Copyright

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2019

Copyright © Aggie MacKenzie and Emma Marsden 2019

Aggie MacKenzie and Emma Marsden asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © December 2018 ISBN: 9780008310585

To my gorgeous sons Rory and Ewan for their enduring patience, boundless creativity and sharing their brilliant recipe ideas with me.

— Aggie

Thanks to my mum for my culinary drive, to Kev for always tasting everything I’ve made (no matter what time of day) and to the rest of my family for their support.

— Emma

CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

INTRODUCTION

THE HISTORY OF VINEGAR

TYPES OF VINEGAR

Which Vinegar When?

CLEANING TIPS

Kitchen

Bathroom

Laundry

Living Room

Other Ingenious Uses

HEALTH AND BEAUTY TIPS

Silky Skin Solutions

Treatments for Healthy-looking Hair

Pamper Feet and Hands

Tips and Tricks for Make-up Accessories

Soothing Cold Treatments

Ease Aches and Pains

Nasty Infections

Healthy From Inside Out

Give Your Body a Boost

And That’s Not All…

RECIPES

QUICK AND LIGHT MEALS

Use Vinegar to Poach Eggs

Rich Pickings From the Vegetable Drawer

Spiced Chickpeas for Fish, Chicken, Salad, Yogurt or Hummus

Hot Smoky Chicken for a Bun

One-pan Peanut Butter Noodles

Make the Most of Wizened Veg

MAINS

Friday Night Steak and Sides  Two Ways

Special Slow-roasted Tomatoes

Braised Lamb With Rosemary and Red Wine

Five-hour Pulled Pork

Pork Vindaloo

Cheat’s Chicken Tikka

Duck With Walnuts

Three Ways With Raspberry Vinegar

Red Pepper, Chickpea and Harissa Dressing for Pan-fried Hake

Mullet Escabeche

Stuffed Courgettes  Asian-style

SALADS

3 Classic (Ish) Salads and Their Dressings

A Simple Couscous Salad

Red Wine Vinegar Adds Zing to an Italian Salad

Making the Most of Preserved Tuna

DIPS AND SAUCES

Quick Dill Sauce for Smoked Fish

Homemade Hoisin-style Sauce

A Softer-tasting Aioli for Pan-fried Fish

One-minute Dips for Chips

A Canny Tip to Stretch an Avocado to Feed a Few More

Dipping Sauce for Spring Rolls and Dumplings

Classic Dressing for Oysters

SNACKS AND NIBBLES

Drinks Nibbles

Hot Salt and Vinegar Crisps

Cumin-spiced Nuts

Chilli-spiced Olives

The Beauty of Balsamic

Mushroom Toast Topper

Sherry Vinegar Mushrooms

DESSERTS

Sweet Raspberry Vinegar for Ice Cream and Drinks

Bring Out the Sweetness in Strawberries

Peaches With Verjus and Rosemary

Chocolate Sharing Mousse With Blueberries and Pecans

Golden Pavlova

BREAD AND BAKING

Chilli and Thyme Cornbread

Courgette and Carrot Loaf

Seeded Soda Bread

PICKLES AND PRESERVES

Red, White and Green Piccalilli

Pickled Pears With Star Anise and Ginger

Spiced Plums With Cinnamon, Juniper and Black Pepper

Super-quick Bowl of Chutney

About the Publisher

INTRODUCTION

Vinegar first came into my working life while I was at Good Housekeeping magazine in the early 1990s. I was director of the Institute and in this role I oversaw both the consumer testing and cookery departments. Each year, the January issue of the magazine carried a ‘Stains Special’… and vinegar always featured prominently.

When, in 2002, I was asked to do a screen test for a new television programme about cleaning, I drew on my GH experience and rattled off a list of all the kooky remedies I had picked up over the years, and again vinegar enjoyed multiple name-checks.

I passed the screen test, got the TV gig and co-presented How Clean is Your House? on Channel 4 from 2003 to 2009. My co-presenter and I generally used old-fashioned, inexpensive and homespun remedies for clean-ups – and very soon vinegar became the star of the show.

