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HAIR DYE
On carpet/upholstery
- Apply a small quantity of the same brand and colour of hair dye.
- Rub with your fingertips in circles until the stain moves.
- Add 2 drops of anti-dandruff shampoo and continue to rub.
- Wipe with a damp cloth. Repeat with anti-dandruff shampoo until removed.
- For hair chalk, blot with white vinegar on a tightly wrung cloth.
- In all cases, absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric
- Apply a small quantity of the same brand and colour of hair dye.
- Rub with your fingertips in circles until the stain moves.
- Add 2 drops of anti-dandruff shampoo and continue to rub.
- Rinse using cold water.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
- For hair chalk, blot with or soak in white vinegar.
On timber
- Use the same brand and colour of hair dye.
- Place the hair dye on a cloth and rub over the mark in circles until the stain loosens.
- Follow immediately with anti-dandruff shampoo on a cloth until the stain lifts.
- Wring a cloth in blood-heat (body temperature) water and wipe over the surface.
HAIR GEL
On carpet/upholstery
- Remove excess by lifting with a plastic comb or by blotting with paper towel.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Wipe with a warm, damp cloth.
- If the gel contains wax, mix ½ teaspoon of tea tree oil with ½ teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and rub over the hair gel with your fingertips.
- Wipe with a warm, damp cloth until the dishwashing liquid is removed.
- In all cases, absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric
- Remove excess under the tap using blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Rinse under blood-heat water.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
HAIRSPRAY
On carpet/upholstery
- Spray with hairspray – it contains its own solvent.
- Wipe with a damp cloth.
- Absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric (not wool)
- Spray with hairspray – it contains its own solvent.
- Rinse using cold water.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
On timber
- Spray with hairspray – it contains its own solvent. Wipe with pantyhose or a cloth.
- Alternatively, spray rolled up pantyhose with hairspray and wipe over the timber.
- Alternatively, wipe with 2 drops of cheap shampoo on a cloth.
- In all cases, rinse with a damp cloth.
On wool
- Spray with hairspray – it contains its own solvent.
- Wash in 1 teaspoon of cheap shampoo and blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Rinse in 1 teaspoon of cheap hair conditioner and blood-heat water.
- Gently wring and dry flat on a towel in the shade.
TIP
To protect your clothes against spills, after washing them and while they’re still wet, lightly spray with hairspray. If you spill food, it will wipe off with paper towel.
HAMBURGER
This contains protein, fat and sauces.
On carpet/upholstery
- Remove excess by lifting with a plastic comb or by blotting with paper towel.
- Scribble with a cake of bathroom soap run under cold water.
- Wipe with a damp cloth.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Wipe with a damp cloth until the dishwashing liquid is removed.
- If needed, consult ‘Mustard’ and ‘Tomato Sauce’ entries.
- Absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric (not wool)
- Remove excess under the tap using cold water.
- Scribble with a cake of bathroom soap.
- Rinse using cold water.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Rinse under blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- If needed, consult ‘Mustard’ and ‘Tomato Sauce’ entries.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
On granite/marble
- Remove excess by lifting with a plastic comb or by blotting with paper towel.
- If the stain has penetrated, mix plaster of Paris and water to the consistency of peanut butter.
- To each cup of mixture, mix in 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid.
- Spread 5 mm to 1 cm thick over the stain.
- Allow to dry completely. If it feels cold on the back of your hand, it’s not dry.
- When dry, brush away.
On wool
- Massage with a little cheap shampoo on your fingertips.
- Rinse in blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Rinse in 1 teaspoon of cheap hair conditioner and blood-heat water.
- Gently wring and dry flat on a towel in the shade.
HANDBAG
To clean exterior
- For leather, use saddle soap.
- For suede, place 1 cup of unprocessed wheat bran in a large bowl. Add drops of white vinegar one at a time, stirring as you go, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. It shouldn’t be wet. Scrub over the suede with a brush.
- For fabric, scribble with a cake of bathroom soap and rub with a just-damp pair of pantyhose in a tight ball. Remove excess soap by rubbing with clean damp pantyhose. Dry in the shade so it doesn’t warp (many fabric bags have cardboard linings).
- For vinyl, make a paste of glycerine and talcum powder. Rub the mixture over the vinyl with rolled up pantyhose and leave for 5 minutes. Wipe off.
