Dirty Dishes.
Let's face it - after a good meal and all of the preparation that went into it, the last thing you want to do is clean out some scrubby-looking pans. But, like it or not, you're stuck with them. That's why you'll want to find out some quick, no-nonsense tips for cleaning your pans that will help you finish the process and move on with your night. Here are some of those tips.
Remember: water is the universal solvent. If you don't want to clean out a pan right away, but don't necessarily want to let the caked-on food dry out and become hard, either, try filling it up with a good amount of water. Soaking the pan in water isn't the most attractive solution, but it will make it easier for you later on when the food comes off much more easily. Water is considered the universal solvent in the chemistry world, and you should put that bit of scientific knowledge to good use. One tip: don't use water and soap for this soaking - the water will work fine by itself.
Be mindful of temperature. Of course, you don't necessarily want to add cool water and bring your pot or pan from boiling to room temperature in zero seconds flat. Instead, give the pots and pans some time to cool off before you start cleaning them: this will help them remain durable and strong.
Read the directions after you buy some cookware. Like it or not, the directions are there to help - they can make you aware of any individual needs these pots or pans might have. So if there are certain cookware items that simply don't respond to different types of cleaning, you can save yourself the trouble simply by reading the instructions right after buying a new pot or pan.
Buy re-usable towels, rags, and cleaners. If you're going to be cleaning out your cookware on a regular basis, you'll want to do the cleaning with something you can re-use, as well. Paper towels can be great around the kitchen, but you constantly need to re-stock your supply. You can instead use an old rag to do a lot of your wiping and simply throw it in the laundry from time to time to keep it fresh and clean.
Save room in your dishwasher. Some of your cookware will go well in the dishwasher - remember, check your directions first - and you can use an empty dishwasher to your advantage simply by throwing in a couple of your pots and pans. This isn't always ideal, but it will help you to clean up the pots and pans without working too hard after a long day.
Photo Credits: kbc kevin
Originally posted 2009-07-20 08:00:48.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on May 29, 2010 in
How to Fix, Make Clean, kitchen
Car Floor Mat
Cleaning Stains on Car Rugs
There are some disasters that seem to happen in slow motion. You see the car in front of you stop suddenly so you hit the brakes and watch out of the corner of your eye as your still pleasantly warm tall latte cup titters for a few seconds and then with the grace of an Olympic swimmer divers out of the holder onto your carpet. While vanilla isn’t a bad smell in the coffee shop it will start wearing on your nerves very shortly as you wonder how on earth you can ever get that stain out of your carpet.
Finding cleaning supplies
The great thing about your car’s carpet is that most are made expecting some abuse. With any luck at least some of the damage was taken by the floor mat. Take out the mat and exam it. Don’t make the mistake so many make by washing the mat with the lawn hose. To clean the mat you will need a good size sponge and some strong cleaner. Any automotive store will have the type of cleaning supplies you need for both the mat and the carpet. For the really horrible stains such as the coffee, you might consider a small portable deep cleaner like the Bissell Spotbot.
Getting to the scene of the crime
Take off the mat and clean it thoroughly using the sponge and cleaner. You will want it not only to look clean, but try to eliminate as much of the odor as possible. Left locked up in the car any lingering smells from the mat will saturate the car if you spilled coffee, milk, or if someone was ill while in the car. In cases of strong odors make sure nothing is left un-cleaned and understand everything has to pass the smell taste before you close and lock up the vehicle. Leave the mat someplace where it can dry out for at least 12 hours.
Carpet cleaning
Here you can use paper towels to soak up any remaining moisture from the spill. Use the paper towels until you do not see any moisture spots on them when you pick them up. If you are using the Spotbot you will need to go over the entire carpet on the side of the stain with the nozzle very slow to draw out the last of the liquid or other staining material. Don’t panic if the area still seems darker in places the first time you go over it. You might need to use a brush to gently loosen any stubborn stains or sticky spots. Keep up the back and forth motion over all of the carpet until no sign of the stain remains. If you're using a regular cleaner and a scrub brush you will need to do the same cleaning of all the carpet in the area of the stain.
Here too let the smell test be your guide and don’t stop expending elbow grease until no lingering odor remains.
Photo Credits: engnr_chik
This post involves:
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Posted by Fix Handyman on May 8, 2010 in
Car, Carpet, Floors, Guest Blogger, How to Fix
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