I am currently, about once a month, the ‘Midnight Expert’ guest on the BBC Radio 5 Live Phil Williams show. People call in and text between midnight and 1am with their cleaning quandaries – it’s strange but true, there is never any shortage of queries, even at that late hour. So often have I named vinegar as the solution to removing a stain that Phil, a good while back, instigated ‘Aggie’s Vinegar Bingo’, in which a big shout-out goes to the caller who, during the on-air hour, nails the nearest time to the V-word first getting a mention. Who knew vinegar could create so much buzz?

Vinegar is said to have been discovered by accident around 10,000 years ago, and it can be made from almost any fermentable item – such as wine, apples, pears, grapes, berries, beer and potatoes.

For over 2000 years, vinegar has been used to flavour and preserve foods, heal wounds and fight infections – as well as clean surfaces. There is some evidence that vinegar added to one’s diet will reduce the glucose response to a carbohydrate load both in healthy adults and in sufferers of diabetes. It has also been suggested that drinking a little vinegar each day is useful as a dietary aid because it imparts a feeling of fullness. Since I began working on this book I have been drinking two tablespoons of organic cider vinegar with a tiny squeeze of honey every morning. Who knows whether it’s doing me any good, but I am sure it won’t be doing me much harm either.

Both my sons are chefs in leading London restaurants and often use specialist vinegars for finishing dishes. Through them I have learned what a difference it can make and how to use it judiciously in my cooking.

It seemed natural that I should put my head together with that of my friend and former cookery editor colleague at Good Housekeeping, Emma Marsden, to come up with a book that combines my cleaning-with-vinegar expertise and her extensive culinary knowledge. Here is our – we hope – useful collection of tips, plus recipes that are, without exception, exciting, innovative and, importantly, straightforward. We hope you’ll enjoy them, together with beauty remedies and health hints – all using this humble yet important liquid in its many and various forms.

Aggie MacKenzie

THE HISTORY OF VINEGAR

The word vinegar comes from the French vin aigre, translated as sour wine, which accurately describes it. If you’ve ever left the dregs of an open bottle of wine for a few days and then attempted to drink the contents, only to be met with a sour taste, you’ve already started on the journey of vinegar-making. There are records of this magic ingredient being made as early as 5,000 BC in Babylon, and it’s thought that it was the result of a slipup while fermenting some wine. People cooking at that time experimented with this liquor, discovering that it could be used as both a condiment and ingredient.

Today it is a popular ingredient, produced commercially by either fast or slow fermentation. In fast fermentation, the liquid is oxygenated and the bacteria culture added. Slow fermentation is generally used for the production of specialised vinegars used in cooking; the culture of acetic acid bacteria grows on the surface of the liquid and fermentation evolves gradually over weeks or months and allows for the formation of a harmless slime made up of yeast and acetic acid bacteria, also known as the vinegar mother.

As history has already told, you can by all means leave a bottle of wine open – covered with a cloth that lets in air but not fruit flies – and eventually it will turn into vinegar. It may take months, though, so if you want to speed up the process and guarantee a result, here are a few pointers.

Firstly, vinegar is like sourdough and yogurt, in that it’s good to have some kind of starter to begin with. With sourdough it’s a leaven to add to flour and water; with yogurt it’s a couple of tablespoons of yogurt to add to milk that’s then heated. For vinegar, it’s some unpasteurised vinegar with the mother to start the process. These bottles are labelled clearly and you can buy them online and in supermarkets and delis.

Secondly, you need time. The mixture of wine and a vinegar mother won’t turn into vinegar overnight. You need a dark cupboard and the patience to wait for the mixture to ferment and the bacteria from the vinegar mother to turn the alcohol into acetic acid.

Thirdly, you need oxygen from the air, so use a wide-mouthed jar or ceramic pot and cover it with muslin or cheesecloth so the oxygen can get in but bugs can’t.

Whether you’re making wine or beer vinegar (see here), the basic recipe is much the same. Pour 400ml red wine or beer into a large open-mouthed jar (either ceramic or glass) then pour 200ml unpasteurised cider vinegar with the mother into the jar, too. Cover with a muslin or cheesecloth square and secure with a band. Label and store in a cool dark place for at least one month. It may take longer depending on conditions, but just keep tasting as you go. Some vinegar will naturally evaporate so, depending on how long it takes for the vinegar to brew, you’ll get around 400ml to use. You may find that a jelly-like substance forms in the liquid – don’t bin this, lift it out and transfer to another sterilised jar and use it to make another batch of vinegar with some of the unpasteurised liquor you’ve just fermented.

