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Almost every household has a washing machine, but delicate items of clothing are often unsuitable for this. What now? Do you go to the dry cleaners or do you prefer to wash by hand?

What temperature for handwashing?

Hand washing is not as complicated as you might think at first glance. And you don’t need a tumble dryer to get your favorite pieces back in shape. It doesn’t matter whether it’s your favorite jacket or an evening dress, the first thing you should do with all items of clothing is the label beforehand washing them. Because even if you don’t put your clothes in the machine, temperature specifications may have to be observed. These help you to ensure that your best piece does not shrink and that you do not bring your favorite classics out of shape by washing them incorrectly. You can easily determine the temperature with a bathtub thermometer.

The right detergent for sensitive clothing

It is best to use a washbowl or a corresponding basin, where you fill in enough water at the required temperature. Then add the detergent according to the recommended dosage. But be careful: you have to make sure that the detergent is suitable. A mild detergent is the best choice for many sensitive items of clothing. On the other hand, if the item is made of wool, you should use a wool detergent. If you need to remove stains first, you can treat them with cold water or a suitable stain remover. Please also note our tips for removing make-up stains with the effective gall soap.

Hand wash instructions

Once you have found the right temperature and detergent for your hand wash, you can begin. To do this, choose a bucket suitable for the laundry or wash larger items by hand in the bathtub. You should proceed as follows so that everything works perfectly:

Step 1: Soak

You now put the garment completely into the soapy water and move it back and forth a little. Be careful not to twirl, rub, or scrub, as this will distort the delicate fabric fibers. Now wait about 30 minutes and let your clothes soak. If stains are still visible afterward, add more warm water and extend the time. Here, too, make sure that you do not exceed the maximum temperature on the washing label.

Step 2: Rinse

The next step is to drain the soapy water or empty the tub. Now fill it with cold, fresh water and gently squeeze out the garment inside. Repeat this process until no more foam comes out of the fabric. The water must remain completely clear before the next step, as soap residue can cause discoloration.

Step 3: Express

After the cold water runs clear, empty the tub again and squeeze the liquid out of the fabric. Please make sure that you do not rub, twirl or even wring, as this will damage the fabric. Spread a dry towel on the floor and place your garment on it. Now you can carefully pull it back into shape. Now roll up the towel along with your clothing to draw even more moisture out of the fabric. And you’re done with the hand wash. In addition, read our guide to removing stubborn stains with lawn bleach.

Hand wash to dry properly

After you have largely removed the excess water with the towel, you can start drying the clothes. Layout a wide, dry towel on the drying rack or a table and spread out the washed clothes on it. Now you let it dry until there is no more liquid in the tissue. Make sure to turn every 2-4 hours so the garment dries evenly.

The number of dietary supplements available in the drugstore is almost unmanageable – but what exactly is a dietary supplement supposed to do? And can she even do that?

When you look at the shelves of a drugstore or at the advertising of the manufacturers of dietary supplements, you might think that we are all completely undersupplied. According to a survey by consumer advice centers, every third person questioned actually takes food supplements: a little vitamin C for a cold, magnesium for the muscles after exercise, cranberry pills for bladder infections…

It is particularly common for young adults under the age of 29 to use dietary supplements. And around half of those surveyed believe in the health-promoting effects. But does this belief have any basis at all, do dietary supplements really make sense?

What are dietary supplements?

Dietary supplements (NEM) are mostly artificial (food) products that are intended to supplement normal nutrition and that can be bought as tablets, capsules, drops or powders. They contain concentrated nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect. These can be vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, roughage, but also plants or herbal extracts – such as cranberry or aronia extract.

Dietary supplement products are legally classified as “food”, but manufacturers must label them as “nutritional supplements”. You must also provide a recommended daily dose and provide the product with a warning not to exceed this amount.

While dietary supplements used to be advertised mainly on coffee trips, they can now be bought almost everywhere: in supermarkets, drugstores, pharmacies or on the Internet, whether they make sense or not.

Subtle advertising promises for dietary supplements

Since the so-called Health Claims Ordinance (BMEL), manufacturers of dietary supplements are not allowed to simply advertise with health-related claims. With the exception of herbal ingredients, the advertising promises must first be submitted to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and scientifically examined.

