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How to Care for Acrylic Flooring

April 30, 2013 By 1 Comment

Heather says:

Not too long ago on Facebook, I got a question about acrylic flooring that had become cloudy.

First I want to note that acrylic is a broad chemical term that simply means made of polymers or resins. So acrylic flooring can come in many forms, but in general people either mean linoleum,  laminate, or Pergo style flooring. (Linoleum, laminate, say that five times fast)

The basic care is the same for all of these flooring types since they are made of similar, although not identical, material.

Cloudy or dull finishes on acrylic flooring is caused by tiny nicks and scratches that get filled with dirt, over time. You ask where do the nicks and scratches in my linoleum come from? Outside. (You can also chemically etch -scratch- the surface of your flooring and create that delicious cloudy haze, too)

That’s why using doormats is so important. Relatively people, relatively. I’m not saying  saving your linoleum is the same as saving a life, but you will end up saving some cash in the long run and who doesn’t want to do that?

If doormats are of primary importance, daily sweeping and or vacuuming comes next on the list. Why? Weren’t you paying attention a moment ago? We’re getting rid of the grit that scratches the flooring. I still love my Roomba, but I did spring for an upgrade. We’ve talked about all kinds of vacuums over the years here at Home Ec 101, but I do want to point out that woot.com – that link up there in the header often has refurbished Dysons for an excellent price. Be careful though as checking in at woot can become addictive. I may or may not have quite the t-shirt problem.

(Oh, and if you do go through that link and find something neat, it’s affiliate which means I get a few pennies, which helps keep this site running. I love y’all, but *gasp* a little financial reward for 6 years of writing isn’t entirely unreasonable.  The minions are growing and didn’t I just buy them shoes? Yes, I do buy their shoes before I enable my geeky t-shirt addiction)

So much to our chagrin we find the solution to our problem -cloudy, dull flooring- comes through preventative maintenance.

Well, crap, you probably wouldn’t be here if your acrylic flooring wasn’t in rough shape.

You can apply an acrylic floor finish to restore shine. I won’t lie, it’s a complete pain in the butt.

You need to thoroughly clean your flooring, vacuum and sweep as though your life depended on it. Then you’ll need to strip the old finish  -and you absolutely must consult the manufacturer’s guidelines before doing this or you could easily cause permanent damage or void a warranty. Yuck.

Then apply an acrylic floor polish -again with going by your manufacturer’s recommendations- carefully following the directions.

And then, once your floor is all shiny and pretty -it’s never going to look brand new again, quit hoping for that- you can start following my original advice and invest in some door mats and regular upkeep. Because really? After all that work, you don’t want to have to do it again in just a few months.

Be sure to use a very mild and dilute cleaning agent when you do damp mop your flooring to prevent that chemical etching I mentioned earlier. Why? Because I said so.

Good luck.

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

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Fixing Scratches in an Enameled Cast Iron Sink

January 2, 2013 By 1 Comment

Dear Home Ec 101,

I have a fairly new (less than 1 year old) cast iron Kohler sink, it is the shiny black one, the manual recommended using the Kohler cast iron sink cleaner and I have used it regularly and I have used a plastic mat on the bottom of the sink, to try to prevent scratches. Yet I have some minor scratches. Is there any way to safely remove the scratches from my sink without harming the enamel?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Again I LOVE your site and by the way I am hooked on Method products!! Love them!!

Signed,
Scratched in Scanlon
Heather says:

Take a deep breath, I have good news for you, dollars to donuts those are not actually scratches in your sink. I highly doubt you were sitting there with a chisel and hammer purpose trying to gouge your sink. That’s pretty much what it takes to mar the finish of a quality enamel finish. What you are actually seeing is called a “pot mark” and it’s just a scuff from the sink taking a tiny bit of metal off of your cookware.

It’s a lot like when somebody just barely grazes your car in a crowded parking lot and leaves a bit of their paint on your car. A bit of buffing is all it takes to get rid of their carelessness and it’s pretty much all that is needed here, too.

