How to Remove Stains from Tupperware containers

Tupperware food storage containers are in great demand for space optimization, heating food in micro oven, popular food grade characteristics and saves lot of space in the refrigerator. Indian cooking involves lot of spices, aromas, colors and mainly oil. There are some delicacies like curries, pickles and sweets that require a layer of oil/ ghee in it to taste better.

When containers are used to store such preparations it stains the container and lid. Commonly observed is with tomato sauces, tomato chutney. Even lunch boxes that store tamarind rice or tomato rice stains the container.

You have a good collection of Tupperware food storage containers and if few of them are stained due to storage you will not be able to use them confidently. Sometimes you feel like disposing them after several scrubs and repeated washing.

Here is some great news for the home makers. Go through the easy ways to get rid of the stains and restore your Tupperware food storage containers back to normalcy.

Easy ways to remove stains from Tupperware: Soak in automatic dish washing detergent

This is the primary method adapted by most homemakers. The Tupperware containers with tough stains are soaked in dish washing detergent. Add 2 tspns of the dish washing detergent to 1 litre of luke warm water and soak the Tupperware container in it. Reduce the water as per the size of the stained container. Let it remain for 2 to 3 hours and you get best results.

Easy ways to remove stains from Tupperware: Use the sun

Sun is a powerful natural resource and you can take full benefit by placing the stained Tupperware containers in broad sunlight for drying. Let the containers remain in direct sunlight for about 6 hours and then wash the container with dish washing liquid. The stain will be gone or at least get faded considerably.

Easy ways to remove stains from Tupperware: Baking soda and salt

Another method practiced by few homemakers with superior results is one of the simplest stain removal techniques. Mix some baking soda and salt and wash your Tupperware food containers just as you would with regular dish washing detergent. The baking soda cleans the stains while the salt acts as an abrasive. After the scrubbing is complete, wash the containers out with normal dish washing detergent and you’re done.

Easy ways to remove stains from Tupperware: Use bleach

This is one method that achieves double results with one process. Fill your sink with warm water about halfway, and then add about a half cup of bleach. Submerge the stained containers and let soak for an hour. This is a great way to get your kitchen sink clean as well. Both your Tupperware container and your kitchen sink will be sparkling clean.

Easy ways to prevent staining

As the old proverb goes…Prevention is better than cure. Follow this little trick to help keep your Tupperware container stain-free.  Before you transfer the food into Tupperware food container, you need to simply spray the inside of the container with some cooking spray. This will help keep the food from sticking and staining the Tupperware. When you go to wash the container, the food will be easily washed away without staining.

Cooking sprays can be sprayed during cooking to minimize consumption of oil and calories. Cooking sprays are available in Indian market too.

Try some of these techniques next time you have stained Tupperware that you need cleaned. If you know of any other methods please mention in the comments.

Also read: How to remove white marks or hard water stains from Bathroom buckets

HOW TO KEEP YOUR KITCHEN FREE OF GREASE

Cleaning the kitchen and working platform is vital to ensure that your family is protected from contaminated food. A dirty kitchen and platform could lead to contamination of food that is to be consumed, further leading to an illness or ailment of the digestive system.

Indian cooking involves usage of oil in almost every dish be it a curry, a chutney or a fry item. The chances of oil spread is very high. The oil and smoke circulates along with the air and settles down on all open surfaces.

Cleaning the oil spots from your kitchen cabinets is a quick and easy task if you know how to clean it. How does the oil settle on the kitchen surfaces which includes tiles, exhaust, cabinets etc. You will observe that oil splashes and spread all over the counter when we do seasoning for curries, deep fry eatables.

The oil vapors settles on the cupboards and cabinets. Dust in the air is attracted to this oil droplets and this becomes a layer. The vulnerable areas in the kitchen is the area behind the stove, the stove top exhaust , exhaust fan fixed on the wall. All tile surfaces get affected if not cleaned for some time.

The product you use should be capable of removing the stubborn grease on surfaces. You can clean kitchen cabinets made of wood with warm water diluted with liquid soap cleaner in a 1:2 ratio. Use a good scrubbing pad to dip in the solution and clean the surfaces.

