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8 Tips for Cleaning and Caring for Leather

Connoisseurs have always appreciated leather. Because the furniture with leather covers becomes more and more beautiful with age. Provided they are properly cared for and cleaned over the years. We show you which cleaning agents are good and which should be avoided.

The leather and its properties

Leather is a material made from animal skin. Centuries ago, people used the material as tent walls and for the production of clothing and containers. Because the leather has positive properties, such as its durability and breathability. In addition, it is flame-retardant and keeps you warm. It is so popular because it is very durable with proper cleaning and care. But you should use the right tools. Otherwise, you can destroy the leather during cleaning.

Tips for the correct cleaning of leather

Leather is hard-wearing, but if you want it to look good for a long time, it needs gentle cleansing. In addition, you should take care of it regularly. You shouldn’t do it thoughtlessly. Because there are some important things to consider in order not to ruin the beautiful leather furniture and leather upholstery. That’s why we’ve collected tips for the right treatment of your leather covers. Also, read how to refresh and polish old leather.

1) Refrain from using chemical cleaning agents

The following substances are considered absolutely unsuitable and dangerous for the leather fabric: stain removers, solvents, floor wax, and shoe polish. You should also avoid using petrol and turpentine when cleaning leather. All of these detergents can damage the fabric. Instead, use natural home remedies for cleaning or a special cleaner for leather from the internet.

2) Note the type of leather when cleaning

Contrary to popular belief, simple leather care does not necessarily have to be expensive to be effective. But different types of leather require special care. Thus, the effect can be targeted. Therefore, you should first determine the type of leather. Once you know the species, you can start cleaning.

Cleaning aniline leather

These are the so-called uncovered leathers. This type of leather does not require complicated maintenance. But you should protect it from too much sunlight. You should also dust it off regularly with a damp cloth (at least once a week). And twice a year, treatment with a special cleaning agent should be carried out. Also, note how you can clean leather upholstery with cornmeal.

3) Use a little curd soap

If you want to remove stains from smooth leather, using curd soap can help. You should be careful not to use too much of it. Large-scale use is also not advisable. And you should foam up the curd soap a little beforehand. Then test it on a small spot before you really start. Then care for the material with leather grease. So it doesn’t dry out. Also, note our tips for removing carpet stains.

4) Clean leather with hair shampoo

If you don’t have a special leather cleaner on hand, you can use hair shampoo to clean smooth leather. To do this, dilute it in water. Then you can rub it into greasy spots and dirt. But you should also test the mixture on a small area beforehand. And it is important to let everything dry well afterward. Also, read our ideas for making hair shampoo yourself.

5) Make your own leather care products

Leather furniture tends to develop its own beautiful patina with age. You can make your own care product to keep the leather soft and elastic. To do this, mix 150 ml of water and milk with an egg white. Then use a sponge to apply the mixture thinly to the previously brushed furniture and let it work for a short time. Finally, remove the excess solution with a dry cloth. After this procedure, your leather furniture will be well cared for and shine like new. In addition, note how to remove ink stains from leather.

6) Remove bad smell from leather

If your leather sofa or leather jacket has gotten a bad smell, you don’t have to throw it away right away. Instead, use the popular home remedy vinegar to neutralize the smell. To do this, take a cloth and add some vinegar. Then wipe the respective piece of leather with it.

7) Protect leather upholstery from sunlight

Leather suites are sensitive to light and should not be exposed to direct sunlight over the years. Because they can easily fade in this way or darken in patches. Also, note our article on cleaning and caring for car seats.

8) Enough humidity for leather

You should also ensure that there is sufficient humidity in the living room. Because the leather needs moisture to stay soft and supple over the long term. This is just as important for the care of old furniture and antiques.

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Cooking Tips

Cleaning the Coffee Machine: the Most Important Information

Cleaning the coffee machine is one of the routine tasks for baristas in Italy. Because in the cafés, hundreds of cups of espresso go over the counter every day – and it only tastes good from clean machines. Of course, what is standard for cafés also applies at home.

How often should you descale coffee machines?

How often you should descale your coffee maker to ensure it works perfectly depends on the following factors:

Hardness of the water in your region: The harder the water, the faster limescale deposits. If you are unsure, you can ask the local water company for the value. Water hardness test strips are also commercially available.

Intensity of use of the machine: The more often you make coffee, the faster the device gets dirty.

With very hard water and medium usage, for example, the recommendation is to clean the device every three to four weeks. If the water is soft, it is sufficient to descale the machine about every six to eight weeks.

