| How to Clean a Cashmere Sweater Posted: 26 Sep 2019 01:00 AM PDT Even though most cashmere sweaters have a "dry-clean only" tag, there's no need to go to the dry cleaners. You can wash your cashmere sweater at home and still have it stay soft and beautiful. In fact, washing your sweater at home will make it softer than when it's cleaned with harsh dry cleaning chemicals. Clean your cashmere sweater by hand or in the washing machine and then let it air dry. [Edit]Washing by Hand - Fill a bucket or sink with lukewarm water. Hot water might harm your sweater, and cold water won't clean as well, so stick with lukewarm water for this. Make sure the water is deep enough for you to fully submerge the sweater.
- Mix a small amount of mild detergent into the water. There's no need to be terribly scientific with how much detergent you use! Go with a small splash--far less than you would use to wash a whole load of clothes. Swirl your hand around in the water to make sure the detergent is well stirred in.[1]
- You can buy a specific product called cashmere shampoo, or you can simply use a mild detergent like Woolite, baby shampoo, or dish soap.
- Be sparing with the detergent, because you don't want soapy residue on your sweater.
- Turn your sweater inside out and soak it in the solution for 5 minutes. Make sure every part of the sweater is completely under the water. Swish it around gently before you leave it to soak so that the soapy water gets into every part.[2]
- If this is the first time you are washing the sweater, a bit of color may come off in the water, but it's not a big deal.[3]
- Rinse the sweater in cold water. Pour out all the soapy water from your bucket, rinse it out, and fill it again with clean water. Submerge the sweater in the clean water and swish it around.[4]
- You may have to do several rinses until all the soap is out of your sweater.
[Edit]Washing in a Laundry Machine - Button up the sweater and turn it inside out. If your sweater has any kind of zippers, buttons, or fastenings, you'll want to make sure they are all closed. Turning your sweater inside out helps protect the delicate surface, so that any wear and tear from washing will be mostly on the inside.[5]
- It's safer to wash your sweater by hand, but still possible to wash it in the machine.
- Put the sweater in a mesh laundry bag. Don't just dump your cashmere into the washing machine. Instead, but it in a mesh laundry bag, which will protect it from rubbing up against the sides of your machine. The less friction against your sweater, the better.[6]
- If you don't have a mesh laundry bag, you can put your sweater in a clean, white pillow case.[7]
- Add mild detergent like Woolite, baby shampoo or dish soap to the machine. Don't use your normal laundry detergent on the cashmere, because it will be too harsh. Wash the cashmere in a load by itself, use less detergent than you normally would for a full load of laundry.
- Some people recommend a special cashmere shampoo, but you don't have to spend your money on a cashmere-specific detergent when other substitutes work just as well.
- Wash the sweater using a gentle cycle and cold water. View the specific instructions for your washing machine if you are not sure how to change the settings. Usually, there is a simple nob or switch that controls the temperature of the water, and another where you can select a gentle cycle.[8]
- If your washing machine has a wool setting, you can use that as well.
[Edit]Drying Your Sweater - Fold up your sweater in a ball to get water out. Press it very gently, but don't wring out your sweater. Any kind of added friction on your sweater will lead to pilling.[9]
- Your sweater will still be very damp after this initial squeeze.
- Roll your sweater in a towel to remove excess water. Lay the sweater flat on a towel and roll up both the sweater and the towel together into a sausage shape. Then press down on the towel with the palms of your hands so that the towel absorbs the water from your sweater.[10]
- Unroll the towel and take your sweater out.
- Put the sweater through a salad spinner if you're in a rush to dry it. Wet cashmere can take days to dry, so if you're in a rush, put your cashmere sweater in a clean salad spinner, and let the water spin out. This is a much gentler version of tumble drying in the drying machine, so it won't hurt your sweater.[11]
- If you're not in a rush to have a dry sweater, or you don't have a salad spinner, you can skip this step.
- Lay your sweater out flat to finish drying. If you have a flat drying rack, cover it with an absorbent towel and then lay your sweater down. If you don't have a drying rack, you can simply put a towel on the ground and lay out the sweater on the towel. Move the sweater around on the towel until it is in the shape you would want to wear it in. When your sweater dries, it will stay in that shape.[12]
- Drying could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on how humid it is where you live.
