The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 5)

The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 5)
Excerpted from Just Clean Enough ON Jan 3, 2011 at 12:34PM

The Kitchen Calls

Week 5: Monday

Liner Note
20 minutes

Drawers and cabinets looking a little drab? Give them a pick me- up by inserting some drawer and shelf liners. These are easy-to-clean plastic liners with adhesive backing that come in lots of pretty patterns. Before you scoff, consider how these liners can change your life. Not only do they serve to protect your drawers and cabinetry (a big concern, to be sure), they also kick the aesthetic appeal up a notch. You can even get liners in scented varieties, adding another sensory dimension to the experience of looking for a measuring cup. And goodness< knows, the hunt for a measuring cup should be a stimulating one.

Week 5: Tuesday

It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s a Grapefruit!
15 minutes

By now, you should be storing most of your fruit in the fridge (see “Relocate Fruit to the Fridge”), but there may be some stragglers (bananas, ripening apricots, plums, and so on) that you don’t know what to do with. Pick up a handy-dandy hanging basket set, which gets fruits and veggies up off the counter and into the air. Most hanging baskets have two or three tiers; you can devote one to fruits, one to vegetables, and one to the special items that don’t play well with others. For example, bananas emit ethylene, a gas that causes other fruit to ripen at an increased rate. And garlic can transfer its strong smell to other fruits and vegetables it’s hanging out with. Keep these separate from the group, and everyone will be happier.

Week 5: Wednesday

You Stink, Microwave
5 minutes

Got a smelly microwave with splatters and smears of food as decoration? Time to do something about it. Fill a microwaveable bowl three-quarters of the way with water and add ¼ cup lemon juice to the bowl. Put the bowl with the water-lemon juice mixture into the microwave and run it on high for one minute. When it beeps, remove the bowl and wipe out the microwave using a damp rag or sponge and the condensation that has formed from the lemon water. And there you have it: a nice, clean microwave that smells lemony fresh! 

Week 5: Thursday

Buy a Breadbox
10 minutes

If you’re like most families, you don’t really know what to do with all the bread you buy. Maybe it’s tossed on the top of your fridge or piled up on your counter. Solve this problem by heading to your local Ikea (or Target, or anywhere you can buy kitchen items) and pick up a breadbox. Gather all your loaves, rolls, and muffins together and put them in their new, crumbfree home. As a bonus, you now have a visual for all those times when someone asks you if an item is “bigger than a breadbox.” 

Week 5: Friday

Control Coffeemaker Chaos
10 minutes

Coffee is delicious, and the caffeine sure does come in handy, but is all this really necessary? You have a French press on the counter, a drip coffeemaker on the table, and a moka pot on the stovetop. There’s also a bag of coffee beans, a grinder, a package of filters, a strainer . . . the list goes on forever. To simplify, choose your favorite style of coffee and get rid of the rest. Give the extraneous machinery and coffee to a good cause, such as your coworker who oversleeps and arrives late to work every day. Both your kitchen—and your coworker—will thank you.

Week 5: Saturday

Got Stovetop Splatters?
30 minutes

There are two ways to clean a stovetop: the hard way and the easy way. The hard way involves rubber gloves and scrubber sponges and elbow grease. Sounds fun, right? Not so much. To that end, we’re going to keep it simple and just talk about the easy way to get rid of that caked-on stovetop gunk. Simply spray the surface with an all-purpose kitchen cleaner, such as Formula 409, and let it sit for about twenty minutes. Then take a damp sponge and wipe up the splatters, which should have softened for easy cleanup. Also make sure you clean the area around the burners. If it’s a gas stove, remove the burner plates and soak them in hot, soapy water while you let the allpurpose cleaner do its work on the stovetop. When you come back, just rinse the burner plates, wipe off the stovetop, and you’re ready to go do something a lot more fun.

Week 5: Sunday

Create a Cooking Station
10 minutes

If you cook at home a lot, you probably have a few spices, oils, or other staples that you use in most of your recipes. A great way to prevent unnecessary trips to the cabinet and to make cooking easier is to set up a little station right next to your stove. A great tool to use is a desktop organizer, which has lots of slots and sections for a variety of different-sized items. For example, you might keep a set of salt and pepper shakers in the notepad holder, a small bottle of olive oil where the Wite-Out would go, and a couple of mixing utensils in the pen cup. Many of these desktop organizers are on turntables for easy access to all the products therein.

MY THOUGHTS

i'm lucky i don't have a stove.  but the microwave needs some cleaning. i wonder where i could get those scented cabinet liners.  i really like that idea.

Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 4)

The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 4)
Excerpted from Just Clean Enough ON Jan 3, 2011 at 12:34PM

The Kitchen Calls

Week 4: Monday

Pare Down Plastics
20 minutes

A familiar slapstick scene played out in kitchens far and wide is opening a cabinet door and being awash in a shower of tubs and lids. Don’t let this happen to you! First, buy plastic containers in a single shape. Go for square or round, but don’t have both. Mismatched shapes will take up extra cabinet space and prevent you from stacking to the max. Mount a separate rack for lids inside the cabinet door and your shelves will look department-store neat. Also, are you still squirreling away the plastic tubs and containers from cottage cheese, margarine, and Chinese takeout? Do you really need to save every last one of them? Instead, recycle them or donate them to a school art class.

Week 4: Tuesday

Hang It Up!
20 minutes

Are you running low on cabinet space but have some good looking pots and pans or mugs that you wouldn’t mind putting on display? Overhead pot racks suspended from the ceiling are a creative use of air space. Make sure the rack is securely bolted in place and up to the task of handling a heavy weight load. Hanging pot racks run the gamut of styles, from ornate ironwork to thin minimalist wooden strips, to match just about any décor. Some have built-in shelves for lids or additional display storage. You can also install a few hooks underneath a cabinet to hang attractive mugs or teacups. This will free up some cabinet space while adding a homey touch to the look of the room. 

Week 4: Wednesday

Attention, Magnet Maniacs!
15 minutes

In many homes, the refrigerator winds up becoming a giant, messy canvas for magnet collages. While it’s nice to have the phone number of your favorite pizza delivery service handy, and it’s easy to tack up all the photos of your nieces and nephews you get in holiday cards, you can put the refrigerator’s magnetic properties to better use. Instead, make your magnets into a work of art. Buy a magnetic board and install it on a wall in your kitchen. Display magnets from trips you’ve taken or choose a few of your favorite photos and put them in magnetic frames. Just don’t go overboard.

Week 4: Thursday

Find a Place for Pesky Plastic Bags
15 minutes

From grocery bags to the bags the newspaper comes in, plastic bags are everywhere. While they are useful to hang on to, things can quickly get out of hand. Instead of just shoving them in the cabinet under the kitchen sink or stuffing them into a drawer, come up with a system that saves space by making the bags as compact as possible. For instance, pick up a plastic bag holder that can be mounted on the inside of a cabinet door, or a hanging sleeve that can go in a pantry or closet. Load bags into the top of the device, pressing down in order to remove all the air, and then, when you need a bag, just pull one from the bottom.

Week 4: Friday

Filter Water at the Source
20 minutes

If you’re someone who doesn’t like to drink water straight from the tap, you may be the proud owner of one of those large, plastic filtering jugs. While it’s nice to have cold, filtered water at the ready, this device takes up a lot of space in your fridge or on your countertop. An alternative is a filtering fixture that can be installed right on your kitchen faucet. Most of these fixtures have on and off settings or can simply be moved aside when you’re just washing dishes and don’t need filtered water. This device does have a filter that will need to be changed every so often, but overall it will save some precious space and make your kitchen a little less cluttered.

Week 4: Saturday

Do Some Drawer and Cabinet Maintenance
40 minutes

Take a tour of your kitchen. Are there any drawers with missing pulls or wheels that have come off the track? Are there any cabinets with creaky hinges or doors that don’t close all the way? If you have missing or damaged drawer pulls, take this opportunity to choose a new design and replace them all. For creaky hinges, apply some household lubricant and open and close the cabinet door two or three times to help it circulate. If you find a cabinet door that always hangs open just slightly, pick up a cabinet magnet kit. Simply affix one magnet to the surface of the open cabinet and the other to the inside of the cabinet door. When you close the door, they should meet and attract, keeping the door closed.

Week 4: Sunday

Get a Knife Makeover
20 minutes

What kind of shape are your knives in? Are the blades dull and the handles loose? Dull blades require you to put in twice the effort, and loose handles can cause you to slip and cut yourself. While you don’t need more stuff on your kitchen countertop, there is one item that is worth the several square inches it takes up: a knife block. Essentially, it’s just a block of wood with slits of different sizes for all your different size knives: the chopping knife, the bread knife, the paring knife, and so on. Some knife blocks also come with a sharpener so you can sharpen your own knives at home. Others include slots for kitchen shears and other handy tools. If counter space is seriously at a premium, another option is a wall-mounted magnetic knife strip. 

MY THOUGHTS

i plead guilty. once again on all counts.  but i've taken action.  yes, i've thrown away all those plastic containers.  for someone whose meals are almost always store-bought, those containers can accumulate.and i promised myself to just keep on throwing them away.  washing them and stacking them up defeats the purpose.

