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Tuesday 7 April 2020

My Witches Cauldron

It is that time of year again.  Dandelions are sprouting everywhere in my garden.     I know I could eat the leaves in salads, but I like to dig them up, roots, leaves, tendrils and flowers and boil them, show them no mercy!




No, I am not being vindictive, I use the concentrated brew to clean windows, mirrors, metal work, etc.     




Yes, it really does work.

Mirrors and windows sparkle, no smears.

No chemicals!

Recipe:

Dig up three or four dandelions and give them a quick rinse.  Put the whole lot,  roots, leaves, tendrils and flowers  into a pot with about three pints of water.   Bring to the boil and boil until reduced by about half.

Allow to cool, strain, decant.  Label!!  Keep out of reach of children and pets - just in case.

Use within a week.

All I do is to apply with a clean cloth, rubbing as I go, then follow up with a another dry, clean cloth, to dry and polish off.

The first time I made the brew I was pretty sceptical about whether it would really be of much use, but I was delighted with it.



Go on, pull out your witches cauldron, give it a go!






24 comments:

  1. Treat yourself to a tortoise...

    LX

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  2. Replies
    1. That made me laugh... Mock Tortoise soup has a certain ring about it?

      LXX

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  3. Was that an idea from one of your old books? Never heard of anything like it. I would try it but hate cleaning windows - although I really should do the insides now the sun is shining

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  4. A tatty old book without covers; it has torn pages and was scrunched up and ignored at a book sale. A freebie because they couldn't believe that I really wanted it!

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  5. I've never heard of this concoction. Show us your sparkling windows to prove it works.

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    1. I wish my photography skills were up to it, Marcia!

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  6. Well, I dont know about cleaning windows with dandelions. Here they eat the leaves and roots and drink the juice.
    Next time I'm boiling them I'll save some liquid to clean the windows...if I remember and if I can be bothered to clean the windows.

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    1. I keep meaning to put a pot over some of the plants because I read (in an old book, of course!) that blanched dandelion leaves are also excellent in salads - plus the pot would prevent Toby-dog from sprinkling them. I assume you cook the roots, or do you eat them raw in the salad?

      ps I dislike cleaning windows, too. I only do the insides, if they really need it - once or twice (if I must!) a year... The outsides are left for the window cleaner.

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    2. I don't like eating them, they are quite bitter and also they dig them up from fields which have been liberally 'sprinkled' by goats and sheep and are usually surrounded by droppings. No way am I going to eat those no matter how healthy they are. They get boiled to their last inch of life but still, no way.

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  7. Never heard of this old wives tale before but it has to be worth a try. I will let you know how it goes. Stay safe.

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    1. It is a bit of a faff; somehow I seem to have the time at the moment!! I only make one batch each spring, it fits in with the spring-cleaning mood - long since passed. ;)

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  8. Interesting. but if one has to use in a week it would mean a lot of window cleaning. I will mention it to "himself" as he is the cleaner in the household.....

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    1. Our lovely window cleaner does all the outsides; I do inside as infrequently as possible!

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  9. I'll be waiting to hear reports.

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  10. We have an awful lot of windows here! One room has old Georgian windows with 20 panes total (and then that's two sides, so 40 to clean). Hmmm - there would be no Dandelions left!!!

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    1. Regrettably, I reckon I could keep you in Dandelions, BB. Bags I don't have to clean the windows of your beautiful old house though. I hope your chest has settled down a bit.

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  11. I love this, but I am not a fan of cleaning windows! Perhaps if I knew that I had to do it in a week I might get on with it. As others have said this sunny weather is showing me how dirty my windows are. I have been using vinegar but I love the idea of making my own. Just need to wait for the dandelions to come up...........

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    1. I will send you a crate of them by the next mail train! One reason I like this brew is because it doesn't leave streaks, so even when the sun shines the windows sparkle!

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  12. We certainly have enough dandelions and the windows could definitely do with some attention, it's one of the household tasks that neither of us relish:)

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    1. I used to do all our windows, inside and out, all in one day. These days I let the window cleaners do outside and I (as infrequently as possible!!) do the insides - over a period of a few days. Slowing down in my old age!

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  13. Just an Easter visit, alright I know we shouldn’t. Keep your distance LL, however this IS allowed... Happy Easter Elaine.

    Stay safe

    LXX

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    1. Belated Easter Greetings, Lettice! All is well here - have just been having a chat with the neighbours (who live on the far side of Owl Wood) we had a very thick hedge between us and still kept our distance. Strange times!

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Lovely to hear from you.
I will try to answer comments in the next post.