So far, about 250 such statements for food supplements have been classified as scientifically verifiable. The majority are statements about vitamins and minerals: For example, manufacturers who add a certain amount are allowed to advertise that vitamin C contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system or that calcium is necessary for the maintenance of normal bones (see consumer advice center).

However, you may not advertise that you want to eliminate, alleviate or prevent diseases. Only statements like “reduces the risk of…” are allowed. And statements for which no evidence could be provided are forbidden.

The sowing of a coffee plant is possible all year round. Cultivation works best with fresh seeds, which ideally can be taken from the ripe coffee berries. After they have been separated from their somewhat harder shell and the silver skin that encloses them, they can then be planted about a centimeter deep in the ground. It makes sense to plant each bean in its own pot. Head cuttings can be obtained from a coffee bush and planted directly in soil. A sufficiently warm location is important in both cases. If the plant is large enough and has adequate root development, it can be transplanted into a larger pot.

Now a mixture of soil and substrate is good for you, as constant moisture should be guaranteed. Further repotting is usually required at most every two to three years. Soft rainwater is best for watering. A slightly acidic soil, which favors growth, can be achieved by occasionally adding lemon juice. Tropical and subtropical plants such as the coffee plant from Ethiopia should also be sprayed with water every day if possible, as this allows them to absorb moisture through their leaves. Warm summer rains are good care for the shrub, which otherwise cannot tolerate outdoor temperatures. In the colder months, you should water your Coffea less, but keep the humidity as high as possible.

The coffee plant likes temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees, making it the ideal houseplant. In winter, it also tolerates slightly cooler temperatures of around 12 to 15 degrees. A significantly colder environment or drafts should be avoided. It does well in a light location, not exposed to direct or blazing sun or cramped by other plants. You can prune your coffee plant irregularly if a bushier growth is desired.

It can take a few years for the plant to flower for the first time. A brush can be used to help pollinate the flowers so that pollination occurs evenly. But then coffee cherries, the fruits of the coffee plant, also grow. The green berries turn red within 8 to 12 months and can finally be harvested. If you do not want to roast the coffee beans obtained in this way or if the yield is too low, you can of course use them as new seeds and thus increase your local plantation.

Caffeine has a stimulating, stimulating effect and is an alkaloid that appears as a white, crystalline, odorless powder with a bitter taste. Worldwide, caffeine is the most consumed substance with active pharmacological effects. Caffeine not only occurs in coffee but also in other luxury foods such as tea, mate, cola, guaraná, cocoa, colanesses and energy drinks. Even in various painkillers, caffeine is often contained, which can be read on the package insert.

The stimulating effect, if it is available in the appropriate quantity, works very quickly. However, if the caffeine content of the drink or other product is minimal, then no effect can be felt at all. But not only the caffeine content plays a major role in the mode of action, but also the type of food and its composition.

The caffeine content in comparison

25 ml espresso (often served in a 40 to 50 ml espresso cup) contain between 25 to 30 mg of caffeine
Since cappuccino and latte macchiato each contain an espresso, the caffeine content corresponds to that of an espresso.
Good to know: In Italy and other countries you get a double espresso when ordering a Caffè latte, which is poured in with plenty of hot milk.
25 ml in the filter infusion process of brewed bean coffee contains between 15 and 25 mg of caffeine. With a usual coffee cup with 125 ml filling quantity, this results in a amount of caffeine of 75 – 120 mg
While a decaffeinated coffee in a 125 ml cup has a small residual amount of caffeine that is between 1 and 4 mg.

The pros and cons of caffeine in various types of coffee

Usually the caffeine content depends on the variety of the coffee contained in the drink, as well as on its quantity and the type of preparation. If you tolerate caffeine well and appreciate your vicarious effect, you should use an espresso, filter coffee or a soluble, freezer -dried coffee. If you cannot tolerate caffeine in return, it is best to do without all caffeinated drinks and choose a decaffeinated coffee.

The world of coffee is diverse and complicated. A lover of coffee no longer buys a previously prayed product, passes it through a coffee maker and keeps it warm on the stove for hours. Eating coffee is part of culinary art. A universal drink accompanies its fans during the day in many branded dishes. Nevertheless, stubborn prejudices are preserved. Most coffee lovers are familiar with the varieties of Arabica and Robust. And the vast majority of coffee lovers preserved information: Arabica is good, Robusta is bad. They are unfair to Robust.