The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 3)

The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 3)
Excerpted from Just Clean Enough ON Jan 3, 2011 at 12:34PM

The Kitchen Calls

Week 3: Monday

Evaluate Your Oven Mitts
10 minutes

What’s the current oven mitt situation in your kitchen? Do you have too many and have trouble finding a place to put them all? You only need two oven mitts (because you only have two hands) and maybe three or four potholders in your kitchen. More than that are unnecessary and will take up space needed for other things. Are your oven mitts and potholders old, burned, torn, or otherwise ineffectual? Make sure these items are of high quality and are thick enough so you don’t feel any heat coming through them. The minute one of these pops a hole, throw it out. A third-degree burn will not help you in your reorganization efforts.

Week 3: Tuesday

Start Composting
5 minutes

Banana peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, and other food scraps may seem like garbage, but they can actually have a second life as compost. If you’re a gardener, decomposed food scraps can provide rich nutrients to your soil. Instead of scraping off your plates into the trashcan or garbage disposal, put fruit and vegetable scraps into an airtight jug. As these items slowly decompose, add them to your soil for the health of your plants. You can also buy small, discreet countertop compost pails at many home stores. These items make it easy to gather food waste indoors while keeping odors to a minimum. You can store a compost pail under the sink, on the counter, or in a cabinet for accessibility.

Week 3: Wednesday

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
15 minutes

Yes, recycling is important, but so is a system that works for you—and having recyclables stacked willy-nilly in your kitchen isn’t it. Instead, purchase a recycling sorter with at least two different bins: one for plastic and glass, one for paper products. Keep in mind, however, that, like trash, even well-rinsed bottles and cans will create a sticky, stinky residue in your bin. Wash it frequently to keep your kitchen smelling fresh.

Week 3: Thursday

Create a Family Message Center
20 minutes

If you share your household with other people, chances are you all have very different schedules that are hard to coordinate. To make things easier—and to avoid accumulating piles of calendars and to-do lists—create a family message center in the kitchen. This message center may include a large corkboard or dry-erase board for posting messages and slots for sorting mail. You can also maintain a food-shopping list that all members of the family can contribute to. Everyone in the family will know to check the message board so that even when schedules conflict, you and your family members can communicate about upcoming events and household chores.

Week 3: Friday

Establish a Coupon System
20 minutes

How would you like to save $5, $10, or even $20 every time you shop for groceries? If this sounds appealing, coupon clipping may be for you. Searching for and clipping coupons from the newspaper or from advertising circulars can be a timeconsuming task, but many people enjoy it as a relaxing rainyday activity. Use a binder with clear pockets to sort, categorize, and store your coupons. For example, you may have categories called Cleaning Products and Pet Care Products, and you simply place all related coupons in that category within the same pocket. An alternative is to use a small file box and store your coupons alphabetically, either by product name or brand name. As a general rule, clip and store coupons for only those products you already use or definitely want to try. If you're not careful, your coupon file could easily get cluttered with coupons you have no intention of using.

Week 3: Saturday

Round Up Your Recipes
20 minutes

If you enjoy cooking, chances are you’ve acquired many recipes in many different forms—from cookbooks and magazine clippings to printouts from the Internet and handwritten notes from friends and family. Instead of shoving crumpled pieces of paper in all available nooks and crannies and struggling to find the recipe you want when you want it, pick up a three-ring binder with dividers along with a bunch of clear plastic sleeves that you can insert papers into. Divide the binder into sections, such as Appetizers, Chicken Dishes, Desserts, and so on, and then file your recipes within the binder. Keep it with your cookbooks, on a shelf in the kitchen. An alternative is to file your recipes in a file cabinet or recipe box.

Week 3: Sunday

Take a Look at Lighting
30 minutes

The way that you light your kitchen will have a dramatic effect on how you work and feel in that space. Oftentimes kitchens have harsh overhead lights that glare on all who enter. Ideally, you’ll have a few different types of lighting so that you can alternate them depending on your needs and the time of day. Invest in lighting that you love—lamps can work in a kitchen, as can beam or spot lights that will give you soft, steady light
in exactly the place where you need it. Soft, ample light can increase your efficiency, improve your mood, and transform your kitchen into a place of peace and hospitality.

MY THOUGHTS

come to think of it, why is this kitchen clean-up for the whole week? how about us working ladies?  well, there are weekends. an uncluttered kitchen will save you a lot of food preparation time during the busy weekdays.  why is it i don't have a single oven mitt?