Oil spread or spilled on clothes is another mis. Read this article HOW TO REMOVE STAINS FROM CLOTHES to understand the solutions

The inner surfaces of cabinet door handles will be very sticky and you need to use a small tool to dig the grimy oil collection. If the cabinet surfaces are colored wood, do a spot test and confirm prior to proceeding further.

However, if the oil stains, grease build-up high then opt for the natural way of cleaning, use vinegar. It is a natural cleaner and removes oil stains pretty easily.

• If you use vinegar then use a solution of half part vinegar and half part water if the stains are light.
• If the oil stains are stubborn, then you can use vinegar without using water. Pour undiluted vinegar into spray bottle and spray onto surface. Let it remain for 10 to 15 minutes. Wipe clean with dishcloth or non-abrasive scrubber.
• Lime and club soda can also be used to clean the oil spots and grease build-up from the kitchen cabinets.
• You can clean stove top exhaust hoods with baking soda. On a damp sponge add some baking soda and wipe the surface down. Immediately follow wiping of the surface with a clean cloth to remove any powder residue.
• Clean the kitchen platform by wiping with a cloth dipped in vinegar. The acidic content of the vinegar cleans and removes all grime that accumulates on the platform.
• Similarly, cleaning your stove with a cloth dipped in vinegar removes all spill stains and leaves your stove shining.
• Do not allow water to stagnate on the platform. Clean dry the stove and platform.
• Clean your stove and kitchen platform after cooking. This will remove all dirt, oil and will keep insects in the kitchen. If the platform is left uncleaned, lizards, ants and cockroaches will crawl all over the area.
• Watch out for the cupboards that are fixed on the wall. Check if the plaster on the wall facing the kitchen platform is intact. I’ve observed cracks in our neighbors home where thin layer of plaster keeps breaking and falling on the platform. This mainly occurs when the cabinets are opened to take out kitchen groceries.

To keep your kitchen neat and orderly spend 15 to 20 mins daily to organize and segregate. This will keep insects and chaos at bay.

HOW TO KEEP STAINLESS STEEL SINK FREE OF HARD WATER STAINS

You have cleaned the entire kitchen and are worried to see the Stainless Steel sink full of stains and white patches. You are having a small get together at your home this weekend and you are desperate to find a solution.

These white patches are hard water stains meaning the water droplets have dried leaving those ugly marks on the surfaces. If left uncleaned they will form a thick layer and it will leave permanent scars on the surface.

Hard water stains are a result of mineral content in water like lime, silica and calcium. When the water evaporates the mineral deposits leave a scaly appearance on the areas. Few individuals have replaced the SS sink as they were unable to clean the stains.

Here is a solution for removing the hard water stains from the SS sinks and surfaces.

• Make a paste of baking soda / cooking soda.
• Add ½ cup baking soda and ¼ cup of Vinegar into a container. You will observe a foaming action when the two ingredients are combined. This is normal, wait for the foaming to stop. Mix the solution with a plastic spoon.
• Dip a cleaning cloth ( use soft texture ) into this paste and apply on the sink. Apply the paste on the stained areas in circular motions such the stains are cleaned.
• In another utensil keep warm water. Dip the cleaning cloth into the warm water and clean the sink thoroughly. Remove all cleaning paste and wipe off all water spots with a dry cloth.
• You can recycle old , unused banians and old T- shirts for cleaning. This material will absorb all moisture and leaves your Stainless Steel sink free of stains.
• Recycled cotton material also absorbs oils from gas stoves and kitchen counters.

You can save on money as you are using recycled material and also ensuring the Stainless Steel sink is free of hard water stains.

You can also use the lemon peel after using the juice for cleaning the sink. It also kills all bacteria and leaves your sink smelling fresh.

Precaution is better than cure therefore after all the utensils are washed, drain off all water and clean the SS sink with a dry cloth. This will remove all moisture and you will not see those ugly spots again.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA

Baking powder and baking soda are chemical leavening agents that cause dough and  batters to rise when baked. Leavening agents are substances that cause expansion to dough and batters by the release of gases by such mixtures, producing baked products with porous structure.

