HINTS AND TIPS

To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers.  Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rise with water.

Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle. Perfect shaped pancakes every time.

When using bananas, slice them into pineapple juice, making sure the slices are covered by juice. You'll find the bananas won't discolour.

To clean pans easily after using on an outdoor grill, before using, coat the outside with an old bar of soap.

When there are steps to paint, paint every other one first. When they are dry, paint the ones you skipped. This way the steps will stay in use.

Meat loaf will not stick to pan if you place a strip or two of bacon at the bottom of the pan before packing the meat mixture in.

Absorb moisture in the bottom of the vegetable drawer with paper towels which are easily replaced when needed.

When marshmallows get hard, put in freezer overnight and then thaw the next morning to restore softness.

When making potato salad, brown two tablespoons butter and mix in last. This is for a large bowl of salad. One tablespoon is enough for a small bowl. Adds to the taste.

If needle, pin or safety pin will not go through material easy, run it through your hair a few times, and it will go through.

Make fried chicken crispy by adding baking powder to the flour.

When draining boiling liquids into the sink, always turn on the cold water first and let it run. It prevents steam burns.

To slice fresh bread, hold knife under very hot water until it is hot. A hot blade will cut the freshest bread into perfectly smooth slices.

To remove the black marks from flooring caused by non rubber heals, apply a little squirt of toothpaste with a soft cloth. Remove toothpaste with a damp cloth.

Place a jar lid in the lower container of a double boiler. This lid will rattle when pan is dry.

To remove dirt or grease from a rug, sprinkle corn meal on the area and scrub with a stiff brush (dry). Then vacuum the area. The soil will disappear without leaving a ring.

Prevent picture marks on your walls by sticking a thumbtack on each corner of the back of the frame. Allow the tacks to extend about 1/8 inch. This will allow circulation of air behind the frame and prevent marks.

When the phone rings or something else needs handling when you have messy hands from baking, solve the problem of getting the phone messy by slipping on a handy plastic bag over your hand.

For rancid nut meats, slice a raw potato, add nut meats and water. Cook until the potatoes are almost done. Remove nuts and dry. Store in refrigerator.

When butter is too hard to spread easily, use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin curls from the stick. Almost instantly they will be soft and easy to spread.

One or two tiny drops of wax dropped into the center of freshly cut tulips will prevent them from opening wide. Another method is to drop a copper penny in the water.

Line your refrigerator vegetable and fruit drawers with paper toweling to absorb excess moisture and make cleaning easier.

Soak up excess moisture that collects in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator by keeping a clean cellulose sponge in it.

If you continue to think the way you have always thought you will continue to get what you have always got!

Some men eventually stumble over the truth but they usually pick themselves up and walk on as if nothing ever happened."
-Winston Churchill

Can you believe this:

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little "stringy things" off of it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold.

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating raw. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pupp the grease away from teh eat while cooking.

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in a double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simple chop them up with a food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bak at 350 for 15 minutes. Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream..........mmmm

Removing white heat marks
To remove white spots from a wood table caused by heat , set your iron on steam and place a clean white cloth on the spot and quickly run your iron over the spot. Wipe dry. If a portion of the spot remains, repeat the procedure on the spot only. This will work on water marks also.

To make your house look and smell Christmassy: Tie a few branches together with a red ribbon to hang on your door outside or around the inside of your house.

Spray-paint some of the branches in a silver or gold, pop them in a vase and voilà ... elegant holiday decor. Take it a step further and dangle some ornaments on them or tie a few bows.

Tie small pine or cedar branches with a red/green ribbon and stick one in the soil with each of your houseplants.

Recycle that artificial tree that you don't want any more. Bend the branches and connect them to make either one very large wreath or several small ones. If you're not ready to part with an artificial tree, you can still watch at garage sales for inexpensive trees to use for wreaths in the coming year.

Recycle holiday ribbon. If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.

Add elegance to even the simplest desserts by serving it in stemmed glasses on your dinner table.

Keep Candles Steady: Rub the bottom of a taper candle with a glue stick. This will hold the candle in place.

Centerpiece: Fill a crystal bowl with cranberries and place a white candle tied with a red ribbon in the center for an easy dinner table centerpiece. Inset a sprig of holly inside the ribbon and place a few random sprigs greenery in the bowl with the cranberries.

