
The 39p trick to get your garden furniture rust-free and it works in magic while you sleep
But, if you've left your furniture out all winter long, then it most probably is rusty and not looking its best.
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Fortunately, a garden furniture expert has shared the easy way to get it looking brand new again rather than forking out hundreds on new tables and chairs.
The experts at Pergolux revealed how you can use common household items to remove rust from garden furniture and tools.
Sam Stevens, from the company, said: "A lot of people will be looking at their gardens to get them ready for the brighter and longer days ahead.
"Garden cleaning doesn't need to be an expensive job.
"We all love a cheap and cheerful hack, so whether you're buffing away stains, achieve a streak-free finish on glass or eliminate rust, you'll find something in your house."
And one of the best ways to banish rust is by using a fizzy drink.
Fizzy drinks remove rust through a chemical reaction where phosphoric acid converts the rust (iron oxide) into a less harmful iron phosphate compound, reports the Express.
This iron phosphate forms a protective layer on the metal, inhibiting further corrosion.
You can use the drink to clean pretty much anything, from rusty tools and furniture to hinges and the metal parts of your barbecue.
Small tools can be soaked in fizzy drinks overnight while furniture and other large items you will need to pour some of the drink onto a cloth and wrap it over the rusty area overnight.
That means it does all of the hard work while you're asleep.
In the morning, simply give it a wipe down and the rust should be gone.
Value brand fizzy drinks can be bought at all major supermarkets with prices starting at 39p for lemonade and 49p for cola in Tesco and Aldi.
You can also use ketchup in the same way if you don't have any fizzy drinks to hand.
This is great for brass or copper garden décor including patio furniture, garden gates or old metal watering cans.
Simply apply a thin layer of ketchup to the affected area and let it sit for around fifteen minutes before gently scrubbing it away and rinsing with water.
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The Guardian
34 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Choose comfort, ditch boring and prioritise pleasure – how to find the perfect beach read
Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina is a masterpiece. It has never been out of print. Luminaries from William Faulkner to Jilly Cooper have remarked on its brilliance. It is usually within the top 10 of any list of the '100 books you simply must read before you die'. However, I would argue that it's a singularly poor choice of a book to bring with you for 10 days on the beach in Tenerife. Especially in hardback. I really tried. Every day, I'd read two or three pages before realising I'd read the same pages the day before, and it simply hadn't stuck. I kept drifting off during the more complex descriptions of 19th-century property law. I simply couldn't see what Anna saw in Vronsky; he seemed dreadful, just a slightly different kind of dreadful from her husband, Karenin. My arms ached, the sand seemed unusually gritty, and on day four, as children shrieked and splashed around me, their parents read Jack Reacher books while I failed to understand the significance of Levin scything his fields, I thought, 'No more!' My luggage allowance was about 20kg. Tolstoy had taken up more than a tenth of it, and 100% of my headspace. I couldn't relax. I wasn't enjoying myself. When I found a Sophie Kinsella novel in the hotel gift shop, I almost wept with relief. It didn't matter that I'd already read The Undomestic Goddess – my aching brain craved comfort and joy, and it simply wasn't finding it on Russian railway lines. As an author and a reader, it makes me sad that 'beach read' has become a pejorative term. In my book Read Yourself Happy, I investigate the enormous positive impact that reading has on our wellbeing – and I discover that we can only experience the benefits of books if we're enjoying what we're reading. I believe that any reading we do is good for us, if it captures our attention and stimulates our imagination. The results of a 2016 Yale University study demonstrated that readers of books tend to live longer; another, published by the National Library of Medicine in 2020, showed that reading wards off cognitive decline. But studies also show that fewer children and adults are reading for pleasure. A 2024 survey from the Reading Agency found that 35% of us used to read for fun, but we've let the habit lapse. It's understandable, because it's incredibly difficult to cultivate a reading habit in the 21st century. We all think we 'should' read, in the way we think we 'should' do more exercise. We put it off. We pick up our phones and wish we could put them down again. It's very hard for books to compete with our phones, because books don't tend to light up, or vibrate, or flash with notifications. Books haven't been designed to be addictive. We plan to read when we have some free time. Eventually we go on holiday and promise ourselves that we'll tackle some serious Russian literature, or we bring the Booker winner with us. And we struggle to concentrate and connect with the story because we're not used to using our reading muscles. We long to pick up our phones and scroll instead. We feel angry with ourselves, and we resent the books. Reading feels like a chore, and we don't feel as though we're having the relaxing, reviving, nourishing holiday that we need. After my failed attempt to read Anna Karenina, I vowed to prioritise pleasure when choosing my holiday reading, jettisoning anything that felt too much like holiday homework. And I started to notice some surprising changes. First, I started to relax much more quickly. I didn't waste the first two days in a state of anxious agitation, struggling to switch off. In the past, I'd felt fidgety and restless when I was lying by the pool. However, when I found a book I loved, I lay with purpose. My sleep seemed to improve. I felt calmer and more grounded. It changed my focus, too. When I wasn't reading, I felt more present – I was better at listening to conversations and paying attention. During day trips, I didn't have the urge to scroll through my phone seeking out recommendations for better restaurant options or nicer beaches. I didn't have the same irritable holiday squabbles with my husband. This was partly because I felt happy and relaxed, and partly because most of those squabbles are about missing phone chargers and power adaptors. Reading was reducing my screen time, and I wasn't draining my phone battery. Most importantly, reading for pleasure made me feel that I'd benefited from the holiday. We go away because we need to relax and recharge. A holiday is supposed to have health benefits. And reading might be the magical secret that ensures we feel those benefits. It's one way to truly get away from it all. 