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient like yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, or honey, the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand under oven temperatures, causing baked goods to rise. Baking soda starts to react and release carbon dioxide gas as soon as it is added to the batter and moistened. Make sure to bake the batter immediately.

There are numerous uses for baking soda. Baking soda has an indefinite shelf life if stored in a sealed container in a cool dry place. Baking soda causes reddening of cocoa powder when baked.

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, it includes the acidifying agent (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). Baking powder is available as single-acting baking powder and as double-acting baking powder. Single-acting powders are activated by moisture, so you must bake recipes which include this product immediately after mixing. Double-acting powders react in two phases and can stand for a while before baking. With double-acting powder, some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to dough, but most of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven. Because of the two stages, baking of the batter can be delayed for about 15-20 minutes without it losing its leavening power. Store in a cool dry place and it should be replaced every 6-12 months.

Few measures to be followed:

• Follow recipe instructions for quantities.
• Sift baking powder or baking soda with the other dry ingredients before adding to the batter to ensure uniformity in a recipe.  Otherwise the baked good can have large holes.
• Too much baking powder can cause the batter to be bitter tasting. It can also cause the batter to rise rapidly and then collapse. (i.e. The air bubbles in the batter grow too large and break causing the batter to fall.)  Cakes will have a coarse, fragile crumb with a fallen center.
• Too little baking powder results in a tough cake that has poor volume and a compact crumb.
• Too much baking soda will result in a soapy taste with a coarse, open crumb.

Testing for effectiveness for the leavening agent nearing shelf life:

• To test baking powder’s effectiveness: mix 1 teaspoon (5 grams)  baking powder with 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot water and the mixture should bubble immediately.
• To test baking soda’s effectiveness: mix 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 2 teaspoons of vinegar and the mixture should bubble immediately.

HOW TO SPEEDILY REMOVE FOUL SMELLS FROM YOUR HOME

You may be having a splitting headache due to the pungent odors coming in a particular room, a closed cupboard,  your refrigerator or your car. At times the smell is very annoying that you may feel like vomiting.

You can follow simple techniques like keeping the windows open or switching ON the exhaust available provided in the room , burning a candle, using room freshener. The strong smells are not easy to go and needs more attention.

There are few items in your home that can remove the bad odors completely and make you feel like using that particular room, your refrigerator, going for a long ride in your car. Here are a few interesting tips that you will apply after reading this article.

1. Charcoal

Charcoal is on top of my list as it is one of the best absorbent agents that can absorb and soak up the bad odor. Charcoal is also widely used as water filters and in most odor removing commercial products. You can put a medium-sized chunk of charcoal inside your smelly refrigerator for instance, and leave it there for a couple of days. You will notice that it can effectively remove the bad smell.

2. Baking Soda

Baking soda is also a good absorbent. Put a generous amount of baking soda in an open container and leave it for several days. Remember the size of the container depends upon the size of the confined room. You may also place small bowls in 2 to 3 areas of the room for better action. Remove the baking soda and replace it with new one and leave it for a couple of days. Continue replacing the baking soda until it has cleared the bad smell. The only caution is that green leaves will wilt quickly

3. Lemon or Lime rinds

Just put some lemon or lime rinds into an open container and leave them inside the confined area for a couple of days. The citrus smell will naturally replace the bad smell. You can also place lime rinds in a small bowl containing water.

4. Fresh Ground Coffee

Ground coffee has a nice, crisp natural aroma. Just put about a cup of fresh ground coffee in a flat, uncovered container. Place the container inside the confined space for several days. If the bad smell is extremely horrible, put more ground coffee. The area will smell of fresh coffee for many days.

5. Tea Bags

If you don’t like coffee, you can use tea bags instead. Just place 2-3 tea bags inside the confined space. The tealeaves in the bags will not only absorb the bad smell but also will release the natural aroma of tea.

6. Pandan Leaf (also known as Screwpine or Kewra in Hindi)

It is easy to get pandan leaf in tropical countries as it is widely used in Southeast Asian cooking to add aroma to dishes. It s known as the “Vanilla of the East”. Its pleasant aroma also acts as natural air freshener. Just take a few strips of the pandan leaves and tie them into knots. Place the leaves inside the confined space and leave them until the leaves withered or dried up. Replace the leaves regularly until the smell goes away. The dried leaves are of no use, only fresh leaves work well.

