For a juicier hamburger add cold water to the beef before grilling (1/2 cup to 1 pound of meat).
For fluffier, whiter rice, add one teaspoon of lemon juice per quart of water. To add extra flavor and nutrition to rice, cook it in liquid reserved from cooking vegetables.
For fresh flavor in orange juice add the juice of one lemon.
For fresh-tasting lemon or lime juice year-round, freeze lemons and limes whole; thaw in microwave before squeezing.
For the perfect boiled egg, cover eggs with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a full boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cover. Let the eggs sit for 8-9 minutes. Drain the water and place the eggs in ice water to cool and stop the cooking process.
Freeze tomato paste in the can. Open both ends and punch out the paste. Wrap the frozen paste in foil and freeze, then slice off what you need as you need it.
Fresh fish freeze (cute alliteration, and tongue twister) well in a milk carton filled with water.
French toast is made crisper by adding a tablespoon of flour to the egg and milk mixture.
For a variation in meat balls, add chopped apple to ground meat along with other seasoning, roll into small balls and simmer in tomato puree, seasoned with sage.
Fluff Up Mashed Potatoes: Try adding a healthy pinch of baking powder to the potatoes when mashing them. For fluffier mashed potatoes, use an electric mixer to whip air into them.
Fresh Fruit & Veggies Washing Tip: Sprinkle wet fruit and veggies with baking soda then gently scrub and rinse. This cleaning method safely removes dirt and residue off produce.
For a super fast fish dish, add some fresh ginger or garlic to some oil in a saute pan. Heat and stir over a medium fire for about 3 minutes. Remove the ginger or garlic and cook the fish in the flavored oil.
Flour Bugs ~~~ Keep a couple bay leaves in the flour canister to help deter the bugs (flour Weevils) congregating in their favorite hangout. You can toss the leaves loose in the flour or make a rough pouch out of one layer of cheesecloth to keep the leaves separated from the flour. Another tip is to tape the bay leaves to the inside of the lid. Always try to keep flour and other grains in air tight containers, this will help keep pantry pests out.
Fill Empty Muffin Tins With Water ~~~ If your muffin or cupcake recipe doesn’t fill all the spots in your muffin pan, fill the empty places 3/4 full with water. This will help protect those slots from darkening or getting scorched.
Fat can be removed from hot soup by straining broth through a cloth wrung from cold water. All the fat will remain in cloth except just enough to enrich soup. Heat soup again before serving.
Fish or onion odor can be removed from utensils and dishes by adding a teaspoonful of baking soda to the dish water.
Fish scales can be removed quickly and easily by first dipping the fish in boiling water.
First rinse raisins, dates and figs in very cold water before putting them through the food chopper. They will not form such a gummy mass.
Frosting that 2 layer cake ~~~ Hate it when you try to frost your cake and it slides off to one side. I found sticking a few broken pieces of spaghetti through the top holds it firmly together.
For crisper salads: Place a saucer upside down in the bottom of the salad bowl before filling with salad. Excess moisture will run underneath the saucer and this will help keep the salad crisp and fresh.
For fried foods that require flouring, try pancake flour for a change, it’s quite nice.
For bananas that are ripe and ready to eat but you have too many, peel the bananas and freeze them then dip in melted chocolate and freeze again, these make a nice treat!
Fill a large hole or sugar shaker with flour and use that when needing to dust surfaces with flour or just pour out a tablespoon as you need it, this is handy way to keep a bit of flour on hand instead of digging in the flour bin.
Food Processor clean-up tip ~~~ Covering food processor bowl with plastic wrap before placing on the lid, saves cleaning up the lid.
Finding Broken Glass Under Soapy Water ~~~
If you break glass in soapy water while doing dishes, to prevent cutting yourself while looking for it you can use a tall clear drinking glass or a wide clear glass bowl–keeping the top part above the bubbles, push the glass into the water and use it as a lens to look around and find the broken pieces.
For a lint-less dustcloth, soak the cloth in hot soap suds with a few drops of turpentine for several hours. Wring out and let dry. These dustcloths give furniture a brilliant polish and hold dust. Repeat this process every two weeks.
For removing rust from refrigerator shelves, wash them in mild scouring powder and hot water. Dry well with soft cloth. Apply a thin coating of hot melted paraffin.
Click on Image to go to my recipe blog
Showing posts with label Kitchen Cleaning Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kitchen Cleaning Tips. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Kitchen Tips, Tricks and more (C)
Checking cookies if they are done ~~~ check them at minimum baking time.
Cheese that hardens in your fridge ~~~ cheese won't harden if you butter the exposed edges before storing.
Chefs ~~~ They pound meat not to tenderize the meat, but to help even the meat so it cooks evenly.
Choosing eggs ~~~ fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny.
Cooking corn ~~~ Cook corn with husks and silks on. The silks slide off with husks and both add more flavor.
Cooking with Oil ~~~ There are better cooking oils than olive: sunflower, grape seed, canola, in that order. They don't burn. Start it in the pan cold, bring up the heat slowly. If you want olive-oil flavor, start with one of those, then add a little olive oil.
Cookie dough ~~~ It can be frozen up to three months in an airtight container or refrigerated three to four days.
Cookies ~~~ If your cookies are spreading too much, try refrigerating the dough for a couple of hours before baking.