Go ahead and use the recommended cleaner, but find a cork, perhaps from last night’s wine-braised pot roast? Apply the cleaner full strength to the scratch on the cast iron sink and then use the cork to gently scrub the marks away and your sink will look good as new!

Pot marks will likely become a source of irritation over the years, but at least you now know that you have not inadvertently scratched your shiny, new sink. It’s going to look good as new for a long, long time.

Good luck and please let me know how it turns out.

Oh and thanks for letting me know about Method, I’ll be sure to pass that along.

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

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How to Remove Melted Microfiber from a Smooth Top Stove

November 28, 2012 By 1 Comment

Dear Home Ec 101,

I burned a microfiber rag on my flat top range as I thought it was cool and was wiping it off. The regular ceramic stove top cleaners are not taking it off. How can I remove the melted microfiber from my stove?

Signed,
Stuck in Sturbridge

Heather says:

Cleaning melted anything off of a smooth top range is kind of a pain in the rear. First, as you’ve noticed, microfiber cloth isn’t like your standard cotton, which would have simply scorched or burnt. Microfiber is a generic term for any fiber less than one denier per filament -the tiny strands that are twisted and woven together to eventually create a cloth -sometimes, like in the case of microfiber, that requires a whole heck of a lot of twisting and weaving.

A denier is really tiny, about ten micrometers. These really tiny filaments give microfiber cloths their excellent cleaning properties, but since they are generally made from polyesters, they have the unfortunate tendency to melt on hot surfaces. Razor Scraper

You take the good with the bad and then to clean up the bad, you find a razor scraper.

Don’t worry, these razor scrapers are super cheap and you can find them at any big box store -Walmart, Target or hardware store, like ACE or Lowes -these are simply examples, not a recommendation of where to spend your money.  If you do not currently live with your parents and do not already own a razor scraper, toss one in your Amazon shopping cart.

Why?

Because at some point, you’re going to need this stupidly, handy tool for something, whether it’s for removing melted microfiber, plastic bags, or sugar from your smooth top stove, getting burnt-on grime off of the interior of your oven, or even removing paint from glass, these suckers are handy and at just over two bucks a pop, there is no reason not to have one in your kitchen and one in the garage / workshop area. Also at that price point, it’s worth having in there, if you’re THIS close to free shipping, but not quite.

To use the razor scraper on your smooth top range, hold the scraper at about a 45° angle to the stove and push forward, not side- to-side, never side-to-side, that would be how you scratch your smooth top range.

Got it?

Always scrape back and forth, not sideways and do it at an angle. Picture the razor blade sliding between the plastic and the surface of your stove, prying off the stuck on bits. (Because that’s what it’s doing and why it’s best to use a very sharp blade. Please use common sense and caution when using this tool and hide it from the minions, if you have those lurking about.)

Questions?

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

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Baby Bottle Cleaning -Ask the Audience

July 27, 2012 By 24 Comments

Dear Home-Ec 101,

Help! I’m a new mom cleaning baby bottles. I breastfeed my baby, and she takes breast milk in a bottle when I’m at work.

I should know the answer to this question, as I’m a pharmacist and took years of chemistry. I’m so embarrassed!

Hot, soapy water does not remove stubborn milk residue from the insides of my baby’s bottles. Breast milk has a high fat content. It’s also hard to mechanically remove the residue since my hand can’t fit in the bottle, my fingers aren’t long enough, and bottle brushes just leave streaks of milk behind!

I’m looking for a solvent. I know that alcohol dissolves lipids, but simply swishing the alcohol doesn’t work. Do I warm it up first?

Signed,
Bottle it up

Heather says:

I would not want to use any kind of solvent in your infant’s bottles, unless they are glass, and even then I’d be hesitant.

 You all know I’m not scared of  the broad term “chemicals.” I also don’t believe that natural means safe.

That said there are specific instances in which I am extra careful about what cleaners I choose, an infant’s bottle is definitely one of those cases. I think of it this way, if you’re going to the trouble of breastfeeding then don’t undo your efforts and expose your child to chemicals like pthalates (there are no pthalates in the rubbing alcohol you mentioned, but rubbing alcohol can weaken some plastics.)

