Greasy Grimy Glass

Dear Home Ec 101,

Ladies, we have a self-cleaning oven. However, we like to roast meats in the oven after searing them on the stove, using a frying pan. Consequently, we have serious grease stains on the inside of the over door and the glass. The stains are very difficult to remove. Do you have an easy solution?

Signed,

~Greasy in Green Bay

Heather says:

What a timely reminder to clean my own oven glass. We cook our bacon in the oven, so as you can imagine my oven window was quite disgusting. I took pictures to demonstrate the cleaning process, but my ever-so-helpful-little-darlings* have broken the power supply for my laptop and I cannot access them.

I find it amusing that I can go months without mentioning a product and then suddenly I will mention it several posts in a row.  Once again, I am recommending Bar Keepers Friend.  The abrasive is mild enough that it can be used on glass without scratching.  This is your everyday glass, not your computer monitors or camera lenses.  Some may suggest placing a bowl of ammonia in the closed oven for several hours or using a product such as Easy Off.  We have small children and pets in the house, so I prefer to not expose them to the fumes.*

The process is a little easier when the oven door is warm, but not hot. Use a fairly damp rag to wipe the glass.  If the door is hot, water could seep into the double pane and fog your window, not to mention water conducts heat quite well and you could burn your hands.   Sprinkle the glass with Bar Keepers Friend and go entertain yourself for a few minutes.  I highly suggest perusing this site.  Once the acid has had some time to work on the grease, use your damp rag to scrub the glass.  You will need to keep changing the portion you are scrubbing with as it becomes dirty.   Depending on how many eons you have allowed the grease to accumulate (are we talking sedimentary layers or just a thick film?), you may need to repeat the process.  When the grease has been removed from the glass take a second damp rag and wipe up any lingering powder.

There you have it.  A nice shiny oven window.  Now, once again, you should be able to peek at your food and decide if it’s done without opening the door.

Enjoy.

*Yes my teeth ARE clenched, why do you ask?

**It couldn’t possibly be because I don’t have the energy to load everyone in the car and head to the store.

Submit your household questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

Cleaning granite, Janet!

(from our message boards)

Dear Home-Ec 101,

Can someone tell me why one of the hardest substances on earth is so picky about what it’s cleaned with? Seriously, new house, new coutertops, new to granite. How do you clean AND disinfect safely on granite?

Signed,

Samantha

Ivy says:

Well, Samantha, I’d like to know how you turned my font blue, but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Just kidding, I’ll answer your post post-haste.

Granite is a very hard surface (nearly as hard as my head!), but it is a very porous surface. Don’t ask me why, I failed molecular biology. Fortunately, there is a good (and cheap) way to clean and disinfect your granite surface.

Get yourself a spray bottle and fill it up with a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water. Use this to clean your fab granite countertops. Once a month, use a specially formulated granite polish on your countertops and they should look fabulous and be nice and disinfected.

Granite is so sexy, and it doesn’t have to be hard to clean!

Bathtub funk is fun!

Dear Home- Ec 101,

My bathtub is so funky, it makes James Brown look stodgy. Especially since he’s dead. But I digress. The yuck in my tub is so nasty, I’m afraid to take a shower, and my co-workers are starting to complain. Help me, Luke Skywalker Home-Ec 101, you’re my only hope!

Signed,

Princess Leia

Ivy says:

It just so happens that I was reading a blog post about this very issue today. TipNut tells us you can easily clean your bathtub with laundry detergent. The way to do this is by filling your tub with hot water, then adding 2-3 cups of a powdered laundry detergent that has enzymes. (to break down body oils, which is what is making your tub so heinous)

Soak that puppy overnight, then drain it and wipe it down in the morning. Head over to TipNut if soaking your tub in laundry detergent doesn’t work. She has a “Bathtub Miracle Paste” that just might fit the bill.

Oh, and Princess? Take a shower, already, your email smelled like pimentos and old feet. Ewww.

Where to Start

Dear Home-Ec 101,

My house is a wreck. I’m scared to open the fridge, I swear something growled at me the last time I grabbed a soda. I think a dust bunny ate the baby.

Help Me!

Signed,

Don’t Know Where to Start.

Heather Says:

I begin with the kitchen sink, it’s a small area and it can be conquered!

Empty your sink of all dishes, fill it with hot water and a little bleach.

Come back and read for a few minutes or empty the dishwasher, if you’d prefer.

After the hot water has had time to loosen the crud, drain the sink, and use a non-abrasive cleaner to scrub it. Don’t be afraid to use a little elbow grease! Now, if you have a sink like mine, you may have to use a mild abrasive like Bar Keeper’s Friend, or in a pinch, baking soda.

Finish by shining the faucet with a little window cleaner and wipe with a paper towel or soft cloth.

It’s a lot easier to face the day when you don’t have to shovel dishes out the way to brew a pot of coffee.

Now go find that baby!