Caesar salad ~~~ serve it in a wooden bowl and rub the inside of the bowl with a clove of garlic to add some extra flavor to the greens.
Cutting in the butter ~~~ use a potato masher. It’ll help break the butter into small pieces.
Cleaning Cilantro ~~~ Plunge into a sink full or pot full of cold water. Swirl around a few times and let sit for a while. The sand, dirt, and other debris will settle to the bottom, and the leaves will float to the top and can be removed. Repeat the procedure if the cilantro is very dirty.
Cooking vegetables ~~~ Adding one or more bouillon cubes instead of salt–improves flavor. Tossing in a few garlic cloves when boiling vegetables makes things tastier too.
Canned fruit ~~~ is much better if opened and removed from the can an hour or two before using to restore the oxygen
Cut meat for grilling ~~~~ cut big pieces of meat in half to grill them quicker. Small chunks of meat on a skewer grill in a snap.
Cutting an Onion Without Crying ~~~ Use sweet onions. Peeling and cutting under running water, chopping near a gas flame, and refrigerating onions before chopping, all methods for reducing the volatility of the sulfide that causes the irritation.
Cottage cheese ~~~ will remain fresher longer if you store it upside down in the refrigerator. This slows the effects of oxidation.
Cooking Hamburgers ~~~ When cooking hamburgers, indoors or on the BBQ, poke a hole in the center. This will stop the hamburger from rising in the center and your burger will be more evenly cooked; not burnt on the edge and only medium in the middle. The hole will close while cooking.
Checking dried beans ~~~ Put dried beans in a bowl of cold water, and discard any that float to the surface, since this is an indication of insect or mold damage.
Cloudy Ice Tea ~~~ Add just a small dash of boiling water.
Cure Garlicky Hands ~~~ Immediately after chopping raw garlic or after a marinating process, rub your fingers thoroughly with the bottom of a stainless steel spoon under running water. Then wash your hands with soap. The metal magically neutralizes the garlic fumes!
Cleaning or Unclogging Drain ~~~ A tip you may have forgotten. To unclog a drain or keep it fresh smelling add one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar.
Cleaning Artifical Flowers ~~~ To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
Candle ideas ~~~ Instead of whittling a candle at the base to make it fit in the candle holder, hold the end in a cup of very hot water for a few minutes to soften the wax then gently and firmly press it into the holder.
If your candle holder is too large wrap a bit of plastic wrap around the base of the candle and wedge into your holder. To make new candles dripless, soak in a strong saltwater solution for a few hours, then dry well.
Clean a vase ~~~ to remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.
Cleaning Copper ~~~ Pour lemon juice on copper and sprinkle with salt. Then wipe off instantly. The salt works as an abrasive.
Cleaning Silverware ~~~ Line sink with aluminum foil, put in silverware, sprinkle with baking soda and pour boiling water over. Rinse and dry.
Centerpiece ideas ~~~ Place an array of different size candles on a circular mirror and you can also add little flower vases for a few small flowers.
Cure for headaches ~~~ take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Clean a toilet ~~~ drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush, and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.
Cleaning a coffee pot ~~~ Pour a handful of table salt into the dirty coffee pot. Use a dish towel or sponge to rub it around and on the stains. Rinse clean.
Cleaning scratches on wood furniture ~~~ Rub the same color crayon as the wood on to the scratch. This will fill the scratch. Then clean with mayonnaise. The scratch will disappear.
Cleaning A Messy Blender ~~~ To clean a blender, add a cup of warm water, run for a few seconds. Now add a drop of dishwashing detergent and another cup of water and blend. Let is sit for a few seconds. Rinse clean.
Clean a thermos bottle ~~~ fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
Cheese that hardens in your fridge ~~~ cheese won't harden if you butter the exposed edges before storing.
Chefs ~~~ They pound meat not to tenderize the meat, but to help even the meat so it cooks evenly.
Choosing eggs ~~~ fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny.
Cooking corn ~~~ Cook corn with husks and silks on. The silks slide off with husks and both add more flavor.
Cooking with Oil ~~~ There are better cooking oils than olive: sunflower, grape seed, canola, in that order. They don't burn. Start it in the pan cold, bring up the heat slowly. If you want olive-oil flavor, start with one of those, then add a little olive oil.
Cookie dough ~~~ It can be frozen up to three months in an airtight container or refrigerated three to four days.
Cookies ~~~ If your cookies are spreading too much, try refrigerating the dough for a couple of hours before baking.
Caesar salad ~~~ serve it in a wooden bowl and rub the inside of the bowl with a clove of garlic to add some extra flavor to the greens.
Cutting in the butter ~~~ use a potato masher. It’ll help break the butter into small pieces.
Cleaning Cilantro ~~~ Plunge into a sink full or pot full of cold water. Swirl around a few times and let sit for a while. The sand, dirt, and other debris will settle to the bottom, and the leaves will float to the top and can be removed. Repeat the procedure if the cilantro is very dirty.
Cooking vegetables ~~~ Adding one or more bouillon cubes instead of salt–improves flavor. Tossing in a few garlic cloves when boiling vegetables makes things tastier too.
Canned fruit ~~~ is much better if opened and removed from the can an hour or two before using to restore the oxygen
Cut meat for grilling ~~~~ cut big pieces of meat in half to grill them quicker. Small chunks of meat on a skewer grill in a snap.