Got more eggnog than you can drink? Use leftover eggnog for French toast. Just add a little cinnamon to it and it works

Poinsettias: Here are some pointers on how to keep these plants around as long as possible.

Fifty Uses For Vinegar
1. Kill grass on walks and driveways.
2. Kill weeds. Spray full strength on growth until plants have starved.
3. Increase soil acidity. In hard water: one gallon of tap water for watering rhododendrons, gardenias, or azaleas.
4. Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas where ants are known.
5. Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.
6. Remove skunk odor from a dog. Rub fur with full strength vinegar; rinse.
7. Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on areas you don't want the cat walking, sleeping, or scratching on.
8. Keep dogs from scratching his ears. Use a clean, soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar.
9. Keep chickens from pecking each other. Put a little in their drinking water.
10. Tenderize meat. Soak in vinegar over night.
11. Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
12. Boil better eggs. Add 2 tablespoons water before boiling eggs. Keeps them from cracking.
13. Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Dot the irritation with vinegar and relieve itching.
14. Relieve sunburn. Lightly rub white vinegar; you may have to reapply.
15. Condition hair. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to dissolve sticky residue left by shampoo.
16. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to bath water.
17. Fight dandruff. After shampooing, rinse with vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.
18. Soothe a sore throat. Put a teaspoon of cider vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow.
19. Treat sinus infections and chest colds. Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.
20. Feel good. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give you an overall healthy feeling.
21. Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.
22. Eliminate onion odor. Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.
23. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards. Wipe with full strength vinegar.
24. Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.
25. Cut grease and odor on dishes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.
26. Clean a teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.
27. Freshen a lunchbox. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox over night.
28. Clean the refrigerator. Wash with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar.
29. Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and add 1/2 cup of vinegar. Rinse with hot water.
30. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through.
31. Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty.
32. Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.
33. Clean stainless steel. Wipe with a vinegar-dampened cloth.
34. Clean china and fine glassware. Add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.
35. Get stains out of pots. Fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.
36. Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
37. Dissolve rust from bolts and other metals. Soak in full strength vinegar.
38. Get rid of cooking smells. Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.
39. Unclog steam iron. Pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the iron's water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright position. Then unplug and allow to cool. Any loose particles should come out when you empty the water.
40. Clean a scorched iron plate. Heat equal parts vinegar and salt in a small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.
41. Get rid of lint in clothes. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
42. Keep colors from running. Immerse clothes in full strength vinegar before washing.
43. Freshen up the washing machine. Periodically, pour a cup of vinegar in the machine and let in run through a regular cycle (no clothes added). Will dissolve soap residue.
44. Brighten fabric colors. Add a 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
45. Take grease off suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.
46. Remove tough stains. Gently rub on fruit, jam, mustard, coffee, tea. Then wash as usual.
47. Get smoke smell out of clothes. Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.
48. Remove decals. Brush with a couple coats of vinegar. Allow to soak in. Wash off.
49. Clean eyeglasses. Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.
50. Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar for each quart of water

Sixty Uses & Tips For Table Salt
1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
3. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off
easier.
4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad
ones float.
7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg
will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.
11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will
last longer.
12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.
14. Sprinkle a little salt in your frying pan before cooking to keep the greese from splattering.
15. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last
longer.
16. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar,
thickened with flour
17. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a
longer life.
18. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up
the stain.
19. Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing
surface.
20. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler
will make the food cook faster.
21. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
22. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch,
with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
23. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.
24. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore
throat gargle.
25. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
26. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
27. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
28. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
29. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.
30. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
31. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
32. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from
freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the
clothes from freezing.
33. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent
yellowing.
34. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
35. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
36. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them
next day to remove burned-on stains.
37. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
38. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
39. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
40. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
41. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
42. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.
43. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
44. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.
45. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
46. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
47. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
48. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.
49. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
50. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
51. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
52. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
53. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
54. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
55. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts
rubbing alcohol.
56. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
57. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass
growing.
58. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look.
59. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt
water.
60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the
spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust
which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.


