Dragonfly Treasure

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Getting Down and Dirty: How To Clean An Oven

Dirty oven? When you have a spill its best to clean it up right away, but whether you have an electric or gas oven, here's tips for cleaning your oven

There are two paths to getting the full life expectancy out of your oven: either you don’t use it, or you keep it clean. For most of us, the first path isn’t an option.

The importance of a clean oven is one of longevity and efficiency. Baked on dirt makes the oven heat up more slowly, making it less efficient. Yes, there are commercial oven cleaners available, but most contain harmful chemicals. Something you don’t want to expose yourself and your family to.

Then there’s the self-cleaning oven. It sounds like the perfect solution, but just say no. Your oven is not designed to withstand the extreme temperatures for the prolonged period of time required to incinerate the grit, grease and grime. It will cause your oven to wear out prematurely.

Learning how to clean your oven without these hazards is not impossible (Hint: There is actually a homemade oven cleaner that makes the task both safe and easy.)

Materials Needed for Cleaning Your Oven

Baking soda
Vinegar
Dish washing detergent
Sponge
A dry cloth or paper towels

How Often You Should Clean Your Oven

Wondering, “How often should I clean my oven?”? Well, that depends on how often your oven is used. If your oven is used on a regular basis, you should make it a part of your monthly cleaning routine, in addition to wiping it down weekly. Of course, the best thing to do when you have spills in the oven is to wipe them up immediately, before the spills become baked on. Baked-on food and grease can cause the oven to smoke and smell bad, affecting the taste and smell of your food.

If you hardly ever use your oven, just look in on it every now and then, and give it a quick wipe.

The Best Way to Clean Oven Racks

Most oven racks slide out of the oven. A good place to clean oven racks is in the bathtub. Simply put a towel in the bottom of the tub so the racks don’t scratch the tub finish. Then, place the racks on the towel, fill the tub with hot water until the racks are covered and dissolve a half cup of dish washing detergent in the water. Let the racks soak for at least four hours or overnight. Loosen any stuck on particles with a soft brush or sponge, rinse them to remove the soap and dry them off. Easy
peasy!

Cleaning an Electric Oven

Consider using baking soda to clean the oven. Simply make a paste with one half cup of baking soda, mixing it with three tablespoons of water. (Use a cup of baking soda with one-third a cup of water if the oven is really dirty.) With the racks removed, use a paper towel or sponge to remove any loose particles from the bottom, sides, top and door. Use a soft bristled brush to scrub the inside surfaces with the baking soda paste, being careful not to scrub the heating element. Let the paste soak for one to three hours or overnight for a really dirty oven. To remove the paste, you can spray it down with vinegar or use a paper towel or sponge soaked with vinegar. Replace the racks.

Cleaning a Gas Oven

For gas oven cleaning, use the same method as above, with the following addition:

The gas burner is under a panel in the bottom of the oven. There are vent slots in the panel. Be careful not to let any liquid run down through the slots and onto the burner.

Before and After A good job done!

A good job done!

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Saturday, January 18, 2020

Easy Butterfly Origami

Enlarge, print, enjoy!

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Thursday, January 9, 2020

Ferrari Automobile Logo in Glass - WW

^click^ on replay "circle arrow" or center arrow

He does this in minutes!

Quite a talented artist from Murano, especially if you own a Ferrari 😲

Thursday, January 2, 2020

9 Ways to Unclog a Kitchen Sink Drain

It can be a helpless feeling when the kitchen sink won’t drain. With water backing up and a counter full of dirty dishes waiting to be cleaned, it may be tempting to reach for the phone and dial the plumber. Before you do, read these easy, do-it-yourself ways to unclog that drain.

1. Boiling Water
This is the easiest and least expensive solution of all, which makes it the best one to try first. Place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a rolling boil. While you’re waiting for the water to heat, remove as much standing water from the sink as you can, using a mug or small pot to bail out the water. Then, pour the entire kettle of water into the sink and wait. If the water stands in the sink and the clog doesn’t move, give the water time to cool and remove it to try again. You may need to repeat the process several times to move the clog, but this often works on many types of stoppages.

2. Disposal
Check to make sure it’s not your garbage disposal that's causing the problem. A clogged disposal can stop up the drain, run the disposal to see if that clears the clog. Then check to make sure it’s running correctly. If the disposal has overheated, you may need to flip the switch found on the side or bottom of the unit underneath the sink.

3. Salt and Boiling Water
After removing standing water from the sink, pour about 1/2 cup of table salt down the drain before you pour in the boiling water. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then flush with hot water to clear the mixture.

4. Vinegar and Baking Soda
Remove standing water first. Pour about a cup or so of baking soda into the drain, followed by an equal amount of white or apple cider vinegar. The solution will bubble, but when they subside, put the stopper in and wait about 15 minutes. Next, run hot water to see if the clog clears. Repeat if needed.

5. Baking Soda and Salt
This is another combination that can work on sink clogs. Mix about 1 cup of baking soda with 1/2 cup of salt, and pour down the drain. Let the mixture sit for several hours, then flush with boiling water. You can repeat this process if it doesn’t work the first time.

6. Plunger
If these combinations aren’t successful in unclogging your sink, reach for a common household plunger. If you have a double sink, first seal off the second side with a wet cloth or a stopper. You’ll need to create a tight seal around the plunger, so fill the side of the sink you intend to plunge with enough water to cover the bell of the plunger. Place the plunger firmly over the drain and plunge vigorously several times. When you hear the suction clear the clog, remove the plunger and flush the drain well with warm water.

7. P-Trap
It may be necessary to clean your kitchen drain’s P-trap to clear the clog. The P-trap is at the curve of the drainpipe under the sink. Place a bucket underneath the drain to catch any water or debris that may fall out. Unfasten the P-trap from the drainpipe and clear out anything that is stuck. Then replace and run water through it.

8. Plumbers Snake
This handy tool can clear clogs that may be stuck further down the system. You’ll have to disassemble the drainpipe and P-trap that runs underneath the kitchen sink to expose the “stub pipe” that travels behind the cabinet wall. This is where you insert the snake into the pipe until you feel resistance to break up the clog.

9. Coat Hanger

If you don’t have a plumber’s snake, you can use a wire coat hanger by straightening it. Of course, it won’t reach as far as a plumber’s snake, but it may be long enough to reach some clogs. Insert it into the kitchen drain or stub pipe to push through or pull out the clog if you can reach it. Be careful not to scratch your sink with the wire.

To keep your sink smelling fresh and running clear, pour in equal parts of vinegar and baking soda on a regular basis. For routine cleaning, you’ll just need about 1/2 cup of each. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes before running some warm water down the drain. You can also use lemon juice for the same purpose.

It’s always easier to avoid clogs in the first place. If you have a kitchen garbage disposal, don’t overload it. Feed items in a few at a time, and wait until they grind and run through completely before adding more. Never put bacon grease, coffee grounds or oils down your kitchen drain, and always make sure you run plenty of water down the drain after each use to keep things running smoothly.