MAGIC ROUNDABOUT

Photo: Don't throw out your microwave because it is smelly.

An entrepreneur in Johannesburg called Trevor Field came up with an idea to ease water shortages in African villages by turning the arduous task of pumping from a well into child’s play. He has pioneered a “magic roundabout” which harnesses the energy of children playfully pushing a carousel to power a pump, which raises clean drinking water from 300 feet below ground.

Like the immensely successful clockwork radio, which was co-designed by Trevor Baylis, the device is ideal for poor parts of the world with no electricity. The “magic roundabout” has impressed both Nelson Mandela, the former South African president, and the World Bank, and is poised to be installed in villages across Africa.

As the children play on the roundabout, pushing it round, water is pumped up into a tank. Villagers can then collect the water from a nearby tap. “It’s a win-win situation,” said Field. “Children enjoy riding on it, particularly as these are places with no toys. Villagers no longer have to walk hours to the nearest well.” Nearly half the world’s population has no access to clean water, something the United Nations has pledged to change, declaring the next 10 years the “Water for Life” decade. A child dies every 15 seconds from preventable water-related diseases, according to Water Aid, a charity based in London.

At a busy site the 2,500-litre tank will be filled twice a day with water from up to 300ft beneath. The borehole is also covered by the roundabout and so protected from pollution by animals. About 650 pumps have been installed in South Africa giving more than 1m people access to clean water. Last week the first six were installed in Swaziland, sponsored by Unicef (the United Nations Children’s Fund) and MTN, the mobile phone company. After that will come Mozambique, Zambia and Uganda.

MICROWAVE SMELLS

Ian.

I recently bought a new microwave. I put some garlic in there to cook in oil and timed it as normal. The new model is much more powerful and the garlic turned into black crisps. The worst thing about this is the smell; I can’t get rid of it. Every time I cook my weetabix in the morning, they taste like a burnt offering. Have you any advice about how I can remedy the problem, as I would hate to throw the microwave away. Thanks A.V. Muff.

Reply.

Do not despair. Put a few tablespoons full of vinegar in a cup and add water to half full. Put this in the microwave and heat up on full power for a minute or two. This should get rid of any smells in the microwave. Your Weetabix will taste great in the morning!

BALL POINT PEN ON A LEATHER SOFA

Ian.

My young child has just drawn on my green leather sofa with blue ball point pen. What can I do to get the marks off? Regards H.M. Claudy

Reply.

Leather is virtually maintenance-free as a furniture covering, but ink from a ballpoint pen can be particularly hard to remove. Ink marks are certainly easier to remove than a rip, however.

Work on removing the stain as soon as you discover it. Dried ink is especially difficult to get out, unless you act quickly.

Blot the stain with a soft dry cloth or cotton ball.

Moisten another cloth and clean lightly with circular movements. Dry the surface with a soft cloth.

Try a little saddle soap or another leather cleaner, but first read the label regarding its safety for use on your particular kind of leather. You may also try removing the stain with lukewarm water and a gentle shampoo

Contact the manufacturer for a remedy for the type of ink used - the company may sell its own solvent


Tips:

Milk or tomato. Traditional wisdom recommends treating ink stains with milk or tomato. Cover the stain with a little milk or rub it with the cut side of a half a tomato. Take more care with the tomato remedy, as tomatoes contain some acidity. Rinse either treatment well

Rubbing alcohol. I heard of someone that used rubbing alcohol with a cotton bud to remove a really big mark on their cream coloured sofa. You may want to test this Just dip the cotton bud in alcohol and rub gently and use a rag to wipe it off.

Warning! Avoid any kind of cleaner or detergent, unless it's specified for the particular sofa or particular leather, as it could harm the leather. All of the ideas mentioned should be applied with care. Test on a small area first!

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