Cutting an Onion Without Crying ~~~ Use sweet onions. Peeling and cutting under running water, chopping near a gas flame, and refrigerating onions before chopping, all methods for reducing the volatility of the sulfide that causes the irritation.
Cottage cheese ~~~ will remain fresher longer if you store it upside down in the refrigerator. This slows the effects of oxidation.
Cooking Hamburgers ~~~ When cooking hamburgers, indoors or on the BBQ, poke a hole in the center. This will stop the hamburger from rising in the center and your burger will be more evenly cooked; not burnt on the edge and only medium in the middle. The hole will close while cooking.
Checking dried beans ~~~ Put dried beans in a bowl of cold water, and discard any that float to the surface, since this is an indication of insect or mold damage.
Cloudy Ice Tea ~~~ Add just a small dash of boiling water.
Cure Garlicky Hands ~~~ Immediately after chopping raw garlic or after a marinating process, rub your fingers thoroughly with the bottom of a stainless steel spoon under running water. Then wash your hands with soap. The metal magically neutralizes the garlic fumes!
Cleaning or Unclogging Drain ~~~ A tip you may have forgotten. To unclog a drain or keep it fresh smelling add one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar.
Cleaning Artifical Flowers ~~~ To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
Candle ideas ~~~ Instead of whittling a candle at the base to make it fit in the candle holder, hold the end in a cup of very hot water for a few minutes to soften the wax then gently and firmly press it into the holder.
If your candle holder is too large wrap a bit of plastic wrap around the base of the candle and wedge into your holder. To make new candles dripless, soak in a strong saltwater solution for a few hours, then dry well.
Clean a vase ~~~ to remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.
Cleaning Copper ~~~ Pour lemon juice on copper and sprinkle with salt. Then wipe off instantly. The salt works as an abrasive.
Cleaning Silverware ~~~ Line sink with aluminum foil, put in silverware, sprinkle with baking soda and pour boiling water over. Rinse and dry.
Centerpiece ideas ~~~ Place an array of different size candles on a circular mirror and you can also add little flower vases for a few small flowers.
Cure for headaches ~~~ take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Clean a toilet ~~~ drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush, and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.
Cleaning a coffee pot ~~~ Pour a handful of table salt into the dirty coffee pot. Use a dish towel or sponge to rub it around and on the stains. Rinse clean.
Cleaning scratches on wood furniture ~~~ Rub the same color crayon as the wood on to the scratch. This will fill the scratch. Then clean with mayonnaise. The scratch will disappear.
Cleaning A Messy Blender ~~~ To clean a blender, add a cup of warm water, run for a few seconds. Now add a drop of dishwashing detergent and another cup of water and blend. Let is sit for a few seconds. Rinse clean.
Clean a thermos bottle ~~~ fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
Monday, March 7, 2011
Kitchen Cleaning Tips
Coffee Stains
To remove a coffee stain from fabric or a rug, try one of these methods:- Dip a white cloth into a beaten egg yolk and rub the yolk into the stain. Then rinse with clear water.
- Work denatured alcohol into the stain, then rinse with water.
- Apply a solution of 1/2 teaspoon mild detergent in a pint of water. Blot with a white towel. If the stain remains, apply a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar and blot.
Cleaning Kitchen Countertops
Use a mild dishwashing liquid for plastic lamination and rinse well afterwards to prevent residue from getting on food.Cleaning Vinyl Floors
Mop with a mild detergent and wait awhile to allow it to penetrate the ground-in dirt.Cleaning Safety Tip
Don't mix cleaning products like ammonia and bleach. They can be toxic.Cleaning with Automatic-Dishwasher Detergent.
Automatic-dishwasher detergent works well on refrigerators, stoves, floors, walls and glass.- Dissolve 1/4 cup in one gallon of very hot water.
- Wipe with a dry cloth afterward.
- Wear rubber gloves and test first to make sure that what you're cleaning is colorfast.
Glassware
- Use the bartender's method for speedy stemware washing. Holding the base, pump the glass vigorously in very hot sudsy water, then quickly put it in hot clear water (cooler water may shatter it) Dry upside down on a cotton towel.
- For extra-shiny, streakless glasses, add a little vinegar or borax to the final rinse water.
- If glasses have hard-water stains, rub them with a scouring pad dipped in vinegar.
- Never use hot water, harsh soaps, ammonia or washing soda on silver or gold-rimmed glasses.
- A well-lathered shaving brush cleans deeply etched or hobnailed glass especially well.
- If eggs have dried on your patterned glass tableware, rub off the residue with a slice of lemon.
Storing Leftovers
When storing leftovers in the refrigerator, use old butter tubs and cottage cheese containers. When its time to clean out the refrigerator you can discard the entire container. You won't have a spilled mess in the garbage can or a sink full of dirty dishes.Garbage Disposal Tips
- If you've ever switched on the garbage disposal instead of the kitchen light, mark the switch with a dab of red nail polish - anything to stop that grating noise.
- If your dishwasher drains through your garbage disposal, switch it on when the hot soapy water is running through is so it gets a good cleaning.
