Quality Living Styles

These handy tips are from family, friends & the media. Most of them have been tried and tested

I will also feature gadgets that I find really useful, that maybe useful to you.

The tips will be archived monthly, but you will still be able to retrieve them.

Brass ware is beautiful but cleaning it is not so pleasant. Try this home made formula for cleaning unlacquered brass that I found in a local newspaper. It works very well.

• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup salt
• ¼ cup flour

• Mix all the above into a paste & apply on brass-ware. Let it dry & then wipe off
• Lacquered brass-ware can be cleaned with a solution of mild detergent and warm water

Test this mix on a small section of brass-ware to ensure that you are happy with the outcome. This technique is especially useful if you are in a hurry and yet need to have everything in your home looking bright & sparkly

Scrunch a piece of aluminum foil & use this to scrub potatoes before baking. It is much more effective than a regular vegetable brush. Apply this method to cucumbers & zucchini as well. Discard foil once the vegetables are clean. For this purpose I often use recycled foil.

Store bought fruit yogurt is usually too sweet. Make your own It will be healthier and cheaper. Buy plain yogurt & mix in either fresh or frozen fruit.
Use honey & sweeten to your taste. The amount of honey will depend on the natural sweetness of the fruit.

These tablets are very effective in removing stains & cleaning counter tops. Just dissolve in water, & apply to the stained areas. Divide tablets for small jobs.

To keep your counter tops free of E-coli bacteria wipe down with vinegar.
To keep your breath fresh, chew on parsley.
Keep beef in bottom draw of refrigerator to ensure that no leaks that most likely contain bacteria, infect other items in your 'fridge