FLAVOR BOOSTERS TIPS
When making creamed chipped beef, add a half a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce for zingy flavor.
If you have spinach dip left over from a party, mix it into a batch of mashed potatoes.
Replace the water called for in cake recipes with milk. This results in much richer cakes.
When making a pot of bean or split pea soup, add 2 slices of fresh lemon. It brings out the flavor of the ingredients and reduces the need for salt.
Add a teaspoon of molasses to beef stew for an irresistible sweetness.
When boiling the pasta to make macaroni and cheese, add half a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. Then drain the water and make the mac and cheese as usual. The veggies are deliciously coated with the cheese sauce and help to round out this simple dish.
Add shredded cheddar cheese, crushed french-fried onion rings and cooked, crumbled bacon or bacon bits to a batch of mashed potatoes. This is really yummy!
In an apple pie recipe that called for a dot of butter, substitute maple butter. That little bit of sweetness make a huge difference.
Add an undiluted can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup to dry stuffing mix to give it a flavor boost. Add enough water to moisten and bake as usual.
Add 3 drops or so of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla to your pecan pie filling. It really adds a lot of flavor!
Try adding maple flavoring instead of vanilla in your peanut butter cookies. It makes wonderful change.
Use well-drained pineapple tidbits to your apple pie filling and reduce the apples by the same amount. It creates a whole new flavor.
Crush gingersnaps and use the crumbs to thicken gravy in pot roasts, sweet & sour meatballs and other recipes. It adds a unique flavor.
Add a pinch of ground allspice to Thousand Island dressing for a super salad topper.
Coat chicken breasts with a mixture of olive, rosemary and oregano before roasting them for a zippy flavor.
Sprinkle an equal amount of salt and chili powder to your French fries and bake instead of frying.
Add a pinch of celery seed to your buttered carrots, this gives a real zip to your side dish.
Mix a pinch of prepared horseradish to the mayonnaise to dress potato salad.
Add a bit of milk and sugar to the mayonnaise when making potato salad.
Add a bit of Maple flavoring to zucchini bread batter for a wonderful, mellow taste.
Use some shredded carrots for a small portion for the zucchini in zucchini bread for a different taste.
Pour a bit of maple syrup over a grapefruit half for a new, sweet flavor.
For a dazzling apple pie, drizzle maple syrup over the apple before putting on the top crust.
A bit of shredded zucchini added to a boxed brownie mix makes an extra moist batch of brownies.
When making rhubarb pie, cover the bottom crust with chopped fresh rhubarb, then sprinkle on some brown sugar and top that with
a package of strawberry gelatin. Put on the top crust and bake.
Stir a can of tiny shrimp (rinsed and drained) to your next batch of coleslaw.
Add grated carrots to clam chowder to enhance the color and flavor of this creamy soup.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of ketchup to your homemade vegetable soup for a tasty batch of soup.
Add a few, diced pieces of cream cheese to your goulash before serving for an extra rich meal.
To brighten the flavor of your beef stew, add some cubed turnip.
Try adding a clove or two of garlic and some chili powder to your stew for a really nice flavor.
For a new twist to oatmeal, add a spoonful of peanut butter and stir until it's melted and sprinkle on a few chocolate chips.
Before brewing coffee, add 1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 to 2 tsp brown sugar and a dash of ground cardamom for and extra special cup of coffee.
Try adding a 1-ounce square of semi-sweet baking chocolate during the last 30 minutes or so of simmering. No one will be able to figure out what new uplifting flavor is.
Add some diced pepperoni to your next batch of homemade chili for a unique lift.
Try mixing a chopped apple into corn bread batter for a moist, delicious treat.
To any can of baked beans, stir in 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 1/4 tsp each of garlic powder and pepper and 1/2 tsp dried basil for a wonderful batch of beans.
Add a dash of cinnamon and ginger to your favorite baked beans recipe for a really special flavor.
Add a sprinkle of instant coffee granules to perk up brown gravy
Add a dash of chili powder to beef or pork gravy
Substitute eggnog for the milk in a recipe for pancakes, waffles or French Toast
Mix chopped ham in with your egg salad for a new twist
Use day old cornbread instead of bread crumbs in your meatloaf
Use sour cream in your mashed potatoes instead of milk and sprinkle a little oregano in
Use 2 slices or caraway rye bread to make your meatballs
Simmer a cinnamon stick in with your red cabbage and remove it before serving
Mix a tablespoon of dry onion soup mix to your sautéed mushrooms
Top your asparagus with butter and freshly grated nutmeg
Add 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch to your flour when making a pie crust for a tastier and flakier crust.
Coat your cabbage in oil and vinegar dressing before making coleslaw for a zestier taste
Add a bit of ground nutmeg with the dry ingredients when making sugar cookies. It gives it a slightly richer flavor.
Add a dash or two of ground cloves and two tablespoons of honey to your big pot of chili.
Add a little pickling spice to your roast beef. The spices make a terrific gravy!
Add a drop of ketchup in your beef gravy for a richer flavor without a tomato taste
Add a little brown sugar to the flour to coat liver before frying. Makes a huge difference
Replace a quarter of the mozzarella cheese in you lasagna recipe with sharp cheddar
Instead of frying meatballs for spaghetti, drop them in chicken broth and boil for 15 minutes. Drain and add them to simmering spaghetti sauce. They hold together but remain tender.
Add a few slices of pepperoni to your spaghetti sauce for a quick and tasty addition.
Boil your green beans with a teaspoon of beef bouillon for a tasty difference
Add a teaspoon of sugar and some chopped onion when you fry potatoes for a heartier, old-fashioned flavor
Drizzle a little maple syrup to your cottage cheese before serving. It makes it taste a whole lot better!
Sprinkle pink lemonade mix to your apple pie filling for different twist
Add 1/2 cup of applesauce to your apple pie filling for extra flavor and body
Mix a can of cherry pie filling in with your brownie batter
Substitute flaked coconut or finely chopped pecans for 1/4 of the crumbs when you make a graham cracker crust. What a flavor booster!
To perk up your meatloaf, use crushed potato chips instead of bread crumbs.
Top your green beans with a mixture of equal parts honey and Dijon mustard. This will give your beans a wonderful flavor.
To give your corn some zip, combine 1 cup corn and 1½ cups stewed tomatoes, a dash of salt & pepper and a teaspoon of taco seasoning and heat on the stove.
Use pepper-jack cheese over cooked broccoli for a side dish with pizzazz.
For a refreshing iced tea cooler, fill a tall glass two-thirds full with brewed iced tea and fill the rest of the way with ginger ale and a squeeze of lemon juice.
To give your brownies a little extra flavor, grease the baking pan and dust it with a cinnamon-sugar combination, pour in the batter, sprinkle more cinnamon-sugar over the top and bake as usual. The brownies will have a crisp coating that's delicious.