The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 2)

The Great Kitchen Clean-Up!
Excerpted from Just Clean Enough ON Jan 3, 2011 at 12:34PM

The Kitchen Calls

Week 2: Monday

Pay the Fridge a Visit
30 minutes

Ah, the refrigerator. You’ve probably been avoiding this one. Spoiled food, old, sticky spills . . . who wants to dive into that? Whether you want to or not, this task is a must. The first step in organizing your refrigerator is to empty it out and clean it, but you can do this a little at a time. Remove all the items from one shelf and wipe it down. Once that’s done, start sorting. Throw away anything that’s expired or questionable and let go of items that you know you’ll never eat. Next, take inventory of the items that remain and decide how you’ll organize them. Keep similar items together. Take full advantage of the drawers, shelves, and refrigerator door.

Week 2: Tuesday

Get Rid of Lingering Smells
5 minutes

Even if your fridge is white-glove clean (and let’s be honest here, it probably isn’t), it may still smell a little. It makes sense, though, right? Think of everything you keep in your fridge: fish, yesterday’s takeout, burritos, cat food, curry, cheese, and plenty of items that are just waiting for next week’s trash day, like just-past-its-expiration-date milk, fruit, and so on. You name it . . . it’s stored in your fridge. An easy way to solve this problem is to stick an open container or box of baking soda in the back of your fridge. The baking soda will suck up the majority of smells and keep your fridge smelling like a dream—or a just-clean-enough fridge as the case may be.

Week 2: Wednesday

Control Your Cutlery
15 minutes

If you’re like most people, you probably have a cutlery drawer that is brimming with more than just cutlery. Perhaps you’ve got a few rubber bands, some plastic baggies, a box of toothpicks, a set of corncob holders, and a bundle of twist ties. Sound familiar? Here’s what you do: Remove everything from the drawer that is not a fork, knife, or spoon. If you don’t already have one, buy yourself a cutlery holder to help keep the drawer organized. Also, make sure you have the right number of pieces of cutlery for your situation. If you have a family of seven, you’re going to need more than three forks. If you live alone, you probably don’t need sixteen spoons. Take out any extras and donate them. You’ll be much happier when you can open that drawer and see exactly what you
need.

Week 2: Thursday

Relocate Fruit to the Fridge
5 minutes

A bowl of fresh fruit can look lovely on a counter or tabletop, but if you have a small kitchen, it might also be contributing to a cluttered look. If this is the case in your kitchen, consider moving your fresh fruit to the refrigerator. But before you do so, check the ripeness. Most fruits, like lemons, oranges, apples and grapes, do not continue to ripen after they’ve been picked, so they’ll do best in your refrigerator. In fact, they will stay fresher longer in the fridge, especially in the hot summer months. However, fruits like mangos and nectarines will continue to ripen in your fruit bowl on the counter, so if they’re harder than you’d like when you buy them, leave them out for a few days before transferring them to the fridge. And finally, never put bananas in the refrigerator as they will turn brown in no time.

Week 2: Friday

Try Nesting
10 minutes

This is not a recommendation that you have a child in order to get your kitchen organized; that would actually be counterproductive. We’re talking about kitchen items that come in various sizes that can be stacked and stored together—taking up less space. Nesting mixing bowls are great for various tasks. Use the smallest bowl to beat an egg, the medium-sized bowl to prepare a fruit salad, and the largest bowl to mix up a big batch of cookie dough. Drinking glasses that fit inside one another will take up less space in your cabinet, and nesting measuring cups will only need a corner of a drawer. So if you have nesting items already, make sure they are being stored together. If you don’t have these, consider replacing older items with these space savers.

Week 2: Saturday

Bring Order to Your Brooms and Mops
10 minutes

Brooms, mops, dusters, and similar items can be tough to place in the home. Many people keep them in the kitchen, but they’re not that pretty to look at so you don’t want them out in the open. What you need is a tall, narrow space where these will be accessible but still out of the way. This might be a corner of your food pantry or the sliver of space between your fridge and the wall. Wherever you choose to stash these items, be sure that you keep them neat and tidy. Don’t hang on to ratty old brooms and mops that are past their prime. A hair-clogged broom or filthy mop head will only transfer hair, dust, and dirt back onto your floors.

Week 2: Sunday

Clear Off Tops of Cabinets
30 minutes

While you may think no one really notices, all that stuff you store on top of your cabinets gives your kitchen a cluttered, messy look. See if you can relocate some of those items to places that are out of sight. Your kitchen will look cleaner and more spacious this way. If you absolutely need to utilize the space on top of your cabinets for storage, pick up some attractive baskets or bins that complement the existing décor. That way, you can store items in a neat and organized fashion that won’t detract from the overall look of the room.

