Alternate Uses For Plain White Sugar

I ran across these uses for plain white sugar in the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (which I really love because it delves deep into the how and why of cooking food – almost like a science lesson in the kitchen!). In addition to the facial scrub recipe I shared with you (which actually uses brown sugar), these are great ways to use a common household item to solve a common household problem!

As an extra bonus, do you know how to keep or make brown sugar soft again? You can either store it in a terra cotta container, add an apple slice to the bag, simply microwave it for about 30 seconds, or bake on a sheet in the oven at 250 degrees for a few minutes. Any or all of these methods work nicely.

Keep Cookies Soft

Sugar absorbs moisture, so adding several cubes of sugar (or a little pill bottle filled with sugar to your cookie jar will keep them moist, soft and chewy. This is perfect for cookies like snicker doodles or chewy chocolate chip.

Make Your Hands Smell Good

After you’ve chopped pungent ingredients such as onions or garlic, scrub your moistened hands with a bit of sugar. You may have to leave the sugar on your hands for a minute or two in order to totally get rid of the smell.

Relieve Burns

We’ve all burned our tongues on a hot food or liquid before; next time try placing your tongue on a spoonful of sugar. When the sugar crystals hit your tongue, they will begin to dissolve right away and pull out the heat.

March 10, 2011: The Many Uses of Vinegar

Plain, white vinegar is a wonderful cleaning product. It can do so many things around the house – it truly is a versatile product to always keep on hand. I buy it in the big gallon container and suggest you do, too. You might be surprised at how often you start using it once you know all the things it can do!

There are basically four ways vinegar is your household cleaning helper: as a deodorizer, as a mild bleach, as a remover of water mineral deposits, and as a dye setter.

Vinegar Deodorizer:
• Pour some into a small dish and place it next to the stove to absorb cooking odors.
• Dip your fingers into a bit of vinegar after chopping onion or garlic to remove the smell.

Vinegar Bleach:
• Mix with baking soda to form a paste and use to remove rust and water stains from sinks, countertops, etc.
• Line your damp bathtub with paper towels; pour vinegar over them. Let sit for an hour, then wipe away.
• Add a drop to your pet’s water bowl in the summer to keep it from forming algae.
• Spray full-strength on cutting boards used to slice raw meat.
• Add a bowl of vinegar to an empty washing machine or dishwasher during the wash cycle to clean the interior.

Vinegar Water Deposit Remover
• Run equal parts water and vinegar through your coffeemaker, tea pot, or water dispenser (once weekly is recommended).
• Pour full strength into a baggie. Place the full baggie over a shower head and secure it on the stem with rubber bands. Let sit overnight.
• Boil baby bottles in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water.
• Pour into your steam iron’s water opening. Turn the iron to the steam cycle and let it sit upright for a few minutes, until the vents are unclogged.

Vinegar Dye Set:
• Presoak new, brightly colored clothing in a solution of vinegar, water, and a bit of salt to set the color and prevent bleeding.

Vinegar is also great for using in homemade glass cleaners and all purpose cleaning wipes. I’ll share those recipes with you later this month.

March 4, 2011: The Many Uses for Baking Soda

One thing I do not like is using harsh, toxic, strong-smelling cleaners in my home. And there’s really no need to use them. Not only do natural products cost less, they work just as well – and sometimes better – than their commercial counterparts.

Take baking soda, for instance. I buy it in the largest box available because I use it constantly. It’s great for deodorizing, cleaning, and a whole lot more. Just take a look at all the ways you can use baking soda around your house:

Baking Soda Deodorizer:
• Place a small, opened carton in the refrigerator and freezer.
• Sprinkle in the bottom of your garbage can before adding a trash bag.
• Sprinkle in the bottom of the baby’s diaper pail.
• Add to kitty litter.
• Pour a bit into a pretty dish and leave it next to the stove to absorb cooking odors.
• Sprinkle over the carpet a half hour before vacuuming.
• Use a small, opened carton or a can filled with baking soda on the floor in a corner of your closet to absorb shoe odors.
• Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with water and pour it into dirty baby bottles. Leave it overnight then wash as usual – gets rid of sour milk smell.
• Make a paste of baking soda and dishwashing liquid to clean spots on upholstery and carpet (test a small area first to make sure it doesn’t bleach the fabric).

Baking Soda in the Bathroom:
• Use in place of a powdered cleanser, such as Comet, to scrub the sink, bathtub and shower.
• For stubborn rust stains, make a paste with a bit of water and let it sit for about an hour before scrubbing, then rinsing.
• Clean the shower drain by pouring in a cup of baking soda. Let it sit for a few minutes, then add a cup of vinegar. Let it sit for about half an hour, then pour a half gallon of boiling water the drain to get rid of hair buildup (especially good for sensitive septic systems).

Baking Soda for the Laundry:
• Fill a small spray bottle three-quarters of the way full with water, add baking soda to the top. Keep it in your baby’s room and spray it on clothes to clean spit-up.
• Use it as a fabric softener by adding a half cup to the rinse water in your washing machine.

You can pretty much use baking soda for any type of cleaning – I’ve used it to scrub the pans underneath the burners on my electric stove before and it left them nice and shiny. Do remember that baking soda is an abrasive, though, and don’t use it on painted china or other types of decorative objects.