1.Leaves a mess for days (or months)

Your daily kitchen cleaning might focus on the dishes rather than on the oven itself, but a few tweaks will go a long way. Not only does it make months of buildup harder to clean up, but it can also lead to smoke. Failure to clean up spills after each use of the oven can quickly build up and may smoke during preheating the next time. “If you use a drip tray, don’t forget to remove it and remove grease and drips after each use.”

2. Leave messy food on the oven floor

To make those everyday spills easier to clean up, it’s a good idea to catch crumbs and splatters before they reach the bottom of your oven. An empty drip tray or cookie sheet should be placed on the bottom for easier cleaning, or just add a disposable oven liner.

3. Put in frozen food that needs to be defrosted

You might think it would save time to let frozen chicken breasts warm up in the oven before they’re completely defrosted, but unless you adjust the cooking time, you could be putting your family at risk of food poisoning. food poisoning. “If you put frozen or partially frozen food in the oven, the time will be turned off because it will need to be defrosted before cooking.” Ensure safety by letting food defrost completely before cooking.

4. Assuming the temperature is correct

Your oven measures the temperature at one point – where it’s intentionally off-limits, where your food will never fly away. Because your oven is hotter in some spots than it is in others, your food may not be cooking to the temperature you think it is. “An oven thermometer will help you make sure your oven is properly preheated and cook your food at the temperature you need it to. “It’s the best kitchen investment you’ll ever make.” This is why most recipes call for you to bake at 350°F.

5.Using the convection setting on the wrong foods

In addition to the standard grill setting, which heats the oven from one point, some models have a convection setting that uses a fan to distribute heat evenly. It doesn’t sound like much of a difference, but that circulating air makes food cook much faster, so your dish could be overcooked if you’re following a recipe. Unless a certain recipe says otherwise, stick with the grill setting. “If you’re making a single layer of cake and baking multiple layers at once, direct air circulation and heat removal is needed, so you want to choose convection baking,” she says. “This will help achieve even doneness and baking on all your layers.”

6. Leave the shelves in while self-cleaning

If the insanely high heat can remove grease and grime from your oven, leaving the racks in the self-cleaning treatment seems to make sense. But unless the manufacturer specifies that they’re designed for this feature, you’ll want to take them out. Most holders will discolor during the self-cleaning feature, and the coating that makes them easy to slide out can also be damaged. Sorry, but you’ll have to scrub them by hand instead.

7. Skip cleaning the nooks and crannies

You don’t even want to think about what’s hiding in the space between your oven and your cabinets. To help keep debris and spillage from attracting pests, wrap the butter knife with a damp towel, then rub it against the wall inside the crack. Hold the knife at an angle to prevent debris from falling to the floor, and shake debris in the sink or trash can out after each pass. When it looks clean, replace the cloth with a cloth moistened with vinegar and wipe the walls again.

8. Leave the buttons dirty

When you touch the oven knobs after handling food, you can bet you’ve left some germs behind. To make sure you’re touching every corner of the knobs, pop them off the stove before scrubbing. Cohen suggests soaking them in a bucket of warm water mixed with 1/4 cup of all-purpose cleaner to disinfect.

9. Cooking with wax paper

Wax paper and parchment may look almost the same, but that waxy substance makes a huge difference. While wax helps remove moisture, it’s not too hard on heat. Put it in a hot oven and it will melt—or worse, the paper could catch on fire.

10. Place items straight on the heating element

Your oven is hot, but not as hot as the heating element itself. While it’s rare that anything in your oven catches on fire, keeping those high-heat parts well ventilated can prevent any accidents.

1. Clean the microwave with lemon

Just pour some water into a serviceable bowl or pitcher and add a few slices of lemon. Turn on the microwave until the window is flat. Microwave the bowl for 3 minutes before opening the door to remove any grease and grime, then wipe clean with a sponge or cloth.

2. Clean the kettle with lemon

Use a whole lemon to descale your dirty kettle. You just need to cut into thin slices, put lemon in warm and fill with cold water to apply on acne-affected skin. Bring the kettle to a boil once, then let it sit for half an hour, boil it a second time, and then rinse. Your kettle should be nice and clean and have a lemon color.