7. Vanilla Essence

Pour several drops of vanilla essence on a couple of cotton wools. Toss the cotton wools inside the confined space such as your wardrobe. Leave them for several days and you will notice that the area smells nice.

8. Mint Extract

If you favor neither the smell of citrus nor vanilla, you can perhaps use mint extract instead. Pour several drops of mint extract on a couple of cotton wools. Toss the cotton wools inside the confined space and leave them for a couple of days.

9. Orange and Cloves

Get an orange and poke it with sharp objects like needle or fork to form small holes. Place each of the cloves inside these small holes until most of the orange surfaces are covered. It may look like a hedgehog with the cloves jutting out of the orange fruit. Leave it in the confined area for a couple of days. The area will smell nice with the said combinations.

10. Old Newspaper and Slices of Bread

Old newspaper and two slices of bread also work wonders in absorbing the bad odors particularly inside the refrigerator. Just place some crumpled old newspaper and two slices of bread , uncovered inside your refrigerator and leave them for two days. Replace the newspaper and bread slices regularly until the bad smell is removed.

You can also remove foul smell from plastic containers in which you previously stored minced cabbage, pickles that remain past expiration dates. Simple stuff crumpled newspaper and leave the container closed for three to four days. The smell vanishes away.

11. Vinegar

Vinegar works wonderful to remove smells of fried cooking especially fish. To remove the smell boil vinegar on the stove in a small bowl. The distinct odor of vinegar will be replaced .

White vinegar can be used to neutralize many of the same smells as baking soda. An open cup of vinegar in the fridge is an alternative to the box of baking soda, or an open cup or bowl of vinegar can be left in a room where you want to eliminate an odor.

12. Oats

Just put a cup of oats in an open container where you are having the foul smell. And lo…the smell has vanished after a few hours. Oats is a good odor absorbent. Do not dispose off the oats that has reached shelf life , retain it for this purpose.

You can also use the combination of any of the above tips together, to effectively remove bad smell. Try those tips and you can keep all the foul smell at bay.

BAKING SODA – A MIRACLE PRODUCT IN YOUR KITCHEN

Baking soda is a chemical compound that appears as a fine powder. Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) or bicarbonate of soda (alkali). The related names are Cooking soda , bread soda, and bicarbonate of soda . Baking soda has an indefinite shelf life if stored in a sealed container in a cool dry place.

Baking soda is salty in taste and releases bubbles of carbon dioxide when it interacts with an acid and a liquid. It is commonly used in baking, where it acts as a leavening agent. Mentioned below are some of the popular uses of baking soda apart from making muffins ,cakes soft and fluffy. If added to the product base you need to bake quickly to avoid flattening if delayed.

To test baking soda’s effectiveness: mix 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 2 teaspoons of vinegar and the mixture should bubble immediately.

Heat causes sodium bicarbonate to act as a raising agent by releasing carbon dioxide when used in baking. The carbon dioxide production starts at temperatures above 80 °C. Since the reaction does not occur at room temperature, mixtures (cake batter, etc.) can be allowed to stand without rising until they are heated in the oven.

Label the container in which you store baking soda to avoid any mix-up.

