Money-Saving Advice For Stain Removal
Review: Spotless, Room-by-Room Solutions to Domestic Disasters
Jan 27, 2009
Co-author of Spotless Shannon Lush writes, “I developed an active interest in stain removal after marking things with paint, because when I am painting I make a serious mess.” Proficient in ceramics, glass, painting, sculpture and working with metals, Lush now works as a restorer.
No doubt through the discovery of these various arts and crafts, her knowledge of eliminating spills and stains has grown to greater-than-average proportions. Add to this the information she gained about chemical reactions from her engineer father, and the result is a comprehensive book of solutions to just about any domestic disaster.
Queen of Clean Lush states that expensive cleaning materials are not necessary; she goes on to prove her money-saving point quite conclusively.
Jennifer Fleming
Radio producer and presenter Jennifer Fleming describes herself as the “absorber and writer of the book”. A strange collaborator, given that she admits to paying someone else to clean her house and not being at all interested in stain removal. She tells of her friends’ surprised reaction when she said she was writing Spotless, as they knew of her lack of domesticity. However, she has become a specialist in theory, if not practice, which complements Lush’s practicality.
Remove Marks on Mirrors
Alongside the helpful hints about getting rid of everything from removing marks on mirrors to candle wax on bed sheets, the book is entertaining.
Whilst most of us end up with marks on mirrors, the reader wonders exactly how candle wax got onto a bed sheet, and thus needs to be removed. One can only assume that things are different in Australia. Other mysterious problems include
- cockroach droppings on books
- decomposing rubber on bath towels
- rotted melon on a wooden surface.
Clean That Woollen Coat
Lush’s 224 pages of do-it-yourself stain removal advice are also peppered with practical tips such as making starch from rice water and how to fix a hole in cane furniture. She helps the reader to save money on dry-cleaning bills with explanations on how to clean a woolen coat, silk scarf and leather jacket. All very useful advice indeed, in these times of the credit crunch.
Spotless Australians was written with an Australian readership in mind, and there are a couple of products mentioned by brand name, such as Vanish and Gumption, which might not be recognised in some other countries. However, many of the cleaning solutions mentioned in the book are store cupboard basics including those essentials: vinegar and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda).
Spotless
The fun cover design of Spotless is in primary colors with a retro 1950s look, reflected in the size of the book (5”x 7”). It would make a great housewarming gift to anyone moving into their own home as well as a useful addition to the shelves of those who have battled with stains for years.
Spotless : Room-by-Room Solutions to Domestic Disasters by Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming, (Ebury Press, 2008) Ppbk £6.99 (US$9.85)
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