INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The device you use to store your champagne doesn’t have to be fancy or pretty, it simply needs enough space to hold your bottles. For many, a general-purpose shelving unit will be more than good enough. However, you can buy a professionally-built champagne storage rack if you prefer.  Look for metal or redwood champagne racks at wine shops, furniture stores, and home improvement stores. When purchasing shelving units, look for models built out of metal or redwood. Make sure the shelving material is at least 2 in (5.1 cm) thick so it can handle the weight of your bottles. Avoid free standing shelving units. Instead, look for models you can secure to the wall using nails or screws. To create the best storage conditions possible for your champagne, place your rack in a room or closet that has enough insulation to protect it from extreme temperatures. So your drinks retain their bubbly texture, try to find a room that sits at around 50% humidity.  Some houses come with wine cellars that are specially designed for drinks like champagne. Look for a room that has a hard floor and sturdy, vapor-resistant insulation that is at least 1.5 in (3.8 cm) thick. If you can’t find a humid room to store your bottles in, or if your home's humidity fluctuates heavily throughout the year, consider purchasing a humidifier from a home improvement store. If you plan to store your champagne bottles for a long period of time, lay them out horizontally on your rack or shelf. Though you can store a champagne bottle upright for around 1 month, long-term vertical storage will dry out the bottle’s cork, making it far more difficult to open. You do not need to leave any space between your bottles. To better preserve your champagne’s taste and texture, keep your storage room at a constant temperature between about 50 and 59 °F (10 and 15 °C). If possible, install a thermostat or cooling unit in the room to give yourself more precise control over the temperature. Check your bottles once a week to make sure they’re not too hot or too cold. Exposed windows let in sunlight that can raise the temperature of the room and change the chemical makeup of your champagne. To prevent this, cover any windows in your storage room with thick curtains that you can pin or tie together. If you’d prefer, consider tinting your windows instead. This will prevent sunlight from getting in while preserving the room’s view. Unlike fine wine, champagnes have a short shelf life even when left unopened. As a general rule, non-vintage champagne lasts for 3 to 4 years from the day you purchase it while vintage champagne lasts between 5 and 10 years. Once opened, your champagne will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days.  Vintage refers to any champagne made with the grapes of a single harvest year. Non-vintage refers to any champagne made with grapes from multiple harvest years. Cover opened champagne bottles with champagne sealers or hinged bubble stoppers to help them retain their texture.

SUMMARY: Acquire a champagne storage rack or shelving unit. Place your rack in a humid, insulated room. Lay your bottles flat on the rack. Keep your bottles at about 55 °F (13 °C). Cover the room’s windows to keep sunlight out. Store your champagne for up to 5 days if opened or 10 years if sealed.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Avoid setting your phone or tablet on the table while you’re eating with other people since it distracts you from the conversation. Set your phone to silent or vibrate, and keep it in a pocket or bag throughout your meal. Don’t answer it unless there’s an emergency. If you need to respond to a text or take a phone call, excuse yourself from the table first by saying something like, “Excuse me, I need to take this. I’ll be right back.” Don’t start eating immediately as you sit down since it’s rude to start if people don’t have their food. Instead, patiently wait in your seat while everyone else serves themselves or gets served before you take your first bite. That way, you can all enjoy your food at the same time and experience your meal together. This goes for eating at home or at a restaurant. Hold your fork and knife like you’re holding a pencil rather than holding them in your fist. When you need to cut something, hold the knife in your right hand and your fork in your left. Once you cut your food, you can either use your fork in your left hand or set your knife down so you can use your fork with your right hand. Be sure to use the proper silverware for your meal. If you have multiple knives and forks, use the outermost ones first before using the others for additional courses. Chewing with your mouth open or talking while you’re eating is usually considered rude since no one wants to see the food in your mouth. Take small bites of your food and chew them completely with your mouth closed before swallowing or speaking. If someone is talking to you while you’re eating, wait until you’ve swallowed your food to respond to them. Cut your food into smaller pieces so your mouth isn’t too full and so you can chew your food easier. Avoid reaching across the table since you can get in other people’s way and it would be considered rude. Address the person closest to the thing you want on the table and ask them to pass it to you. Once you receive the item you want, be sure to thank them to show that you’re polite.  For example, you may say, “Julia, could you please pass me the butter?” If there’s no room on the table in front of you to put the item down, ask the person if they could put it back for you. For example, you may say, “Can you please set the bowl back down for me? Thank you.” You may keep your elbows on the table before and after your meal as well as between courses while you’re talking. Once you have your food, keep your hand in your lap when you aren’t using it so you aren’t resting your elbows or arms on the edge of the table. If you get something stuck in your teeth, cover your mouth with either your napkin or your hand so other people can’t see. Try to be discrete while picking anything out of your teeth so you don’t draw attention to yourself. Once you get the food out of your teeth, put it on the side of your plate or wrap it in your napkin. If you aren’t able to get the food out of your teeth within a few seconds, excuse yourself from the table so you can go to the bathroom. If at any point during the meal you need to go to the bathroom, check your phone, or leave, say “excuse me” before standing up so others know you need to go somewhere. You don’t need to give the reason why you’re leaving as long as you come back and sit down again. For example, you may say, “Excuse me, I’ll be right back,” when you get up from the table.

SUMMARY: Keep any devices off the table so you don’t get distracted. Wait until everyone else has been served before you start eating. Hold your utensils properly. Don’t chew with your mouth open. Ask someone else at the table to pass things to you. Avoid putting your elbows on the table while you’re eating. Cover your mouth if you need to get something out of your teeth. Excuse yourself from the table if you need to get up.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You can make an effective stain-fighting solution with many products that may already be in your home to clean your carpet. Items like baking soda, white vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide all contain chemicals to fight stains. Either use an empty spray bottle, or mix in a large bowl that you can dip your cloth in.

SUMMARY:
Mix your ingredients.