3. Clean stains with lemon

A little lemon juice and salt can remove stubborn stains in just a few minutes. Squeeze some lemon juice directly onto the stained area, then sprinkle some salt on top. Rub this mixture on the yellowed area for a few minutes, then rinse with water. Repeat this a few times, then let dry before washing as usual. Do not use lemon juice on delicate fabrics, such as silk.

4. Clean the barbecue with lemon

This technique is similar to removing stains from clothes. Cut a lemon in half, put a pinch of salt in a bowl, and dip each lemon halves in the salt so that the lemon is completely submerged. Next, heat up the BBQ and scrub the grill with lemon, the same way you would a sponge. The abrasive action of the salt and the acidic, antibacterial properties of the lemon will keep the lemon clean and disinfected.

5. Polish metal with lemon

Do exactly the same way you would clean your BBQ grill with lemon to remove dirt and give your cutlery a nice shine. You can polish brass, chromium, copper, aluminum, bronze and stainless with lemon, but do not use it on gold or silver, as this can damage the plating.

6. Create an all-in-one cleaner

Don’t throw away leftover lemon zest. Instead, keep them and create a super easy all-in-one cleaner. Pour lemon zest into half a mason jar, then pour vinegar over the jar. Cover the jars and place in a dark refrigerator for two weeks (the longer you leave them, the more the two ingredients will infuse). After two weeks, pour the liquid into a spray bottle and use as you would any all-purpose cleaner.

7. Remove stains on cutting boards with lemon

Simply cut a lemon in half and use it as a sponge by rubbing it on a cutting board to remove stains. For more stubborn stains and to give your lemons a little extra boost, sprinkle some salt or bicarbonate of soda on the board before scrubbing with the lemons.

8. Remove stains from tupperware boxes

Curry or leftover bolognese pasta has stains in your tupperware container? Cut a lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the box, then use the lemon to rub the juice on the stains. Leave the juice on for 15 minutes before rinsing it off.

9. Remove stubborn stains on food

We’ve all been guilty of leaving dishes out overnight and then struggling to wash away leftovers the next day, but a lemon and a pinch of salt can help. Dip half a cut lemon in a pinch of salt and clean the dishes. The citric acid and salt will work together to cut through any hard parts of the food.

No matter how neglected or greasy you think your range might be, there’s hope. With a small investment in time and a little bit of persistence, you can get your stove back in peak condition and looking as good as new.

Step 1: Before You Start, Make It Safe

The first thing you should always do before cleaning a gas appliance is to make sure that the surfaces are completely cool and the control knobs are switched to the off position. If your model is equipped with a control lock, you should definitely take advantage of it before you start cleaning. You’re going to be removing the burner guards and scrubbing your stovetop pretty vigorously, and it’s essential that the gas doesn’t come on while you’re working.

If you have an older style range with removable knobs, just make sure everything is switched to the off position and remove the knobs so you don’t accidentally bump them while you clean.

Step 2: Let the Disassembly Begin!

Your gas stove has a few basic parts that pop right off for easy cleaning: the stove grates on top, the burner caps and the burners themselves. Start by removing the stove grates, and then take a moment to wipe up any loose food particles that are hanging around. Next, pull off all of the small caps that are protecting your burners, followed by each of the burners themselves. Set all of those items to the side on a couple of dish towels close to your sink; we’re going to deal with those later on.

Step 3: Degrease the Stove Grates

Place your stove grates in the sink and give everything a thorough soaking with a non-toxic degreaser. You can also use a concentrated dish detergent if you prefer; you might just have to scrub a little more. Leave everything to soak in the degreaser for about 15-20 minutes while you turn your attention to the stove surface.

Step 4: Degrease the Stovetop

Give your stovetop a heavy spritzing of the same degreaser or liquid soap concentration and give it a few minutes to really penetrate the greasy buildup. Use your soft scouring pad to break up any bits that are burned or stuck to the surface. As you work, take a clean paper towel and routinely wipe down the stovetop and lift out all of the grease and grime. Depending on your stove’s level of buildup, you may have to repeat the process of applying degreaser and scrubbing until your paper towels start coming up clean and free of any oil or grit.