Use a mild detergent*, HOT water, and PHYSICAL energy to clean out those bottles. I never bothered with bottle brushes and instead just shoved the dishcloth way down inside and twisted the heck out of it. In particularly stubborn cases I would take a chopstick and use it (inside the cloth) to get down into that stupid ridge at the bottom of the bottle. (Yes, I was also frustrated by the fat left behind.)

Very hot water and plenty of detergent (just like when we talked about how washing machines clean clothes) are what is needed to get rid of that fatty residue. My pal Amy Tucker added a squirt of soap to the bottle, a little hot water, and shook the snot out of it.

Maybe a fellow Home Eccer has stumbled upon an easier way to clean baby bottles? (Feel free to chime in, in the comments!) If not, well, just remember this is a very short period of time. You’ll only have to deal with these bottles until cup weaning which is recommended (by many pediatricians, mine included) at one year. So really, you’re going to get through this.

Hang in there.

*This is absolutely not a sponsored post, but it is an honest plug for Method which you can find at Target, Amazon, Lowes, and Soap.com. (Home Eccers you can feel free to chime in with your favorite gentle dish detergents, too.)

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

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PSA: Is Your Can Opener Clean?

March 16, 2012 By 12 Comments

Bran says:

This is a public service announcement from Home Ec 101.
Let me ask you a quick question: When was the last time you washed your can opener?*

Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m the dude who, when cooking in your kitchen, scrubs the can opener before I use it. And nearly every time, I’m fighting against caked-on rusty-red sludge. Or actual rust. Really.

Help me.

Do me a favour. Do yourself a favour. Do anyone who eats food from your kitchen a favour. Please keep your can opener clean. It’s one of the things health inspectors check for a reason—I mean, you open a can of tomato puree, and as it opens tomato seeps up through the cut in the metal and smears all over the blade. Sometimes, it sloshes over the side and hits the wheel, too. If left unwashed, that stuff builds up and becomes that dark, rusty-brown home for things you don’t really want to ingest. “Unsanitary”, meet “Ew”.

Electric can openers are even worse for this, I’ve found. Cleaning them well is a nightmare—particularly if the goo has already set up well on it. You’re gonna need some elbow grease and some vinegar to get that off. If you have an electric opener and the lever/cutting wheel is removable, (unplug the machine first! and) pop that lever-piece into a bowl of white vinegar for a soak until the gunk comes off when brushed with a toothbrush. In the meantime, scrub the heck out of the main body of the opener, all around the mechanism, everything. Rinse it clean, dry it all very well so you’re not just inviting rust back in, and reassemble.

If you have one where the blade and lever can’t be removed, chuck that thing and get a hand-held one. I’m serious. Better still, if you have an electric one at all my recommendation is to chuck it and get a hand-held one. Because you really should be cleaning your can opener whenever you use it, and isn’t it a pain-in-the-butt chore with that electric one?

Manual can opener technology has come a long way since we were kids; even the middle-of-the-road brand will open up a can with less effort than you’d expend trying to clean one of those blasted electric machines, and a good quality one will open your can like a hot knife through butter. Gone are the days of busting your knuckles with some dull contraption of twisted steel. Some of the can openers on the market are actually a joy to use. …Don’t look at me like that. It’s true. And a lot (most, I’d wager, but check the packaging) of these manual marvels of engineering are even dishwasher-safe.

If you already have a manual can opener, and it’s dirty, the same trick with the vinegar and a toothbrush should work on it. Alternatively, if it’s old, and you notice it’s taking a little too much work to use it, take the opportunity to toss it and get a new one with a sharp blade and a distinct lack of food build-up. (In fact, having a sharp blade is a key factor in cutting metal—I know, it’s a shock—so if you’re having to put in a whole lot of effort, or if your opener skips or gets stuck, a dull blade might be the problem. Replace the blade or buy a new opener.)