Optical and taste differences

Anyone who rejects Robust is as unfair as a connoisseur of wine, who prefers the variety of Sira Murvedra. But there are bad wines of Syrah and good wine Murvedr. And there are many good mixtures. The rapid visual difference between arabic and timid. Robusta grains are small, brown, chubby. They show an open gap. Arabica grains are elongated, greenish-brown, with a more closed gap. The difference in aroma and taste is as clear as the visual difference. Robusta comes from lowlands, and you can say: its earthy, rich taste and low acidity of a spilled drink. Arabica, “mountain coffee”, has well -integrated acids; It is tasted as sweet, clear, light and rounded.

Ingredients and tolerance

Arabica and robust differ in the content of caffeine and tolerance .. chlorogenic acid, which makes up each coffee grain, is 30% higher in robust. Chlorogenic acid can cause heartburn and pain in the stomach. To this should be added a higher caffeine content in all varieties of robust coffee. The consequences of increased consumption of Robusta manifest only after coffee is drunk: a feeling of intolerance, increased pulse, sweating, imperative calls for urination. The fact that Robusta has a higher content of alkaloids is already visible during tasting: it tastes more strong, bitter and has acute aftertaste. Bobs from the lowlands are a typical addition to espresso and Schümli. This makes the taste more characteristic and gives more foam. Anyone who has tried coffee 100% Robust recognizes it in all mixtures.

Vegan wine – that often causes heads to shake. Because most drinks are inherently vegan, aren’t they? Unfortunately that’s not true. We explain what makes vegan wine and which animal substances are contained in many wines.

Vegan wine: free from animal additives

When growing the grapes in the vineyard, there is still no difference between vegan and non-vegan wine. There are usually no animal substances to be found in the finished product either. In the production of wine, however, turbidity is often found or undesirable flavors, colors or smells appear. Then the wine is “clarified” or “fined”. Various animal proteins have been used in the production process for centuries:

Casein: Casein is made from fresh milk. It combines with the cloudy substances and settles on the bottom of the barrel. The clear wine is then skimmed off so that there is almost no protein or turbidity left in the wine.
Albumin: Albumin is found in egg yolk. It reduces the tannin content and makes the wine milder. After the addition, fine grains form in the wine, which are filtered out. This so-called “egg white fining” is mainly used for red wine.
Gelatin: Gelatin is usually made from pork bones. The background: Gelatine also combines with the cloudy substances and settles on the bottom of the barrel. The wine is then drawn off.
Isinglass: An isinglass is the dried swim bladder of fish. Just like gelatine, it binds small particles such as turbidity in the wine. The isinglass sinks to the bottom with the particles and the clear wine is skimmed off.
Lysozyme: Lysozyme is an enzyme derived from protein. In addition to the dairy industry, it is also used in the wine industry. It prevents faulty, spontaneous acid degradation from occurring

There are numerous vegan solutions for wine

In vegan wine production, wine is clarified with vegetable proteins or mineral substances instead of animal proteins.

Vegetable protein (from peas, beans, potato starch): Just like animal proteins, they bind the turbidity in the wine and make it clearer.
Bentonite: Bentonite is obtained from volcanic ash or the weathering of similar deposits. It can be used in the same way as proteins and is considered the safest remedy for clouding.
Activated charcoal: Activated charcoal also helps against bad taste, odor irritation or discoloration.
Sedimentation: If wine or must is left to stand, particles will settle out on their own. You are then left with careful skimming. This natural process is considered to be quality-enhancing and particularly gentle – but also very time-consuming.

The cup of coffee is part of the daily morning ritual for many people. But a coffee machine also needs care and should be descaled and cleaned regularly. Because without descaling there is no taste perfect coffee and damp coffee residues are also an ideal breeding ground for mold and other germs.

But how do I know that the coffee machine has to be descaled?

Many coffee machines now show this using a control light. But there are also other signs that the machine has to be descaled:
White deposits are formed
The coffee machine runs slower
The machine is exceptionally loud
The coffee doesn’t get really hot and does not taste good
How often you have to clean your machine depends on how often you use it, how strong the water hardness is and how quickly it calculates. On average, however, a coffee machine should be cleaned every 1-2 months.

