Let's hope the summer sun is here to stay so I want to share a few tips so you can take advantage of the warm weather. This week I'll tell you about the perils of sunshine, how to rescue your BBQ and how to deal with unwanted guests at a party.
I know many of you use the warm weather to hang your washing outdoors and get it dried in record time. If you are, make sure to keep the whites away from direct sunlight and take them inside as soon as they are dry. If you don't, chances are your lovely crisp white cotton blouse will lose its pristine sparkle and turn a nasty shade of yellow. This happens because when it's exposed to direct sunlight for a long time the UV from the sunlight begins to degrade the brightener that's in the fabric. If your whites have turned a bit yellow after a stint in the sun rewash the article in soap powder that has optical brighteners or brightening agents (Ariel is good) within a full load at the hottest temperature you can (check the care instructions on the label)
Since I'm on the topic of washing I should answer the question I get almost every single week, 'Why does my washing machine stink, even though I leave the door open?'. The reason is because we're all washing too often at low temperatures or using the quick cycle every time.
Now don't get me wrong - I'm all for saving the planet, but the bacteria which produce gases that give off a bad smell, will survive a 30 degree wash. When the water drains away after the 30 degree cycle the bacteria are left behind to build up and grow in number inside the machine. The nasty niffs get worse and eventually black mould will appear on the seal.
So what's the answer? You need to do a 'maintenance wash': throw a cup of clear vinegar into the empty drum of the machine and run it on the hottest wash cycle. Thereafter, make sure you do a 60 degree wash once a week or so, particularly for towels and cotton sheets. Sweet smells and mould-free machine will be guaranteed from now on!
Heading back outdoors, I'm sure most of you have unearthed the barbecue from the back of the shed still loaded with last summer's burnt-on grease (tut!). But don't just chuck it out - the waste! All you need to do is get a good length of aluminium foil, scrunch it up and rub backwards and forwards over the grill, then rinse. The foil is amazingly tough on the built-up grot and you'll have your rack shining again in no time at all!
Aside from food poisoning at a BBQ (my tips can't help with that one!) the other thing guaranteed to dampen festivities are unwanted six legged visitors. Ants are at their peak right now, constantly on the lookout for sweet things to take back to the nest to feed the queen and all the babies. Don't be disgusted as they won't spread disease, but I know they're annoying nonetheless. If you want to evict them, the easiest, surefire way is to find the source (look for small piles of earth pellets or check out the ants' route) and pour some boiling water around this area. Follow up with a few puffs from an insecticidal powder (check that it treats ants). If you have a heart and don't want to commit murder, a kinder way of dealing with them is to put a sprinkling of cayenne, scented talc or peppermint oil along the skirting boards near the outside door...and hope they'll visit the neighbours instead!