Step 5: Combat the Baked-On Stuff

You’re likely to encounter a few places where the food is cooked on to the point where a sponge just won’t cut it. Or, you might find that there are a few little gummed up corners that are difficult to reach with your hands. For the hard-to-reach stuff, try a medium-stiff nylon scrub brush or an old toothbrush. Before you really start scrubbing away, it’s a good idea to test your brush in a discreet spot on the stove to make sure it’s not going to scratch the surface. Work your brush along with some degreaser into all of the corners and around the igniters to loosen any grime.

For areas that seem like they’ve permanently bonded themselves to the surface forever, you can try using a fresh razor blade to peel up the grime. Be extremely careful if you go this route and make sure you don’t scrape the paint. You just want to break up the surface of the burned bits so the degreaser can penetrate and loosen them up. Take your time and work gently. You might not get it 100 percent perfect, so don’t fixate on the one burned spot that won’t come off; sometimes in life it’s just good to let the little things go. Besides, we’ve got a trick further down that might help you cover up some of those blemishes.

Step 6: Give Everything a Final Polish

Once you’ve degreased and scrubbed everything, you’ll want to use some fresh paper towels and wipe off any excess degreaser. Wipe everything down until it’s dry, then using some glass cleaner and a Magic Eraser, give everything a final wipe down. The Magic Eraser will lift off any small residual bits of grease and pick up any of the degreaser residue so it won’t leave a cloudy film on your stovetop. Once your Magic Eraser comes up clean, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

Step 7: Now, About Those Parts You Removed

Now that your stove grates have had some time to marinate in the degreaser, you’ll want to give them a quick rinse with hot water to wash away the majority of the grease. After that, give the grates and your burner caps a good scrubbing with your nylon brush, and use a little soap or degreaser if you need to combat any difficult spots.

When it comes to the burners themselves, we recommend washing those in hot water while giving them a gentle scrubbing with your nylon brush. Don’t put any aggressive cleaners or solvents on your burners since they come in contact with your stove’s gas outlets. You don’t want any clogs or residual buildup that could cause ignition problems.

Once everything is clean, place your stove parts on a towel and let everything dry completely before you reassemble your stovetop.

Step 8: Reassemble and Add a Layer of Protection

Now that you’ve invested so much time getting your gas stove back into peak condition, it’s a good idea to consider adding a guard around the burners. When you’ve finished a marathon cooking session, it’ll be easier to wipe the guard down or simply replace it when the time comes. Additionally, if your stovetop is scorched beyond rescue, this is a great way to hide the unsightly surfaces.

Stove Guard Stovetop Protector

Make sure to put your stove guard in place (and remove any stickers) before you put your burners on . Then, reassemble your stove in the opposite order of disassembly. Start with replacing the burners. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten where they go; each one is unique to its particular location and will only fit its designated spot. Top your burners off with their caps and give every burner a quick test light. Once you’re satisfied that everything is in working order, put the stove grates back on , and you’re ready to cook!

1. Freezing milk for several weeks ahead

If you’ve bought a gallon of milk and only then realized you were going on vacation, don’t worry, it won’t spoil – if you freeze it. There are several rules, however. Pour out some milk before freezing, as it will increase in volume. It’s best to freeze fresh milk and keep it in the freezer for no more than 4 to 6 weeks.

2. Freezing eggs in an ice tray

Sometimes we aren’t able to use up all the eggs while they’re fresh, or we only use the whites while the yolks are neglected. No worries, they can be frozen too! Just break them, and pour their contents into an ice tray, adding a little salt or sugar (this will preserve their texture). Then use them as needed.

3. Keeping your favorite sauce in a freezer bag

Leftover sauce is another candidate for freezing. Pour it into a storage bag, and within an hour it will be hard enough for you to dice it and add it to dishes when needed.

4. Lettuce leaves wrapped in a paper towel will stay fresh longer

Lettuce will remain fresh and crisp for a week if you wrap it in a paper towel. The excess moisture will soak into the towel and won’t let the leaves wither.

