Kitchen Gadgets and Kitchen Cleaning Hints

Tea and coffee pots, cups etc.

Use baking soda to remove coffee and tea stains from plastic cups and dishes.

Remove tannin stains from your teapot by placing a tablespoon of biicarbonate of soda into the pot, adding boiling water and leaving to soak overnight.  Next day, rinse and wash thoroughly.

To keep a  teapot smelling fresh put a lump of sugar or a dry tea bag inside until you are ready to use it.

To remove tea and coffee stains from china cups mix equal amounts of salt and vinegar together, put into the cups and leave to soak, then rinse thoroughly.Ordinary household salt will disinfect your sink.

Cleaning kitchen sinks

Baking soda is very good for cleaning stainless steel sinks.

Rub sinks and draining boards with scrunched up newspaper for a superb finish after cleaning.

To remove water spots from a stainless steel sink use a cloth dampened with white vinegar.

To clean a white sink use bleach.  For an economical way to use bleach just line the sink with kitchen paper and soak the paper in bleach.  Leave for an hour and then throw the paper away.  Never use bleach in coloured porcelain sinks because the colour will fade.  Instead clean with liquid detergent, vinegar or baking soda.

To get rid of the soap suds after washing up wipe round the sink with a bar of soap while the tap is running.

Cleaning the oven

Put a sheet of aluminium foil on the bottom of your oven to catch drips and spills and replace as necessary.  This will save lots of cleaning.

Cleaning your hands and cleaning worktops

If your hands are stained rub with a piece of raw potato.  This works on kitchen worktops too.

Other tips for the kitchen

To get rid of unpleasant smells from plastic containers fill with crumpled newspaper.  Cover tightly and leave overnight.  Remove the paper and the smell will disappear.

Wrap steel wool scourers in kitchen foil after use to stop them rusting.

Spray vegetable oil on a grater before you use if so it is easier to clean.  Old toothbrushes are good for cleaning them.

Kill off germs in kitchen cloths ( the cotton knitted type) just pop them in the microwave for two minutes. They should be soaking wet when you do this.

If you burn a pan boil up some sliced onions and water in it and leave for a few hours.

To clean up perspex and get rid of scratches, rub with toothpaste and then polish with a cloth.

If you get candlewax on your table cloth  just heat a spoon over the candle, place a piece of wet newspaper over the wax and rub the hot spoon over the newspaper to melt the wax which will then come off the tablecloth and stick to the table.

Rinse plates in a weak solution of water and vinegar and they will shine like new plates.  Good quality china  will really sparkle if soaked with denture cleaning tablets!