Keeping a house clean is important and keeping your cleaning arsenal simple and healthy is even more important.
Store your DIY concoctions in glass bottles, which contain no harmful chemicals and are better for the environment than plastic. Look for a brown variety to help keep light from breaking down compounds within.
Use essential oils. They smell wonderful, but many plant-derived essential oils also possess antimicrobial attributes, meaning they can help negate unwanted elements such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Add a drop or two to a cleaning solution to amp up the aroma and the cleaning power.
All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
Make this your go-to cleaner.
1 1/4 Cups Water
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
10 Drops Essential Oil
Pour ingredients into a glass spray bottle, using a funnel if you have one, and mix contents. Spray liberally on surfaces and wipe clean with a soft cleaning cloth.
Sink Scrub
Works on porcelain, stainless- steel, acrylic, copper, stone, and solid surfaces.
2 Cups Baking Soda
20 Drops Essential Oil
Castile Soap Or Dish Soap
Put baking soda in container. Add essential oils and stir to combine. Wet sink, sprinkle scrub liberally, add a squirt or two of castile or dish soap, and scrub. Rinse thoroughly.
Glass & Mirror Cleaning Spray
Toss the blue stuff and use this instead.
2 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Rubbing Alcohol
5 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil
Pour ingredients into a glass spray bottle, attach sprayer, and shake to mix.
“Work With What You Got!”
©Tiny New York Kitchen © 2020 All Rights Reserved
Pantry & Freezer Staples
How long do pantry and freezer staples last? Staple items are known for their long shelf life, but they don’t stay fresh forever! Use this handy list to determine how long you should keep them on hand.
Freezer
Hamburger & Stew Meats: Shelf Life: 1 to 2 Days Storage: 3 to 4 Months
Ground Turkey, Veal, Pork, Lamb: Shelf Life: 1 to 2 Days Storage: 3 to 4 Months
Bacon: Shelf Life: 7 Days Storage: 1 Month
Sausage (Raw From Pork, Beef, Chicken or Turkey): Shelf Life: 1 to 2 Days Storage: 1 to 2 Months
Fresh Steaks: Shelf Life: 3 to 5 Days Storage: 6 to 12 Months
Fresh Roasts: Shelf Life: 3 to 5 Days Storage: 4 to 12 Months
Chicken or Turkey (Whole): Shelf Life: 1 to 2 Days Storage: 1 Year
Chicken or Turkey (Cut Up): Shelf Life: 1 to 2 Days Storage: 9 Months
Lean Fish: Shelf Life: 1 to 2 Days Storage: 6 Months
Fatty Fish: Shelf Life: 1 to 2 Days Storage: 2 to 3 Months
Fresh Shrimp, Scallops, Crawfish, Squid: Shelf Life: 1 to 2 Days Storage 3 to 6 Months
Pantry
Baking Powder: Shelf Life: 18 Months Storage: Keep In Dry Place In Airtight Container
Beans (Dried & Uncooked): Shelf Life: 1 Year Storage: Store In Cool & Dry Place
Chocolate (Semisweet & Unsweetened): Shelf Life: 18 Months Storage: Keep In Cool Place
Cocoa: Shelf Life: 1 Year Storage: Keep In Cool Place
Cornstarch: Shelf Life: 18 Months Storage: Store In Airtight Container
Flour (White or Whole Wheat): Shelf Life: 6 to 8 Months Storage: Store In Airtight Container or Freeze To Extend Shelf Life
Nuts (In Shell & Unopened): Shelf Life: 4 Months Storage: Freeze to Extend Shelf Life
Spices & Herbs (Ground): Shelf Life: 6 Months Storage: Store in Airtight Containers In Dry Areas Away From Sunlight & Heat. Before Using, Check Aroma – If Faint Replace.
Sugar (Brown): Shelf Life: 4 Months Storage: Store in Airtight Container
Sugar (Confectioners’): Shelf Life: 18 Months Storage: Store in Airtight Container
Sugar (Granulated): Shelf Life: 2 Years Storage: Store in Airtight Container
Vinegar (Unopened): Shelf Life: 2 Years
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Tiny New York Kitchen Household Hints
Caring For Your Silver
A simple way to clean your silver is to put it into an aluminum pan with sour milk and let it stand for a few hours. Then rinse in hot water and polish. If your silver is going to be stored for any length of time, then put a piece of camphor with it or rub the silver with Vaseline or sweet oil. When possible to do so, stand the flat silver in large glass top fruit jars with a pad at the bottom. Cover the top with cotton and place a piece of camphor in the jar. Then screw the lid on the jar. This makes an airtight container and keeps the silver perfectly without tarnish.
Tiny New York Kitchen Household Hints
Caring For Your Waffle Iron:
To temper a new waffle iron or griddle make sure to grease liberally before using. Allow the grease to bake in. Repeat this process several times and the tempering will be more thorough. Never ever wash a waffle iron or griddle. After each baking just wipe with a soft oiled cloth.
Tiny New York Kitchen Household Hints
Keep Glass From Cracking
Have you ever cracked a glass or a jar by pouring hot liquid into it? Well, hot water will not crack a glass or jar if it is set on a knife blade and a spoon is put in it before pouring in the hot water. Another way to keep a glass or jar from cracking is to put a wide rubber band around both the top and bottom of the glass.
Tiny New York Kitchen Household Hints
Yesterday I was asked how to keep salt shakers unclogged.
For Clogged Salt Shakers:
Heat a teaspoonful of rice and mix with the salt. You could also use a pinch of ground arrowroot added to the salt. Both methods will prevent the salt for clogging the shaker. To keep the metal tops from being eaten away spread a bit of heated paraffin on the inside of the metal top. When the heated paraffin begins to cool open the holes with a pin or a wooden toothpick.
Tiny New York Kitchen Household Hints
Having problems with dripping candles?
Place your candles in the refrigerator for a 1 or two days before using. When you are burning candles that have been refrigerated the wax will not drip down the sides. This is a great way to stretch the life of your candles and save your table from dripping wax.
Tiny New York Kitchen Household Hints
I must get asked a dozen times a day about domestic problems other than cooking ones. Here are some good remedies to household questions that I have received over the years.
Making Brooms Last Longer:
I like to use an old fashioned broom. I think that they do a better job and I actually think that they last a long time. To lengthen your broom’s life, whether it’s an old fashioned one or a newer version, hang your broom up rather than resting it on its own weight.
Before using your broom (this is for old fashioned straw brooms) soak it in hot salt water. Make sure you use a good amount of salt. This will help the straws become more durable. Scald your straw broom in hot suds once a week to keep it in good condition. To renew your old broom soak it in hot suds and then clip the ends of the straws evenly on the bottom. You may want to put a broad band of strong tape around the broom where the straws are sewn. This will hold the straws together and force them to dry straight.