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.

Preserving Grains Using Neem Leaves(Indian Lilac)

Fresh Neem Leaves

Grains when kept for long time get infested with pests and thus get spoilt. To preserve them for long time instead of using the chemical preservatives available in market, it is advisable to use natural products. Neem is best naturally available pesticide, insecticide and germicide. Neem preserves the cereals and pulses (Rice ,wheat, any type of whole or broken pulses) without any side effect effect. So why use artificial preservatives for your grains when nature has provided you with natural preservative.

Material Required for Preserving  10 kg Grains:

• 300-400 Neem Leaves

Fresh Neem Leaves

• Thin cotton cloth (muslin cloth) 

Direction for Preserving Grains:

• Pluck fresh green Neem leaves and shade dry them. (It will take 5-6 days to shade dry Neem leaves during winters and 2-3 days during summers)

Neem leaves being shade dried

Shade dried Neem Leaves

• Keep approximately 100 dried leaves aside.

• Crush rest of the leaves to coarse powder.

Shade dried and crushed Neem leaves

• Make 5cm. x 5cm pouch of the cloth.

• Fill the cloth with coarse powder of dried Neem leaves.

Neem leaves pouch being made

• Stitch the open end of the pouch to seal it nicely.

• Make 5-6 pouches for 10 kg of grain.

Dreid Neem leaves pouch for Preserving grains and clothes

• Spread the dried Neem leaves kept aside on the bottom of the container and cover with cotton cloth or dry paper.

• Fill 1/4 grain in the container.

• Place two pouches at two corners of container on the grain and then fill half of the remaining grain in the container.

• Keep the remaining two pouches at the other two corners of the container and fill rest of the grain.

• Place the remaining two pouches on the top of the last layer of grain.

• Close the lid of the container, the grains will remain pest free for almost a year.

Tips:

•  Do not make the pouches synthetic cloth or plastic sheet because the essential oils of Neem which has anti pesticide effect will not be able to permeate in the grain.

• Do not dry under the sun because it will cause most of the essential oil to evaporate and the effectiveness of Neem will decrease.                                                              

Suggested Variations:

• Instead of making pouches shade dried leaves can be simply mixed with the grains and stored. But this causes hassle in cleaning before use.