MY THOUGHTS

that' right!  i'm not eager to dive into my ref. i already did anyway.  and i can almost  feel my ref smiling back at me.  it's not squeaky clean.  but i can see what's inside.  as for the broom, i don't have one.  there's no where to store it. and i don't need it.  my sister gave me this heavenly tool. you wrap those special napkins for dusting on the rectangular base,put together the long handle. dust and dirt stick to it like magic.  i don't even need a dustpan.  i use the same on the walls and ceilings.  if you want to mop, there's the wet type of paper.  very easy to use and very easy to store.

Great Kitchen Clean-Up (Week 1)

The Great Kitchen Clean-Up! (Week 1)

Did you cook up a storm all holiday season long? Time to give your overworked kitchen some attention. Try this week-by-week clean kitchen makeover plan, excerpted from the new book Just Clean Enough by I.B Caruso and Jenny Schroedel (37 Photos)

Excerpted from Just Clean Enough ON Jan 3, 2011 at 12:34PM

The Kitchen Calls

Stand mixer. Coffee maker. Athletic equipment? Sound familiar? Yes, the kitchen tends to be a gathering place in the house. Great! You want to be able to socialize. But you don’t want it to turn into a storage locker, home office, or a playroom. What to do with all that crap currently piled up on your counters? Get it out of there! You want a clean, organized, beautiful kitchen, so roll up your sleeves and get down to business.

Love these tips and tricks? Find out how to clean and organize your entire home with cleaning experts I.B Caruso, Jenny Schroedel and their new book, Just Clean Enough.

Plus, get more kitchen design ideas with our Home Inspiration Galleries!

Week 1: Monday

Clear Off Those Counters
20 minutes

Believe it or not, your kitchen is not actually the best place for your laptop, your son’s backpack, last week’s newspaper, the unfolded laundry, or that birthday gift for your niece that you haven’t gotten a chance to mail yet. Assess the items on your counters. Do all of them belong there? Remove those that don’t and evaluate those that remain. Are there small appliances on your counters that you don’t use often? Tuck them away in a cabinet or give them to someone who will use them. To free up counter space, utilize a paper-towel rack that hangs on the wall and consider appliances (such as a microwave) that can be installed under your cabinets.

Week 1: Tuesday

Take Out the Trash
10 minutes

Is your trashcan working for you? This may sound like a ridiculous question, but one of the most common problem areas of the kitchen is the trash. Take a look at your trashcan. If it’s broken, missing its lid, or just not meeting your needs, kick it to the curb and get a new one. Trashcans with lids are ideal for keeping bad smells in and pets out, and a can with a foot pedal keeps your hands free from bacteria when throwing things away. Once you have a trashcan that meets your needs, take care of it. Clean it and spray it with disinfectant on a regular basis.

Week 1: Wednesday

Dish Rack Duty
5 minutes

If you do your dishes by hand, you probably have a dish rack next to your sink. This is fine, but if your dish rack has been taken over by yucky stains and buildup, throw it out and get a new one. Going forward, clean your dish rack regularly and put away your dishes as soon as they’re dry. If you leave them sitting there, other members of your household will just pile theirs on top, and before you know it you’ll have a leaning tower of plates—and an ideal climate for mold and bacteria—on your hands.

Week 1: Thursday

What’s under the Kitchen Sink?
20 minutes

Most likely the cabinet under your kitchen sink is brimming with household cleaners. Open up this cabinet and go through the items one by one. Separate those that you use on a regular basis from those that you never use or can’t identify. Don’t pour these cleaners down the drain or throw them in the trash; they may be toxic. Contact your local environmental agency or government office to find out how to dispose of these items safely. Once you’ve whittled your cleaners down to the necessities, wipe out the cabinet and replace them in an orderly fashion. Consider investing in adjustable-height shelving that slides out along rails and is specially designed to fit around awkward drainpipes.

Week 1: Friday

Keep Spices Looking Nice
15 minutes

The spice rack or cabinet is typically a war zone. But take heart! There are a few different solutions to this problem. If you keep your spices in a cabinet, consider investing in a lazy Susan. The turntable action of this device offers 360-degree access to stored items. You could also buy a wall-mounted spice rack and hang it near your stove or another area where you prepare food. Then your spices will be right at your fingertips. You can also get small canisters that have magnets on the back so you can store items on your refrigerator. If your fridge is
near your cooking area, this might be the perfect spice solution for you.

