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Household Hints and Tips 

Removing red wine stains.
Did you know, that you can remove red wine stains with soda water?
My daughter had tried unsuccessfully to wash red wine out of her favorite pale blue cashmere jumper.
Even a week later I was still able to remove the red wine stain by gently squeezing it in just  good club soda water. It looked like new.

Removing candle wax from carpet or tablecloth.
You need a hot iron and blotting paper.
Scrape as much wax off as possible.
Place the blotting paper on top of the hardened wax and place the hot iron on top of it. Move the blotting paper around to absorb the melting wax.
Carry on until it all has been removed, but being careful not to scorch the fabric underneath.

Removing chewing gum.
Put ice cubes into a plastic bag, place on top the chewing gum to harden it and slowly scrape the gum off.

Removing tar.
Soften the tar with turpentine or unsalted butter, then treat afterwards with petrol and wash the usual way.
It will take a few washes to completely come out.

Removing rust.
Rub into fabric lemon juice, sprinkle salt on top and leave to rest for at least  an hour. Rinse and wash in the normal way. Or leave soaking for a while in a solution of  water and glycerin.

Removing coffee stains.
Dab the stain with glycerin, then rinse in cold water. Wash the normal way.

Removing soot from carpet.
Using the nozzle  attachment .of  the vacuum cleaner clean most of it up.
Try not to rub the soot  into the carpet. Then sprinkle talcum powder over it and  brush in. Vacuum as normal.

Removing  ketchup from carpet.
Carefully remove excess from carpet, then rub glycerin into the stain. Sponge with warm water trying not to wet the carpet to much.

Removing blueberry stains.
Soak the fabric for long time in sour milk rinse and wash warm as normal.

Removing  raspberry and redcurrant stains.
Dab the stain with lemon juice, rinse in  warm water. Wash in normal way.

House smells of cooking, dog, etc.
Next time you vacuum, add a cotton wool ball soaked with a few drops of aromatherapy oil, like geranium or lavender into your vacuum cleaner bag. The smell will be gone and a beautiful scent has been added.

Window, mirror and glass cleaning.
Have no leather or window cloth to add shine?
Wash windows or mirror with warm water and a drop of  vinegar.  Wipe with crunched up newspaper until dry and shiny. They will sparkle like new.

15 minutes to make home sparkle.
Use the cheater guide: Polish with beeswax 1 or 2 pieces of furniture and bring to a shine, tidy as much away as possible, plump your cushions up, flick your duster around. The smell of the beeswax make your visitors believe that you have been cleaning all day.

Ice and lemon supplied in one go.  
Slice unwaxed lemons thinly and cut into quarters, put in ice trays with little water. Ice and lemon supplied in one go.  Brenda

Scratches on dark wood furniture.
Make a paste from instant coffee and water.
Rub into the scratches, then wipe off excess with a clean cloth. 

Lily Pollen stains.
Gently dab a cello tape onto the stain.
The pollen will stick to the tape.
Do not rub.

Clogged Sprinkler.
Sprinkler heads get clogged frequently with bugs, usually earwigs (in California).  
To stop this, use pantyhose, cut off a piece large enough to be able to cover the antisiphon valve (the part that unscrews that has the rubber stop in it), tie it with a rubber band or piece of string, and voila no more clogs.  Bugs get in through this valve because it is open at the bottom to allow air to get in, not through the sprinkler head.  
From Chuck Seymour
Vett62@aol.com

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Natural Beauty and Health 
Hints and Tips

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Hair care
Adding a red tone to your hair.
Boil some onion skins (ordinary brown onions) in water, strain when cool.  Add to final rinse, leave hair in the solution for a few moments and dry as normal.
The result will not be instant, but should show after using it  2 or 3 times.

Shiny hair
When washing hair add to  final rinse 1 or 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Dry in normal way.

Want to keep hair blond 
Brew 2 bags or 2 tablespoons of chamomile tea, strain and add it to your final rinse. Result will not be instant, but after a few weeks you will notice some difference.

Want to make hair go blond
Squeeze 1 lemon and brush juice into hair and let dry in sun. You can do streaks and give it the sun kissed look.  Do not do it to often or hair will become too dry.

Hair tonic
Take 1 lb of stinging nettles and bring to boil in 1 pint of water. Leave to cool, strain. Rub it gently into scalp and shampoo as usual. It  prevents dandruff and also hair loss. 

Give hair body and shine:
Before final rinse, pour beer over hair, massage well in and give a final rinse.

Skincare

Clear skin
Always drink plenty of  water, at least 2 liters a day.

Skin toner
Instead of buying expensive skin toner, use Witch hazel. Leaves skin refreshed without stinging.

Facemask for clear skin
Take fresh baking yeast and mix with warm milk into a thick paste. Apply to face and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, than splash with cold. Will leave skin very soft and helps to control spots

First Aid

Burns:
No cream for burns in your First Aid box. 
Try covering your burn with tooth paste. 
Burns pain can be relieved first by putting the burn straight under cold running water, then covering it with the tooth paste. 
Relieve will be instant.

Health

Headache:
To cure a headache drink a small cup of black coffee mixed with the juice of half a lemon.
It taste awful, but it does the trick.

Headache:
Chew a few leaves of the plant feverfew.
The Victorian did swear by it.

Coughs and Colds:
Take 1 tsp turmeric powder and mix it in lukewarm milk, add sugar if needed and take it before bedtime. It gives you good sleep and the cough goes miles
away.
Deepti Kumar
n_deepti@emirates.net.ae

Cough: 
Cannot get rid of a bad cough?
Drink freshly made Kohlrabi juice 
2-3 times a day.
Works a treat.

Kohlrabi

Cough Mixture:
Cut up an onion into 4 chunks and place in a cup.
Sprinkle over it a spoonful of sugar or honey, cover with cling film or saucer.
Leave overnight when the juices will have run into the cup.
Take this and feel your cough improve.
Children will love this Cough Mixture

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