Archive for the ‘Cleaning Recipes’ Category
In A Jam
May 31st, 2009 | 
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This enamaled cast iron stock pot is one of my favorite pieces of cookware. It’s red and pretty and makes a mean stew. I found it for half price hiding in the corner of Bed Bath and Beyond and snatched it up. So imagine my gasp of horror when the result of my recent jam making bonanza left me with burnt sugary jam stuck to the bottom of my pot. I tried my usual tricks – scrubbing with a scrubbie, then scrubbie plus baking soda, then boiling with water and vinegar, then crying tears onto the burnt jam. None of that worked and I was worried my pot was ruined. Well, thank God for the internet. I did a quick search on how to remove burnt jam (and other burnt stuff) from pots and came up with this little recipe, using hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, dish soap and water. It took a few tries and some scrubbing but my pot is now clean again! Phew!
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Delicate Wash
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup borax
- 1 squirt liquid castile soap
Directions:
- Fill a sink with cold water.
- Add the borax and a squirt of soap. Stir to dissolve the borax.
- Add clothes and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Rinse clothes and hang dry.
Window Cleaner
A few drops of essential oils helps ease the vinegar smell of this window cleaner.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp liquid castile soap
- Few drops of essential oil (optional)
Directions:
- Mix and funnel into a spray bottle.
- I like to use newspaper when washing windows, but a cloth works fine too.
Scour Power
This is more a story than a recipe, but I promise to keep it brief. The other day, I made something in a skillet that left stuck on residue in the pan something fierce! I soaked it all night and scrubbed with a dish cloth and that stuck on whatever-it-was didn’t budge.
So I had the idea to sprinkle on some baking soda and give it another go. Magic! With the baking soda, I was able to give the pan another quick scrub and it came off in a flash.
So remember this: when you need some scour power, try baking soda. You can keep some in a parmesan cheese restaurant-style shaker, for easy sprinkling.
Have a tough scrubbing job?
Use equal amounts of baking soda and salt to scrub off super stuck on food.
Disinfectant
Hydrogen Peroxide (the kind you get at any drug store) and vinegar work together to become a great non-toxic disinfectant. “University tests show that this technique killed more potentially lethal bacteria, including Salmonella, Shigella, and even E. coli, than chlorine bleach or any commercially available kitchen cleaner”.
In truth, we don’t need to worry about most germs because most are harmless. Normally, All Purpose Cleaner does the trick in my house. But routinely, and especially when counter or cutting board surfaces have been exposed to raw meat or any other potentially harmful substances, I give counters and doorknobs a swipe with this disinfecting method. For the peroxide, keep it in a spray bottle that’s opaque. Light damages the efficacy of the peroxide.
Ingredients:
- 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (found in most drug and grocery stores)
- White or apple cide vinegar
Directions:
-
Keep the peroxide in an opaque spray bottle.
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Keep the vinegar in a separate spray bottle.
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As needed, give surfaces a spray of peroxide and let it sit for a few seconds, so it has time to bubble and act. Do not wipe the peroxide away. After a few seconds, spray the same surface with vinegar. Then wipe with a clean cloth or rinse with warm water.
All Purpose Cleaner
Mixing up a batch of cleaner takes about 2 minutes and one bottle goes a long way. I wrote the cleaner recipe on an index card, then taped the card to a spray bottle with packing tape (so it can get wet without getting ruined). Then, when you need to whip up a batch of cleaner, you have the recipe right on the bottle.
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp washing soda
- 2 tsp Borax
- 1/2 tsp liquid castile soap
- 2 cups hot water
- Few drops of essential oil (optional)
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl and stir a few times, until the powders start to dissolve.
- Use a funnel to pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