Decalate the coffee machine with professional cleaning agents:

A large number of different descalcers are offered in stores. Almost every coffee machine manufacturer also offers suitable descaling agents for their machine. But there are also some brand -independent products.

Basically, you cannot do anything wrong with these descaling agents – simply put the descaler into the machine according to the manufacturer’s specifications and start descaling. After that, the coffee machine is perfectly descaled and ready for further use.

Decalate the coffee machine with home remedies – this is how it works:

However, professional cleaning products from the trade have a big disadvantage: they are quite expensive. But there are also cheaper ways to decalify and clean the coffee machine – for example, some home remedies are perfect for this. This makes the coffee machine cleaning not only cheaper, but also more environmentally friendly.

The classic: coffee machine decalcify with vinegar essence

A very widespread method is to clean the coffee machine with vinegar essence. But how exactly does it work? We show you step by step what you have to do to clean your coffee machine with vinegar essence:
First of all, it is important that the vinegar essence with water is diluted in a ratio of 1: 4. Because undiluted and highly concentrated, it can harm rubber seals and other sensitive parts in the machine.
Once you have diluted the vinegar essence, put it in the water tank of the coffee machine, let it work briefly and start the descaling process according to the specifications of the respective manufacturer.
It is important that you let water run through the machine for 2-3 times after descaling so that the next coffee does not taste like vinegar.
The descaling is ready and the coffee machine is ready to go again.

For particularly environmentally conscious descaling: descaling with citric acid

You don’t have any vinegar essence at home right now? No problem – you can easily clean your coffee machine with a simple lemon. This has the advantage that citric acid is particularly environmentally friendly. And you only have to take the following steps:
Clean the surfaces of the coffee machine:
Halve a lemon and remove the seeds
Squeeze some lemon juice over a sponge. With the sponge you can then wipe over lime deposits, leave the whole thing on for about 30 minutes and then wipe it moist.
Discalate the coffee machine:
To clean the inside of the coffee machine, you have to press the lemon completely.
Then it is important to give the lemon juice through a sieve so that no pulp gets into the machine.
Now you can dilute the juice of a whole lemon with about one liter of water and then put the mixture into the water tank.
Now you can start descaling again according to the manufacturer.
Once the descaling has ended, think about rinsing the coffee machine with water 2-3 times.
You already have a perfectly descaled coffee machine and the coffee tastes great again.

Special caution is required here: descaling coffee machine with amidosulfonic acid

If the coffee machine is once particularly dirty, there is also the possibility to decalcify the coffee machine with amidosulfonic acid. Available, for example in the hardware store.

But here you have to be particularly careful! This acid has a caustic effect. Therefore, you should wear mouth protection and safety glasses with the application.

This is how it works: Mix ten grams of amidosulfonic acid with one liter of water and then start descaling as usual.

It is particularly important here that the machine is washed through water several times after cleaning.

Baking powder – descale the miracle cure for the coffee machine

There are many home remedies that are suitable for descaling. Baking powder is also ideal for cleaning. Simply dissolve baking powder in one liter of water and then let this solution run through the coffee machine. The machine is clean again and the coffee tastes flawless again. The descaling is so easy with baking powder.

The descaling with home remedies is therefore not only significantly cheaper than decalcifying with buyable solutions, but also more environmentally friendly.

How can I protect my coffee machine against lime?

Unfortunately, the formation of lime cannot be completely avoided. You can take some preventive measures, but these will not completely prevent lime formation. One way to restrict the formation of lime to do without tap water. Instead, use still water from bottles (i.e. water without carbon dioxide), this is far from the water from the tap. It may be enough if you descalate the coffee machine every 6 – 12 months.

True coffee connoisseurs only drink their coffee from freshly ground beans. If your favorite coffee is on sale, you would like to grab it without limits and secure a large supply. If it weren’t for the fear that the valuable aromas could evaporate if it was stored in the kitchen cupboard for a long time and the delicious coffee would only taste bland.

In general, it is always advisable to use fresh coffee beans as soon as possible. Nothing beats the full flavor of freshly roasted beans. However, if it is not possible to always get your beans fresh and in small portions, you have to store them.

Freezing larger amounts of coffee beans seems a good alternative. This is to preserve the aromas and give the coffee its full, fine taste even after it has been stored for a long time.