Health Benefits of Baking soda

1. Baking soda is an antacid, neutralizes stomach acidity.

2. Baking soda can be used as underarm deodorant by applying it with a powder puff.

3. Use Baking soda as a face and body scrub.

4. Relieves skin itch from insect bites and pain from sunburn.

5. Take a baking soda bath to relieve skin irritations.

6. Shampoo your hair as well with diluted solutions.

7. Baking soda can be used for first aid too.

8. Freshen your mouth by gargling half a teaspoon of baking soda mixed water.

9. Unblock stuffy nose by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to your vaporizer.

10. Useful in removing splinters from the skin.

Usage of Baking soda at Home

11. Put an open container of baking soda in the fridge to absorb the odors.

12. Sprinkle it on your ashtrays to reduce bad odor and prevent smoldering.

13. Sprinkle it on your slippers, boots, shoes, and socks to eliminate foul odor.

14. Put out small fires on rugs, upholstery, clothing, and wood.

15. Wipe your windshield with it to repel rain.

16. Improve the smell of dishrags by soaking them in baking soda and water.

17. Suck it in with your vacuum cleaner to remove the odor.

18. Put it under sinks and along basement windows to repel cockroaches and ants.

19. Put out small fires on rugs, upholstery, clothing, and wood.

20. Keep cut flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon to the water in the vase.

Cooking uses of Baking soda

21. Wash fruits and vegetables with it.

22. Wash meat in water in which baking soda is added. This will remove the typical smell of fresh meat with blood.

23. Soak dried beans to a baking soda solution to make them more digestible and removes flatulence ( presence of excessive gas in the digestive tract )

24. It is also used in breadings and fried foods such as bondas, bajjis, pakoras  to enhance crispness.

25. Remove the fishy smell from your fillets by soaking the raw fish in a baking soda solution for an hour inside the fridge.

26. Make fluffier omelets by adding half a teaspoon of baking soda for every three eggs used.

27. To soften meat baking soda is added.

Benefits of Baking soda for Cleaning Purposes

28. Add a cup to the toilet, leave it for an hour, and then flush. It will clean the toilet and absorb the odor.

29. Use it to scrub sinks, showers, plastic and porcelain tubs

30. Add a spoonful to your dishwasher to make scrubbing dishes easier.

31. Spray it on walls, mirrors, and countertops.

32. Dry clean carpets and upholstered furniture by sprinkling baking soda over the fabric and gently brushing it. Leave it for an hour or overnight, then vacuum.

33. Combine it with water to make a paste for polishing stainless steel and chrome.

34. Remove scratches and crayon marks from vinyl floors and walls.

35. Clean the fridge with it.

36. Remove grease from pots and pans.

37. Soak brushes and combs in a baking soda solution.

38. Mix it with water to wash food and drink containers.

39. Use it to get rid of stale odors from cooling containers and thermos bottles.

40. Scatter it on your greasy garage floor, scrub the floor, and rinse.

41. Remove burned-on food from a pan by soaking it in a baking soda solution for 10 minutes before washing.

42. Clean your ashtrays with a baking soda solution.

43. Keep your drains clean by putting four tablespoons of baking soda in them each week. Flush it down with hot water.

44. Clean your shower curtains by soaking them in baking soda and water.

45. Sodium bicarbonate can be an effective way of controlling fungus growth.

The most amazing thing about baking soda is that it’s very cheap and you get it over the counter at local shops too. You can utilize baking soda for cooking, cleaning, in first aid at a very small cost. Baking soda is truly a miracle product, whether it’s used for baking or not.

 

TOP 6 CHEMICAL FREE CLEANERS HIDING IN YOUR KITCHEN

Cleaning and organizing your home is a task which gets postponed due to non availability of time or the appropriate cleaning aid. You are at times exhausted just thinking of the house chores that needs to be completed in addition to cooking and organizing your home. Here are a few readily available cleaners in your kitchen that will come handy for you.

No more excuses. Get ready to use in house cleaning aids to have a surprise for your hubby when he is back home. The cleaners are low in cost, no side effects, not smelling and pungent. You will be surprised to know that they had all these benefits. You can infact re-use material or clean within your budget.

Egg shells

If you have problem in cleaning a narrow mouthed bottle or flower vase, drop a handful of crushed egg shells into the bottle, add lukewarm water and your dish cleaning liquid. Shake the bottle thoroughly such that the egg shells clean the had to reach surfaces of the bottle or vase.

You have a clean and sparkling bottle in your hands. Wow!!

Paper pieces

In case you do not have egg shells ( you are a vegetarian) no problem…just opt for paper pieces. Re-use paper in this way. This cleaning method is ideal for cleaning the green mossy layer inside the bottles in which money plant grows. The bottle become sparking clean.

Pick a paper from the trash bin , shred it into multiple tiny pieces and drop it into the bottle. Add lukewarm water and then shake the bottle thoroughly such that the paper pieces touch the entire surface of the bottle. Now pour water and clean out with dish washing liquid to keep off the smell.

