It May Come in Useful

We all  unearthed  some tattered item that has lain at the bottom of a cupboard for years and  thrown it out only to find a use for is three days later.

I am bad at relinquishing  my hold on books, especially those oddities that have been in my possession for any length of time and have odd facts to relay. The ‘never throw it out’ rule came in to play just today.

We have a waxed pine table in the kitchen and over the years it has gained a few marks and stains that chemical cleaners just never touch.

I was scrubbing the table with salt – which I remember my mother doing – had some measure of success but still there were dark lines here and there, outlines of cups and bottles, that would not shift.

Then I recalled an old book called Spot Check that I was given back in 1981, and which I have not looked at for years. On dragging said book from its hidey hole what did it recommend  for shifting stains in a stripped wood table?   Potato and wood ash!

I have to say I was dubious, but low and behold – ten minutes  and a bit of added elbow grease and voila!

Never throw away a book! You never know when it will come in useful!