How to freshen up straw hats, drab appliances and stained pillows
Our kitchen has just been painted and now the appliances are looking a bit drab. What is the best way to clean them, apart from wiping down with a damp cloth? — LM, Gqeberha.
Appliances do tend to take on a dreary look, mainly because the atmosphere in the kitchen is conducive to a build-up of grime.
Methylated spirits is an effective degreaser, and cleaning around knobs and the grooves of your stove, glass surfaces and appliances with meths can make the world of difference.
The best way to do this is to use a kebab stick wrapped in a piece of paper towel soaked in meths.
Run this along the grooves of the stove, the sink, washing machine and fridge doors.
Once you start looking you will see how many dark lines of grime there are in places like this, and once you have cleaned them out you will be surprised at how much brighter everything looks.
There are wonderful allpurpose cleaners if there are really grimy areas, particularly on the stove.
When your kitchen is bright and shiny, it will be much easier to maintain its appearance with regular attention.
My bathroom shower drain is not flowing well. Is there a way of loosening it up without going to a lot of expense? — JJ, Gqeberha
Pour half a cup of white spirit vinegar down the plughole, immediately followed by a heaped teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, which bubbles and foams up.
Place a small bowl over the outlet to act as a seal (or put in the plug for other drains) and leave for five to 10 minutes.
Then flush with a kettle full of boiling water.
A highly recommend a product for blocked drains is called Block Buster, obtainable at hardware stores.
My pillows have yellow perspiration stains and I would like to know if you have any methods I could use to wash them at home. They are filled with microfibre and the instructions say they can be handwashed at 40°C but I was wondering if they could be put in the washing machine as I do not have a bath, only a shower. — BR, Gqeberha.
Presumably you use pillow cases, which should be washed separately. First, give them a pre-wash.
Treat the affected areas with benzine.
Soak for 10 minutes or so, and then place the pillow cases directly into a strong solution of cold water and one of the new high-powered, stain-removing detergents.
Leave for an hour, or overnight, before laundering in the usual way.
You can wash the pillows in the machine, at a low temperature, but don’t allow them to go through the spin cycle.
Be sparing with the detergent — use about one tablespoon of liquid soap.
Hang out to dry on the line, turning them occasionally. Preferably wash on a hot, sunny day.
I have an old fridge which is working well, but the rubber sealing around the door is getting a bit brittle. Is there a way of softening it? — JN, East London.
I have previously recommended Vaseline. Then “PD” of Sedgefield came up with a tried and tested method. She uses glycerine, which she rubs into the seal every time she cleans the fridge.
However, if the seal has got so brittle that it is not doing its job of keeping the cold in and warm air out, it should be replaced. There are several refrigerator companies listed in the Yellow Pages.
How should I clean my white straw hat? — GT, Gqeberha. Make a soapy solution, brush where necessary and sponge the rest of the hat. Dissolve one tablespoon of oxalic acid in a cup of boiling water and sponge. Dry in the sun.