TYPES OF VINEGAR

With such an array of vinegars available, it can be bewildering to know which to choose – you don’t want to use an expensive sherry vinegar to clean your windows, nor might you want to add a brash distilled malt to a casserole.

The most common vinegars produced in this country are malt (the brown stuff you put on fish and chips) and distilled malt (the clear type used in cleaning and food preserving).

With wine and sherry vinegars, the quality of the base alcohol used has a direct bearing on how good the vinegar will taste. A decent wine vinegar will be aged for a number of years in wooden casks, which imbues complex and mellow tones.

Balsamic is in a class of its own: look for the terms tradizionale and DOC. Cheap versions will have been coloured and flavoured with caramel and won’t have the authentic flavour balance.

The inclusion of a good wine or sherry vinegar in a soup or stew can often reduce the amount of salt you would normally use. It can also help you cut the amount of fat required in a recipe because vinegar is a great balancer of flavours, thus lessening the need for as much cream, butter or oil. It’s worth experimenting with different types – you’ll soon find out what best suits you. As you read through the descriptions of the most popular vinegars here, we’re sure you’ll identify one or two that will match your palate and style of cooking.

WHICH VINEGAR WHEN?

BALSAMIC VINEGAR

The more you pay, the better the quality. Look for a vinegar that has been aged for several years and contains more grape must than wine vinegar – it will have a syrupy consistency and a fabulous depth of flavour. Save your posh one to use with figs and strawberries.

• • •

BEER VINEGAR

No surprises here – the base of this is beer, but it is brewed with a vinegar mother to achieve the acidity. Flavours vary from lighter styles to dark rich notes depending on which ale is used.

• • •

CHINESE VINEGAR

The main ingredients here are the same as rice vinegar, sometimes with added spice, and the colour comes from an additive. Good for marinades and stir-fries.

CIDER VINEGAR

Also known as apple cider vinegar. Similar to a sharp, acidic flat cider with a vinegary, apple-y aftertaste. Next time you’re cooking pork chops, add a knob of butter to the pan juices plus a splash of this for a simple sauce. Or try this in a quick tuna pâté (see here). It also has some digestive benefits (see here).

• • •

DISTILLED MALT VINEGAR

This is produced by the distillation of malt, which gives a clear, colourless vinegar. Inexpensive; used mainly in pickling and preserving, and also for cleaning.

• • •

HONEY VINEGAR

Sharp and bright with no hint of sweetness. It has a strong kick, so use it sparingly. Good with the Chocolate Sharing Mousse here.

• • •

MALT VINEGAR

Made from barley and dark brown in colour. It has a very sharp taste; it is traditionally sprinkled over fish and chips, but it’s also really useful when making big batches of pickles or chutneys as it’s inexpensive.

• • •

MOSCATEL VINEGAR

Sweet and raisin-y, with hints of honey and florals. If this is used in a dressing, reduce the suggested sugar quantity so as not to overdo the sweetness. Good with a soft, creamy blue cheese such as Gorgonzola dolce or Beauvale. For a new twist, use in the classic dressing for oysters – sauce mignonette (see here).

• • •

RASPBERRY VINEGAR

Bright pink with a thick consistency and a predominant fruity taste with a tart edge. Keep it for salad dressings and try it in the recipes here.

• • •

RED WINE VINEGAR

It’s really worth pushing the boat out with this type of vinegar and looking for a particular grape, such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, as the flavour of these is incomparable. Some specialist red wine vinegars have been mixed with grape juice, which softens the sharpness, and are good for splashing into a dish of dark fruits. Or use them for finishing off a game dish. A basic red wine vinegar is fine for everyday dressings, but when you want a subtle sharpness with complex flavours, you do need to shell out for something a little more special. A good-quality red wine vinegar will have a well-rounded flavour that’s tangy rather than acidic, and will also be less likely to cause acid reflux or heartburn in those prone to it.