Week 1: Saturday

Make a Mess
40 minutes

Ever heard the expression, “It has to get worse before it gets better”? This applies perfectly to the task at hand. Before you can organize your kitchen, you have to pull it apart and see what’s there. That means emptying all cabinets and sorting through items one at a time. To begin, pull everything out of a single cabinet and take a look at the contents. What do you need and what can you get rid of? As you reduce the bulk in each cabinet, you’ll find that it will be much easier to keep it clean.

Week 1: Sunday

Just Say No to Junk
20 minutes

Ever heard the term junk drawer? Chances are you have at least one in your kitchen. When going through these, take on the role of a drill sergeant. Inspect each item and be merciless. Any chipped, broken, or outdated items go straight into the trash. If you find yourself hemming and hawing over something, throw it out. Ask yourself when you last used your strawberry huller, apple corer, or hard-boiled-egg slicer. If you can’t remember, you have your answer. And don’t hang onto things because you just might need them one day. Anything that’s outlived its usefulness in your home might just find a purpose in someone else’s.

MY THOUGHTS

i don't think i have a kitchen!  i have a small sink, a ref, a microwave, a coffee maker, a kettle, a waffle maker and a solo blender. imagine all of them cramped in 2 small counter tops. together with all the glass jars and stuff.  and yes, sometimes, the laptop joins them in that clutter.

well, finally, the mess got too much.  i found this article (a series).  and my counter tops look so neat i don't want to use it.  i still need to attack the cabinets.  i enjoy organizing anyway.

Cleaning Your House with Ketchup and Mayonnaise?

30 Ways to Clean Naturally
Skip harsh cleaning products—your pantry already has everything you need to keep a tidy home
Erin Renzas ON Nov 4, 2010 at 6:50PM

Ketchup: Shine Your Copper

How to do it: Apply the ketchup to a rag and rub onto tarnished copper or brass cookware. Let sit for a minute, and then buff clean and rinse. The acidity of the ketchup will help lift and remove tarnish and return pots to their shiny state.

Vodka: Keep Aphids Away

How to do it: Don’t let little aphids torture your houseplants. Wipe down plans with a water-soaked cloth. Next, soak a cotton ball in vodka (not the good stuff—save that for your martini). Gently dab leaves with the vodka for an aphid-free plant.

Apple Peels: Clean Discolored Aluminum Saucepans

How to do it: Start by peeling two apples. Place the peels in the saucepan and add enough water to cover the peels. Bring the water and peels to boil for several minutes until the stain begins to lift. Turn off the pot and let the water cool. Discard the water and peels, dry the pan and voila!

Leftover Wine: Keep Fruit Flies Away

How to do it: Fill a wine bottle or other narrow-necked bottle with two inches of wine. Add three drops of liquid dish soap. Create a funnels out of paper, leaving a small hole at the tip. Secure funnel seam with tape, and tape it to the top of the bottle. Leave it where you notice the fruit flies and it will quickly decrease their numbers!

Mayonnaise: Remove Crayon from Wood Furniture

How to do it: Sure, the thought of slathering your household wares with mayonnaise may be less than appealing, but some people swear by it. Did your tot get a little carried away while coloring? Remove crayon marks from wood furniture by rubbing a dab of mayo on the mark. Let it sit for five minutes and wipe it away with a damp cOil and Lemon Juice: Shine Your Wood Furniture

How to do it: Mix oil and lemon juice two parts to one and use the solution to give furniture an extra polish.

Vinegar: Clean the Microwave

How to do it: Combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup distilled vinegar in a microwave-safe mug or bowl. Microwave for two minutes and wipe clean. The vinegar helps to lift baked-on food and stains.

Salt: Clean a Glass Coffeepot

How to do it: Fill the coffeepot with 1/4 cup table salt and a dozen ice cubes. Swish the mixture around, let it sit for half an hour, fill it with cold water and rinse.

Salt and Vinegar: Clean Tarnished Copper

How to do it: Fill a 16-ounce spray bottle with hot white vinegar and three tablespoons of salt. Spray it onto the copper, let it sit briefly, and then rub clean. (Don’t do this to lacquered copper.)

Salt: Pick Up a Dropped Egg

How to do it: If an egg breaks on the kitchen floor, sprinkle salt on the mess and leave it there for 20 minutes. You’ll be able to wipe it right up

Salt and Lemon Juice: Clean Brass and Pewter

How to do it: Sprinkle salt on to the cut side of half a lemon. Rub down the metal, rinse and buff dry. The same process can also be used to remove rust stains.

Salt and Rubbing Alcohol: Clean Up a Grease Stain

How to do it: Got a grease stain on your favorite carpet? Try this! Mix salt and rubbing alcohol one part to four. Rub into the stain, going the same direction as the nap of the carpet. Let dry and vacuum up excess salt.