- For rattan, mix 2 tablespoons of uniodised salt in 1 cup of water. Allow to dissolve. Wipe the salt solution across the surface with rolled up pantyhose. Leave in the shade to dry. When dry, brush off the salt.
To clean interior
- Some bag linings can be removed. Others are attached but can be pulled outside the bag. If the lining doesn’t come out, vacuum using the brush attachment.
- If the lining is cotton, clean with dishwashing liquid and water on a scrubbing brush. Rinse with a damp cloth.
- If there are lipstick, make-up or ballpoint pen marks, wipe with white spirits on a cotton ball.
- To dry, put the exterior of the bag in the shade and the lining in the sun. If you can’t do this, dry the whole bag in the shade. The lining must be completely dry before you place it back inside the bag.
TIPS
Remove grease stains from handbags with cornstarch. When storing suitcases, keep a tea bag or cake of bathroom soap inside to keep bugs and damp at bay. To prevent dye and ink transferring to clothing, spray the exterior of the handbag with hairspray.
HAT
Felt
For lint
- Apply sticky tape and pull off. The lint will come away.
For sweat marks
- For heavy staining on light-coloured hats, mix Fuller’s earth and water to the consistency of soft butter.
- Paint the mixture over the sweat marks with a paintbrush.
- Leave to dry completely. Brush off.
- For heavy staining on dark-coloured hats, mix potter’s plaster and water to the consistency of soft butter.
- Place the mixture over the sweat stain with a paintbrush.
- Leave to dry completely.
- Brush off.
To clean
- Mix dishwashing liquid and blood-heat (body temperature) water to generate a sudsy mix.
- Scrub with only the suds on a toothbrush.
- Wipe with a damp cloth.
- Dry in the shade.
Straw
For sweat marks
- Mix 2 tablespoons of cornflour with drops of water until lumpy.
- Apply to the sweat marks and leave to dry.
- When dry, brush off.
To clean
- Mix 2 tablespoons of uniodised salt in 1 cup of water. Allow to dissolve.
- Wipe hat with the salt solution using rolled up pantyhose.
- Allow to dry in the shade.
- When dry, brush off the salt.
HEAT MARK
(White)
For instructions on how to work out the timber sealant, see page 416.
On timber sealed with polyurethane
- Rub with a small amount of Brasso on a cloth in the direction of the grain. It will look worse before it looks better.
On timber sealed with varnish, shellac or wax
- Warm beeswax in the microwave in 10-second bursts.
- Peel a piece of lemon using a peeler. Don’t get any lemon juice on the peel.
- Apply the warm beeswax to the yellow side of the lemon peel.
- Rub peel over the mark in the direction of the grain using speed, not pressure.
HEATER OIL
On carpet/upholstery
- Remove excess by blotting with paper towel.
- Massage with dishwashing liquid (2 drops per 15-cm circle) on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Wipe with a damp cloth until the dishwashing liquid is removed.
- Absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric
- Remove under the tap using blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Rinse under blood-heat water.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
HERBAL TEA
(see ‘Green Tea’ or ‘Tea’)
HIGHCHAIR
To clean
- Wipe with 2 drops of tea tree oil and blood-heat (body temperature) water on a cloth.
- For hardened food, wring a cloth or sponge in hot water and place over the food for 10 minutes. This will soften the food. Then wipe with 2 drops of tea tree oil and blood-heat water on a cloth.
TIP
If your child makes a huge mess when eating, place a flattened garbage bag underneath the highchair to catch rejected food. If your child throws food, suspend a doona cover to create a tent over the highchair.
HIGHLIGHTER PEN
(see ‘Fluorescent Pen’)
HOISIN SAUCE
On carpet/upholstery
- Remove excess by lifting with a plastic comb or by blotting with paper towel.
- Place white vinegar on a cloth and wring tightly so it’s damp but not wet. Blot over the mark.
- Place the vinegar cloth in one hand and a dry cloth in the other and wipe hand over hand, as though stroking a cat, until the stain is removed.
- Absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric (not wool)
- Remove excess under the tap using cold water.
- Blot with or soak in white vinegar.
- Rinse using cold water.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
On wool
- Blot with or soak in white vinegar.
- Massage with a little cheap shampoo on your fingertips.