• • •

RICE VINEGAR

This is made from rice and water, which are left to brew and then sometimes flavoured with salt. Useful for quick pickles (eg radish and cucumber) or for splashing over stir-fries.

• • •

SHERRY VINEGAR

Like sherry itself, from Fino to PX there’s a huge range of flavours for this vinegar – and again, the more you spend, the more complex the character. Some makes have colour added, so check the bottle before you buy. A basic one is good added to gravies, or use it to cut through a fatty sausage – see tip here or the couscous salad here. The PX vinegar is sweetish and smooth and works well with dark fruits such as blackberries.

• • •

VERJUS

Not strictly a vinegar, but it is often used in the same way to finish off recipes or added to pan sauces. It’s made by pressing unripened green grapes and has a raisin-y/apple-y aroma and taste. Also good with summer fruits – see Peaches with Verjus and Rosemary here – and salads that feature toasted nuts and cheeses. It’s not as sharp as most vinegars, so it allows other ingredients to sing rather than be swamped.

• • •

WHITE WINE VINEGAR

The go-to for a light salad dressing when you need a touch of acidity – use one-part vinegar to three-parts mild olive oil. You can also use it to make a shallot pickle to go with a curry as here.

CLEANING TIPS

A large Norwegian study widely publicised in the UK at large Norwegian study widely publicised in the UK at the beginning of 2018 showed that regular use of cleaning sprays has a negative impact on lung health – similar to smoking 20 cigarettes a day over 10 to 20 years.

Vinegar, on the other hand, is biodegradable and provides a hostile environment for many types of germs. What makes it such a good cleaning agent? Acidity. Shop-bought distilled malt vinegar (the clear stuff) contains around 5% acetic acid and 95% water – fine for most general cleaning.

Vinegar is great for cutting through soap scum and limescale on shower glass, grease on cooker tops, and it’ll strip wax build-up from a wooden floor. There’s almost no end to the multitude of types of dreck it can conquer. (But don’t use it on marble because it will mark the soft stone.)

You might want to vary the dilution depending on the task: you could use neat vinegar for mould on grouting or to disinfect a chopping board, whereas a 50:50 solution with water will work for general wiping down. A quick spritz of this mix will neutralise kitchen and bathroom smells.

Because it’s natural, it’s great for outdoor jobs such as wiping down patio furniture, cleaning exterior windows… and even getting rid of weeds!

KITCHEN

LIMESCALE ON TAPS

No need to spend your hard-earned cash on specialist products – much better to use bog-standard distilled malt vinegar (the clear, colourless stuff) instead. For ordinary chrome taps (don’t use this on special finishes, it might be too strong and ruin your bespoke surface), soak a few sheets of kitchen paper with the vinegar, wrap these around the taps and cover with a plastic bag. Secure the lot with an elastic band so that the vinegar stays in contact with the taps and does its work. Leave on overnight, then the next morning, the scale should lift off fairly easily – just wipe it with a cloth. If it’s really thick and annoyingly stubborn, repeat the process. You can take off any remaining bits of scale with a plastic scourer.

• • •

DESCALE YOUR KETTLE

If you live in a hard-water area you’ll definitely have limescale, and the build-up of this is one of the main reasons why electric kettles meet their death. When the metal element gets coated with scale, this stops the heat getting into the water as efficiently, which can cause overheating (which will shorten the kettle’s life). Stop this happening by descaling the kettle about once a month: fill it with half water and half clear vinegar – make sure it comes up over the scale line – and bring it to the boil. Switch off and leave overnight. Please note – it is really important to use clear vinegar for this; if you use the brown malt variety, the liquid inside the kettle will massively expand and erupt and you’ll have a vinegary water mess all over the floor (this happened to me). Empty the kettle, rinse, refill and reboil a couple more times with plain water until every last trace of vinegariness has gone. If the scale is really bad and it’s not all gone, repeat the process. If there are bits of scale around the rim, where the vinegar doesn’t quite reach, gently rub around here with an emery board and it’ll come off easily.