Your bottle is sparkling and the money plant is a pride to watch in your living rooms.

Baking Soda

We have used Baking soda in cooking . There are numerous uses for baking soda. Mix with water and it is a natural cleaner that is great for cleaning all the grimy and tough stains at home. Especially excellent for Stainless steel kitchen sinks without scratching it.

Sprinkle baking soda on a clean damp cloth or sponge and wipe the sink clean. Rinse it with water thoroughly. You will be amazed to see a shining sink .

Corn flour

You may be upset that your carpet got stained in the last guest visit at home. Not to worry… Try out this simple yet clean method of removing stain. You will be surprised with the result.

Corn flour is used in recipes to thicken the gravy, to give a shiny effect for the dishes. Corn flour is also great for cleaning carpet stains. Mix a spoon of corn flour to water and apply that thick paste on the stained area. The paste will soak the stain and your carpet stain is gone away.

You can also try this with corn starch. Only a change in name but it works wonders.

Bread

Bread is popularly had at breakfast , Kids love sandwiches, used for cutlets and tikkis. Very few know the cleaning benefits of bread. Bread can be used to dust paintings that can be harmed by traditional cleaners.

Wheat flour or the bran of wheat is ideal for cleaning sticky surfaces of kitchen dishes. Usually the oil in frying pans or Kadai’s will require more quantity of water to clean away the oily stickiness.

Vanilla Essence  

Mix 1 teaspoon of Vanilla essence to 2 cups of water in a microwave-safe container . Place it the micro wave oven for 5 minutes in high. After this duration disconnect the plug and then remove the container and wipe down the interior with a soft cloth. If you have stock of vanilla essence, go ahead using it. It is a bit costlier to vanilla essence.

Your grime is gone away and vanilla will leave a distinct aroma increasing your appetite and desire to make something fresh for your family.

You are part of the Go Green campaign !!

HOW TO CLEAN A MICRO OVEN

A micro oven has become an indispensable electrical appliance in the kitchen.  It is operated by people of all ages.  We can expect some spills when young and old people use the microwave oven . Micro wave oven saves time and effort and is user friendly. Therefore a common gadget in most homes.

Here are a few tips to clean your micro wave oven.

• To loosen dried spills and enable you to clean the micro oven, fill water in a glass bowl till half and 1 tbsp of white vinegar. Place this bowl and switch on the oven for 5 minutes. This will steam up walls and you will be able to clean the dried matter.
• Remove glass bowl and wipe in inside walls of the micro oven with a clean soft cloth or tissue paper.
• The next step is to remove the glass tray or turn table. Wash it thoroughly.
• You can use lime as an alternative procedure for cleaning. Cut lime into halves. Place the cut lime in a plate containing ¼ cup of water. Place this plate and switch on the oven for 5 minutes. This will steam up walls and you will be able to clean the dried matter.
• Remove glass bowl and wipe in inside walls of the micro oven with a clean soft cloth or tissue paper.
• Allow the microwave to air dry by leaving the microwave door open for a couple of minutes.

How to deodorize:

• If your microwave has developed a nasty smell, try washing it with a solution of 1/4 cup of baking soda dissolved in 1 quarter of warm water. Rinse with water and allow to dry.

 

HOW TO ORGANIZE AND MAINTAIN A REFRIGERATOR

Many a times you feel that the refrigerator at home is not sufficient as you need to constantly stuff things into the fridge. They look overflowing. And it becomes a tedious task to take out containers. That’s the right time when you need to organize your fridge. A well organized fridge has its advantages as there is space to store more and there is access to all racks in the fridge. Biggest advantage if you store upto ¾ capacity is that you save on electricity than an usually empty stored fridge. A full refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one. Once you organize the fridge you realize that your current fridge is sufficient and there is space for further storage too.

Note: Never store hot food in the fridge. Bring the food to room temperature and then place it in the fridge.

Tips On Organizing Your Refrigerator

Here are a few tips on organizing your fridge. I’m sure it will not consume much of your time to read and follow. So let’s take a look at the compartments in the fridge and how we utilize and organize .Take into consideration the number of times we access and place the items accordingly in the fridge.