5. Apples can be stored in the fridge for several months

Apples usually stay fresh longer than other fruit as it is, but did you know that they retain all their taste in the fridge for a very long time? The only thing to keep in mind here is that you shouldn’t let them touch each other lest damage is done by such contact. Wrap each of them in the newspaper, for example.

6. Store carrots in the sand to keep them fresh

Gardeners recommend storing carrots in the sand, which isn’t at all surprising: sand decreases water evaporation and slows down rotting.

7. Prevent cottage cheese and sour cream from spoiling by turning them upside down

Your cottage cheese and sour cream will remain fresh twice as long if you put them in your fridge upside down. This will create a vacuum inside that prevents bacteria growth.

8. Onions will stay fresh if you put them into a glass of water

Bunches of onions can retain their freshness longer if you keep them in a jar filled with water. Shear the onions where you need them, and they will keep growing.

9. Fresh greens are best kept in glass jars

A glass jar is the best container for fresh herbs. Onion, garlic, or parsley will keep their flavor for a month when stored like this. The greens won’t spoil, wither, dry, or lose their aroma.

10. Keep honey from oxidizing by storing it in a glass jar

Honey can retain its useful properties for years, but it’s important to store it correctly. The best container for it is a dark glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Containers made of metal chipped enamel, or zinc-covered jars aren’t suitable for honey because they will oxidize there.

1. Boiling water

Learning how to unclog a sink starts with understanding which methods work for the type of pipes you have. Take, for instance, boiling water. If you have metal pipes and you suspect hair, soap, grease, or other residue is getting stuck in your drain, boiling water might be the first (and easiest) solution. That said, it’s not for everyone. “Do not use this method on PVC pipes” .

Here’s how to do it:

Boil two liters of water.

Pour it into the drain opening.

Turn on the faucet to see if the boiling water made a difference.

Repeat, if necessary.

If the problem persists, it’s time to try another method for unclogging a drain.

2. Baking soda and vinegar

Maybe you’ve tried boiling water and you’re still dealing with an annoying clogged drain. Or maybe you have PVC pipes and were wise enough to skip that. Either way, you need a simple method for unclogging a sink. Suggests baking soda and vinegar.

Yep, you probably already have those ingredients stashed in your pantry. Both baking soda and white vinegar have a bunch of household uses—they’ll clean your laundry, banish soap scum, and keep your refrigerator smelling fresh—and when combined, they make for a simple way to unclog a drain. It works like this:

Start by pouring approximately one cup of baking soda into the drain.

Follow with one cup of vinegar.

Cover the sink with a sink stopper.

Let the mixture sit and fizzle for 15 minutes.

Remove the stopper and run hot water down the drain.

If you notice an improvement, repeat the process until the drain is unclogged.

3. Plunger

You’re used to grabbing the toilet plunger when it’s time to unclog the toilet bowl, but you can use a toilet plunger to unclog a sink as well. You can also buy a mini plunger specifically for clogged drains. Follow the steps below to plunge your way to a clear drain.

Fill the sink halfway with hot water.

Place the plunger over the drain and pump up and down a few times.

Remove the plunger and observe whether the water drains.

Repeat until the water drains.

If you have a double sink, you’ll need to cover one of the drains while you plunge the other. If the water in your sink swirls down with ease, your efforts have worked.

4. Snake the drain

Plumber using a snake to unclog bathroom sink drain

If none of the above tricks work, you can try to unclog a kitchen sink or bathroom sink by using the Zip-It drain-cleaning tool. But for pesky clogs, try snaking the drain. A plumber’s snake, or drain snake, is a flexible tool that snakes down the drain to dislodge stubborn clogs.

Open the drain by removing the stopper.

Feed the snake down the drain.
Once the snake hits an obstruction, crank the handle to dislodge the debris. “Don’t push too hard, so that you don’t push the clog further down the pipe”.

Pull the snake (and the gunk clogging your sink) out of the drain.

Repeat until the clog is gone. Run hot water to test.