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It can take a couple of chapters to get into a book, and it's difficult to focus in a new environment, even if it's supposed to be a relaxing space. But if I'm already invested in the narrative, I'm excited about picking it up as soon as I arrive. (And if I have been reading on the plane or train, I find the arrival process – waiting for luggage and going through passport control – a lot less stressful.) If I'm going on holiday with friends or family, I'll suggest we share and swap our books. That way, we can maximise our luggage allowance, and avoid a situation in which we have eight copies of We Solve Murders and All Fours between us. One of my favourite holidays was a trip to France with my sisters, where we all took it in turns to read The Disaster Artist – Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell's wild account of working with Tommy Wiseau on The Room ('the greatest bad movie ever made'). Of course, remember not to bring a prized first edition. Take a book that can be replaced if the worst happens. When books are being read and thoroughly enjoyed on holiday, they risk being dropped in the pool or covered in sun cream. Perhaps the most important piece of holiday advice is this: if you don't like the book you're reading, you don't have to finish it. Be fair to yourself, and fair to the book. Holidays are supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable. For example, if you work for Nasa and you're taking a break from a stressful workplace, you might feel tense and triggered after three chapters of Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid's new astronaut novel. Reading is a subjective experience. I will rarely give up on a book – but I often pick up a book and put it down again, realising I need to be in a better mood to get the best from it. And sometimes, changing to a more fun book is all it takes to put me in that better mood. I returned to Anna Karenina eventually. It took me a few years to do so – and I spent that time building up my reading muscles. I read it for pleasure, and by the time I was ready, my appetite for pleasure had become much broader. I didn't need to learn how to read; I needed to learn to love to read again. It was that Sophie Kinsella book that reminded me of the power of brilliant storytelling. The experience of losing myself in the novel was delicious, and it made me greedy for more. Reading for the sheer fun of it fills up my emotional tank and gives me the strength to attempt 'challenging' books. Maybe even more importantly, they also give me the strength to deal with challenging real-life situations. When I'm cheerfully immersing myself in a series of happily-ever-afters, I feel more optimistic and positive. I see the best in people, and I'm kinder and more patient. Life starts to imitate art. Reading always leaves me feeling better and calmer. I never regret picking up a book, and I'm so grateful to have discovered a hobby that makes me happy, as well as making me feel as though I'm on holiday. It's good to keep the holiday vibes alive and kicking on a dark, rainy Saturday afternoon in November. And I'm confident that reading for pleasure this summer will ensure you have a better time on the beach. But I suspect the benefits will outlast the trip, too. My holiday reading romance has been going on for years, and rediscovering my passion for romcoms made me realise that books had been my true love all along. Book Boyfriend by Lucy VineSimon & SchusterJenna is a reader, and a dreamer. When a secret admirer starts leaving her letters in her favourite book, she's reluctant to take the relationship off the page. But her chaotic twin, Clara, is determined to solve the mystery. This classic romcom is utterly charming – a gorgeous dollop of escapist fun. Tiny Daggers by Caroline CorcoranThomas & MercerBritish expat Holly has built herself a perfect life in Miami – but when her old schoolfriend, also called Holly, turns up, she might have the power to pull the thread and destroy it all. But which one is Good Holly, and which one is Bad Holly? This twisty thriller is a perfect poolside read. How To Make A Killing by Kate WestonHeadlineWhen Bella, the star agent at Harrington Estates, is murdered, people start to ask just how far her colleagues will go to make a sale. It's a riotous comedy with a body count. If you've ever harboured murderous thoughts about estate agents, this is the book for you. Say You'll Remember Me by Abby JimenezLittle, BrownSamantha falls for the hot and improbably named vet Xavier Rush almost instantly – and so do we. But, of course, they can't be together. Can they? Completely captivating and instantly addictive, if you want to remember the sheer, giddy fun of falling in love, this is the one to read. Can't Get Enough by Kennedy RyanPiatkusHendrix Barry is glamorous, fabulous and successful – but behind the scenes, life isn't so easy, as she has to take care of her ageing mother. She certainly doesn't have time for love. Until tech mogul Maverick Bell shows up. Ryan is Jackie Collins for the BookTok crowd – her romcoms are smartly written, laced with spice and so much fun to read. Read Yourself Happy by Daisy Buchanan (DK Red, £16.99). To support the Guardian, order your copy at Delivery charges may apply. The new series of Daisy Buchanan's podcast, You're Booked, will be recommending summer reads for every different mood, destination and suitcase.


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