Tips of the Day (4)

Soda water - not just a mixer

Soda water is ideal for removing stains without harmful chemicals. Pour it onto a stain as soon as possible and the fizziness will bubble the staining substance to the surface, where you can blot it away. For more tips on natural cleaning, check out 'Natural Stain Remover' - usually £4.99 but order before end of August to get 15% off this and all other titles in our Shop. Just enter the code TIPAUG08 at checkout. Visit www.foe.co.uk

Odd socks

Make the most of odd socks - the easiest option being to wear them odd, it doesn't really matter if they don't match! If you prefer them to match, always buy the same colour, so that all your socks are identical. Once they're past their best, use as dusters or cleaning rags. And when they're really had it, don't forget to recycle them.

Summer parties

If you're organising a party at home or in the office, try to choose fair-trade juices or get UK grown apple/pear juice. Rather than opt for the predictable snacks of crisps and dips, how about UK grown produce such as strawberries and cream - or organic cheese and wine. If you've got the time, you could even make your own lemonade or ginger beer, and snacks such as cake, biscuits, pizza or tarts.

Sit boiling

Plan ahead and try 'sit boiling' which is great for saving energy in the kitchen. Just boil your veggies, pasta or rice for a few minutes on full heat, remove from the hob but keep covered, and leave to finish cooking in the hot water. You may have to experiment a bit to get the timings right, but once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder why you didn't try it before!