Next time you buy a kettle, get one with a built-in water filter. It’ll improve the taste of your tea, get rid of scum and help reduce the amount of limescale build-up. Other things you can do are empty and rinse before refilling with fresh water each time you boil (this helps to get rid of loose scale), boil only as much water as you need, pour away any surplus water before it cools down, and empty the kettle before you go to bed.

• • •

ANYONE FOR SCALE-FREE COFFEE?

If your electric coffee maker has become a bit grotty and scalebound, add a 50:50 ratio of clear vinegar and tap water to the water chamber and run the machine through a cycle, sans coffee. Repeat this a couple more times, just with plain water. Some coffee-machine makers want you to use their own descalers, so check the instructions first to see if that’s the case (it could affect the warranty if anything went wrong).

• • •

DEODORISE YOUR DISHWASHER

If your machine has suddenly developed a nasty whiff, first remove and wash the filter in hot soapy water, then check the spray arms for any bits of food and clean them, too. If you’ve never done this (which is perhaps the reason why you may have one or two problems), check the machine’s manual to find out how to do it – it’s really easy, and it’s a good idea to do this weekly. Also, take a wodge of kitchen paper along the gap where the bottom of the door meets the base of the machine – you might get a shock at the amount of rotting dreck lurking there. Once you’ve done those bits, throw a cup of clear vinegar into the machine and run an empty cycle – this is great for keeping the pipes clear of grease and limescale.

• • •

BRING A SHINE TO YOUR FLOOR TILES

A soap-based cleaner can leave a tiled floor cloudy and dull, so to get that shiny finish, use a solution of mainly warm water with a good slug of clear vinegar. Make sure your mophead is made of microfibre (it cleans way more effectively, and most can be washed in the machine. There is no point in ‘cleaning’ a floor with a filthy mop).

• • •

BLOCKED SINK?

Before you call out an emergency plumber or spend a small fortune on environmentally unfriendly products, try this. Mix together 200g coarse salt and 100g bicarbonate of soda and pour it down the drain. Follow this with a cup of any type of vinegar plus a kettle full of boiling water. You’ll witness a mini-explosion in your sink, but this is good – it’ll help clear the blockage. Often (if the pipes are blocked with some solidified fat, for instance) this’ll do the trick.

But don’t wait until the kitchen sink gets blocked – treat your waste pipe to a monthly clear-out with a handful of bicarbonate of soda plus a cup of vinegar. Leave it to fizz for a minute or two, then follow through with a kettle of boiling water.

• • •

HARD-TO-GET-TO STAINS

To shift stubborn marks from a narrow-mouthed glass container (such as a decanter), mix 200–300ml warm water with the same of vinegar (any type) and pour it in. Add a handful of sand or uncooked rice, give it a good few swirls for around 30 seconds, then leave to stand for about an hour before pouring the mix away (but not down your sink or loo). Rinse well and the glass will sparkle like new.

• • •

SOMETHING SMELL FISHY?

If you’ve cooked fish and it’s left a bad smell in the pan, half fill it with hot water plus a couple of tablespoons of clear vinegar, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. You might want to open a window to avoid being overpowered by the smell of vinegar!

• • •

REFRESH YOUR MICROWAVE

Put a good slug of clear vinegar into a bowl of very hot water and heat in the microwave on High for around five minutes. The acidic steam will pass through the vents and loosen any food particles clinging to the sides. It’ll now be easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth.

• • •

A GRILLE’S BEST FRIEND

The metal grilles in a cooker hood get greasy very quickly, particularly if you’re a fan of the frying pan. Most grilles nowadays are designed to go into the dishwasher, but if yours isn’t one of those, give it a good soak overnight in a sink full of hot water with a cup each of clear vinegar and washing soda crystals. If your grilles won’t easily fit into the sink, the bath is a good alternative (but first line the bottom with a large towel to avoid scratches to the surface). Afterwards, rinse the grille well and towel dry before putting it back into the hood.

• • •

STEEL THE SHOW

If your stainless-steel sink has lost its shine or is covered with rusty stains, squirt a bit of washing-up liquid over the surface then scrub with a dampened pot scourer. Rinse and wipe down with a cloth dipped in clear vinegar then buff dry with either scrunched-up kitchen paper or newspaper. You’ll need sunglasses to admire the shine.

