a red wine stain is to soak it with white wine – right? Well, no actually; vodka or gin are far more effective! Why? Pigments known as anthocyanins give red wine its colour; these dissolve in alcohol and the white wine will absorb them. However, the purer spirits at around 40% proof will absorb more, at a faster rate, and are therefore more likely to remove the stain completely. Once the stain is thoroughly soaked and you can see the 'magic' working, pat up the excess moisture with paper towels or cloths – making
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sure they have no colouring which can leech out. AIR PURIFIERS The Victorians filled their homes with potted plants – with good reason. Back then, wallpapers, paint, the cleaning materials they had, often contained lead, arsenic, and a range of other 'nasties'. Those days may be long gone but even now our homes could be harbouring a variety of unhealthy toxins
(chemical
compounds found in emissions from paint, plastics, carpets, cleaning solutions, even building materials) and, as they are invisible, we may not even know they are there, doing us harm. Research shows air inside our homes can be the most polluted we breathe! Three of the worst offenders are formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene so why not use nature to help keep your home as 'clean' as possible with some really powerful air purifying plants? Amongst the varieties which naturally remove pollutants from the air are:- Peace Lilies; Dracaena; Chrysanthemum; Bamboo Palm; Golden Pothos; Areca Palm; Chinese Evergreen; Ficus Elastica; or Hedera Helix. With such wealth from which to choose, you are certain to find something easy on the eye and good for your lungs – for maximum air quality, create groupings of several plants rather than scatter them individually – but if you have pets, do remember to check which could be harmful if ingested.
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