- Dry the sweater in the dryer on low for a short time as a last resort. If you absolutely have to wear your cashmere sweater immediately, you can dry it briefly in the dryer, but it's much better to let the cashmere air dry. If you are going to dry it in the dryer, use the lowest heat setting, and check the sweater every 5 minutes to make sure it doesn't shrink.[13]
- Some people think you should never put your cashmere in the dryer, so use caution.[14]
[Edit]Dealing with Stains, Pillings, and Lumps - Pre-treat stains with a small amount of baby shampoo. Dab some baby shampoo onto the area with the stain before you wash the whole sweater. Don't use hand soap or laundry detergent, because they might set the stain. Don't rub the stain, because rubbing will damage the fabric. Rinse the whole sweater and let it dry flat.[15]
- Repeat this process if the stain remains.
- Remove pilling with a cashmere comb or sweater stone. Pilling occurs when the fine hairs in the cashmere rub together and form tiny balls. This process is totally natural, but if the pilling is bothering you, use a cashmere comb or sweater stone to remove loose hairs from your sweater.[16]
- Don't use a razor or scissors to cut off pillings, because it will damage the fabric.
- Store your sweater folded to avoid lumps. If you hang up your cashmere sweater, the hanger create dimples in the shoulders and make the sweater droop in a funny shape. Instead, fold the cashmere and store it on a shelf or in a drawer.[17]
- If your sweater is lumpy, soak it in water and then let it dry flat.
- Don't use fabric softener or bleach on your cashmere.
- Wash your sweater before storing it away for a long time.
[Edit]References |
| How to Make Vegan Scones Posted: 25 Sep 2019 05:00 PM PDT Fluffy scones topped with jam are a classic for any tea table. Fortunately, you don't have to give them up if you've given up dairy. Swap vegan butter or coconut oil for the butter and use dairy-free milk in place of heavy cream. Once you've gotten the hang of baking vegan scones, try a unique variation by adding your favorite ingredients. Make a savory herb scone, for instance, or mix in dried fruit or spices. [Edit]Ingredients - 3 3/4 cups (475 g) of self-raising flour
- 1/4 cup (50 g) of granulated or caster sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of salt
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) of vegan butter or scoopable coconut oil
- of plain dairy-free milk
- of vinegar
Makes 15 scones [Edit]Baking Basic Vegan Scones - Preheat the oven to and prepare a baking sheet. Get out a rimmed baking sheet and line it with a piece of parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking mat. Set the sheet aside while you make the scone dough.[1]
- Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Put 3 3/4 cups (475 g) of self-raising flour into the mixing bowl along with 1/4 cup (50 g) of granulated or caster sugar and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of salt. Whisk for about 30 seconds so the dry ingredients are combined.[2]
- Check the expiration date on your package of self-raising flour. If the flour has expired, the leaveners won't work and your scones won't rise.
- Mix the vegan butter into the dry ingredients until it's crumbly. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix 6 tablespoons (84 g) of vegan butter or scoopable coconut oil into the dry ingredients. Keep rubbing the vegan butter in until the mixture becomes sandy and there are no large clumps.[3]
- If your coconut oil is liquid, stick the container in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes so it firms up enough to scoop.
- If you prefer, you can use a food processor to combine the vegan butter with the dry ingredients.
- Stir in dairy-free milk and vinegar to make a sticky dough. Slowly pour of plain dairy-free milk and of vinegar into the mixing bowl. Stir the mixture until the dry ingredients are moistened and form a shaggy dough. If the dough looks too dry, slowly mix in some of the remaining of dairy-free milk.[4]
- You can use white or apple cider vinegar.
- Try making the scones with almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or your favorite dairy-free milk.
- Knead the scone dough and roll it thick. Sprinkle a little flour onto your work surface and turn the dough onto it. Use your hands to knead the dough just enough to bring it together. Then, use a rolling pin to roll it until it's thick.[5]
- If doesn't matter what shape you roll the dough into unless you'd like to cut triangular scones. To make triangular scones, roll the dough into a circle that's thick.