Salt: Treat Red Wine Stains

How to do it: Blot fabric or carpet to remove excess wine. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for a few minutes. Rinse with cold water and repeat if necessary.

Baking Soda: Clean Children’s Toys Safely

How to do it: Combine four tablespoons baking soda with one quart of water. Use the solution to wipe off toys.

Baking Soda: Clean Bathroom Grout

How to do it: Make a paste of water and baking soda. Using a small brush or toothbrush, rub the paste onto stained or dirty grout. Let sit for three minutes and rinse.

Baking Soda: Clean the Dishwasher

How to do it: If your dishwasher has a funky scent, try this: Empty all dishes. Clean out the food filter. Next, fill the detergent well with baking soda and run on empty.

Salt: Drip-Proof Your Candles

How to do it: Everyone loves the soft glow of candlelight—but not the icky stains they can leave behind when they drip on your favorite tablecloth. To prevent this, soak candles in a saltwater solution for several hours and dry thoroughly before lighting.

Baking Soda: Clean and Deodorize the Refrigerator

How to do it: Sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge and scrub down the inside of your refrigerator. Rinse the sponge and wipe down with fresh water.

Vinegar: Remove Gunk from Base of Faucets

How to do it: Soak a towel or paper towel with white vinegar. Wrap around the base of the faucet and let sit for 25 minutes. Remove towels and wipe clean.

Vinegar: Remove Stickers, Labels and Price Tags

How to do it: Soak a cloth in vinegar and press to sticker for several minutes. Lift and the sticker should peel easily away.

Vinegar: Remove Mineral Deposits from Shower Heads

How to do it: Heat white vinegar in large pot, but do not boil. Place showerhead in pot and allow it to soak for one hour. Remove and rinse.

Cornmeal: Remove Dust from Silk Flowers

How to do it: Place one large paper grocery bag inside another. Place flowers inside and add two handfuls of coarsely ground cornmeal. Close bags tightly and shake vigorously.

Vinegar: Wash the Windows

How to do it: Combine equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and go to town!

Baking Soda: Clean Baked-On Oven Spills

How to do it: Make a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Apply to the spill and let sit overnight. Wipe clean with a wet sponge.

Baking Soda: Clean Baked-On Oven Spills

How to do it: Make a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Apply to the spill and let sit overnight. Wipe clean with a wet sponge.

Baking Soda and Vinegar: Unclog the Drain

How to do it: Sprinkle 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain. Chase with 1/2 cup vinegar and close drain (or try covering with this universal drain stop). Let the fizzing baking soda break up the clog for 15 minutes and flush with hot water.

Toothpaste: Nix Stubborn Water Rings from Wood Furniture

How to do it: With a slightly damp, soft cloth, rub a pea-sized amount of toothpaste into the stain. Wipe off excess paste with a clean cloth. Repeat if necessary.

Mayonnaise: Clean Yellowed, Dull Piano Keys

How to do it: Apply a small amount of mayonnaise to the keys. Wait two to three minutes. Wipe off and buff with a soft, clean cloth.

Tea Tree Oil: Disinfect Your Counters

How to do it: Combine 15 drops of the essential oil with one quart of water in a spray bottle. Use as you would any disinfectant.

Toothpaste: Remove Scratches from Acrylic Home Decor

How to do it: Buff a pea-sized amount of toothpaste into the scratches until they begin to fade. Wipe clean.

Vegetable Oil: Prevent Rattan and Wicker Furniture from Cracking

How to do it: Use a soft, clean cloth to apply a coating of vegetable oil to furniture. Wipe off any excess for shiny, beautiful furniture.

Lemon Juice: Disinfect and Clean a Cutting Board

How to do it: Scrub the cut side of a lemon along the board. Let sit for 20 minutes and rinse with hot water.

MY THOUGHTS

i am so tempted to drop an egg on the floor just to test if the salt works.  i have so many things to try.  i hope you try some too and let me know if it works.

Cleaning Tips that Prevent Colds

Cleaning Tips That Prevent Colds
Kick germs to the curb this cold and flu season with these simple cleaning strategies

Christine Coppa ON Dec 6, 2010 at 1:11PM
Launder Communal Blankets and Pillows

Cold winter days mean lots of family togetherness on the couch, snacking and watching movies. With the heat turned up and various bodies sharing blankets, pillows and cushions, remember to clean that cozy spot. "Wash shared blankets twice a month using your washer's hot cycle. Wash pillowcases at least biweekly, also in the hot cycle," suggests Julie Edelman, author of The Ultimate Accidental Housewife.

