Rainy days kick in a slow mood. Consuming copious amounts of masala tea, finding excuses to tuck into delicious nosh in ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’, and watching Netflix like there’s no tomorrow is the accepted norm. Monsoon also brings along a gamut of worries ranging from dealing with critters to protecting dear gadgets from monster moisture, among others. Did you know you just need to stretch an arm only as far as your kitchen to shoo most rainy day woes away? #TLMRecommends tips and tricks you could use to deal with your monsoon woes. Before you think, don’t worry they are easy hacks, all you can easily find at home and don’t need to prep for days in advance.
Neem leaves and plants that repel bugs
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Snipping off home-grown edible flowers and leaves from pots channels your inner MasterChef for sure. The good news is that some of these potted plants double up as insect repellents. So bring that basil pot indoors to ward off house flies and mosquitoes. The fragrance of lemongrass, lemon thyme, mint, rosemary, and lemon balm plants also work at putting off ‘em mosquitoes.
Neem leaves are not just for chewing all ailments such as acne, stomach issues, et al away. Come monsoon and they prove to be particularly beneficial in keeping bugs away.
Do-It-Yourself
Gather a bunch of dried neem leaves in a muslin cloth, tie it up, and place it in your wardrobe to keep bugs away. Rainy days also bring along the mosquito menace — dengue, malaria, chikungunya, and other mosquito-borne diseases are particularly rampant. The smoke emitted from burning a handful of dried neem leaves drives the mosquitoes away.
Vodka and vinegar to keep odour at bay
Do you belong to that school of thought where Vodka is only meant to usher from behind the bar and into your cocktails? Well, the Broadway stars swear by Vodka’s famous other use.
Do-It-Yourself
Refresh your musty smelling outfits with Vodka. Add the spirit to a spritz bottle without diluting it. Spray it on the outfit that has a musty smell that rains bring to your wardrobe. And voila! The spirit will evaporate, and so will the smell.
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Forget the splash of vinegar in the vinaigrette for your salad, or a teaspoon of it to add zing to the hawker van noodles, we’ve found new uses for this kitchen staple.
Do-It-Yourself
The acetic acid in the vinegar helps remove the unavoidable fungus from the shower curtains that bothers ever so often. Additionally, adding a few drops of vinegar to the laundry helps soften and brighten the clothes, and removes any unwanted smell.
Rice to rescue lumpy sugar, damp salt, and wet phones
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For the days when you are not prepared for rain and end up soaking yourself and your phone, simply tip your phone in a container full of rice the moment you are home, and leave it there overnight. The rice will absorb excess moisture restoring your phone to a working condition. Please note: This hack may not work its charm if your phone is excessively wet.
Do-It-Yourself
Sugar and salt don’t love monsoon as much as we do. The former lumps up, and the latter dampens, making them difficult to use. Sugar: Add a tablespoon of rice to a piece of cheesecloth, sew it up and place it in the jar of sugar to keep it lump-free. Salt: Add a few grains of rice in your salt shaker to keep it flowing freely.
Coffee grounds to absorb odour
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Love the aroma of coffee when you brew a pot every morning? Now, your used coffee grounds can be part of the list of essential monsoon tips and tricks.
Do-It-Yourself
Dry out used coffee grounds and place them in small cloth bags. These can be used in your refrigerator or around the house to absorb odors and control moisture.
Newspapers to keep everything dry
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One of the most easiest monsoon tips and tricks in this list is using old newspapers. Next time, do not throw away or give the old papers to the raddiwala and instead use this hack.
Do-It-Yourself
Crumble old newspapers and stuff them into drawers, cupboards, or shoe racks. The paper will absorb excess moisture and freshen up the space.