Refreshing Refrigerator

You dread having to clean the refrigerator. It usually takes most of the day and it only lasts a few hours before it is all mussed up again.

To help make the task easier, clean it in stages. When you are running low on supplies, take a minute to wipe down a shelf and rearrange items.

If you do this to a shelf a week, your refrigerator will stay consistently clean

Exaustingly Clean

The next time that you are cooking on your stove top, turn on the exhaust fan. The fan will pull any airborne grease and steam outside instead of giving it a chance to stay in the kitchen and creating sticky surfaces for dust and dirt to adhere.

Filthy Faucets

When you are busy baking, cooking, preparing meals you sometimes find that the handle of the faucet becomes covered with the stuff that you are working with.

To prevent it from drying on the handle and becoming harder to remove before you get done with your project.

Before you start cooking, grab a piece of seran wrap or a plastic baggie and place over the handle. Use a rubber band to hold in place if you need.

Now when you are done cooking all you have to do is remove the wrap.

Clean 2 for 1

Before you turn you oven to clean, walk out side and grab the racks from your gas grill. Place them inside your oven and close the door and set it up to clean.

Now when the cleaning cycle is done all you have to do is remove the racks and gently wash off the ashes and return to your grill.

Toothbrushes in the Kitchen?

Sounds kind of odd, but keep a toothbrush in your kitchen. You will be amazed at the different uses that you will find for it. Here are some suggested uses:

After you get done using your egg beater, use a toothbrush to clean in between the tines.

After you get done grating anything on your food grater, use a toothbrush to clean the grating surfaces and holes well.

Use it to clean any hard to reach place including the back of the faucet and between the sink and wall.

Spritzing Soak

To help save you some time cleaning dishes, this simple tip will make cleaning a breeze.

Grab an empty spray bottle and fill it 2/3 full with water then 1/3 liquid dish soap. Leave this by the sink.

Now when you are cooking and have a particularly dirty pan or dish, spray thoroughly and let it soak while you are completing your preperation or serving.

Now when it is time for cleanup you should be able to wipe away easily.

