04.09.2024

Baking soda and bay leaf, if you use these 2 ingredients you won’t stop

By Lilias

Baking soda and bay leaf are two substances that are often used for multiple purposes, given their countless benefits.

Reading is certainly one of the favourite activities of many who like to take  a few  moments to relax  from the daily hustle and bustle and especially from work stress. To relax on the sofa, perhaps in the company of a tea and biscuits, few things are more suitable than a good book. Reading is important for many reasons: in addition to improving language skills, reading is an excellent way to  increase knowledge of the world  , but also of oneself and of others. In addition, reading books helps the brain to stay active, allows memorizing even in old age and facilitates reasoning, stimulating critical thinking.

Mold and dust in books: some very effective tips

Book lovers certainly have a  library  at their disposal, where they keep all their volumes in order. Placing all the books in one place allows you to always have a corner at hand where you can choose the volume you like the most.

However, even libraries need care and maintenance to avoid the risk of the pages of books  gradually deteriorating  .

Over time, in fact, books tend to turn yellow and can also  attract insects, dust,  mold  and other substances that do nothing but ruin the volumes. Problems that, in addition to creating damage, also erase the classic smell of books, thus eliminating one of the aspects that makes them particularly fascinating.

Fortunately, there are ways to keep books free of dirt and mold at all times. One of the most commonly used techniques is the application of  two very effective elements: baking soda and bay leaf  .

The first thing to do is to remove the dust that accumulates on the books. Especially when we let too much time pass without reading them, our volumes tend to become invaded by dust.

We need a thorough cleaning  , with baking soda as our best ally. The famous ingredient, in fact, is able to absorb dirt very well and also make bad smells disappear.

To achieve this goal,  pour two tablespoons of baking soda  into a container with 300 ml of warm water, perhaps adding a few drops of essential oil to perfume everything.

At this point, take a cloth and  dip it in the solution  , wringing it out well and then remove the dust from the book cover and edges (very gently): obviously you have to be careful not to rub the pages, otherwise they will get wet and the dust will stick.

Laurel is ideal against insects: how to use it

Baking soda is also a great solution for removing mold from books. Take the moldy book, put it in a bag, and  add two tablespoons of baking soda before closing it again  .

Every two days the bag should be shaken a little. After about ten days the bag can be opened again and the mould will have practically disappeared.

What if the main problem is  insects  , such as silverfish, for example? To find out if these insects are present, just take a look at the pages of the book: if we notice  small holes  , then it is appropriate to intervene.

The decisive tool in this case is laurel, famous for being a phenomenal moth killer.

By inserting a bay leaf between the pages of the book,  silverfish will largely be kept away, as they cannot stand the smell of the well-known aromatic plant.

In addition to all these tricks, it is good to always keep books  in dry places  , where air circulates daily, to avoid the formation of mold and fungi.