And this time, this time, keep your can opener clean. Clean it every time. Keep the hinge well-oiled with food-grade mineral oil. It’s a tool, and tools deserve to be taken care of.

Thanks, on behalf of Anyone Who Eats Food From Your Kitchen and other interested parties. You won’t regret it.

*Tin opener, if you’re inclined to call them tins instead of cans. In my house it could really go either way.

Filed Under: Clean It Tagged With: ,

Tackling Difficult Stains on a Smooth Top Stove

February 22, 2012 By 2 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

I am well acquainted with the razor blade to clean the dried food spots on my smooth-top stove; however, there are “places” on my stove that cannot be felt with the fingers, and there is nothing to scrape with the razor blade, they’re just mars, I guess. I have a less than two-year-old stove that has these little places all over the burners and do not come off even with the special cleaner.
Do you have any ideas about these stubborn spots?
Signed,
Stuck in Stuart

Heather says:

A few things to try, but always on a cool stove are:

Try making a paste of Bar Keepers Friend and water OR baking soda and water, OR dampening a paper towel with white vinegar and placing any one of these over the stained areas. Allow this to sit for several hours before trying a nylon scrubby style sponge.

Never use copper or steel wool on your ceramic cook top, no matter what you see people recommending on sites like Yahoo Answers. This is a quick way to seriously scratch your cook top and once it’s scratched, there’s really no recourse.

I did some research and this does seem to be a very common complaint among owners of black or speckled cook tops. If your stove is still under warranty (1 – 5 years generally) you can call and see if they’ll replace or repair the top or have specific instructions for dealing with this type of mark.

I have seen MAAS recommended by some home care experts, but I would suggest discussing this with the manufacturer of your stove first, to avoid voiding your warranty or inadvertently causing further damage.

An unfortunate fact of life is that some stains and wear are inevitable in our homes and at some point, you try to fix them, realize that it’s going to be more effort than it’s worth and start calling it a patina. I hope one of the suggestions listed above is helpful, but really, don’t get your hopes up too high. Sometimes stains are permanent.

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

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Spots on a Smooth Top Range

February 13, 2012 By 7 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

I have a glass (or maybe ceramic?) range that came with our house. It was new in June when we moved in. I have never had one before and am puzzled by some strange markings which have appeared on it. I use a ceramic cooktop cleaner on it about every other week; the rest of the time I just wipe it down with soapy water. I think the culprit may be my (used-to-be nice) pots which recently started leaking water from the handle/where the handle is riveted onto the pot. They spurt liquid whenever I use them and now there are odd spots on the range. They look kind of like normal stains, but the cooktop cleaner doesn’t touch them. Are they burnt into the stovetop? Am I doomed to have a marred surface on my less-than-a-year old stove? Thanks!

Signed,
Crusty in Cranston
Heather says:

No, you’re not doomed to have a spotted range forever, but I do want you to know that no matter how careful you are, at some point your smooth top range will no longer be pristine. Today is not that day.

The next time you’re in a big box or home improvement store find yourself a razor scraper. Depending on the brand or where you find it, this tool should be well under 10 bucks or if you’re an Amazon Prime member go ahead and toss it in your cart. Easy peasy (dangerously so!), In all seriousness every home needs at least one razor scraper and some spare razor blades for tasks like cleaning a smooth top range and removing paint from window panes and I’m sure you can find other uses for this thing.

To use a razor scraper on your smooth top range hold the blade at a 45° angle to the surface of your stove. You’ll need to apply pressure and scrape pushing down toward the surface your stove and push forward starting at the edge of the spot.

NOTE: Do not slide the razor from side to side like you’re trying to slice something with the blade, that’s a great way to permanently scratch the surface of your appliance.

I know the idea of using a razor blade on your new-ish smooth top range can be a little scary at first, but give it a try. Soon enough you’ll keep one of these handy things in the kitchen tool drawer and find great satisfaction in removing the remnants of a spillover.

