Home improvements: Tips for mark and stain removal



Marks and stains are inevitable when there are children around in the house, but there are ways to fix them.

To remove chewing gum on your carpet or clothes, apply something cold. For carpets, put ice cubes into a sealable freezer bag and place on the gum. When it has become frozen and brittle, break it into individual pieces using a blunt knife. Stubborn residue left in the fibres can be removed with a fine-tooth comb. Likewise, if you find gum on clothing, place the garment straight into the freezer.

When it comes to removing stickers, there are various solutions to choose from: heat, water and cooking oil. Start with a hairdryer. If the sticker doesn’t come off, try using hot water and a sponge, or a few drops of light cooking oil and a cotton cloth.

If the glitter fairy has been out and about, and you aren’t able to remove the stubborn particles by vacuuming, try using sticky tape. Wrap the tape around the palm of your hand, with the sticky side facing outward, and move over the affected areas. Or if you have a lint roller, use this instead.

* Courtesy of Kärcher, www.karcher.ae

In numbers

- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100

- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100

- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India

- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100

- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth

The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

Profile of Tamatem

Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

Funding: $6m

Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media

The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder

Transmission: seven-speed auto

Power: 400hp

Torque: 500Nm

Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)

On sale: 2022