Warding Off Hard Water Grime
Marilyn Porokney shares details of making tea with hard water; Tom Fulcher recommends using soybean meal as a pet-friendly substitute chemical fertilizer; Margaret Beals uses a fish net to cover loads in her truck bed; Stan Lubecki sharpens the blades in his hand mower; Sharon Shreve uses fingernail polish to remove walnut stains; Richard Bowen makes cat litter from newspapers.
April/May 1994
Reader letters
Country Lore
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Adding a bit of lemon can save the lives of your kitchen utensils.
Tea Time
Compared to urban water, water from country wells is often hard. While more healthful than soft water because of its mineral content, hard water can be destructive to cooking utensils. But scientists have found one solution, especially for tea kettles. Tea grime left in tea kettles and cups can be eliminated by adding lemon juice when brewing or steeping tea.
Studies conducted by scientists at the Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine in London found that the tea grime only occurs when tea is brewed in hard water. The grime, when viewed under a microscope, is actually caused by calcium and other minerals present in hard water. Grime did not form when soft or distilled water was used. The acid in lemon juice reacts chemically with the minerals, thus preventing the scum from forming.
- Marilyn Porokney
Ord, NE
How Does Your Garden Grow?
If you have pets and are worried about spreading chemical fertilizers, try soy bean meal instead. While soybean meal is not a complete fertilizer, it is high in nitrogen and causes your grass to green up nicely. In fact, it is considered by many to be one of the finest soil conditioners, so you might try it in your garden also.
The only problem is dogs love to eat it. It is found in so many dog foods and does not seem to cause them harm.
While soybean meal does not seem to cause any burning of the grass, I would recommend several applications rather than one heavy one. Meal is available in most feed stores.
-Tom Fulcher
Glenelg, MD
The Net Result
When we needed to cover loads in our little VW pickup, my husband mounted small plastic hooks, open end down, along the outside of the truck bed to hook a tarp on. Eventually the tarp ripped to shreds. So I grabbed a piece of fish net, which stretched neatly and hooked over the sides. It worked so well we've never replaced the tarp. Nets that are used to cover fruit trees work just as well.
-Margaret P. Beals
Marshfield, MA
Put Some Bite in Your Hand Mower
Here are a couple of tips to make your hand-m owing experience easier. First, sharpen both edges of blade for forward and backward cutting. Using a file, cut seven or eight teeth on the end of the mower blade. It chews up leaves and grass and you don't need an expensive mulcher. P.S. Always be sure to wear leather shoes!