As far as your pots and pans go, it’s definitely time to invest in a new set, but remember cast iron is not a good choice for a smooth range. If you’re torn on what type of cookware to purchase read Cast Iron, Enameled Iron, and Stainless Steel Cookware

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

 Amazon links are affiliate.

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Food Safety: When in Doubt, Throw it Out

November 21, 2011 By 6 Comments

Dear Home-Ec 101,

My husband and I had a roast thawing in our fridge. It thawed alright – and raw liquid leaked all over into our fridge drawers – where we have a drawer full of fresh apples.

I know if I peel and cook the apples, I will be ok, but is there a way I can clean the apples and feel safe eating them raw? Or is it best to call it a loss and make a giant pan of apple crisp instead?

Signed,

Appalled in Appleton
Heather says:

What a pain in the butt.

The mantra of food safety is “When in doubt, throw it out.”

The difference between the produce you currently have in your crisper drawer and produce you purchase from the grocery store, produce stand, famers market, or pick yourself is that you know your produce has been contaminated while all other produce is potentially contaminated.

We wash produce to remove pathogens they may have picked up en route from farm to table. You just happen to have witnessed the point of contamination.

Make sure you use a  two step disinfection process to clean up the mess in your refrigerator. First wash with hot soapy water and then use a dilute solution of chlorine bleach.

The best way to clean firm produce with skin, like apples, is to wash them thoroughly under running water while rubbing with a soft bristled brush. This method is recommended for ALL firm produce including melons, apples, and citrus fruits. Do not use dilute bleach or detergent on produce.

If you want to return the apples to the refrigerator for storage, be sure to dry them thoroughly before returning to the crisper drawer.

If you want to be extra careful, soak your apples in white vinegar for 3 – 5 minutes before rinsing and scrubbing under running water. E. coli O157:H7 (one of the more obnoxious food borne pathogens) can be reduced with white vinegar. Now you only want to do this step just before the apples are consumed, as any bacteria that is left behind shouldn’t be given the chance to make new friends¹.

Now there is a great, big caveat here: If an apple has damaged skin, throw it out.

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

¹How many former girl scouts do we have in the audience? “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other’s gold.” I’ll be singing that the rest of the dang day.

 

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How to Clean An Electric Kettle

September 23, 2011 By 2 Comments

*Note to Longtime Home-Ec 101 Readers – I’ve been working hard on improving the navigation on this site. Click the Clean It Tab in the menu bar to find all the cleaning articles organized into some semblance of order. Neat, huh?*

Dear Home-Ec 101:

I have an electric water kettle that I’ve used for years. Since it can’t go in the dishwasher or even really be hand washed other than just rinsing it out, I am always careful to empty any leftover water out before I store it. My parents came to visit in July and apparently when the kettle was put away there was some water left in it which I just discovered last night. I dumped it out and wiped it out with soapy water and a sponge but there is still some residue on the bottom. I used it to boil water for instant gravy last night and the gravy tasted funny, not sure if it was the water or the gravy mix. What is the best product to use to get this residue out? Could I use a limescale remover (CLR, limeaway, etc.) or is that not safe? Normal soap & water scrubbing is not touching it.

Signed,

Tail Over Teakettle

Heather says:

Rest assured, it was the gravy mix.

I kid, of course.

In this case, I’d reach for Bar Keeper’s Friend. It’s acidic like limescale removers, but it’s safe for contact with food surfaces. I know long time readers are probably tired of hearing of this product, but it’s cheap, easy to find (think Walmart near the Comet). I was once in one of those fancy cooking stores and I saw they had a small can of BKF and some sponges for $14.  I nearly spit out my latte -when in Rome. . .  Seriously, skip the fancy cooking store, and grab a big can for usually less than $3 or $4.

That should do the trick.

If you don’t want to wait until you have BKF on hand, fill the reservoir with white vinegar and allow it to soak for a while, then add some baking soda for the entertainment value -look a volcano! Actually, dump out the vinegar and rinse out the kettle. Really you don’t need the science experiment part, but that’s some quality entertainment right there. If there is still some residue try scrubbing with a damp sponge and a paste of baking soda and salt (this has an alkaline pH which may work where the vinegar failed).