• • •

CUPBOARD LOVE

Wooden kitchen cupboard doors have a tendency to become sticky and then look unsightly and feel nasty. Stop this happening by regularly wiping them down with a cloth soaked in a warm solution of washing-up liquid with a capful of vinegar – take care not to overwet the wood, though. Rinse with another clean cloth wrung out with plain water, then buff dry.

• • •

BACK TO THE CHOPPING BOARD

A chopping board can become notoriously smelly, particularly if you like cooking with onions and garlic. To freshen it up, rub the surface with any type of vinegar mixed with a little mustard powder, leave overnight, then scrub under a hot tap, rinse, and leave it to dry on its side.

• • •

TOP BRASS

Vinegar and salt work very well on brass that’s badly in need of cleaning. Pour any type of vinegar onto a damp cloth, sprinkle with salt and get rubbing the tarnished brass (tip: if you have any cuts to your fingers, wear rubber gloves). The metal will instantly take on a lovely shine. Rinse under the tap and buff dry with a soft cotton cloth to finish.

BATHROOM

SHOWER WITH COMPLIMENTS

Take a look at your shower screen, which was once clear and sparkling. Is it now opaque and covered with drip marks, soap scum and grotty bits of limescale? Bring it back to its pristine past: mix some bicarbonate of soda and clear vinegar to a smooth paste and then, using a nylon scourer, apply a layer of the mixture to the shower screen (as well as to any ceramic tiles); you’ll need to exercise a little elbow grease, too, which won’t do any harm to the screen. Leave for a few minutes then rinse off and buff dry to a gleaming shine using a microfibre cloth for glass/mirrors (the smooth, slinky type that’s similar to what you have in your glasses case for specs-cleaning) or, if you don’t have one of those, a few sheets of scrunched-up kitchen paper will do just as well.

• • •

BRILLIANT BATH AND BASIN

Here’s a very effective, mildly abrasive but definitely non-scratchy cleaner for your bath and washbasins. In a bowl, mix together a loose paste of washing-up liquid, bicarbonate of soda and clear vinegar. Apply the mixture to the surface with a damp cloth, rubbing gently to clean away the dirt, then rinse down.

• • •

PUT THE SPARKLE BACK INTO YOUR SHOWERHEAD

Is your chrome showerhead caked with limescale and the water flow really poor? Unscrew it and steep it overnight in a bowl filled with equal quantities of clear vinegar and water. By morning the scale will have miraculously softened and can be peeled off easily. Use a nylon scourer to remove any last stubborn bits. Note: don’t use this on special metal finishes, as the acid in the vinegar can easily damage the surface.

• • •

TAKE THE GROT OUT OF YOUR GROUT

Grouting lines between tiles are absorbent and so latch onto scum and mildew – not a great look! Scrub these areas clean with a damp toothbrush dipped in a paste made of bicarbonate of soda with a few drops of vinegar and bleach, then rinse and buff dry.

• • •

KEEP LIMESCALE IN THE LOO AT BAY

It’s one thing having limescale in your loo, but when it turns brown it’s a step too far. Salts and iron in water cause this, so you need to treat the limescale itself. One good way is to dissolve 250g citric acid powder (available from the chemist or a DIY shop) in a 5-litre bucket of hot water and pour slowly into the bowl. It’ll start to fizz as it dissolves the limescale, so swish it around with a loo brush to help. When the fizzing stops, flush. Repeat if necessary. Keep the scale at bay by pouring a bottle of clear vinegar into the bowl about once a month; leave overnight before flushing away.

• • •

DECLOG THE BATH WASTE

Are you a fan of bath oil? If so, you could be in danger of clogging up the plughole as the oil attracts and collects hair, which eventually bungs up pipes and drains. If you notice that your bath is emptying more slowly than usual, pour a cup each of washing soda crystals and salt down the plughole, then add a cup of clear vinegar followed by a kettle of boiling water. Simultaneously have a go with the plunger – you might be horrified at what could emerge… but far better out than in. Rubber gloves are always a good idea if you’re a bit squeamish.