- Cut the dough into circles. Use a smooth-edged circular cutter to cut the dough out. You can use a drinking glass if you don't have a smooth circular cutter. You should be able to get around 15 scones if you re-roll the dough.[6]
- If you prefer triangular scones, use a sharp knife to cut the circle of dough in half. Then, cut it in half in the opposite direction to form 4 quarters. Cut each quarter into 3 triangles so you get 12 scones.
- Place the scones on the sheet and brush them with dairy-free milk. Put the scones on the lined baking sheet so they're at least apart. Then, pour a little dairy-free milk into a small dish. Dip a pastry brush in the dairy-free milk and brush the tops of the scones with it.[7]
- Brushing the scones with dairy-free milk will help them turn brown a little as they bake.
- Bake the scones for 10 to 12 minutes. Put the baking sheet into the preheated oven and cook the scones until they turn a light golden color. Keep in mind that if you used a dairy-free milk wash, they will be a richer color. Remove the scones and serve them with your favorite jam and vegan clotted cream.[8]
- Although scones have the best texture the day they're baked, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 to 2 days.
[Edit]Trying Flavor Variations - Add your favorite spices to the dry ingredients. For fragrantly spiced vegan scones, add about 4 teaspoons (8 g) of spices. You can use 1 type of spice, such as cinnamon, or combine different flavors for mixed spice scones. Try this combination to get started:[9].}}
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of cloves or allspice
- Mix vegan chocolate chips into the dough for decadent scones. If you'd like to make an extra-special treat, mix 3/4 cup (130 g) of vegan mini-chocolate chips into the dough along with the dairy-free milk. You can also use any of these vegan baking chips:[10]
- Butterscotch
- Cinnamon
- White chocolate
- Peanut butter
- Include lemon zest or vanilla extract to add subtle flavor. If you don't want to add chunks of fruit or baking chips when you flavor the scones, use a flavor extract. Stir in the zest of 1 lemon or of pure vanilla extract when you add the dairy-free milk.[11]
- You can try other flavor extracts, such as almond or lemon extract.
- For a slight crunch, mix in 1 tablespoon (9 g) of poppy seeds to create vegan lemon poppy seed scones.
- Toss in a handful of fruit to make the vegan scones naturally sweet. It's easy to customize your scones by gently folding in around 1 cup (175 g) of your favorite fruit. Try using blueberries, chopped peaches, fresh cherries, or strawberries.[12]
- If you prefer, use dried fruit, such as cranberries, raisins, currants, or sultanas.
- Add 2 tablespoons (7 g) of chopped fresh herbs for a savory flavor. If you're tired of sweet scones or would like savory scones to serve with a meal, add 1 or 2 types of fresh herbs. For example, mix 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary, thyme, dill, chives, or parsley to the dry scone ingredients.[13]
- If you like, top these scones with shredded vegan cheese before baking them.
- If you're adding frozen fruit to your vegan scones, there's no need to thaw the fruit before adding it to the dough.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk or spoon
- circular cutter
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Rake Leaves Posted: 25 Sep 2019 09:00 AM PDT Raking your lawn is a necessary task when the leaves start to fall. However, there are some things that you can do to make the job easier on yourself, such as getting a quality rake and using the proper body position. You can also make the task easier by waiting until the right time to rake and wearing the proper gear for the job. By combining these techniques, your yard will be leaf free in no time. [Edit]Working Safely and Efficiently - Use a quality rake. Many people have an old rake in the tool shed, but an older rake may not be as efficient as a new one. To make raking more efficient, invest in a quality rake.[1]
- Look for a rake that has an ergonomic handle and that is lightweight. This will help to reduce the strain on your back.
- Choosing a rake that has a wide end will also help to ensure that you can rake up as many leaves a possible with every sweep.
- Position your body properly. Proper body positioning is also essential to successful raking. Some things to keep in mind when you rake include:[2]
- Your hand positions. When you hold the rake, grasp it with both hands and change your hand positions now and then as you rake.