Stainless Steel
To remove water spots on stainless steel, rub area with a clean, soft cloth dampened with white vinegar. Then wipe dry to avoid spots.Heel Marks
Use a pencil eraser on black heel marks.Dishwasher Soap Film
Run a cup of white vinegar through the entire dishwashing cycle in an empty dishwasher to remove all soap film.Refrigerator Odors
- A little vanilla poured on a piece of cotton and placed in the refrigerator will eliminate odors.
- After cleaning the refrigerator add a dash of lemon extract to the rinse water for a fresh scent.
Stuck on Food
For stuck on food on a casserole dish, try adding 2 tablespoons of baking soda and boiling water to cover the stuck on food. Let sit for a while. The dish will be much easier to clean.Handy Tie
Drop the twist tie in the bottom of any can or basket before you put the liner in. When you're ready to empty it, the tie is handy.Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Great Cleaning tips
http://opossumsal.homestead.com/Household/great.html
When you dust, start at the top and work down. Take all your cleaning tools, avoid unnecessary trips back and forth. Clean as you go! It takes a lot less time to remove new dirt than old. Leave baking soda on carpeting over night will absorb musty odors Make a checklist of chores to get organized first. Wash walls from the bottom up, to avoid streaking. Use old socks as mitts for cleaning difficult wood work.
Wash small knickknacks instead of dusting. To removing heel marks , take pencil eraser and rub them off. Don't mix cleaning products. Ammonia and bleach are toxic. Remember common cleaners such as windex and comet meet this don't do rule. Allowing cleaners to set for several minutes will ease the cleaning job.
Interior Walls
Wall cleaner, mix 1/2 c. ammonia, 1/4 c. white vinegar, and 1/4 c. baking soda to 1 gal. warm water. For cleaning textured walls use nylon socks instead of a sponge or cloth to avoid leaving material chunks behind.
To dust wall paper, tie a dustcloth over your broom and work from the top down. To remove pencil marks & other non-greasy spots from non-washable papers, use an art-gum eraser . To remove greasy spots or crayon, apply a paste of cleaning fluid and fuller's earth and cornstarch. Let the wall dry and brush off residue. Repeat the
treatment until the spot is gone.
Exterior Walls
Use a water hose to spray the outside of your house. This will remove siding cobwebsand dirt. Textured siding ? Attach a car-washing brush to the hose to remove dirt.
Windows
Make your own spray cleaner. Fill a spray bottle with 3 tablesoopns ammonia, 1 tablespoon vinegar & the remainder with water. Dust blinds by wrapping a cloth around a ruler. Spray cloth with a dusting spray and run the flat end across each blind. Shine windows using old newspaper. Clean windows on an average temperature, preferably overcast day to avoid streaks. Dry windows outside in one direction then inside in the other direction. If you see a streak, you will know which side is the ofender. To clean window sills, pour diluted rubbing alcohol on a cloth and rub the entire surface.Then dust off the sill with a clean cloth.
Bathroom
Rubbing alcohol can remove the dull haze from mirrors. Use rubbing alcohol to remove spots from bathroom fixtures. Glass shower doors will sparkle if cleaned with white vinegar. To clean the shower, use a solution of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, and 1/4 cup baking soda added to one gallon of warm water. Lemon furniture oil will remove water spots on metal frames. Rusty tile marks can be removed with kerosene. Running the shower on hot for five minutes will steam the dirt loose. Grout need cleaning? Wash with 2 tablespoons chlorine bleach in one quart of water. Dry thoroughly, then apply several coats of lemon oil. Let dry one hour between coats. Dull walls will shine when washed with vinegar and waterand plished with a dry cloth.
Lighter fluid will remove most stains from porcelain sinks and bathtubs.
Kitchen
Pour club soda on counter and clean with a soft cloth, rinse with water then wipe dry. Baking soda or club soda will clean and shine stainless steel sinks easily. Remove stubborn water spots from a stainless sink with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. Spots on stainless steel also can be removed with vinegar. Rub stainless steel sinks with lighter fluid if rusty . For a sparkling white porcelain sink, place paper towels across the bottom of your sink and saturate with household bleach. Let sit for 8 hour & rinse. Never use bleach in colored sinks.
Refrigerator
An open box of baking soda will absorb odors for a month or so. A few drops vanilla extract on a piece of cotton placed in the refrigerator will eliminate odors. Wipe refrigerator with vinegar to prevent mildew.
Use your vacuum on the front of the coils and motor to remove dust and dirt
Appliances
Stop yellowing of white appliances. Mix 1/2 cup bleach, 1/4 cup baking soda and 4 cups of warm water. Apply with a sponge and let set for 10 minutes. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Wax large appliances with car wax to make them shine and to remove small scratches.
Wood Floors
Floor cleaner is a solution of 1/2 cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. Damp mop with a mop squeezed nearly dry. It is safer to mist the mop with the cleaner than to apply to floor. Do a section at a time and throw an old towel on the floor and scoot back and forth with foot to dry and prevent streaks. Standing liquid from mopping, spills, and pet accidents can damage floors. The greatest damage done to wood floors is from grit. Mats at doors are necessary to collect grit and it's important to keep these clean. Frequent dust mopping in high traffic areas to collect grit is the best prevention. This should be done based on the amount of traffic, which may require dust mopping several times a day in an active household. The brush attachment of a vacuum can be used (no beater bars). Felt and furniture protectors should be installed on furniture. Never scoot furniture on wood.
Put a piece of waxed paper under your dust mop. Dirt will stick to the mop and the wax will shine your floors. Use a paper bag over spilled candle wax then lightly iron.