Vinegar Usage V

Vinegar is the unsung hero of the kitchen. It has plenty of uses around the house, besides just cooking.

If you have painted a room and the smell of paint is taking a long time to dissipate, place a bowl of vinegar in the room. The vinegar will help to dispel the paint odor.

If you have a clogged showerhead from hard water and minerals, place the showerhead into a bowl. Pour in enough vinegar to cover and let set for 15-20 minutes. Remove the head from the bowl and scrub with a toothbrush. Place the showerhead back on the nozzle and run water though to make sure that all the holes are cleared. If you still have a few plugged holes just use a toothpick, when the water is off, to break any clumps free.

If you happen to get stung by a bee or mosquito, you can place a paper towel soaked in vinegar on the site to help alleviate some of the pain and itching.

After you have washed your hair, mix a tablespoon of vinegar with a cup of water and use as a final rinse. This will help strip any extra soap buildup and help your hair to shine.

Cleaning Fruit and Veggies

As we all know is the best to wash almost all of your fruits and vegetables before you use them.

Most fruits and vegetables should not be washed before storage, like mushrooms or raspberries, but everything should be washed before use.

You are not only washing off pesticides or dirt, but you are also washing off any oils/germs from the fruit being in transit and being handled at the store.

When rinsing, use fresh cool drinking water. Do not wash your produce with any detergents or bleaches that you would not want to consume yourself. Some produce can absorb what you are cleaning so it is not wise to use. There are a few commercial produce soaps out there, but their effectiveness has not yet been established. If you do decide to use one, read and follow the directions carefully.

One item that most people forget to wash before eating is melons. Granted we don’t usually eat the rind, but your hands to constantly come in contact with it during preparation and sometimes while eating depending on how it is served.

First of all, clean up your work area. Washing the fruit/vegetables will not do you any good if your work area is dirty. Wash your hands, wipe out the sink and make sure your cutting boards or countertops are clean.

For produce that is soft or small like Berries or Beans, place them in a colander in the sink. Using cold-water spray off the produce well. Inspect each item after it has been rinsed to make sure that it is clean and remove any bad spots if needed. Place the cleaned items in a bowl or on a soft cloth to dry until ready to use.

For larger produce that has a firm skin, wash under cold water using a soft brush or your hands to gently dislodge any dirt. Also monitor each piece for any bad spots and cut out before use. Place on a soft cloth to dry until ready to use.

For leafy vegetables, remove and throw out the outer layer of leaves then rinse well.

KEEPING WOOD UNTENSILS FRESH

If you want to keep your wood utensils and salad sets looking like new, it is easier than you would think.

After thoroughly washing the items, rub each item down with a piece of wax paper.

This will leave a thin coating of wax on the wood that will help protect it from drying out and absorbing liquids that you prepare or serve.

EASY BLENDING CLEAN

You are making up a treat in the blender for the family, and after you pour it out you try to decide how is the easiest way to clean this ?

Cleaning the blender is simple, just place a cup of water into the blender and a squirt of dishwashing soap.

Now just blend away.

Remove from the base and dip your rag into the soapy water and wash the gasket well, then re-assemble and wipe off the outside of your blender.

Rinse well and dry. Ready to go again!

CLEANING THE COFFEE POT

You are looking at your coffee pot and notice that there is a lovely brown coloring on the glass . Time to clean the coffee pot! Cleaning the pot is easier than it sounds.

When the pot is cold, fill the pot with about a half a cup of water, 2 tablespoons of salt and a cup of ice.

Now holding the pot by the handle, swirl the ice and water in the pot. The ice and salt will scrub the stains from the inside of the pot.

Dump out the water after a few minutes and see if you need to repeat. Once the pot is clean, dry and let warm back up to room temperature.

Now fill the pot with 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. Remove the used filter and place a clean filter in the tray.

Pour the water into the hopper as normal and let run through a cycle.

Dump the water from the pot, bring back to room temperature and repeat with plain water.

Your pot should now be squeaky clean and your coffee should taste better!

You can do the cleaning cycle once a month or as needed. Up to you!

KEEPING CAST IRON BLACK

After you have seasoned your pan you use it and you wonder how you are going to keep it black. After you use your pan, while it is still warm wash it with water only, no soap.

Scrub it well to remove any food residue. Dry the pan well with a soft cloth. Now, grab a piece of wax paper.