5. Remove the sink trap

If you’ve tried all of the above methods but your sink is still clogged, it’s time to get down and dirty. And by “down,” we mean under the sink. That’s where a pipe called the sink trap is located, and as a final resort. Here’s how to do that:

To avoid a mess, place a newspaper and bucket under the sink trap.

Unscrew the slip joints.

Take the sink trap to a separate sink or a hose outside to clean all the dirt and grime that has built up in it.

Reassemble the sink trap.

How to prevent your sink drains from clogging

Just as important as learning how to unclog a sink is preventing it from happening in the first place. Suggests the following tips to prevent buildup in your drain.

Use drain screens on all your drains.

Clean drain stoppers on a regular basis.

Don’t pour grease down the sink—plumbers never do.

If you have metal pipes, pour a liter of hot water down the sink once a week to keep your pipes clean.

1. Cleaning With Vinegar

Using a microwave-safe bowl or large glass measuring cup, fill it with two cups of water and two tablespoons of vinegar. You can add one drop of your favorite essential oil to lessen the smell of the vinegar, if you want. Place the container in the microwave.

Turn the microwave on high for five minutes. You want it to get really steamy in there. Don’t open the door for another fifteen minutes, to make sure all the baked-on grime has softened.

Carefully remove the container (Note: It might be hot)

Remove the turntable, and wipe it down with a clean rag.

Wipe down the sides, door, bottom and top of the inside of the microwave with paper towels or a rag, being sure to avoid getting any liquid in the vents. If spots remain, use a sponge dipped in the water/vinegar solution.

Replace the turntable.

2. Cleaning With Lemon

Take one lemon and squeeze it to get it a little mushy. Then, cut it in half.

Place about one cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl or large glass measuring cup.

Squeeze as much lemon juice as you can out of each half of the lemon into the water.

Drop the squeezed lemon halves into the water, as well.

Place the container in the microwave, and run it on high for five to ten minutes.

Let it stand for another five minutes. Then, open the door and carefully remove the bowl.

Remove the turntable, wipe it clean with a dishcloth and then wipe all the surfaces of the inside of the microwave with the dishcloth.

Replace the turntable.

3. Cleaning With Soap

The hands-on method:

Put some dishwashing liquid in a bowl of warm water. Soak and squeeze a sponge in the bowl until the water gets full of suds.

Remove the turntable and scrub it in the sink with the soapy sponge. Rinse it off and let it dry.

Try to remove all the crumbs from the inside of the microwave with a damp paper towel or rag.

Use the soapy sponge to scrub the inside surfaces, starting with the top. Using a circular motion, coat the top, sides, bottom and door with suds, being careful not to get them in the vents. Repeat with clean suds to make sure all the grime is gone.

Wipe down all the surfaces with a damp paper towel to remove the suds, being careful not to get water in the vents.

Now, wipe everything with a dry paper towel or rag to avoid streaking.

Replace the turntable.

The hands-off method:

Put some dishwashing liquid in a microwave-safe bowl and fill it with warm water. If your microwave needs to be deodorized, add a little baking soda to the mixture.

Place the bowl in the microwave and run it on high for five minutes.

Let it stand for another five minutes. Then, remove the bowl.

Take the turntable out and wipe it off with a damp sponge and dry it with a paper towel.

Wipe down the surfaces of the microwave with the damp sponge and dry them with a paper towel.

Replace the turntable.

4. Cleaning With Window Cleaner

Take a microwave-safe bowl and spray about ten pumps of window cleaner in it, or about a two-second pour, and then add about a cup of water.

Spray the inside of the microwave with window cleaner –– especially on baked-on, large spills.

Place the bowl in the microwave and run it on high for about five minutes.

Wait about five minutes and carefully remove the bowl.

Remove the turntable and wipe it clean first with a damp paper towel, and then with a dry one.

Do the same with the inside surfaces of the microwave, starting at the top and working your way to the bottom. Make sure you wipe it completely dry.

Replace the turntable

It’s time to make a change in the kitchen and save water. Without dramatically changing our behaviors, we may all take little effort toward water conservation. To save water, simple changes to daily routines are all that are required. With these 6 practical water-saving cooking tips, we can all do our part.