Removin Stains
Water Stains
Rub the spot with No. 2 steel wood and rewax. For more serious water stains, lightly sand with fine sandpaper, clean the spot with No. 1 or 00 steel wool and mineral spirits or floor cleaner then refinish and wax.
Cigarette Burns
If not severe, the burn can be removed by rubbing with steel wool moistened with soap and water.
Heel and Caster Marks
Rub vigorously with fine steel wool and floor cleaner. Wipe dry and polish.
Ink Stains and Other Dark Spots
Use No. 2 steel wool and floor cleaner to clean the spot and surrounding area. Thoroughly wash the affected area. If the spot remains, sand with fine sandpaper, re-wax and polish. Stubborn stains may require that you replace the affected area.
Chewing Gum and Wax Deposits
Ice until the deposit is brittle and crumbles off. Pour floor cleaner around the stain so the fluid soaks under and loosens it.
Alcohol Spots
Rub the spot with liquid or paste wax
Vinyl Floors
Sweep then damp mop using a gallon of water and a dash of dishwashing detergent. No-wax floors eventually need waxing, this will help to prevent further deterioration.
Cleaning Carpets
To clean dry spots, loosen soil and vacuum away prior to moistening it. When taking out stains, always use a white cloth.
Wax dropped on carpet or upholstery?
Set a clean, absorbent cloth over the wax stain and hold a hot iron on it. Then remove the cloth.
Coat mildly greasy stains with aerosol shaving cream, use a hair dryer to speed dry. Then vacuum. Sprinkle a greasy stain with baking soda, cornstarch or talcum powder. Leave on at least 8 hours, then vacuum.
Did you know that Bounce, the stuff you use in the dryer has many cleaning uses? Eliminates static electricity from your television screen. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling. Dissolves soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a used sheet of Bounce. Freshens the air in your home. Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang one in the closet. Prevents thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing. Eliminates static cling from pantyhose. Rub a damp, used sheet of Bounce over the hose. Prevents musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing. Freshens the air in your car. Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat. Cleans baked-on food from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food. Eliminates odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket. Collects cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs. Eliminates static electricity from venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resetting.
Deodorizes shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they'll smell great in the morning.
Cleaning Marble
"MARBLE IS TRICKY, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK"
For heavier stains on marble, take three or four cakes of Ivory soap, cut them up and dissolve in hot water until you have a "slurry." Paint this on the marble and let it sit for five days or so. If the gunk starts to dry during that time, wet it down. At the end of the period, wash it all off. To remove lighter stains, sprinkle salt on a fresh cut lemon. Rub very lightly over stain. Do not rub hard or you will ruin the polished surface. Wash off with soap and water.
Now that you're done cleaning enjoy the outdoors.
-- Source Unknown
When you dust, start at the top and work down. Take all your cleaning tools, avoid unnecessary trips back and forth. Clean as you go! It takes a lot less time to remove new dirt than old. Leave baking soda on carpeting over night will absorb musty odors Make a checklist of chores to get organized first. Wash walls from the bottom up, to avoid streaking. Use old socks as mitts for cleaning difficult wood work.
Wash small knickknacks instead of dusting. To removing heel marks , take pencil eraser and rub them off. Don't mix cleaning products. Ammonia and bleach are toxic. Remember common cleaners such as windex and comet meet this don't do rule. Allowing cleaners to set for several minutes will ease the cleaning job.
Interior Walls
Wall cleaner, mix 1/2 c. ammonia, 1/4 c. white vinegar, and 1/4 c. baking soda to 1 gal. warm water. For cleaning textured walls use nylon socks instead of a sponge or cloth to avoid leaving material chunks behind.
To dust wall paper, tie a dustcloth over your broom and work from the top down. To remove pencil marks & other non-greasy spots from non-washable papers, use an art-gum eraser . To remove greasy spots or crayon, apply a paste of cleaning fluid and fuller's earth and cornstarch. Let the wall dry and brush off residue. Repeat the
treatment until the spot is gone.
Exterior Walls
Use a water hose to spray the outside of your house. This will remove siding cobwebsand dirt. Textured siding ? Attach a car-washing brush to the hose to remove dirt.
Windows
Make your own spray cleaner. Fill a spray bottle with 3 tablesoopns ammonia, 1 tablespoon vinegar & the remainder with water. Dust blinds by wrapping a cloth around a ruler. Spray cloth with a dusting spray and run the flat end across each blind. Shine windows using old newspaper. Clean windows on an average temperature, preferably overcast day to avoid streaks. Dry windows outside in one direction then inside in the other direction. If you see a streak, you will know which side is the ofender. To clean window sills, pour diluted rubbing alcohol on a cloth and rub the entire surface.Then dust off the sill with a clean cloth.
Bathroom
Rubbing alcohol can remove the dull haze from mirrors. Use rubbing alcohol to remove spots from bathroom fixtures. Glass shower doors will sparkle if cleaned with white vinegar. To clean the shower, use a solution of 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, and 1/4 cup baking soda added to one gallon of warm water. Lemon furniture oil will remove water spots on metal frames. Rusty tile marks can be removed with kerosene. Running the shower on hot for five minutes will steam the dirt loose. Grout need cleaning? Wash with 2 tablespoons chlorine bleach in one quart of water. Dry thoroughly, then apply several coats of lemon oil. Let dry one hour between coats. Dull walls will shine when washed with vinegar and waterand plished with a dry cloth.