- Your knees. Keep your knees slightly bent. Try not to bend too far forward at the waist.
- Your movement. It is helpful to move backwards as you rake. Try to rake the leaves towards you as you walk backwards.
- Transport your leaves with a tarp. You can also save time and energy by raking your leaves onto a tarp, sheet, or canvas cloth. Before you begin raking, lay out a tarp or other large piece of material on the ground. Then, begin raking the leaves onto the tarp.[3]
- Rake one area of your yard until the tarp is full, then drag the tarp to your main pile.
- If you prefer, you can also rake your leaves directly into bags. Then, you can transport the bags to a mulch pile or other disposal area.
- Stomp on your pile. As you rake leaves onto the tarp or into bags, make sure that you stomp them down now and then. This will help to ensure that you have plenty of room for all of your leaves.[4]
- To stomp on your leaves, simply step on them or put one foot into the leaf bag to stomp them down.
- If you are using bags, just try to avoid filling the bags too full. You should still be able to pick the bags up easily.
[Edit]Deciding When to Rake - Wait for all the leaves to fall. It is a good idea to wait until all of the leaves have fallen to begin raking. Raking too soon in the season may be a wasted effort. If there are more leaves on the trees, then more leaves will fall.[5]
- Watch the trees to determine when they are mostly or completely bare. Then, start your raking.
- If you have extra time on your hands, then you can also rake up the leaves as they begin to fall instead of waiting for all of them to fall. This will make your job easier when the last of the leaves fall, but it will also require raking a little at a time.
- Mow early fall leaves into your lawn. In early fall, there might not be enough leaves on the ground to justify raking your whole lawn. However, if you have some early fall leaves that are bothering you, then you can mow them into your lawn. This will help to give your lawn extra nutrients and save you some time.[6]
- Choose a calm day to rake. Windy conditions will make raking more difficult. If possible, wait for a calm day to do your raking. However, if you have to rake on a windy day, then try to rake the leaves with the wind and not against it.[7]
- For example, you could place your pile on the side of the yard that the wind is blowing towards. Then, rake all of your leaves in that direction.
- Ensure that the leaves are dry. Check the leaves for dampness before you begin raking. If the leaves are wet, then they will be harder to rake. They will also weigh down the bags or other containers that you put them in, which will make it harder for you to move them.[8]
- To make your job a little easier, wait until the leaves are dry to start raking them. Watch the weather and check the leaves before you get started.
[Edit]Dressing for the Job - Wear gloves. Holding the handle of the rake can cause blisters on your hands. Your hands may also get dirty from picking up leaves from your pile and placing them into bags. To protect your hands, make sure that you wear a pair of heavy duty canvas or leather work gloves.[9]
- You can find these gloves at any home improvement store.
- Put on some closed toed shoes. Rakes can hurt if you drag them across your foot. There may also be insects and other small creatures hiding in your yard. To protect yourself from injury and bites, make sure that you are wearing a pair of closed toed shoes.
- Work boots are a good choice for doing yard work.
- Use a mask if you have allergies. If you will be mulching your leaves or if you have allergies, then you may want to wear a mask over your face. This will help to protect you from breathing in the dust and allergens released as you rake and mulch your leaves.
- You can find a mask at a home improvement store.
- Wear long sleeves and pants. Wearing long sleeves and pants is also a good idea when you are doing yard work. Even if the weather is not cold yet, there may be insects, snakes, and other small creatures lurking in your yard. Wearing long pants and long sleeves will help to protect you from bites.
- A pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt is a good choice for raking leaves.
- You can wear a jacket and a hat too if the weather is cold.
- Switch the rake to the other side now and then and take breaks, especially if you haven't raked since last fall.
- If you have a leaf blower, then you can blow all of the leaves into one corner of your yard and then rake up the leaves.
- Fallen leaves make exceptional material for compost or mulch. If you have the choice, compost them or spread them on the area that will become next year's garden.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Rake
- Tarp, sheet, or canvas cloth
- Bags for collecting leaves
- Gloves
- Long sleeved shirt
- Long pants
- Closed toed shoes
- Lawn mower
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References
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