Some vintage (and frugal) "recipes" to lighten the load.
Now some of you may know that I have a "thing" about vintage bed linen, but what I don't like is ironing it. I do iron it as there is nothing to beat that lovely feeling of sliding between freshly laundered and ironed sheets when I have just changed the bed, but anything to make it easier is appreciated, which is why I use spray starch as it makes ironing cotton so much easier.
It isn't cheap though and I can go through quite a bit when ironing a full set of sheets and pillowcases for a double bed, so when I found a recipe online for making your own spray starch I just had to give it a go. It worked brilliantly and best of all it costs pennies - do give it a go.
Home Made Spray Starch
200 ml cold water
1 teaspoon cornflour
20 drops lavender essential oil
Mix everything together in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use.
My second discovery happened this evening. I host a family dinner every solstice, which is tomorrow and mentioned to my daughter that due to my clumsiness I didn't have enough wine glasses. She remembered a set of silver plated wine goblets that she bought for herself in a charity shop over a year ago and said I could use them. Unfortunately when she unearthed them from her cupboard they had become badly tarnished and we were out of metal polish. I remembered then that I had seen a tip on t' interweb some time ago, something to do with hot water and tin foil - so Google to the rescue. I have to admit we were sceptical at first but we duly lined the washing up bowl with tin foil, added hot water, two tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and two tablespoons of salt. We tentatively placed one of the goblets in the dish and waited about a minute then fished it out. It was AMAZING the tarnish had all gone and following a quick buff dry from a soft cloth it was positively gleaming.
I've also ended up doing some silver plated forks I bought at a flea market - they've never looked so good!
What old style vintage household recipes have you tried and tested?
Gosh! how clever;) Hmmm, don't think I have any really. My clean-up spray is diluted washing up-liquid and pure lavender drops, does that count hehe?
ReplyDeleteHope you stay warm and cosy and have a wonderful christmassy weardale time of it:)
Best wishes
pamela x
The only one I can recently remember trying is vinegar and scrunched newspaper for your inside windows, and yes, it worked a treat :0)
ReplyDeleteYours sound good though, and I shall try the starch one tomorrow :0)
I've been looking for a starch one for a while, but the only ones I found were ones wher you had to make about 3 gallons of the stuff ! :0)
Have a great Christmas, and a very happy new year.
KInd regards,
Donna