• Freezer:

Store only food items that has to be frozen in the freezer. The latest models are having racks and provided with brackets to stack .

Store meat , fish in the bottom rack. The top rack or door rack can be used to store ice cream. Replace the water to make ice at a regular frequency . Discard ice cubes even if not used.

• Door :

Store eggs in the top racks . The middle racks to be used to store soft drinks, pickle, butter. The bottom rack can be used to hold large bottles and drinking water.

• The Main Section:

The main section of the fridge is divided in to 3 separate parts meant for 3 different purposes.

The chiller is at the top of the main section. You need to store cream, milk packets,  chocolates.

There are racks below the chiller. The height can be adjusted based on the height of container to be stored. Transfer leftovers into plastic containers with lids and keep them in front row such that we can access it upon need quickly. This will enable us to stack one container over the other too based on availability of space.

The bottom rack is designed for vegetable storage or crisper. Use zip pouches or poly bags. Wrap the vegetables in paper and then store, to avoid decay with excess moisture.

How to get Rid of Bad Refrigerator Odor

Regular inspection of the status of stored bags and containers will avoid bad odor. A well organized fridgewill not only allow you to access the food easily but will also make it easy for you to keep the fridge clean.

The lingering bad odor in the fridge can cause a tumbling feeling in your tummy and you may get annoyed. The foul smell spread fast and can affect the stored food also. You can be relieved of this dilemma by following the following tips to get rid of bad odor in the fridge.

• Remove all the food from your refrigerator. Push the defrost button. If that option is not there, unplug the power supply.
• Once defrosted unplug the power supply . Remove all the detachable trays and racks and dip them into a basin which has soapy solution . Using a sponge,  clean the dirt, grime and food residue from the trays.
• Dissolve little baking soda into lukewarm water. Baking soda ( Sodium bi-carbonate) is an excellent deodorant and contains a unique chemical property that allows the particles to absorb the odor and other foul smell from your refrigerator.
• Scrub out the entire mold, food particles and other stains on the walls of the refrigerator and deep freezer using a scrubber. Do not use a scouring pad as it will cause scratches.
• Clean the inner parts of the refrigerator by dipping sponge in warm soapy water. Clean the chiller, egg rack and the rubber lining of the doors thoroughly. These are storage places for pests like cockroaches.
• Once clean dip the sponge in clean water and thoroughly clean all the parts and the racks. Repeat once more to ensure all soapy and baking soda smell has disappeared .
• Keep the fridge open for 30 minutes. Allow to dry. Once dried, place all the detached racks back into the slots.
• Plug the power connection. Store all the food containers and bottles into respective brackets and racks.
• If you are still not experiencing good smell from the fridge even after cleaning, place a cut lemon . Cut lemon into half, squeeze a little lemon juice in water and place the container in the refrigerator. You will be relieved of the foul smell

 

HOUSE CLEANING USING NATURAL RESOURCES

Here are a few natural cleaning solutions readily available at your home. Listed below is their solutions.

 LEMONS

The acidic property in lemon removes dirt and rust stains. Very effective when mixed with salt and applied as a paste.

Lemon is good to clean kitchen counter tops, cutting boards, stains on plastic storage containers , to remove grease from utensils,  remove bad smell in a container.

Cut lemon into half, squeeze a little juice in water and place the container in the refrigerator. You will be relieved of the foul smell . This can be applied for trash bins too.

To relieve smell off your hands after you touch or cut fish , rub hands with lemon juice and you will be relieved off the odor.

Lemon is widely used to brighten white clothes  . Add half a cup of lemon juice to the final rinse  and you will observe the difference.

To remove hard water scales on tiles and wash basins apply lime juice on the areas , leave it overnight. Next day you can gently scrub and remove the stains.

Lemons are used to clean the microwave oven too.

Note: Lemons are not recommended on marble surfaces.

TABLE SALT

The granular texture of table salt makes it suitable for scouring. There is a range of salts to select from. Table salt is the preferred and cheapest choice.

To remove tough stains on glassware, add some salt to the scouring pad and gently remove scrub.