Ball it up and scrub the pan well inside and out. You are thinking to yourself, why waxed paper?

When you rub the pan with the waxed paper it will leave a waxed coating on the surface. This will seal the pan with a thin coating of wax that will protect the surface from air and moisture, thus helping to prevent rust from forming. When you are storing the pans, you can leave a piece of wax paper between the pans to help protect them.

If rust spots do appear you can remove them by rubbing the spot with a slice of fresh lemon. Once you have removed the spot rub again with wax paper.

DIRTY DISHWASHER

You are always cleaning your dishes in the dishwasher, but when was the last time that you cleaned your dishwasher??

Once every few months, after you have emptied the dishwasher reset your settings for regular wash, no heat dry.

Now place a bowl in the bottom rack with a cup of bleach in it. Run your dishwasher cycle with out any soap in the cup.

Once the cleaning process has completed, open the door and place a cup of Vinegar in the bowl. Set your dishwasher to run a complete cycle.

Now you have a squeaky clean dishwasher!

CLEANING THE EXHAUST

When you clean your kitchen, one place it is most often forgotten is the exhaust filter. This is the filter that is above your range. It can get very greasy and nasty if it is not cleaned often.

Make a note once a month to take the filter off and soak it in a heavy duty grease cutter. After it has soaked for about an hour or so, scrub it with a toothbrush. After the initial cleaning is done, you may just need to drop it into the dishwasher to keep it clean.

LEAKY STOPPER

You have a sink stopper that just doesn't seem to be working anymore. Every time that you run to the store, you forget to pick up a new one.

To give your stopper a little more life by tearing off a small piece of saran wrap and wrap your stopper in it. It will help to alleviate the small leaks until you can pick up a new one.

DISPOSER CARE

You have a disposer, but is seems like every time that you use it, it is all jammed up. Disposers are really designed to grind up vegetable matter only. If you have meat or bones, just toss them in the trash. Do not jam everything in and turn it on.

First, start some cold water running in the sink with the disposer in it. Turn the disposer on and let the water run.

Gently push the remaining material to the hole.

DO NOT PUT YOUR HAND OR ANY OTHER ITEM IN THE HOLE AT ANY TIME.

When you hear the disposer clear, continue to run for a few seconds with the water on. This will help rinse out any residue.

If you want, you can toss in a half a lemon or some orange peel. Let disposer grind up and your kitchen will smell fresh and clean.

Remember do not dump boiling water, hot oil or any other hot items into the disposal.

Also do not use drain cleaner of any kind. These items will ruin the seal and could ruin your disposer.

REMOVING STAINS FROM YOUR CUTTING BOARD

You use your wood cutting board all the time. Lately as you look at the board and notice that there are more and more stains appearing. These are quick and easy to clean up with the right ingredients.

Sprinkle some salt onto your wooden board.

Now grab a wedge of fresh lemon and rub the salt into the board.

The combination should scrub your board clean.

If you have a stubborn stain that is quite persistent clean the board thoroughly with warm water.

Now grab your bottle of bleach and sprinkle it on your stain.

Let sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

LIGHT AND FLUFFY, DISHES?

You just made a casserole for dinner, and now that it has all been eaten you are left with a baked on mess. You have tried almost everything, but your elbow grease is just about all used up. What else is there to do?

From your laundry room, grab a sheet of fabric softener (2 or 3 for larger pans).

Place it in your casserole dish and fill with water.

Let sit for at least 20 minutes.

Now just grab your scrubber and the mess should clean right off.

CLEANING TEFLON

You love your Teflon, but every now and then when you are cooking you have a pan that just doesn't want to come clean. Here is a great tip for cleaning it up.

Mix up a combination of 1 cup water, 1/2 cup vinegar and 2 teaspoons of baking powder in the pan.

Now just clean rinse and dry as normal. Don't forget to season the pan again the next time that you use it.

BLACK BOTTOMS EASY TO CLEAN

You made up your favorite recipe, and you had to leave for just a minute. When you got back, what a mess! It has burned on so hard that you can't get anything to budge!

If you can wait overnight you can try this remedy.

Grab the box of baking soda and dump a healthy amount into the pan.

You will want enough to totally cover the burned area.

Now, add just enough water to make it into a thing paste.

Let sit over night.

The next day, just scrub and rinse. This should remove your burned on mess easily!