Edited to add – Please remember to unplug and let the electric kettle cool before cleaning.

Good luck!

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

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How to Scrub a Tile Floor

September 7, 2011 By 3 Comments

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I was looking on your site for information on the best (and hopefully most efficient) way to scrub floors.  I found posts on your site about linoleum and mopping, but the only thing I found on scrubbing was a sentence saying that scrubbing floors required significantly more water.  I have tile floors in my kitchen and bathroom and 3 young children.  They are always dirty, and I have a baby who is crawling on them.

Thanks so much!

Signed,
Tiled-In Toddler Town

Heather says:

When scrubbing tile, you want to avoid harsh cleaners. Acids usually won’t affect the tile, but they can damage the seal protecting the grout and if the grout is unsealed, they can damage the grout itself. Strongly alkaline cleaners (like bleach) can also damage the sealant.

Before starting, check to see if your grout is sealed. Don’t worry, there’s a very simple test for this. Just sprinkle a drop of water on the grout, if it beads, the grout is sealed and you are on easy street -well as easy as life with three young kids ever is. If the grout darkens where the water was applied, the grout needs to be sealed, pronto. Since it has to be cleaned first, I’ll address how to seal grout in a future post.

You should NOT need to scrub your flooring often. This should only happen a couple of times a year at most or if you’ve slacked for a while and the dirt has had a chance to get comfortable with help from sticky friends like hair spray or spilled food. I have a steam cleaner I use for routine cleaning.

Before starting, sweep or vacuum the room thoroughly. You’ll save a lot of work getting rid of the loose dirt, first.

To scrub a tile floor, you’ll need:

  • at least one bucket -I like having a second for rinse water, or I just use the sink or tub in a small bathroom
  • mild detergent, preferably pH neutral, but something like the plain original Dawn dish soap will do
  • warm water
  • a scrub brush
  • several old towels
  • two rags
  • something to kneel on, unless you truly hate your knees and have no plans to wear shorts or skirts in the next week or so

Fill your bucket with warm water, add just a squirt or two of detergent. You don’t want it sudsy, when you are scrubbing, you’re mostly relying on physical energy to remove dirt rather than chemical. (We’ve talked about these mechanisms in the past, in relation to laundry).

Dip one of your rags in the bucket and wring it well, this is to address smudges on the baseboard and everything else you notice while on your hands and knees (it’s amazing what a different perspective can reveal sometimes). Keep this in easy reach.

Mentally divide the room into smallish squares, no more than a couple of feet across. Dip your brush into the soapy water and gently scrub in circular motions, be sure to try to pull dirt away from the corners rather than pushing into them. Rinse your brush often to prevent just transferring dirt from one area to another.  The bristles of the scrub brush sweep up and trap the dirt which is then rinsed away. (This is why I have a separate bucket for rinse water, you don’t want to just keep dipping your scrub brush back into dirty water and potentially picking up the same dirt to reapply it to the floor)

Wet your other rag with plain water and squeeze to remove most of the water. Use this to wipe / rinse your finished square.  Wipe up any excess water with one of your old towels and move on to your next area. Don’t skip the rinsing step, soap can leave a sticky film behind that attracts dirt. Your freshly scrubbed floor will look dirty even faster with that invisible accessory.

Keep moving from one section to another. Usually, I work from one corner toward the door, but I have an exception for the bathrooms because I have boys. When it comes to the bathroom, I always save around the toilet for last, as the idea of spreading even very dilute urine around skeeves me out a bit.

Remember that while your tile floor shouldn’t be damaged by water that your baseboards and cabinetry may not be as durable. Work quickly along the baseboards to prevent water from damaging the wood or cabinetry and wipe up any excess water quickly.

It’s not rocket science, but it is work. Again, this is not how you should clean your flooring on a weekly basis, scrubbing should be reserved only for very deep cleaning as scrub brushes themselves can damage the sealant protecting your grout.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

 

 

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