Table salt can be applied on crockery too. Apply salt on a piece of lemon and apply on the crockery which has a tough stain.

To remove dust and dirt from artificial flowers and leaves , put them into a paper bag and add half a handful of salt to it. Shake it well and you will see great results. The flowers and leaves are clean now!

Coarse salt helps remove fins of fishes during cleaning activity. Put a handful of salt into a wide pan and shift the fish upside down in the  pan. The fins will totally be removed.

Salt is good to absorb any spills in the oven. It can be cleaned after use with a damp cloth.

TOOTHPASTE

The combination of surfactant, stain fighter and anti bacterial agent makes toothpaste an efficient stain fighter.

Toothpaste is good for cleaning tarnished silver articles. Use a toothbrush to enable better application. stains on glassware, add some salt to the scouring pad and gently remove scrub.

To remove hard water scales on taps and wash basins , squeeze toothpaste on the area and rub for some time with a soft cloth until it shines.

Tooth paste removes scuff marks on acrylic finishing and linoleum surfaces. Squeeze toothpaste on the desired area . Scrub it with a soft dry cloth until the toothpaste residue is removed.

Tooth paste is good for small burns . Apply on the affected area, It acts as a first aid remedy.

COOKING OILS

Vegetable and plant based oils removes dirt and minimizes scratches on the wooden surfaces. It hydrates wood that has aged or dried out from exposure to the sun

To prevent burning of hands during handling of spices like chillies, apply vegetable oil on the hands. You will not feel the intense burning.

To get paint off your skin, rub with vegetable oil and wash thoroughly with soap.

To brighten leather shoes , clean the leather shoes thoroughly off dust and grime. Add a few drops of oil on a cloth and apply on the shoe and rinse properly. This will make the shoe shine.

To prevent rattan and wicker articles or furniture from drying or cracking, lightly brush them with vegetable oil and gently rub in with a cloth. Warm the oil to enable east application

It is advised to use vegetable oil for getting the shine and cleaning Stainless steel . Lemon is not recommended for cleaning Stainless steel .

To clean wood furniture, mix 1 cup of vegetable oil or plant based oil with half a lemon. Add this on a soft cloth.  This will help smooth scratches too.

BORAX

Due to its alkaline property,  Borax kills mold, fungus and softens water. When added to a laundry wash you will observe excellent results due to its effectiveness.

You can remove foul smell from a dishwasher. Sprinkle borax in the bottom, let it sit overnight, then wipe down with a damp sponge. No need to rinse; continue washing operations.

Rub borax into cookware with a damp cloth and rinse well . This will remove stains.

Borax  gets rid of toilet rust stains also . Sprinkle borax in the toilet bowl, leave it overnight. Rinse it with a toilet brush and flush water.

VINEGAR

Due to its acidic property, Vinegar can wipe out tarnish, soap deposits, mineral deposits, and more. It is widely used for its varied benefits. It also prevents the growth of mold, mildew, and some bacteria.

You can clean glass ware and ensure no spots. Add 6 table spoons of vinegar to the rinse water.

Vinegar is used to disinfect the dishwasher. Rinse with 1 cycle of vinegar, add half cup. Follow rinse with plain water.

Remove hard water stains from Stainless Steel surfaces, shower heads. Dip the unit in vinegar mixed with water and leave overnight. Rinse with water in the morning.

Note: Vinegars are not recommended on marble surfaces.

BAKING SODA

Baking soda ( sodium bicarbonate) absorb odors. Baking soda is useful to remove odors from upholstery.

Baking soda removes stains from a can opener. It removes tough stains from mugs and cups.

Erase crayon marks by applying a baking soda paste (equal parts baking soda and water) to white painted walls (baking soda may dull colored walls). Let dry before brushing it off with a clean cloth.

WASHING SODA

Washing soda (sodium carbonate) absorbs odors. Recommended to use rubber gloves while handling washing soda as it is slightly stronger .

Washing soda is good to clean oily stains seen in workshops and garage floors. Lavishly sprinkle washing soda and leave it overnight. Thoroughly wash and rinse the floor with water.

Washing soda helps  remove grease from stove burner grates, garden tools.

Your accessories will be bright and sparkling.