Use The Dishwasher For Full Loads Only

Dishwashers surprisingly deliver better water efficiency than hand washing. The average person often leaves the tap running while washing the dishes. And as each dish can take about 15 seconds to wash, there could be gallons of water wasted every time you’re at the kitchen sink.

An energy-efficient dishwasher can actually use less than four gallons of water per cycle. The savings quickly add up, especially if you maximize the efficiency with a full load. That’s because the same amount of water and energy is used to wash a full load or half load.

Dishwashers even heat their own water in a far more efficient way than a hot water system does. The localized heating is going to save you money on water heating bills, too.

Don’t Leave Faucets Running

If you’re filling up the sink or rinsing some vegetables, don’t let yourself get distracted and walk away. You could very easily wastewater during an inattentive spell. The average faucet sees one gallon of water flow through it every 30 seconds. Even a short distraction that keeps you away for a minute could waste valuable water.

Instead, focus on the task at hand. There are better uses for potentially wasted water, and your garden could especially benefit. Otherwise, you’ll have an overflowing sink or too much water in a saucepan that will just be poured down the drain.

Reuse Cooking Water On The Garden

Once you’ve boiled some pasta, vegetables, or any food reuse that cooking water in the garden. The boiling process actually infuses the water with additional nutrients that your plants will love. From calcium to iron, it all helps.

You can even reuse some cooking water for other meals, just don’t keep it for too long. There’s no reason why you cannot use the same water to boil pasta two nights in a row. Water can also be reused to boil or steam vegetables. Just be sure to put it in the refrigerator between uses and only keep it for 1-2 days.

The only thing to avoid is salted water. High salt levels will dry out or harm your garden, so you don’t want to reuse any cooking water with high salt content. Alternatively, take this boiling water out and pour it over any nasty weeds. It’s a quick and easy way to kill off invasive weeds and plant species.

Steam Vegetables, Don’t Boil

If you want to save water at home, even the smallest changes help. And that could be steaming your vegetables instead of boiling.

You need far less water to produce steam, all while still creating a flavorsome dish. In fact, vegetables often retain their flavor more when steamed. And it works for all sorts, from carrot and potato to broccoli and beans.

Of course, not everything you boil can be steamed. But making the switch wherever you can is a handy way to reduce water consumption each and every day.

Stop Rinsing Dirty Dishes

Alongside an unnecessary and wasteful running tap, rinsing your dishes is a big no-no. Instead, save water in your kitchen by scraping food scraps into the bin with a knife or fork. You should never rinse them down the sink, anyway, as it can block your drains.

Proper disposal of food waste is environmentally beneficial. On one hand, you can use the scraps in the garden via compost. On the other hand, you’re reducing the amount of rubbish going to landfills. And by protecting your sinks and using less water, household plumbing benefits.

It’s a good habit to teach the children. They can properly dispose of their leftovers and save water in the process. Any water tips that are educational and beneficial should never be ignored.

Use The Right Size Pots And Pans

Are you overfilling pots and pans with too much water? It’s time to stop. You no longer have to pour the excess water down the drain if you simply grab the right pot for the job.

This might seem like an obvious way to save water in the kitchen, but not everyone is taught proper kitchen etiquette. Some people are unaware of the best-sized accessory for the job. Therefore, you don’t need a giant pot for a small portion of rice. A single-serve of pasta does not need to be boiled in your deepest pot.

Consider the task at hand and go for the most efficient item. The conversation of water achieved by simply using less water adds up quickly. Less water loss and wastage is a major benefit for any water-conscious person.

There are plenty of products out there that claim to do a great job with burned-on food, but most are fairly expensive. There are other options. Surprisingly, the best solutions to burned-on food in a pot or pan are all-natural and easy. The best solutions are built around the idea that heat plus abrasive substances can do the trick.