CLEANING IVORY

You have some serving pieces that have ivory trim. As you look at them you notice that it is starting to yellow. You know that there should be some way to clean them, but you don't want to ruin the pieces.

You can clean up the yellowing by dipping a slice of lemon into some salt.

Now rub the ivory with the slice of salted lemon and it should erase some of the yellowing that you see.

Once the ivory is clean to your satisfaction, rinse under some warm water to remove any residue and dry thoroughly with a soft towel.

CLEANING UP AN EGG

Oh yes, you just love this! You are making up a recipe and getting the eggs out of the refrigerator your dropped one!

This is always such a pain to clean up! The yolk and white just seem to spread everywhere!

Now, you can make the clean up a bit easier by grabbing your salt shaker.

No, you are not going to eat the egg!

Just pour a couple of tablespoons of salt onto the broken egg and start wiping up.

The salt will change the consistency of the egg just enough to be able to wipe it up easier.

CLEANING TIGHT PLACES

You are cleaning the kitchen and just when you think that you are done, there are a few spots that you might have missed that you never think about. Under the refrigerator, between the refrigerator or stove and cabinets can go unnoticed most of the time, but it would be a good idea of you could try to clean them about once a month or so.

To clean easily just grab a flyswatter and an old sock!

Pull the old sock over the head of your fly swatter and now just slip into your nooks and crannies to clean away any dust bunnies that may have accumulated.

MIXER MESS

You love using your little hand mixer for small recipes, but you get frustrated with the mess that it makes sometimes.

It almost seems like you are spending more time cleaning up little spatters than you are cooking.

There is a simple remedy that works for all makes and models of hand mixers.

Grab your trusty box of wax paper and tear off a sheet slightly larger than your bowl.

Poke a hole in the center large enough for the tops of your beaters to fit through.

Attach the beaters to your mixer and place over your bowl and mix away making sure that the wax paper is completely covering your bowl.

Now your spatters will only hit the wax paper instead of your walls and floor!

HOME MADE METAL CLEANER

If you want to clean Copper, Bronze, Brass or Pewter, you can make up a cleaning paste from items that you have in your kitchen.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Now add just enough flour to make up a thick paste.

Coat your metal item with the paste and let sit for about 15-20 minutes.

Rinse off the item with warm water and dry thoroughly with a clean dry cloth.

Your metal should now be sparkling clean.

SPONGE SPORES

I know that everyone says that you shouldn't use sponges in the kitchen, but I really can't live with out mine.

It is just too easy to use.

To help keep things clean and germ free, I drop my sponge in the dishwasher each night before I turn it on.

Now in the morning I have a squeeky clean sponge!

SANITIZING WORK SPACES

You know how to clean just about everything in the kitchen, but you still worry about germs on your wood and plastic surfaces.

Now there is an easy way to sanitize these items/surfaces.

Grab 2 spray bottles and mark them well, one with Vinegar and one with Hydrogen Peroxide.

Now whenever you have a plastic or wood surface that needs to be santiized , spray a mist of vinegar over the surface.

Next spray with Hyrdrogen Peroxide and let dry.

Keep the items dry now until your next use.

You can even use this combination of sprays to kill bacteria on fruits or vegetables.

KEEPING IT CLEAN

I keep a bottle of waterless hand sanitizer in the kitchen. I like to use it to make sure that my hands are totally clean when preparing meals.

After handling any meat product, I wash my hands thoroughly with warm water and soap.

Then I use a squirt or two of the hand sanitizer before I handle any other food items.

It is also good to use when you have cold.

This is just one more way to help prevent any bacteria or transmission to other food items.

SMELLY LUNCHBAGS

You are making lunches for the kids. You smell something, and you can’t quite put your finger on it. Ewww , it is the lunch bag.

Most lunch bags are now cloth with a plastic lining. To deodorize the lunch bags, wipe out the interior thoroughly with a damp soapy rag.

If the smell persists, place 1 tablespoon of bleach into 1 quart of warm water.

Soak your rag for a moment (warning, use an old or white rag as the bleach will ruin a colored rag) and wring out thoroughly.

Being careful not to drip any bleach water on the outside of your bag (it will discolor your bag) or your clothing, wipe out the interior only of the bag thoroughly. Leave the top open to air dry for at least 5 minutes.

Take a whiff, if the smell is still there repeat with previous step.

