Kitchen Tips

1. Clever Solutions for Cleaning and Disinfecting your Cutting Boards.

Baking Soda
Keep your wooden or plastic cutting board clean by occasionally scrubbing it with a paste made from 1 tablespoon each baking soda, salt, and water. Rinse thoroughly with hot water.

Bleach
Don’t even think about using furniture polish or any other household cleaner to clean a butcher block cutting board or countertop. Rather, scrub the surface with a brush dipped in a solution of 1 teaspoon bleach diluted in 2 quarts (2 litres) water. Scrub in small circles, and be careful not to saturate the wood. Wipe with a slightly damp paper towel, then immediately buff dry with a clean cloth.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a sure-fire bacteria killer — just the ally you need to fight the proliferation of bacteria on your cutting board, especially after you cut chicken or other meat. To kill the germs on your cutting board, use a paper towel to wipe the board down with vinegar and then use another paper towel to wipe it with hydrogen peroxide. Ordinary 3% peroxide is fine.

Lemons
No wonder your kitchen cutting board smells! After all, you use it to chop onions, crush garlic, cut raw and cooked meat and chicken, and prepare fish. To get rid of the smell and help sanitize the cutting board, rub it all over with the cut side of half a lemon or wash it in undiluted juice straight from the bottle.

Salt
After you wash cutting boards and breadboards with soap and water, rub them with a damp cloth dipped in salt. The boards will be lighter and brighter in colour.

Vinegar
To disinfect and clean your wood cutting boards or butcher block countertop, wipe them with full-strength white vinegar after each use. The acetic acid in the vinegar is a good disinfectant, effective against such harmful bugs as E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. Never use water and dishwashing detergent, because it can weaken surface wood fibres. When your wooden cutting surface needs deodorizing as well as disinfecting, spread some baking soda over it and then spray on undiluted white vinegar. Let it foam and bubble for five to ten minutes and then rinse with a cloth dipped in clean cold water.

Source: Reader’s Digest

2. Tips for Washing Fresh Fruits and Veggies.

Washing fresh produce is important to remove various types of bacteria such as e.coli, salmonella, or Staphylococcus aureus. All of these pose potential health risks if the produce is not properly washed before consumption. So whether you are purchasing your produce at a farmers market or the supermarket, or growing them in your own organic garden, here are several safe and effective ways to make your own produce cleaners to ensure your favorite fruits and vegetables are as safe as possible.

Soaks - You can make your own natural super soak using common household items. Mix equal parts vinegar (white or apple cider) with distilled water or dissolve one teaspoon of table salt for each cup of water to create your soak. Allow fresh produce to sit in the mixture for 10-20 minutes and then rinse under cool water.

Sprays - You can easily make your own super solution for a spray-topped misting bottle. Mix one tablespoon lemon juice, two tablespoons baking soda per one cup of distilled water. Spray on fruits or vegetables, let it sit for five to ten minutes and then rinse under cool water. If you prefer not wasting prep time waiting, mix one tablespoon lemon juice, two tablespoons distilled white vinegar and one cup distilled water, spray on fruits or vegetables and pat dry.

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