Lighter fluid will remove most stains from porcelain sinks and bathtubs.
Kitchen
Pour club soda on counter and clean with a soft cloth, rinse with water then wipe dry. Baking soda or club soda will clean and shine stainless steel sinks easily. Remove stubborn water spots from a stainless sink with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. Spots on stainless steel also can be removed with vinegar. Rub stainless steel sinks with lighter fluid if rusty . For a sparkling white porcelain sink, place paper towels across the bottom of your sink and saturate with household bleach. Let sit for 8 hour & rinse. Never use bleach in colored sinks.
Refrigerator
An open box of baking soda will absorb odors for a month or so. A few drops vanilla extract on a piece of cotton placed in the refrigerator will eliminate odors. Wipe refrigerator with vinegar to prevent mildew.
Use your vacuum on the front of the coils and motor to remove dust and dirt
Appliances
Stop yellowing of white appliances. Mix 1/2 cup bleach, 1/4 cup baking soda and 4 cups of warm water. Apply with a sponge and let set for 10 minutes. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Wax large appliances with car wax to make them shine and to remove small scratches.
Wood Floors
Floor cleaner is a solution of 1/2 cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. Damp mop with a mop squeezed nearly dry. It is safer to mist the mop with the cleaner than to apply to floor. Do a section at a time and throw an old towel on the floor and scoot back and forth with foot to dry and prevent streaks. Standing liquid from mopping, spills, and pet accidents can damage floors. The greatest damage done to wood floors is from grit. Mats at doors are necessary to collect grit and it's important to keep these clean. Frequent dust mopping in high traffic areas to collect grit is the best prevention. This should be done based on the amount of traffic, which may require dust mopping several times a day in an active household. The brush attachment of a vacuum can be used (no beater bars). Felt and furniture protectors should be installed on furniture. Never scoot furniture on wood.
Put a piece of waxed paper under your dust mop. Dirt will stick to the mop and the wax will shine your floors. Use a paper bag over spilled candle wax then lightly iron.
Removin Stains
Water Stains
Rub the spot with No. 2 steel wood and rewax. For more serious water stains, lightly sand with fine sandpaper, clean the spot with No. 1 or 00 steel wool and mineral spirits or floor cleaner then refinish and wax.
Cigarette Burns
If not severe, the burn can be removed by rubbing with steel wool moistened with soap and water.
Heel and Caster Marks
Rub vigorously with fine steel wool and floor cleaner. Wipe dry and polish.
Ink Stains and Other Dark Spots
Use No. 2 steel wool and floor cleaner to clean the spot and surrounding area. Thoroughly wash the affected area. If the spot remains, sand with fine sandpaper, re-wax and polish. Stubborn stains may require that you replace the affected area.
Chewing Gum and Wax Deposits
Ice until the deposit is brittle and crumbles off. Pour floor cleaner around the stain so the fluid soaks under and loosens it.
Alcohol Spots
Rub the spot with liquid or paste wax
Vinyl Floors
Sweep then damp mop using a gallon of water and a dash of dishwashing detergent. No-wax floors eventually need waxing, this will help to prevent further deterioration.
Cleaning Carpets
To clean dry spots, loosen soil and vacuum away prior to moistening it. When taking out stains, always use a white cloth.
Wax dropped on carpet or upholstery?
Set a clean, absorbent cloth over the wax stain and hold a hot iron on it. Then remove the cloth.
Coat mildly greasy stains with aerosol shaving cream, use a hair dryer to speed dry. Then vacuum. Sprinkle a greasy stain with baking soda, cornstarch or talcum powder. Leave on at least 8 hours, then vacuum.
Did you know that Bounce, the stuff you use in the dryer has many cleaning uses? Eliminates static electricity from your television screen. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling. Dissolves soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a used sheet of Bounce. Freshens the air in your home. Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang one in the closet. Prevents thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing. Eliminates static cling from pantyhose. Rub a damp, used sheet of Bounce over the hose. Prevents musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing. Freshens the air in your car. Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat. Cleans baked-on food from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food. Eliminates odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket. Collects cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs. Eliminates static electricity from venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resetting.
Deodorizes shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they'll smell great in the morning.
Cleaning Marble
"MARBLE IS TRICKY, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK"
For heavier stains on marble, take three or four cakes of Ivory soap, cut them up and dissolve in hot water until you have a "slurry." Paint this on the marble and let it sit for five days or so. If the gunk starts to dry during that time, wet it down. At the end of the period, wash it all off. To remove lighter stains, sprinkle salt on a fresh cut lemon. Rub very lightly over stain. Do not rub hard or you will ruin the polished surface. Wash off with soap and water.
Now that you're done cleaning enjoy the outdoors.
-- Source Unknown
Cleaning Recipes For The Kitchen
Spray Disinfectant Cleaner
½ cup borax
1 gallon hot water
Dissolve borax in hot water. Wipe down areas to be disinfected.
Abrasive Cleaner
Sprinkle baking soda or borax, add juice of ½ lemon and scrub.
Brass/Copper Tarnish Remover
Salt
Flour
White vinegar
Mix together equal parts salt and flour, then add white vinegar to make a paste. Rub into the stain. Repeat if necessary.