- Rinse in 1 teaspoon of cheap hair conditioner and blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Gently wring and dry flat on a towel in the shade.
HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
On carpet/upholstery
- Remove excess by lifting with a plastic comb or by blotting with paper towel.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Wipe with a damp cloth until the dishwashing liquid is removed.
- Absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric (not wool)
- Remove excess under the tap using cold water.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Rinse using cold water.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
On wool
- Massage with a little cheap shampoo on your fingertips.
- Rinse in blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Rinse in 1 teaspoon of cheap hair conditioner and blood-heat water.
- Gently wring and dry flat on a towel in the shade.
HONEY
On carpet/upholstery
- Remove excess by lifting with a plastic comb or by blotting with paper towel.
- Scribble with a cake of bathroom soap run under blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Scrub with a toothbrush or pantyhose in all directions – north, south, east and west.
- Blot with equal parts white vinegar and water on a cloth.
- Absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
- When almost dry, repeat.
- If a shadow returns in a couple of weeks, repeat again.
On cotton/fabric (not wool)
- Remove excess under the tap using cold water.
- Scribble with a cake of bathroom soap run under blood-heat (body temperature) water. Rub the fabric against itself using your hands.
- Rinse in equal parts white vinegar and water.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
On stone
- Wipe with a cake of bathroom soap and blood-heat (body temperature) water on a cloth.
- Mix plaster of Paris and water to the consistency of peanut butter.
- To each cup of mixture, add 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid.
- Spread 5 mm to 1 cm thick over the stain.
- Allow to dry completely. If it feels cold on the back of your hand, it’s not dry.
- When dry, brush away.
On wool
- Scribble with a cake of bathroom soap run under blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Massage with a little cheap shampoo on your fingertips.
- Rinse in equal parts white vinegar and blood-heat water.
- Rinse in 1 teaspoon of cheap hair conditioner and blood-heat water.
- Gently wring and dry flat on a towel in the shade.
HOT CHOCOLATE
On carpet/upholstery
- Remove excess by blotting with paper towel.
- Scribble with a cake of bathroom soap run under cold water.
- Wipe with a damp cloth.
- Place white vinegar on a cloth and wring tightly so it’s damp but not wet. Blot over the mark.
- Absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric (not wool)
- Remove excess under the tap using cold water.
- Scrub with a cake of bathroom soap and cold water. Rub the fabric against itself using your hands.
- Blot with or soak in white vinegar.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
On wool
- Massage with a little cheap shampoo on your fingertips.
- Rinse in blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Rinse in 1 teaspoon of cheap hair conditioner and blood-heat water.
- Gently wring and dry flat on a towel in the shade.
HOTPLATE
(Cast iron)
For rust
- Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle one of the cut ends with uniodised salt.
- Scrub over the rust with the cut end until the rust disappears.
- Wipe with cooking oil on paper towel to season and prevent further rust.
TIP
If you use the hotplate regularly, it won’t go rusty.
To clean
- Sprinkle with a little bicarb, splash with white vinegar and scrub with a nylon brush.
- When still warm, pour a little cooking oil on top and wipe with paper towel.
- For stubborn stains, after cleaning with bicarb and white vinegar, sprinkle equal parts sugar and white vinegar over a heated hotplate until the vinegar evaporates. It will look like toffee.
- Remove the toffeed sugar with a scraper.
- When cool, wipe with paper towel.
- Coat with cooking oil to season and prevent rust.
HUMMUS
This is a protein and oil stain.
On carpet/upholstery
- Remove excess by lifting with a plastic comb or by blotting with paper towel.
- Scribble with a cake of bathroom soap run under cold water.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Wipe with a damp cloth until the dishwashing liquid is removed.
- Absorb moisture by covering the area with paper towel. Place a book on top of the paper towel to assist with absorption.
On cotton/fabric (not wool)
- Remove excess under the tap using cold water.
- Scribble with a cake of bathroom soap.
- Massage with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips until the liquid feels like jelly.
- Wash according to the fabric. Dry on the clothesline or clothes airer.
On wool
- Massage with a little cheap shampoo on your fingertips.
- Rinse in blood-heat (body temperature) water.
- Rinse in 1 teaspoon of cheap hair conditioner and blood-heat water.
- Gently wring and dry flat on a towel in the shade.