Fancy Swiss Faucets Make Conserving Water More Stylish

Want to conserve water and cut your utility bill, too? Check out a line of faucets from Switzerland that allows consumers to pre-set the water flow and temperature.

Manufactured by KWC, one of the world’s oldest and largest kitchen and bathroom fittings firms, the faucets can save from 33% to 50% in water, depending on which of three different settings is chosen. The fixtures are contemporary in design and are available in brass-coated, with an oven-baked enamel in white, almond, black, gray and red, or in chrome.

The KWCdomo is a single-lever kitchen faucet with a device under the lever to limit how high it goes, and, thus, the amount of water that comes out of the faucet. Adjusting the setting is simple; “all you need is a flat-head screwdriver,” said Reed Fry of KWC in Costa Mesa.

The KWCdomo and bathroom basin faucet cost about $250; a shower miser valve costs about $350.

They are available nationwide in selected kitchen and bathroom showrooms, and in plumbing and hardware stores. In Southern California, they can be found at Snyder Diamond plumbing in Torrance, Pasadena, Santa Monica and North Hollywood, or at the 20 area Familian Bath and Kitchen Centers.

If you can’t locate them in your area, contact KWC/Western States Manufacturing Corp., 1559 Sunland Lane, Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626; (800) 777-9762.

A ‘Miracle’ Match for Stubborn Stains

Sherry’s Miracle Stain Solution is a nontoxic, water-based stain remover for carpet and upholstery. It can be used on clothing and deodorizes the soiled area as it removes stains, its distributors say.

Cye and Sherry Markowitz, of North Hollywood, say Sherry’s Miracle will remove pet stains; blood; food; grass; iodine; beverages such as coffee, tea or wine; ketchup; grease; oil; most shoe polish; crayon; latex paint; chocolate, and raw egg if used as directed. To remove a stain, apply a few drops with a clean terry cloth towel and rub the stain, then blot with the dry part of the towel.

The product should be safe for all color-fast carpet and most upholstery fibers, but the manufacturers recommend testing it on an inconspicuous area to check for color-fastness. Most stains can be removed in seconds, they report.

Sherry’s Miracle costs $10, plus $2.50 shipping and handling for the 16-ounce size, or $1.50 (50 cents shipping) for a 2-ounce trial size. To order, contact Sherry’s Miracle, P.O. Box 201, 12115 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, Calif. 91607; (818) 995-8503.

And, Now, a Few Words About the Weather

If the summer heat’s got you down, tack up Tacky Temp, a thermometer that makes jokes about the temperature. “Hot Enough to Fry Eggs on the Sidewalk” means the temperature is about 105 degrees Fahrenheit; “Broiling,” 112; “Meltdown,” 120.

“It’s the first thermometer that tells you the real temperature in words everyone understands,” said Barry Gottlieb, president of Mad Dog Productions.

Middle ranges on the thermometer are “Pleasant,” “Spring Thaw” and “Beach Weather.” Come winter, you’ll find readings that are “Totally Uncalled For” (0 degrees Fahrenheit); “Too Cold for Words” (5 below zero), and “Frostbite City” (50 below). Tacky Temp is available nationwide in selected gift shops, or you can order it, for $3, including shipping and handling, from Mad Dog Productions Inc., P.O. Box 157, Richmond, Va. 23201; (804) 359-0001.