Baking Soda, Water, and Detergent

For baking pans, baked-on gunk, one of the best solutions is a mix of baking soda, hot water, and dishwashing liquid. Allow the pots and pans to soak for 15 to 30 minutes. Scrub out the pots and pans with a plastic scrubber, double-checking the curves of the dish. If your pans are still yucky, try adding the same solution again and heating the pan on the stove until it boils. Then try scrubbing again.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Vinegar is an acid, and baking soda is an abrasive. Together, they can help you save your pots and pans. Start by boiling a mixture of vinegar and water in the pot or pan. This will loosen the burned-on food. Carefully remove the pots and pans from heat, dump out the liquid, and add baking soda. When they have cooled enough, scrub pots and pans with more baking soda and a plastic scrubber.

Alka-Seltzer

Alka-Seltzer is an amazing workhorse of a product. Not only can it relieve indigestion, but it can also help you clean a surprising range of things around the house, including burned-on food. Just put hot water in your pot or pan, add about six Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let them fizz. ​The citric acid in the Alka Seltzer will start to work. When you return after an hour or so, use hot water, detergent, and a strong scrubber to clean off almost any mess.

Dryer Sheets

A strange-but-true option for cleaning grungy pots or pans is to use a new or used dryer sheet. It is not quite clear why this works, but many home-making mavens including Martha Stewart swear by the method. Simply put a dryer sheet into a pot with hot water, wait an hour, and scrub. The mess will be much easier to manage.

Prevent Pot Burns

Once you have cleaned and dried your pots and pans, it may be worth your while to invest in a good wooden spoon and a timer to avoid running into the same problem next time.

Don’t put these objects down your sinks, drains, or toilets to avoid plumbing problems or harming the environment.

When most of us consider what we should and should not go “down the drain,” our thoughts immediately turn to our kitchen sinks and the capabilities of our garbage disposals. While this is an important concern, there are other drains in the house that we must be cautious about what we throw down.

Today I’ll be sharing 9 things that shouldn’t go down any of your drains, whether it’s your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower drain, or your toilet. These substances can cause clogs, create expensive plumbing issues, and even harm the environment, none of which are things you want to be responsible for!

 Eggshells

While they may seem harmless, eggshells don’t break down very well and can easily get stuck in your drain. Plus, other things can get caught on the shells’ sharp edges and lead to blockages.

Instead of putting them down your garbage disposal, compost your eggshells or put them to good use with one of these ideas instead.

Grease

Pouring grease down the drain is a big no-no because even though it takes on a liquid form when hot, it will eventually cool down and harden into an oily, coagulated mess that can coat and clog your drains. Instead, let cooking grease cool and solidify first, then put it in the trash.

Flour

Flour coagulates when it gets mixed with water, which is exactly what happens when you put it down your sink. The doughy mixture can coat the pipe and even catch other bits of food on their way down the pipe and create blockages. Instead, use a spatula to scrape batters, doughs, and flour into your trash can.

 Medication

We should all be aware that when medication goes down any drain, it leeches chemicals into our water supply that can be harmful to the environment. Instead, take expired or unused medications to the waste disposal unit at your local pharmacy or hospital.

 Produce Stickers

While eating them won’t cause you any harm, washing produces stickers down your drain might cause damage to your pipes or block screens at your local water treatment plant. They don’t dissolve in water and aren’t compostable, so the best place to dispose of them is in the trash.

“Flushable” Wipes

Even wipes marketed as “flushable” don’t dissolve very easily and can clog your drains or even entire sewage systems. Throw them away in your bathroom trash can instead, or better use, install a bidet attachment on your toilet or make a DIY “bum spray” you can use with regular toilet paper.

Cleaning Products

Pouring cleaning products down the drain is also harmful to the environment. Avoid water pollution by calling your local Hazardous Household Waste collection center to find out where you can dispose of bleach, ammonia, and other chemicals. Many centers offer drop-off or pick-up services.

Paper Products

While paper towels, cotton balls, and feminine hygiene products may seem like they’re in the same family as toilet paper, they lack the design elements that allow them to break down readily. It’s safer by far to toss any paper product that isn’t toilet paper in your trash.

Foods That Swell In Water

Popcorn, rice, and noodles tend to soak up water and swell accordingly, which can easily create blockages in your pipes. While it’s probably fine if a few pieces slip past your strainer and slip down your drain, be sure to toss the bulk of these food items in the trash.