You can't throw the whole couch in the wash (bummer!), so clean it with a HEPA-filter vacuum; this type of filter works by trapping even the smallest air particles. The best part is that a HEPA filter doesn't blow soiled air from vents; only clean air comes out. This will keep dust and mites at bay.

Disinfect Your Cell Phone

Did you know that your cell phone is dirtier than a toilet seat or the soles of your shoes? Even worse, "Germs love the heat generated by your cell phone and multiply when combined with the moisture from your breath," says Edelman. To combat this, wipe your phone with an antibacterial wipe that contains alcohol and benzethonium chloride—a combination that is effective against killing staph and salmonella. Wipe down TV remotes, too.

Clean the Computer Keyboard

The keyboard of your family's computer—where you check email and your children play games—is another germ hot spot. Here's Edelman's tip for cleaning it properly: First, power down the computer and unplug the keyboard. Then stand over the garbage can or sink and gently smack the keyboard's back (this will loosen up dirt, crumbs and other debris that have fallen between the keys). Use a blow-dryer on cool to gently blow away remaining debris from the keyboard. Then grab an antibacterial wipe that is damp (not dripping) and gently wipe down computer's surfaces to kill germs.

Tip: Use a Q-tip dampened with rubbing alcohol to get at the gunk between the keys and the crevices. Because alcohol is 70 percent isopropanol (a disinfectant) and 30 percent water, it combats germs in a safe, nonabrasive way.

Wash Those Toys

Plastic toys—like trucks, dolls, cars and blocks—need to be cleaned weekly to prevent the spread of germs. Fill the kitchen sink or a big basin with two parts hot water and one part white vinegar (which has acetic properties that not only work as an antiseptic, but also kill germs). "Let the toys soak for 15 minutes," says Edelman. "Then, rinse with hot water and towel dry."

And don't be fooled by bath toys—just because your kid is getting clean in the tub doesn't mean the stacking cups, ducks and boats are squeaky clean, too! Edelman suggests investing in a net bag that can hang on a shower rack. After bath time, quickly rinse all of the toys with hot water and throw them into the net to air dry. If you notice that rubber toys are filled with trapped water, it's time to toss 'em, because they're also likely filled with mold.

Use Disinfectant Wipes

Disinfectant wipes are your best friend at this time of year. "I like to leave containers of disinfectant wipes around the house, so when I'm chatting on the phone, I can just grab and wipe," says Edelman. "Doorknobs, the refrigerator handle, light switches and toilet flushers are hot zones, meaning they are highly trafficked—wipe them down a couple of times per week with little or no effort. If people in your home are sick, wipe them down daily." Look for wipes, like these from Seventh Generation, that are effective against the influenza A virus.

Steam Clean the Floors

The floor in your entryway is likely crawling with germs because it's highly trafficked. "Surfaces like tile and hardwood floors are breeding grounds for infections, particularly in the winter, when people are cooped indoors with the heat pumped high,"  notes Andrew Sagan, M.D., the medical director of pediatric services at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago. Send these germs packing by steam cleaning with a product like the Shark Vac-Then-Steam. When steam is forced onto a surface, the very small vapor molecules penetrate pores in the surface. The vapor molecules quickly expand to force out and kill bacteria. "Steam is proven to eliminate 99 percent of germs and bacteria—including the virus that causes H1N1," says Dr. Sagan.

Scrub Sippy Cups

Germs multiply and move quickly, especially on items that are in regular contact with your child's hot mouth. Some sippy cups, like the ones with straws, come in parts and need to be disassembled and sanitized after each use to prevent the spread of germs. "Rinse sippy cups, pacifiers and bottles with hot water in the sink immediately after use, then wash in the dishwasher using the high-heat cycle and allow items to air dry," says Edelman. "And make sure your kids aren't sharing their pacifiers and cups."

Clean Heat and AC Vents

Vents that cool and heat the home need extra attention during cold and flu season. The debris inside may look like plain old dust, but it's really harboring things like pet hair, allergens and germs—and therefore blowing this into the open air when the heat is functioning. The solution: Remove vent covers and vacuum inside ducts with a HEPA filter.

Launder Shared Bathroom Towels

The pretty hand towel in the bathroom remains there for days at a time. But it should be washed in the hot cycle daily to prevent colds. (Germs can live for several hours on cloth towels.) If that's too much for you, consider using paper towels or bathroom napkins for hand washing.

MY THOUGHTS

too much effort?  not if you love your kids.  or yourself.  common colds can still bring a lot of discomfort. and you don't want to spend on medicine what you could spend for something else.  i never really thought of disinfecting my cell phone or my keyboard.  now i know better.