Metal Cleaner
Fresh squeezed juice of 2 lemons
a cup baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
6 tablespoons clay powder
Mix all ingredients together until pasty. Add water or more clay if
needed. Rub paste onto metal with extremely fine steel wool and allow to sit for fifteen minutes. Wash off with a sponge and clear water. Polish metal with a soft cloth. Do not use on aluminum.
Silver Polish
Rub with paste of baking soda and water.
Glassware/Crystal Spot Removal
Dip spotted glassware into water to which a splash of vinegar has been added, dry with lint-free dishcloth.
Dishwasher Detergent
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons borax
Mix baking soda and borax and put mixture in dishwasher.
Window Cleaner
Option 1:
Juice from one fresh lemon
2 cups water or club soda
½ teaspoon peppermint essential oil (optional)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Mix all ingredients and pour into plastic spray bottle. Shake well.
Option 2:
8 parts water
1 part vinegar
Mix ingredients, scrub and wipe with newspaper.
Drain Cleaner/Opener
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup baking soda
Mix ingredients and pour mixture down drain. Let stand for a few minutes and rinse with boiling water.
Oven Cleaner
Mix equal parts of castille soap, borax and water. Apply mixture, let set for 20 minutes. Scrub with mixture of baking soda and salt.
-- Source Unknown
Kitchen Cleaning Tips
http://www.oph-good-housekeeping.com/kitchen-cleaning.html
A clutter free kitchen is much easier to work in and less likely to harbor germs that may impair your health.
Get into the habit of putting items back where they belong immediately after use. this is esasier to do if items that are used more frequently are stored in more accessible places whilst items used once in a while can inhabit those out of the way places such as high or low level cupboards.
Identify areas in your kitchen that accumulate clutter. Target these areas in particular and make a point of clearing. Start the day well. It's so much easier to get up in the morning to a clean and tidy kitchen. Dirty pots (supposedly soaking) left in the sink or on draining boards over night will not necessarily be easier to clean. below are some good housekeeping and homemaking tips on removing stubborn food remnants from pots and pans and other kitchen equipment.
Pan Cleaning
To remove burned food from pans add a squirt of washing up liquid to a half in of water, then bring to the boil. Allow the liquid to cool in the pan, then simply wipe clean.
Oven Cleaning
Removing spilled over food from the oven bottom couldn't be easier. Simply sprinkle a handful of salt over the spillage. The smoke will reduce and the spill will be easier to clean once the oven cools down.
Microwave Oven cleaning
To clean your microwave oven use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar in 2 cups of water in a microwave safe container large enough to hold 4 cups and microwave on high for 3 minutes. carefully remove the bowl and wipe the oven clean with paper towels. Reapeat if necessary to remove more stubborn food splashes.
This kitchen cleaning tip comes in handy when dealing with your microwave. Before you start to clean it place a damp cloth inside, put the timer on 40 seconds and turn on. The steam from the damp cloth should now have loosened the grime within the microwave, thus making it easier to remove grime.
Other Kitchen Equipment
If plastic from the bread wrapper melts onto your toaster, allow it cool down then use nail polish remover to get it off.
Coffee makers can be cleaned by running through the brew cycle using equal parts of white vinegar and water. Repeat this process two or three times but using fresh water.
Clean your blenderwith washing up liquid and water. Fill to the half way line and blend away the mess. Rinse through with warm water to clear any residue.
Another good kitchen cleaning tip where the washing machine is concerned, is to run the machine on empty using one cup of lemon juice and one cup of hot water, this is a very good trick for keeping the drum clean.
To clean the washing powder dispenser, leave it to soak in hot water and then clean the smaller parts with a cotton bud.
To keep the fridge smelling fresh and odour-free, this kitchen cleaning tip comes in handy, what you need to do is get a piece of cotton wool and put droplets of vanilla essence onto it, and place it in the middle of the fridge, this will stop the odours in their tracks.
To keep your bin odour-free pour a good helping of talcum powder or baking soda into the bottom of it. This will then keep those evil smells at bay.
This is a gem of a cleaning tip, we all hate the site of what greets us when we remove the lid from our kettles, right? All that lime scale, yuck!! Well, this doesn’t have to be the case. What you need to do, in order to remove the lime scale is to fill the kettle with 2/3 hot water and 1/3 brown vinegar and then leave it to soak for roughly 60 minutes. When you have done this pour the vinegar water mix away and fill the kettle again, as normal, and boil, pour the boiled water away and all the lime scale will be removed.
A good tip to keep the element lime scale free is to use a oyster shell, yes an oyster shell, you did hear me right. What you need to do is boil the shell in order to remove any germs from it, and just pop it into the kettle and leave it there. The theory behind this, and it does actually work, is that the lime scale will attach itself to this rather than the element.
If you have any little cracks or holes in your linoleum a good tip is to get a crayon similar in colour to the linoleum, pop it in the microwave to make it soft and smear it over the crack, and wipe it with a cloth to make it straight. The theory behind this is that, the crayon will fill in the crack when it dries.
Stainless steel sinks can be freed of limescale and mineral deposits by placing paper towels soaked in vinegar around the sink. leave for an hour or so then buff with adry paper towels for a clean and shiny effect.