If you find that there is something that has soaked into the exterior of the bag you can spot clean it with some household cleaner (may spot or discolor depending on brand) or toss into the gentle cycle of your washing machine by itself. I will usually let mine air dry in the laundry room overnight.

A CLEAN KITCHEN

When getting ready to cook any large meal I find it a lot easier for clean up if I start with a clean kitchen.

Take a few minutes before you begin cooking to empty the dishwasher and clean any other dishes that might be lying aroun the sink.

Now as you are preparing your meal, you can place your dirty items directly into the dishwasher.

Now, just before you sit down to eat, set up your washer cycle.

When your meal is done, all of your dishes should be clean and dry.

Now just put away your cooking utensils and fill the washer with your dining utensils and the kitchen is clean.

If you don't have a dishwasher, leave some hot soapy water in the sink, and simply wash each item as you are done using it and place on a rack to dry.

CLEANING COPPER

Copper pots and pans are wonderful in the kitchen. They are expensive but they distribute heat evenly and are a joy to cook with. The bad thing is that they are hard to keep clean and shiny.

The easiest way that I have found to clean copper cookware is to cut a lemon in half and sprinkle the cut side of the lemon with kosher salt.

Holding the peel side, rub your pan vigorously so that the lemon juice and the salt scrub any discolorations away. Rinse well and dry.

SMELLY FOOD

If you are cooking particularly aromatic food in a pot on the stovetop that is smelling up the house you can try this little hint to help keep the odors under control.

Take a large towel or cloth and soak in a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.

Wring out most of the liquid leaving the cloth heavily damp.

Place the cloth over the top of your cooking pot, being careful to make sure that the towel does not come close to the heating element or any flame.

Always keep your eye on the pot while it is cooking and make sure that the towel does not dry out or come too close to an element that might cause a fire.

This will help alleviate some of the smell of whatever you are cooking.

CLEANING THE POT

You are at work, and you decide to wander over to the coffee pot and have a fresh cup. When you get there, you look at the pot, and ewwwwwwww …….. Someone left it on the burner near empty, and now it is just sludge! You don’t have access to all the cleaning supplies that you have at home, but you have got to clean this pot to get your caffeine fix!

Pull the pot off the burner and place on a towel to cool. While the pot it cooling locate some ice and some salt. Once the pot is thoroughly cool, fill the pot about a quarter full with ice and add a couple tablespoons of salt. WARNING: If the pot is still hot/warm when you add the ice, it could break. Swirl the ice/salt mixture in the pot. The ice and the salt act as a mild abrasive to clean the cooked on coffee and hard water stains.

After the ice partially melts and the water is stained a dark color, dump it out in the sink. Using a paper towell , wipe out the inside of the pot well and check to see if you need to repeat the process. Repeat until all the burned on coffee has been removed.

MICROWAVE CLEAN UP

To clean out all of the goop that builds up on the inside of your microwave oven, add about 2-3 drops of dish soap to a mug of water and place in the center of your microwave oven.

Microwave on High heat for 2-4 minutes, depending on your microwave’s strength. (You should see it just start to boil)

Turn off the microwave oven, and with out opening the door, let the mug sit for at least 5 minutes, and for as long as 15 for really dirty ovens.

Open the door, remove the mug and dump the contents into your sink.

Using a damp washcloth, wipe out your microwave well.

Don’t forget to get the top and the corners.

If you still find some stuck particles, do not use a scraper or anything abrasive, just repeat the process until it is clean.

BREAD CLEANUP

The hardest part of cleaning up after making bread is cleaning the bowls and the mixer or bread machine paddles.

To expedite cleaning, once you have completed using the utensils, place them in a warm bowl of water to soak for 15 or 20 minutes.

This will soften up all of the dried on flour, and now you can rinse extra dough off and clean as normal.

SPRING CLEANING

It is that grilling time of year and no one likes cleaning a grill!

To get your grill in prime shape for the coming months, don some plastic gloves and remove the grill rack. Spray it down with oven cleaner and place it in a plastic garbage bag.

Seal the bag tightly and let it sit overnight.

The next day, wearing gloves, scrub the rack of with some steel wool and rinse with water well.

To maintain a stick free surface, lightly oil the rack before each use. Pour some cooking oil onto a paper towel and using tongs, coat all of the cooking surfaces.