Clean slippers in two ticks of a lamb's tail
[caption id="attachment_37017" align="alignright" width="405"] MOULD BEGONE! Use a bristle brush, mild bleach and water to get rid of mould off wickerwork, while sheepskin slippers respond to special wool washing powder and olive oil TLC[/caption]
After purchasing a big wicker lampshade from a charity shop, I discovered it had some mould on it. I would appreciate your recommendations on cleaning it up. – DC, Port Elizabeth.
Firstly, I think it would be a good idea to give the lampshade a going-over with a bristle brush, to eliminate any accumulated dust and grime. This could also remove some of the mould.
Then treat the mouldy areas with a mild bleach and water solution. The Jik recommendation for killing mildew is a cup (250ml) to a litre of water, so you can try this proportion. It sounds a bit strong, so test first on an inside area to ensure it does not affect the colour of the wickerwork. If it does, reduce the amount of bleach. Importantly, the bleach solution must be rinsed off with clean water after one minute. Then dry the shade in the sun.
My old books deal mostly with improving the appearance of wicker furniture, and suggest smartening it up with a slick of furniture oil.
Do you perhaps have an easy solution to getting stubborn car discs off the windscreen, without causing scratches? – AB, Uitenhage.
I think the best method is to use the technique for removing sticky labels from hard surfaces. Remove as much of the disc as you can and then apply Brasso to the stubborn sticky stuff. Leave for a while and then rub off with a coarse cloth. If anything remains, repeat the process, and then clean up with a soapy sponge.
Other methods from readers for removing labels, have included a squirt of an insecticide, such as Doom. Leave for 30 seconds and then rub off with a cloth.
"BE" of Grahamstown uses Mr Min furniture polish, followed by a squirt of Cleen Green and a wipe down with hot, soapy water.
I'm sure if you try one or two of these remedies, the sticky residue will come off.
Could you please tell me how to clean sheepskin slippers? Just brushing them with a suede brush will not be enough. – PM, Kenton-On-Sea.
If you follow the right procedure, sheepskin washes beautifully. Indeed, some readers have responded to my old-fashioned advice by saying, "All you have to do is throw them in the washing machine"!
Anyway, my method is to pick a warm, windy day, so the slippers will dry quickly. I think this job would be best tackled in the bath. Make up a solution using half a cup of a specialist washing powder for wool and 500ml water. Then stir in 50ml olive oil. Heat up the oil and simmer for five minutes. Allow to cool, and then add to the bath of washing water, which should be no more than tepid, to avoid shrinkage. Add a little glycerine (50ml). This will further ensure that the skin stays soft.
Wash the slippers well and then rinse thoroughly, but for the final rinse make the water slightly soapy, because the soapiness helps keep the sheepskin supple. It fact, it would be a good idea to keep some of your original washing solution for this purpose. Squeeze out as much water as possible so the sheepskin can dry quickly. A hairdryer would help, especially inside the slippers. Then hang out to dry. However, you need to keep an eye on them, because there is one more step before they are completely dry. Rub equal quantities of flour and oatmeal, into the skin when it is almost dry. This will help keep the skin soft. When the wool is completely dry, you can give them a good brush.
At Your Service, with Gwen Bisseker