Remember: Regular cleaning extends the life of your machine! Because every time you prepare coffee in it, powder residue, fat and limescale are deposited and, in the worst case, can eventually clog the device. So it is better to clean too early than too late.

Cleaning the coffee machine with home remedies: yes or no?

The instructions for use usually state which cleaning agents you can use to descale your coffee machine. In order to clean portafilters or fully automatic coffee machines, you should avoid using home remedies or other additives. These could damage the sensitive hoses, pump or sealing elements.

On the other hand, you can easily descale your filter coffee machine with household products. Vinegar essence has proven particularly effective.

Descale the filter coffee machine with vinegar essence

Mix water and vinegar essence in a ratio of 1:4.

Pour the mixture into the water tank of the filter coffee machine.

Insert a coffee filter. It catches the dissolved lime.

Start the machine and allow the mixture to flow halfway through.

Turn off the coffee maker for about 30 minutes. During this time, the vinegar can take effect and dissolve further limescale inside the machine.

Start the machine again and let the rest of the vinegar and water mixture run through.

Remove the coffee filter. Run at least two more pitchers of water through to completely flush out the vinegar.

Cleaning the portafilter machine: how it works!

Does the espresso from your portafilter machine taste sour or is it only lukewarm? The device makes loud pumping noises? High time for a decalcification! Of course, it’s better if you don’t let it get that far in the first place.

To descale your portafilter machine, follow the manufacturer’s instructions in the instructions for use. It usually works according to this principle:

Dose the descaler according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Mix with water in the tank of the machine.

Then remove the water alternately via the steam nozzle and brewing group. This ensures that all water circuits come into contact with the descaler and the limescale dissolves everywhere.

If the water tank is empty, rinse the machine thoroughly with fresh water.

While the descaler runs through the machine, you can devote yourself to the shower sieve and the portafilter.

Pour descaler into a bowl of warm water according to package instructions.

Leave the filter and portafilter to soak for about 30 minutes.

Rinse thoroughly with clear water.

Put back in the machine.

Clean the shower sieve and portafilter

Apart from regular descaling, the shower sieve of the portafilter machine needs your attention a little more often. You don’t necessarily need to clean it after every use, but you do after several espressos. Because coffee oils can get stuck in the sieve, which would otherwise clog the fine pores.

Cleaning the portafilter is simple: first remove the brewing sieve from the carrier and wipe it with a clean cloth. You’ve already removed the oils. Occasionally you can also clean it particularly thoroughly by letting the coffee fat remover take effect and then rinsing it off with clear water.

Simply rinse out any coffee residue left in the portafilter with lukewarm water. For a particularly simple and thorough cleaning, the trade also offers special brushes with which you can easily remove coffee residues from the portafilter and brewing group.

Tip: Before each new espresso, run a little hot water through the device without inserting the portafilter. This removes residue and the water for the espresso is kept at the optimum temperature.

Clean the milk nozzle on portafilters and fully automatic machines

Does your device have a milk nozzle or a steam lance? It is best to clean them after each use. It is easiest to remove the milk residues when they are still fresh. To loosen dried residue, let the nozzle emit steam several times, it then simply blows out the milk residue. Then wipe with a clean, slightly damp cloth – done!

Descale the coffee machine: Thanks, cleaning program!

The coffee machine is many people’s best friend in the morning. At the push of a button, it grinds beans and brews espresso with a fine crema or delicious cappuccino. Especially when it is used frequently, the hard-working coffee maker with its different areas and hoses needs regular care and cleaning.

The good news: Luckily most modern vending machines have an automatic cleaning program – and all you have to do is make sure there is enough detergent in the tank provided.

Make it a routine to run the automatic cleaning program regularly. Most machines are very well positioned here. For example, the degree of hardness of the water can often be stored in the system. In combination with the frequency of use, the device itself then determines the optimal time for cleaning and informs you by flashing or a corresponding message on the display.

Apart from that, there are components in all fully automatic coffee machines that you should regularly remove and clean yourself. Otherwise, bacteria can collect there, and in the worst case, harmful mold forms. Warm water, dish soap and a cleaning brush are usually sufficient to clean the parts. You can also simply put many components in the dishwasher.

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Cooking Tips

Clean Chanterelles: the Best Tips for Cleaning

You should clean chanterelles very carefully, as the mushrooms are sensitive. We show you the best tips on how to clean chanterelles properly.

