We all need Nigella’s magic gloves
as kItCHEn utensils go, they’re not the typical tools of a domestic goddess. But nigella lawson has revealed her secret weapon for fuss-free food preparation: a pair of white latex gloves.
she donned the surgical gloves twice in last week’s episode of her cookery series, simply nigella, while preparing a dish of Asian-flavoured ribs with chilli.
Explaining her choice, she wrote in an earlier recipe book: ‘I like to keep a packet of disposable gloves — referred to as CsI gloves [after the tV series Crime scene Investigation] — by my washing up.
‘You can wear these before prodding hot joints of meat or dismembering roast chicken…
‘ I also wear them for peeling blanched tomatoes. And they’re a must for beetroot preparation.’
they’re cheap, too, with a pack of 100 costing as little as £2. But nigella has been criticised for her advice, with one expert warning that the gloves could make food ‘slippery’ and difficult to cut.
Fans, however, insist there is nothing wrong with being forensic in the kitchen — and insist gloves can be used for more than just cooking.
From tidying up pet hair to keeping skin soft, here’s why latex gloves are a surprising household essential…
PERFECT FOR PET HAIR
CAt and dog-owners know the endless struggle of cleaning hair and fur from upholstery.
using your fingers to pick up hair can be time-consuming, while not all vacuum cleaners are powerful enough to suck up stubborn strands. this is where latex gloves come in.
‘Just put on a glove and swipe it over the area where the hair has fallen,’ says Alex Depledge, founder of london-based agency Hassle.com.
‘It’s like a lint roller. the textured palm gathers the hair up easily.’
It works because rubbing latex over any fabric creates static electricity, which is an excess negative charge on the surface of the gloves.
this causes the hairs to transfer from the uncharged fabric to the charged gloves, and they will stick to the latex until they’re wiped off. It works just as well on clothes.
DEAL WITH DUST
ExpErts say there’s only one implement you need to keep your house spick and span.
‘put on a pair of latex gloves, spray a little anti- bacterial polish or furniture spray over them and run your hands along the top of surfaces,’ says Alex. ‘the dust will lift right off.’
Your hands act as a duster, easily accessing corners, shelves and small spaces in a way a cloth could not.
this technique is even better when applied to ornaments or crockery, which you can simply rub in your hands to clean.
WINTER WARMER
On tHEIr own, they’re hardly likely to protect you against the winter chill, but worn under a pair of ordinary gloves, latex gloves can provide unexpected winter warmth.
the latex has a dual effect. First, it traps any moisture or sweat directly on the skin, which retains heat and stimulates blood flow.
second, it creates a layer of warm air between the latex glove and the outer glove — much like a wetsuit insulates the body in cold water.
‘I have real trouble with cold hands while out riding,’ says Annette newling, a horse-riding expert from shropshire.
‘Wearing a pair of latex gloves under my normal gloves keeps my hands toastie without being too bulky.’
CLEVER COOKING
nIgEllA uses her CsI gloves for peeling and chopping tomatoes ‘ as they stop my hands from getting sore from the acid’.
As well as providing a barrier to shield skin from acidic ingredients such as chillies, raw tomatoes and onions, the gloves can also prevent the transfer of pungent odours.
garlic is the chief culprit. When sliced, specks of sulphur from the clove are transferred to your hands — and washing them only heightens the smell as the water turns the sulphur to sulphuric acid.
latex gloves are non-porous so no garlic can reach your skin. And their powdery aroma helps to neutralise the bitter sulphur. nigella mentions beetroot, too, which contains a dye called betanin, causing the hands to turn purple when touched. latex gloves prevent the transfer of food dyes, such as the orange pigment in the spice turmeric. When handling raw meat or eggs, they can also protect the skin from the salmonella germ.
OPEN JAMMED JARS
WHEN a lid is stuck fast on a jar or bottle it can be impossible to open. But wearing a latex glove can solve the problem. the static friction created when you grasp a lid with a latex glove stops your grip from slipping.
STOP SEWING SNAGS
WHEN sewing or cleaning a delicate material such as silk or cashmere, wearing latex gloves can stop rough skin or sharp nails from snagging the fabric.
‘I also use them when sewing thicker fabrics such as denim,’ says pam Bader, director of Berkshire- based cleaning company Molly Maid.
‘the latex helps you grip the needle as you pull it through the fabric. trust me, your fingers will thank you for it.’
GARDEN GENIUS
HOrtICulturIsts swear by latex gloves as an alternative to traditional gardening versions, as they’re defter for pruning and planting than traditional thick fabric gloves.
‘For fine, delicate work, gloves can be a nuisance,’ says gardening expert Jean Vernon. ‘thinner materials make betterfitting gloves and can be grippy, but soft, smooth and durable.’
non-porous latex also helps protect the skin when working with fertilisers or irritants.
SUPERSOFT HANDS
skInCArE experts say wearing thin gloves can have a miraculous effect on dry skin.
simply moisturise your hands as usual then slip a pair of latex gloves over the top. keep them on overnight to soften the skin on your hands.
the tight layer of material traps the moisturiser, preventing it from evaporating or rubbing off, and helps it absorb more fully into the skin.