I am an Instagram follower of a few DIY people but I was told of Nancy with regards carpet stains I have on a spare bedroom carpet.
She was actually winner of The Great British Bake Off in 2014 and I then remembered her, when I saw her.
Well she has published several books on good old fashioned ways of cleaning and cooking. I can't believe that the stains on the carpet which I have attacked over the years with various products and eventually hid with a sheepskin rug because I couldn't get rid of them, have finally disappeared !! Purely by patience and perseverance with warm water and then a bicarb paste solution.
Drip drying is another thing that she seems to advocate to remove clothes stains. I can't remember the last time I drip dried anything ??
I didn't remember the name, but did recognise her face. The old methods are usually the best, and kinder on the environment. More elbow grease and natural ingredients, less chemicals.
I have just started following her on Instagram, she often puts on tips and hacks, but recently she made her Christmas cake and then baked it for 10 hours, now I’m sure it is ok, but I think that if she baked it in a hotter oven it would save on fuel, I honestly wouldn’t bake mine for that long, she cooks it over night, I would be worrying about a power outage 😳
Nancy Birtwhistle’s 'Pure Magic' (previously known as 'Toilet Magic')
You will need:-
200g citric acid
150ml just-boiled water
20ml eco-friendly washing-up liquid
10–20 drops tea tree oil
1 pint measuring jug
Small whisk
400ml glass bottle with spray attachment and screw top
Place the measured crystals in a heatproof measuring jug and pour over just-boiled water. Stir until the liquid is clear and the crystals have dissolved, then simply add the eco-friendly washing-up liquid and tea tree oil and mix well using a small whisk. Leave the liquid in the jug to cool completely and uncovered for a few hours then pour into a spray bottle and it is ready to use.
Nancy Birtwhistle's cream cleaner
You will need:-
200g bicarbonate of soda
70ml vegetable glycerine
20ml eco-friendly washing-up liquid
a few drops essential oil for perfume (optional)
500ml jar or tub
Simply place all the ingredients into the jar or tub, stir to a thick smooth paste and it is ready to use. When making my first batch, I poured it into a reused plastic squeezy bottle, but I found that the cleaner was not free-flowing enough to run to the bottom of the bottle when nearly empty, so I now find a jar is much better. Perfect for granite worktops and sanitary ware, being non-acidic and only slightly abrasive.