Wednesday, May 18, 2011

How to Slow Down Books from Turning Yellow

What a pain to see my favorite books growing old! I couldn’t find any method to stop them from turning yellow. We could only slow down the harm.

The four books in the photo seat in my drawers for over 20 years. They introduced me to the world of literature. The rim and the inner pages have inevitably turned yellow. Though the deterioration has not affected reading, I still hope these books can last long, within and outreach my lifetime because I love reading them again and again and hopefully, they will find a new home as I planned to donate them to the charity organization for sales after my death.

All the tips below suggest how to slow down books from turning yellow. Try them. Well, it’s better than doing nothing at all.

1. Apply wrap sheets to books the soonest.
2. Put books in PP clear bags and seal tight when they are not read. Keep books away from oxidation as much as possible.
3. Sandpaper the rim that turned yellow.
4. Keep books away from sunlight.
5. Store books in cool place.
6. Use silica gel carefully to remove excessive humidity.

The newcomers are supposed to be more resistant in turning yellow due to the more advanced technology of paper making. However, this doesn’t mean we could overlook the necessary protective measures, lest we predicted wrongly and the race of turning yellow started earlier and speedier than we expected.

No matter what the scale of your book collection is and how the storage is (in bookshelf or simply pile books up on the floor at a corner), let's try our best to slow down the aging of our books as they are good companions that bring us laughter, tears, knowledge and imagination, etc. Welcome to leave a message if you know other methods in saving books from turning yellow. Thank you.

Author’s note:

Do you love reading books? Besides literature, I also read other types of books, for example reference books, children’s books. If you want to try something new, light and easy, and reading with kids, the following books may serve well.

10 Minutes Reading on Dogs or Cats for Dummies

Book Review: The Story of Tracy Beaker



Monday, May 2, 2011

How to use orange peel to improve our living quality?

Many people enjoy eating orange and drinking its juice. Do you simply throw away the peel? We can use the orange peel smartly to improve our life.

(Image from Google search)

1. Generate a smile

Use a marker pen to draw amusing expressions on the orange. The drawing will not hinder us enjoying the pulp and the juice, but the effort will make one’s day. Also, the peel can be reused in some other ways.

2. Get rid of the odor in the microwave oven

Put the orange peel into the microwave oven and cook with low heat for five minutes.

3. Expel bad odor, mosquito and fly

Burn the air-dried peel to expel the bad odor indoors, mosquito and fly. It is also relaxing to breathe the scent.

4. Provoke sleep


Make a scent bag with orange peel inside and put it next to your pillow.

5. Facilitate furniture upkeep

Boil the orange peel with water. Then, dip a wiper into the cool down water, squeeze out excessive water and start wiping.

6. Use in bathing

Air-dry the peel for one week and store it well in an airtight container. To use the standby peel, put it into an old silk sock and dip the whole pack into the bathing water. This helps retain skin moisture and tenderness.

7. Use in drinking

Clean the fresh orange peel and boil with water for 15 minutes. This drink helps soften the blood vessels and lower cholesterol levels. Drink before meal, it can increase one’s appetite.


(Image from Google Search)

8. Use in serving food

You can die cut the orange peel into different shapes to decorate a dish. Or apply die-cut on the peel to make it serve as a stencil to mold the hot chocolate, strawberry sauce in lovely shapes on a dish. Or make the orange peel into a basket to hold food.

9. Use in seasoning

When you want to add orange flavor for seasoning like salt and black pepper, apply the peel on a grater. This can be done before the cake baking and salad dressing, etc.

Keep using the orange peel in many ways instead of throwing it directly to the rubbish-bin untouched. You can improve your living quality in different aspects by unleashing the great potentials of orange peel. Give it a try to enjoy the various benefits.

Author’s note:

Very often, applying a few tips could cut down the living cost significantly. We could also contribute more in environmental protection. If you want some examples, welcome to read the two articles below.

How to Resist Heat in Summer: 11 Cooling Tips

How to Stay Warm in Winter at Lower Cost