• • •

A WEE PROBLEM SOLVED

As the mum of two males, I know that if you have small (or even big) boys living with you, you can be sure that some pee will land on the wall behind the cistern, leading to nasty niffs. To zap it immediately, wash with a 50:50 solution of vinegar and warm water. In the long run, it’s best to ensure boys are aiming properly (why can’t they just sit on the loo like the rest of us?). Supervise your small men, and make sure they press down every time… and actually look at what they’re doing! Also, get them into the habit of wiping the rim of the pan afterwards – it’ll soon become automatic.

LAUNDRY

SWEET-SMELLING BABY CLOTHES

Do you have a baby or small child at home? Add a cup of clear vinegar to each washload of baby clothes during the rinse cycle. This will break down the uric acid and leave the clothes lovely and soft as well as smelling fresh.

• • •

KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY

If your washing machine isn’t taking all the powder from the detergent drawer, check you’re storing it properly – the powder will be sticky or hard if it’s in a damp place. If the detergent isn’t damp, it may be that the drawer’s water jets are blocked. A water softener such as Calgon will help protect the heating element and other parts of your washing machine, but it won’t stop limescale forming on the jets if you live in a hard-water area. To clean the jets, mix equal parts clear vinegar and water. Remove the drawer, then scrub the solution onto the roof of the empty compartment. Now run an idle wash – have the drum empty, set the machine to the hottest programme and add the maximum dose of detergent.

SOFT TOWELS GUARANTEED

Overusing fabric conditioner will actually make towels less absorbent and hard. If there’s a build-up it never actually gets rinsed out, and every time you use the washing machine, more and more is added and gets left behind. This will eventually make coloured fabrics look dull and whites grey. To keep the fluff factor in your towels, check you’re using enough detergent and include softener only every second or third time you wash them. Other times, use the same amount of clear vinegar as you would conditioner – add half a cup to the first rinse (tip it into the detergent drawer while the machine is filling with water). This is how they launder them commercially, which is probably why hotel towels stay so fluffy (and no – they won’t smell vinegary). Finally, rinse and spin well (this way you’ll eject more hard-water impurities). Line-drying helps to keep fibres fluffy; radiators do the opposite.

• • •

IT’S THE PITS

How annoying is it when the armpits of your favourite shirts turn yellow and hard from sweat, and after a while normal washing just won’t hack it? Soak the stained area overnight in a solution of half clear vinegar, half water, then machine-wash as normal.

• • •

BACK TO BLACK

When a black item turns an unappealing shade of grey over a number of washes, chances are this is because of a build-up of detergent left in the fabric, rather than actual loss of black dye. To sort this, soak the item for a few hours in a sink filled with warm water with a little clear vinegar. Afterwards, rinse thoroughly and machine-wash as normal.

• • •

SMOKE GETS UP YOUR NOSE

Admittedly this is not an everyday occurrence, but house fires do happen. If you’re in the unfortunate position of trying to rescue smoke-damaged clothes, bedlinen and towels that are stinking, first sprinkle everything with bicarbonate of soda, then machine-wash twice, adding a cupful of vinegar to the drum for each cycle. If possible, hang everything outside on a washing line (which will help to get rid of the smell).

• • •

SEAL WITH A SPRITZ

Nasty germs and smelly mould can lurk in your washing-machine seal. Mix equal quantities of water and clear vinegar in a spray bottle and squirt onto the inside of the seal. Leave for a few minutes then wipe clean.

• • •

LOOK AFTER YOUR IRON AND IT WILL LOOK AFTER YOU

Most steam irons nowadays have some type of self-cleaning or anti-calc system – use these once a month according to the instructions on the packet and from the manufacturer. If your iron doesn’t have this feature, pour equal parts clear vinegar and tap water into the reservoir until it’s about one-third full. Turn the heat to medium and allow the iron to steam for 5–10 minutes until all the vinegar evaporates. Switch off the iron, then fill the reservoir with fresh water. Turn on the iron again to flush through any leftover mineral deposits and vinegar. Switch off, allow to cool, then wipe the base with a soft clean cloth. If you think the steam vents are still clogged, clear with a cotton bud dipped in water with a little vinegar added. To help stop any future build-up of limescale, pour away excess water when you’ve finished ironing.

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