Preserving Clothes From Silver fish, Mites and Fungus by Using Neem Leaves.

A Full Grown Neem Tree

Neem Tree Branch with Leaves and Fruits

Normally silk Sari, Sari with Jari work, Woolens, chiffon and other delicate clothes  require delicate handling and protection from silver fish, mite which eats away the fiber and thus rendering the dress unusable.Fungus causes musty smell in the clothes. Naphthalene balls are most commonly used as it evaporates and the vapors do not allow the silver fish ,mite and fungus to breed. But using naphthalene has its own disadvantage as it leaves strong odor on cloths and causes discoloration of the metallic (silver and gold) work (Jari, Zardosi) of the clothes. Nature has provided us with a wonderful anti-pest and anti-fungal plant "Neem". So next time when you are keeping away all the woolens and your other delicate dresses, use Neem leaves.

Direction for protecting clothes form pests by using Neem:

• Pluck fresh green neem leaves.

Fresh Green Neem Leaves

• Shade dry the Neem leaves.

Neem Leaves being shade dried

Shade dried Neem Leaves

•  Take a cloth big enough to wrap your dress.

• Spread the cloth on a plane surface.

• Spread handful of dry Neem leaves on it.

• Place your dress on the leaves.

• Spread handful of dry leaves on the dress.

• Wrap the dress with the cloth and store.

• Even if you do not use the dress for 2-3 years the dress will remain fresh, unaffected by silver fish or any pest, without any odor or discoloration.

• Dry Neem leaves do not leave any color on the clothes

Tips:

• Dry the Neem leaves in shade else the essential oil of the leaves will evaporate reducing the potency of Neem leaves.

Suggested Variations:

• If you do not like the mess created by leaves dropping out while taking out the dress for use, make the pouches and place the pouches one at the bottom of the dress and one at the top of the dress.

http://housekeepingexpert.blogspot.com/2012/10/preserving-grains-using-neem.html

• Pouches can be kept in the pocket of trousers and jackets,

• Pouches can be kept in the Books and clothes Almirah, the musty smell which develops in the Almirah during rainy season will not develop and mite/silver fish will not infest the clothes and books.

Neem A Gift from God (Uses of Neem, Indian Lilac)

Neem with fruits

Neem tree is great gift of God to mankind. It's uses are vividly mentioned in Ayurveda and naturopathy.With the passage of time, paucity of time and modernization we have started to make less use of it. The essential oil present in Neem leaves give them germicidal, pesticide, anti-fungal insecticidal and many many other medicinal properties. I wish to share few benefits of Neem.

Neem can be used for:

• For preserving Clothes from silver fish.

• Preserving Grains.

http://housekeepingexpert.blogspot.com/2012/10/preserving-grains-using-neem.html

• For curing dandruff.

http://housekeepingexpert.blogspot.com/2012/10/natural-cure-for-dandruff-neem-dandruff.html

• For curing Lice infection. 

 http://housekeepingexpert.blogspot.com/2012/10/neem-cure-for-lice-and-dandruff-anti.html

• As germicidal,Pesticide and Insecticide in garden.

• As mouth wash.

• As face pack for glowing skin

• For curing prickly heat and other skin infections. 

For The Garden : -

• Pluck 50 - 60 Neem leaves , make a paste of them and add to a bucket full of water.
• Cover the bucket and keep it over night to mulch.
• Pass the mixture through a fine sieve . 
• Take the liquid in a sprayer and spray on the plants .
• Your plants and trees will not be afflicted with pests and if any fungal infection has come onthe plants and trees it will get cured
• Do not spray the Neem solution while the trees are just about to fruit.
• The best time to spray is when the fruiting season is about to start.(before the flowers of the tree have appeared). 
• Take the mulched solid collected on the sieve and mix it with soil of your garden/pots for potted plants.This will a natural manure as well as pesticide for the soil and will not harm the beneficial bacterias and worms ( earthworm which is very useful for the soil).

For Face Pack : -

• Puck tender Neem leaves Grind them to thick paste.
• Add a pinch of Turmeric powder,1/2 tea spoon of lemon juice, and 1 tea spoon of Besan(black gram powder).
• Mix nicely and apply to the face, neck and hands.
• Leave for 15 min.
• Remove using wet soft cloth and then wash the face, neck and hands with warm water.
• Do not use soap or any face wash that day,at least for 5-6 hrs.
• Using this face pack once in every 15 days will give you a glowing soft skin as it acts as defoliator, cures acnes, cures the tendency to have acne , pimples and boils.
• Use and see the change. Compliments from one and all will follow.

Neem as Mouth wash and protector of Teeth from decaying: -

• Those who suffer from foul breath and have to use mouth freshener every now or then or suck on mint again and again to get rid of the foul smell, Neem leaves are very good.
• Take 
• 4-5 Neem leaves and 
• 10-12 mint leaves.
• 1 Teaspoon coriander seeds,
• 2-3 cm. Cinnamon piece
• Grated rind of one lemon
• 200 ml. Water
• Boil till the water reduces to half.
• Cool and filter.
• Use this extract to rinse your mouth early in the morning and before going to bed.
• After a months foul smell will be gone for good!
• The water will taste bitter, then pills which cure are bitter , some times sugar coated.