Here are four tips to lower your kitchen remodel budget.

Refresh Rather Than Replace the Cabinets

In general, all tear-out-and-replace projects are more expensive than projects that keep most of the materials. Kitchen cabinetry is a prime example of this. New kitchen cabinets can be very expensive, especially if you need custom-made pieces to fit your space. Fortunately, there are ways to refresh your existing cabinets that are both eco-friendly (because the old cabinets won’t end up in a dumpster) and cost-effective.

• Painting: Painting kitchen cabinets is a classic method of updating them. The process of sanding, priming, and painting can be time-consuming depending on how many cabinets you have. But it’s simple enough that beginners can achieve good results.
• Refacing: More expensive than painting, refacing adds a new veneer to the outside of the cabinet boxes and entirely replaces doors and drawer fronts. This is difficult to do yourself, as it requires tools and expertise that most DIYers don’t have. But it’s still cheaper than getting all new cabinets, and it will completely change your kitchen’s look.
• Hardware: In addition to the cabinet finish, consider updating the hardware. Sometimes modern knobs and handles are all it takes to make existing cabinets feel brand new.
• Shelving: Instead of purchasing new cabinets or refinishing your old ones, consider installing some open shelving. Shelves are inexpensive, and you can easily match them to your kitchen’s style, resulting in an airy feel almost like that of a commercial kitchen.

If you do need to replace cabinets, look for ready-to-assemble options. It’s typically not that difficult to assemble the pieces yourself, so you won’t have to pay for labor costs. But getting the right fit for your kitchen can be a challenge, especially if you have odd angles.

Refurbish the Appliances

In the past, many appliances were sent to the landfill during the course of a kitchen remodel. Thankfully, that antiquated thinking is on its way out, as municipalities have enacted restrictions against sending appliances directly to landfills.

Now, information about fixing kitchen appliances is readily available. And there’s a thriving online service parts marketplace. This makes it possible for many homeowners to refurbish their own appliances, rather than paying for a professional or spending money on something new.

Some appliances you can fix yourself include:

• Dishwasher
• Refrigerator
• Microwave
• Water heater
• Water softener
• Garbage disposal

Of course, the ability to repair an appliance depends on your skill level and whatever’s causing it not to function like new. But it’s often worth an attempt to DIY before you shell out more money.

Keep the Same Kitchen Layout

Dramatically changing the kitchen layout is one sure way to drive up the remodeling budget. For instance, moving plumbing for the sink, dishwasher, or refrigerator entails hiring plumbers. They’ll have to punch holes in your walls to run new pipes, which means an added cost of materials in addition to the labor.

On the other hand, keeping your kitchen layout essentially the same while updating the elements within that framework is incredibly cost-effective. You generally won’t have to add any new plumbing or electrical. You also can keep your existing flooring if you wish. (Flooring often doesn’t run under cabinets, so if you change the layout, you’ll have to deal with gaps in the flooring.) And you still can achieve a whole new look and feel in the space.

Furthermore, galley-style or corridor kitchens often have such limited space that footprint changes aren’t possible unless you want to spend a lot of money on major alterations to the home’s structure. One-wall kitchen layouts allow for a little more flexibility because they have an open side. In this case, adding a kitchen island is a great way to gain more prep space and storage without expensive layout changes.

Do Some Work Yourself

Do-it-yourself home remodeling projects allow you to pay for the materials while bringing labor costs down to zero. Some remodeling projects that require beginner to intermediate expertise from DIYers include:

• Interior painting
• Tiling
• Flooring installation
• Changing outlets and lights
• Hanging drywall
• Installing baseboards and other trim

Local hardware stores and community colleges often have how-to classes and demonstrations for common home projects. Plus, hardware store employees are usually available to offer advice on products and projects. Even better, these educational resources are often free of charge.

However, in addition to cost, an important factor to consider when deciding between DIY and hiring a professional is time. While a tight timetable typically means hiring a team of professionals, if you have the luxury of time to complete your kitchen remodel, you can do much of the work yourself.