However, opinions differ on this topic. True advocates of freshly ground coffee call freezing coffee beans a vice because they don’t want the taste to be the same after thawing.

If you decide to freeze for practical reasons, it’s important to make sure the beans are frozen in an airtight container so that no moisture can get in. Even after removing the beans from the freezer, they should first be completely thawed to room temperature before they are removed from the packaging, otherwise condensation will form. Since roasted coffee beans contain hardly any moisture that freezes when they freeze, you can alternatively put them directly into the coffee grinder.

A problem when storing large quantities in the freezer is the need-based removal of portions. Every time the beans are taken out, they are exposed to temperature fluctuations, which damages them in the long run. Therefore, if possible, only freeze in portion size.

Although freshly roasted coffee is always preferable to stored coffee, if it is stored correctly, good quality coffee can be obtained, even over a long period of time. With or without freezing, coffee beans should be kept dry, airtight and stored in the dark. It is best to leave them in their original packaging to avoid loss of flavor when decanting. With the packaging, you can then store the beans in a ceramic jar or other airtight and lightproof container.

But since fresh coffee still tastes best, you should only buy as much coffee as you can use within a week. During this time, the beans stay fresh even with normal storage, without losing their aroma.

Viennese coffee – two words that elicit a smile to the coffee connoisseur. No other country in Europe can boast of such a traditional coffee culture like Austria. Its breathtaking capital Vienna is not only known for the Wiener Schnitzel, but also for Viennese coffee. Thanks to the traditional coffee house culture of Vienna, many different coffee specialties have been created in Austria. So that you do not lose an overview of the huge coffee offer at your next Vienna trip, we want to briefly familiarize you with the Viennese coffee specialties.

Viennese coffee: Whoever has the choice …

The Viennese coffee houses offer such a variety that is difficult to choose one of the delicious coffee variants. Here is a small overview of the most popular Viennese coffee specialties, which are traditionally served with a glass of water.

Mokka or small black: the base of the Viennese coffee specialties

Viennese coffee. The Mokka. The basis of all Viennese coffee specialties is the Mokka. It is a black coffee without sugar or milk. It is classically filtered in a Seihkanne or Karlsbader Kanne. In modern coffee houses you can now get it from the espresso machine. If a mocha is ordered in Vienna, it is served as a so -called small black man. If it is stretched with hot water, it is called an extended black one.

Big black

The big black one is nothing more than a double small black man, which is served in a shell in a correspondingly larger shell.

Small brown and big browner

A small browner is simply a simple mocha that is served with whipped cream in a small shell. Just like the little blacks, there is also the little brown as an extended version with hot water. The big brown is the slightly larger counterpart to the small brown – here a double mocha is prepared with whipped cream.

Franciscan

The Franciscan is a Viennese coffee specialty from a somewhat extended mocha with warm milk and whipped cream. This preparation is served in a large shell.

Wiener Melange

The Franciscan is very similar in terms of preparation. The only difference is that the Viennese melange is served with a hood made of milk foam instead of whipped cream. It resembles the cappuccino. Differences are the milder variety of coffee and the lower amount of milk foam on the melange.

Proper nutrition can be difficult, but thank God there are healthy smoothies! They taste good and provide our body many valuable nutrients. But what if we tell you that you can combine your favorite guard drink with it? Even better!

We want to help you find your new go-to coffee smoothie recipe. Of course, there are no limits to you and your imagination, but everyone has their taste preferences. There are so many options, be it smoothies with fruit, green smoothies, vegetables smoothies or low carb smoothies for losing weight – why not a coffee smoothie.

Coffee smoothie with banana recipe

1 large cup of coffee
1/2 cup of whole milk (or almond mich for vegan version)
2 bananas
2 tablespoons of peanut butter (optional)
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
2 TL honey (or natural sweetener)
Pinch
Ice cubes
Chia seeds

Avocado coffee recipe

1 ripe avocado
250 ml of almond milk
150 ml of coffee
1 tablespoon of honey
2 TL cinnamon

Coffee smoothie with coconut water – recipe

1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
125 ml coconut water
1 teaspoon almonds (ground)
1 espresso
All of these ingredients are mixed together in the mixer – and this delicious coffee smoothie is ready.