lemons

Kitchen Tips - BTSH Around The House Tip - September 2010

From storage, to cleaning, to keeping food fresh, here are some tips that I have tried and tested, and am now ready to share with you.

Cleaning Odors from Your Cutting Board (and hands)
Fresh lemon, nothing works better! Cut a slice of lemon, and rub on your cutting board after using your board for strong odour foods such as garlic or onions.


Coffee Ice Cubes
Do you enjoy iced coffee drinks? Take unused coffee and pour into an ice cube tray and freeze to use as ice cubes in your drinks. Also great for black coffee drinkers that want to cool down their coffee quickly without watering it down.


What To Do With Bad Bananas
When you notice your bananas starting to turn brown, the best thing to do is throw them into the freezer while you decide what you would like to do with them. I enjoy smoothies and shakes all year round, so I’ll use the frozen bananas in these. If you peel and slice before freezing they’re even easier to use, but it’s not necessary. Another great use is banana bread. Most banana bread recipes suggest using over-rip bananas, and they’re easier to use once they’ve been frozen and thawed as no mashing is required. You can also use the banana peels in your garden. Bury in the dirt near your tomato plants or roses to add potassium to the soil.

How to Control Pepper Grinds
This tip actually came from my mother. She found a small, round glass dish, actually meant as a candle holder, and she placed this under her pepper mill. This is great for keeping pepper grinds from getting on your counter and table.

How to Clean Your Microwave—Naturally
Cut a lemon in half and place skins down in a bowl. Cover half the lemon with water, and place in the microwave. Microwave on high for about 5 minutes. After the microwave is done, leave the bowl with the lemon in there for another 5 minutes. Remove the bowl and wipe the microwave clean.

Keeping Onions Fresh
Once again, Mom to the rescue. She found me a great onion keeper, though unfortunately I’m not sure where she got it. I found a similar one online, and discovered that they also sell these keepers for tomatoes, and peppers. The keeper has a slightly raised, grooved bottom that keeps the onion fresher longer, while keeping the odour out of my fridge.

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com

Healthy Living Starts With Your Home - BTSH Around The House Tip of the Week

Cleaning Naturally

Have you noticed how many companies are now offering “healthy” cleaning products? This isn’t a new idea! In fact, before all the fancy, expensive cleaners, our predecessors simply used products that they found around the house. I myself started to turn away from the chemical cleaning products several years back when I noticed one day that I needed an entire closet to store them all! Sure, I still use some now and again, but overall I have found alternative, natural products that work great. Now this isn’t a hippie, tree-hugging, far-out idea. It’s common sense. Natural products will save you money, and are better for you and your family, as well as the environment.

The Essentials

I use 3 main household products for cleaning:

1. Vinegar
2. Baking Soda
3. Lemons

Vinegar is your all-purpose cleaner. Use straight, or diluted with water, depending on what you’re cleaning. There are so many uses, that I simply can’t mention them all. Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water, and use for cleaning windows, mirrors, and countertops. Use the same solution to mop the floors. Use straight for disinfecting door knobs, and phone receivers. If your showerhead is clogged, remove and soak in undiluted vinegar (scrub holes with a toothbrush). Remove lime and mineral deposits by setting a rag soaked in vinegar for about an hour. Run vinegar through your coffee maker and dishwasher to clean. You can even add a cup of vinegar to your laundry as a fabric softener.

Baking Soda is great for hard stains. Mix with water to create a paste to remove juice, tea, or wine stains, or use as a chrome polisher (I use it to make my stainless steel sink shine). Pour down a drain and allow to sit for 30 minutes, then flush with hot water to clear clogs. Shake onto your carpet to soak up spills and prevent staining.

Lemon Juice not only helps to remove stains, but smells great. You can also use a little juice to remove mild tarnishing on silver. Rub a lemon wedge over a cutting board that you’ve used for onions or garlic to clean and remove the odour left behind.

Natural Air Fresheners
All the above mentioned can also be used as a natural air freshener. Bowls of vinegar or baking soda left in a room can help to absorb odours and freshen a room. Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it sit for an hour before vacuuming to remove odours. Bake an unpeeled lemon in the oven at 300°F and open oven door, or boil in hot water on stove. Other items around the house that can be used to freshen the air are orange slices, cinnamon, vanilla or almond extracts—boil any combination in hot water on the stove. Another great way to freshen the air is to grow fresh herbs indoors. They’ll also handy to have around for cooking!

As I mentioned, these are just my favourites for cleaning and deodorising. There are many other great cleaning products to be found around your house, I could only touch on my favourites here. Happy cleaning!

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com