Tired of your clothes coming back from the laundry looking like rags? Try washing them at home
One of the first things I was told when I arrived in Abu Dhabi a year and a half ago was beware of the dry-cleaners. How bad can they be, I wondered, thinking this was just hysterical expat-Mummy hype. And then a friend's blouse came back from the cleaner looking like a rag - and I took it all back.
The climate here is such that clothes need cleaning more frequently than in cooler northern climes. You can't fly your clothes home every couple of months so, short of ditching all your dry-clean-only articles, what can you do?
Well, you could try washing them yourself. Use your common sense on judging whether this is possible. In general, you should be able to wash cashmere, silks, lace and delicate items of underwear. If you think that the main body of a garment is washable, but the trimmings (such as leather or beadwork) are not, and you can sew, remove the trimmings, wash the garment and then stitch the trimmings back on.
Before washing, test for colour-fastness. Dip an inconspicuous corner of the garment into a solution of washing detergent and warm water. Press firmly between two pieces of white kitchen towel. If the colour comes off a patterned item, the colours are likely to run into each other, and there's nothing doing. With single-colour items, you can proceed with caution (making sure to keep that garment separate from whites or other colours).
Use a mild liquid detergent designed for washing wool and/or delicates. Water should be no more than lukewarm. Put the garment into the soapy water and leave to soak briefly (about 10 minutes) to loosen the dirt. Then wash it by squeezing it over and over with your hands. Be as gentle as possible. Do not rub too vigorously or wring it: you will damage the fibres and pull the garment out of shape. When you are satisfied that it's clean, squeeze out the excess water (do not wring).
Rinse at least three times, again using lukewarm water. Add a dash of fabric conditioner to the final rinse if you like. Squeeze out the water, lay the garment flat on a clean white towel and pull it gently into shape. Roll up the towel and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes to start the drying process. Finish drying by laying it flat on a drying rack out of direct sunlight.
Press, if necessary, on the reverse, using a cool iron.
Rachel Simhon is the author of The Housewife's Handbook (Bloomsbury). Available at www.amazon.com
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
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Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
MATCH INFO
Delhi Daredevils 174-4 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians 163 (19.3 ovs)
Delhi won the match by 11 runs
Stage result
1. Pascal Ackermann (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 3:29.09
2. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto-Soudal
3. Rudy Barbier (FRA) Israel Start-Up Nation
4. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Luka Mezgec (SLO) Mitchelton-Scott
6. Alberto Dainese (ITA) Sunweb
7. Jakub Mareczko (ITA) CCC
8. Max Walscheid (GER) NTT
9. José Rojas (ESP) Movistar
10. Andrea Vendrame (ITA) Ag2r La Mondiale, all at same time
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