Sluggish drains may be cleaned using white vinegar and baking soda. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain then add half a cup of white vinegar and cover. Allow the mixture to foam for a few minutes then pour down 8 mor so cups of boiling water. NB Do not use this mixture after using any other commercial cleaner.
Waste disposal systems can be freshened up by putting lime or lemon pieces down them every few days. for added freshness sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of baking soda down the drain then add a couple of ice cubes and switch it on, running the hot water for a few minutes whilst the system is working.
Non commercial cleaning products
Dry baking powder makes an excellent polish for chrome. Clean porcelain with a mix of cream of tartar and water dissolve 1/4 cup of baking soda in 2 pints water for a good all purpose cleaner.
A clutter free kitchen is much easier to work in and less likely to harbor germs that may impair your health.
Get into the habit of putting items back where they belong immediately after use. this is esasier to do if items that are used more frequently are stored in more accessible places whilst items used once in a while can inhabit those out of the way places such as high or low level cupboards.
Identify areas in your kitchen that accumulate clutter. Target these areas in particular and make a point of clearing. Start the day well. It's so much easier to get up in the morning to a clean and tidy kitchen. Dirty pots (supposedly soaking) left in the sink or on draining boards over night will not necessarily be easier to clean. below are some good housekeeping and homemaking tips on removing stubborn food remnants from pots and pans and other kitchen equipment.
Pan Cleaning
To remove burned food from pans add a squirt of washing up liquid to a half in of water, then bring to the boil. Allow the liquid to cool in the pan, then simply wipe clean.
Oven Cleaning
Removing spilled over food from the oven bottom couldn't be easier. Simply sprinkle a handful of salt over the spillage. The smoke will reduce and the spill will be easier to clean once the oven cools down.
Microwave Oven cleaning
To clean your microwave oven use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar in 2 cups of water in a microwave safe container large enough to hold 4 cups and microwave on high for 3 minutes. carefully remove the bowl and wipe the oven clean with paper towels. Reapeat if necessary to remove more stubborn food splashes.
This kitchen cleaning tip comes in handy when dealing with your microwave. Before you start to clean it place a damp cloth inside, put the timer on 40 seconds and turn on. The steam from the damp cloth should now have loosened the grime within the microwave, thus making it easier to remove grime.
Other Kitchen Equipment
If plastic from the bread wrapper melts onto your toaster, allow it cool down then use nail polish remover to get it off.
Coffee makers can be cleaned by running through the brew cycle using equal parts of white vinegar and water. Repeat this process two or three times but using fresh water.
Clean your blenderwith washing up liquid and water. Fill to the half way line and blend away the mess. Rinse through with warm water to clear any residue.
Another good kitchen cleaning tip where the washing machine is concerned, is to run the machine on empty using one cup of lemon juice and one cup of hot water, this is a very good trick for keeping the drum clean.
To clean the washing powder dispenser, leave it to soak in hot water and then clean the smaller parts with a cotton bud.
To keep the fridge smelling fresh and odour-free, this kitchen cleaning tip comes in handy, what you need to do is get a piece of cotton wool and put droplets of vanilla essence onto it, and place it in the middle of the fridge, this will stop the odours in their tracks.
To keep your bin odour-free pour a good helping of talcum powder or baking soda into the bottom of it. This will then keep those evil smells at bay.
This is a gem of a cleaning tip, we all hate the site of what greets us when we remove the lid from our kettles, right? All that lime scale, yuck!! Well, this doesn’t have to be the case. What you need to do, in order to remove the lime scale is to fill the kettle with 2/3 hot water and 1/3 brown vinegar and then leave it to soak for roughly 60 minutes. When you have done this pour the vinegar water mix away and fill the kettle again, as normal, and boil, pour the boiled water away and all the lime scale will be removed.
A good tip to keep the element lime scale free is to use a oyster shell, yes an oyster shell, you did hear me right. What you need to do is boil the shell in order to remove any germs from it, and just pop it into the kettle and leave it there. The theory behind this, and it does actually work, is that the lime scale will attach itself to this rather than the element.
If you have any little cracks or holes in your linoleum a good tip is to get a crayon similar in colour to the linoleum, pop it in the microwave to make it soft and smear it over the crack, and wipe it with a cloth to make it straight. The theory behind this is that, the crayon will fill in the crack when it dries.
Stainless steel sinks can be freed of limescale and mineral deposits by placing paper towels soaked in vinegar around the sink. leave for an hour or so then buff with adry paper towels for a clean and shiny effect.
Sluggish drains may be cleaned using white vinegar and baking soda. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain then add half a cup of white vinegar and cover. Allow the mixture to foam for a few minutes then pour down 8 mor so cups of boiling water. NB Do not use this mixture after using any other commercial cleaner.
Waste disposal systems can be freshened up by putting lime or lemon pieces down them every few days. for added freshness sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of baking soda down the drain then add a couple of ice cubes and switch it on, running the hot water for a few minutes whilst the system is working.
Non commercial cleaning products
Dry baking powder makes an excellent polish for chrome. Clean porcelain with a mix of cream of tartar and water dissolve 1/4 cup of baking soda in 2 pints water for a good all purpose cleaner.
Monday, October 25, 2010
KITCHEN CLEANING TIPS Rejuvenate every surface in your kitchen with Mr. Clean.
http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/kitchen-cleaning-tips.do | ||||||||||||
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