Kitchen Tips

CLEANING
Cutting boards/utensils that smell like onions, garlic or other strong odors, rub with have a lemon or lime. (also your hands after cutting the onion).

Coffee/tea/rust stains--use good old baking soda. On your sink, you can also use steel wool.

Stainless steel--wipe down with plain seltzer or white vinegar for sparkling shine.

ODORS/FRAGRANCES
Disposal/drain odors--pour 2 T in every week.

Cheap air fresheners: put clove studded oranges in a decorative bowl; put cinnamon in a pie pan, put in oven & heat oven to 250 for about 30 minutes. (make sure that it doesn’t burn).

Liquid potpourri: there are 2 kinds of burners that I know of: 1st--has a little pot/bowl that you put the fragrance in & put a tea candle underneath (disadvantages: kind of messy, tea candles don’t last long & pot can turn black underneath where flame heats up bottom of pot), 2nd--electric, like a little mini crockpot (advantage--no fire). You really have to watch it though, to keep an eye on the level of potpourri you have. Don’t run it with little or no liquid in it, you could crack the pot.

Light a scented candle (keep away from children).

Put a wreath inside with eucalyptus, cinnamon sticks or spritz with liquid oil scents.

Clean with scented cleaners.

Use glade plug-ins, or other such plug in air fresheners.

Bake bread or cookies, brew coffee, make anything that fills your whole house with a yummy fragrance.

Fill with fresh flowers.

Baking soda in the freezer/fridge help eliminate smells. They even sell little boxes especially for this now.

PESTS
Ants--mix 8 oz. vinegar & 8 oz. water in a spray bottle (available at dollar tree or Wal-Mart). Spray on ants, will kill them instantly.

Roaches--set out a dish containing equal parts sugar & baking soda. The sugar attracts and the baking soda eliminates.

Slugs--put out dishes of salt or beer. Salt dries them out, beer gets them drunk & they drown.

MISCELLANEOUS
Unclog drain--pour ½ cup baking soda mixed with ½ cup vinegar into the drain and cover tightly. After a few minutes, rinse the drain with 2 qts. Boiling water. Also, using this as a preventative measure, can keep drains from becoming clogged. If drain is clogged with grease, use 1 cup of salt & 1 cup of baking soda, rather than the baking soda/vinegar mixture, follow the remaining step.