If you walk through the forest in summer, with a bit of luck you will come across the first chanterelles. Their bright yellow is hard to miss. If you have a cloth bag with you – plastic is not only bad for the environment, but also bad for the mushrooms – you can carefully cut off a few of the tasty mushrooms just above the ground with a sharp knife.

Freshly picked chanterelles are very aromatic, but of course they are not as clean as the pre-cleaned ones from the shop around the corner. How do you get rid of the “dirt”?

Clean your chanterelles properly with these tips

Remove coarse dirt: Even collected chanterelles have to be cleaned thoroughly because needles, soil and other dirt stick to them. Since a water bath is taboo and chanterelles are very sensitive, you can brush off the dirt with a kitchen brush (available from **Avocadostore) or kitchen paper (e.g. made from fast-growing bamboo from **Avocadostore).
Cut off the stalk: Whether the chanterelles are from the forest or the supermarket, you first need to remove the bottom part of the stalk.
Remove bad spots: If you discover soft, dry or glassy spots when cutting off the stem ends, you should also cut them off with a sharp knife.
Now the chanterelles are clean and ready to be cleaned and you can use them to make sauces, soups and stir-fries.

Clean especially dirty chanterelles

Water bath: If the dirt is particularly bad and cannot be removed with a brush and kitchen roll, you can use water: place the mushrooms in a sieve and dip them briefly in a cold water bath. Then place them on a clean kitchen towel that will soak up the excess water.
Flour bath: Dust the mushrooms with flour and then briefly dip them into a cold water bath using a sieve. The flour separates from the chanterelles and takes the adhering dirt with it. This method works especially well with larger batches, when it would take too long to hand-clean all the mushrooms.
Danger! In Europe, chanterelles may only be collected for personal use, since their stock is constantly shrinking. Collecting is generally prohibited in nature reserves and national parks. Check with your local municipality before collecting chanterelles.

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Cooking Tips

Cleaning Mushrooms: Should You Really Not Wash Them?

It is often recommended to only clean mushrooms and in no case wash them under running water. But is that really true? You can find out here how best to clean mushrooms before preparation.

Whether mushroom pan, mushroom cream sauce or mushroom cream soup: mushroom recipes usually recommend cleaning the mushrooms before preparation. This means removing any soil residue with a brush or a special mushroom brush. Cleaning, unlike washing, is a dry process. Washing the mushrooms with water is often strongly discouraged. But why?

Clean or wash mushrooms?

The advice not to wash mushrooms under running water is common. They are said to become soaked with liquid and lose their taste.

In fact, mushrooms absorb a small amount of extra liquid when they come into contact with water. Unlike vegetables such as peppers, aubergines or courgettes, they do not have a solid shell that water could roll off. They can therefore absorb some of it.

However, mushrooms already contain a lot of water – in the case of button mushrooms, for example, it is up to 91 percent. This leaves little room for additional water intake. An experiment by the US author Harold McGee confirms this assumption: According to the British Guardian, McGee soaked 252 grams of mushrooms in a water bath for five minutes. They then weighed 258 grams, just six grams more. Since the mushrooms come into contact with water for a significantly shorter time when rinsing, they should absorb significantly less liquid. You can read about this experiment in McGee’s book “The Curious Cook”.

Still, there is slight disagreement as to whether or not washing affects the taste of the mushrooms. According to McGee, there was no loss of taste in the washed mushrooms. According to the Guardian, on the other hand, the British Mushroom Bureau advises against washing mushrooms for too long: the longer the water contact lasts, the more the flavor fades. Nevertheless, the advice center does not completely advise against cleaning mushrooms under water. Wiping them off with a damp cloth or rinsing them under running water is not a problem.

Cleaning mushrooms: is it even necessary?

Self-collected mushrooms can certainly have heavy soil residues or other dirt. In this case, it is advisable to clean the mushrooms and wash them if necessary.

The situation is different with cultivated fungi: They are usually little or not at all contaminated when they are sold. In the case of slight residues, cleaning with a brush or brush is sufficient.

If you don’t want the mushrooms to come into contact with running water, you can wipe them off with a damp kitchen towel afterwards. You can find more detailed tips and hints in these guide articles:

Clean mushrooms: simple step-by-step instructions
Cleaning porcini mushrooms: 3 tips for mushroom pickers
You should be particularly careful when cleaning if you want to prepare mushrooms raw, for example in a mushroom salad. According to the consumer advice center, you should always heat other types of mushrooms before you eat them. They are more digestible and possible pathogens are killed.

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