House Hold Tips

[gv]

Dear All,
We have been using the forum mainly for sharing tips,tricks and recipes . There is no seperate thread for house hold maintenance. So thought of starting a thread for that. All senior hubbers, pls post ur ideas/tips/tricks regarding maintaing a house.

To start the thread, can any one suggest me how to store kancheepuram pattu sarees. I live in USA(CA).

I have this question for a long time with no proper response.
Hope someone answers
Thanks
GV

[bhargavi.raj]

Hi Gv,
I try to store my sarees this way
Keep them hanged in a coat cover or put a old duppatta or clothe over it. They like a lot of air circulation, if put in a suitcase or bag you may not get the best results.
Frequently keep it near the window which has sun coming, just to get the heat.
wear them regularly ( even at home for 30mins ) once a while.
use less heat while ironing
spray them with body spary or mist
and always hand wash them.
It works for me.
Try it if u like my ideas.

[gv]

Thanks Bhargavi
Will try that.
Also if u some tips on general house hold cleaning and other related stuff, pls post

[gv]

Also Can someone tell me how to store photos ( which is the best way whether to put in a album or is there a method to store photos?

[riceandbeans]

What I usually do is scan hard copies and save them on a disk. Require very little storage space, no maintenance plus it is easier to re-print if you ever need a copy.

[gv]

what do u do with the phyical photos then? do u discard after scanning?

[hemakk]

hai all,

i stored the silk sarees in cotton towels (one saree at one towel) for past five years, its goods and my MIL told put some 'VASAMBU' also, i dont know the english word 'VASAMBU'.

[gv]

Thanks Hema

[gv]

No tips on how to store the photos till now :(

[indu]

Any useful tips on dusting please ?
I normally use a feather duster, but by the time I finish all the rooms, the tables etc. in the hall [where I usually start], are already covered in fine layer of dust ......So, I invariably have to dust almost every day, which is frustrating .
What is the best method / products for efficient dusting, please suggest .
Thanks,
Indu.

[napolims445]

use swiffer dry sheets for dusting. as u r cleaning the dust gets locked in the sheet and does not let the dust spread. My house will be dust free at least the day i clean and its time for dusting the next week.
Hope this is what u were looking 4.

[gv]

Does anyone has a schedule for cleaning the house. normally if i don in weekend it takes 4-5 hrs for celaning the entire house. how do u ppl manage.
if anyone can share their tips that would be great

[grl95014]

Try using a Micro-Fiber cloth for wiping the dust on furniture etc. In my opinion they are the best not only for dusting but for cleaning sinks, kitchen counters, furniture etc. Look for Micro Fiber clothes package at Target, Wal-Mart etc in the automotiv section or at Costco and Sam's club - they are very inexpensive there.
They are also available online at a higher price from the Solutions catalog at http://www.solutionscatalog.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=1361
My husband uses them for cleaning his car. I tried it for home cleaning and I am convert. It also helped me reduce the harsh chemicals that we use for cleaning considerably. They basically grip the dust and any small particles.
Caution: Don't mix the ones that you use for house cleaning from the ones that you use for automobiles because they may grip small particles of dirt and scratch your car.
Good luck.

[svasu_ani]

Hi,
To store the physical photos, You can group the photos according to occassions and put them in an envelope or a cover and label it. Once you are done with sorting, arranging and labeling these envelopes, you can pick a plastic storage box and keep the photos in them...The photos will be stored in an organized way...

Anitha

[svasu_ani]

Hi GV

Instead of cleaning the house on one single day for 4-5 hrs, you can clean one room for a day. That will break down the job. And some simple tips are...
1) you get plenty of ads with news papers or mail box, jus scan them and if u dont need them immediately throw it in trash..this way u wont accumulate more trash.

2)Make sure that who ever in house is using a thing returns them in the place where they are. In this way ull save time in reorganising things again.

3) For the kitchen, as and when u finish cooking jus clean the place, and in night before go for sleep wash all the dishes , clean the gas top and make sure everything is clean so that u can begin the next day easily...When u do it on a daily basis the gas tops will be easier to clean instead of scrubbing them on one single day.

4)Vaccum once in a week or 10 days....This way u can always manage to kep the home clean...

Anitha

[sarithasai5]

Hi gv and Anitha!
what Anitha suggested is absolutely right! I do the same way at my house.
And also Bath Tub,which can be cleaned once in 6 to 7 days so that it won't look dirty.

And one can place Scented Fabric Softner ,one each in closets near shoe stand etc...in the places where u want to smell good also in the pillow cover so that it smells good.

Potash Alum when kept in a small bowl in the fridge, absorbs odours.

[gv]

Thats a good tip saritha cleaning the bath tub often. it will really save a lot of work

[apujittu]

Hi All,
Can any anyone suggest me good cleaning powders or sol for cleaning the oil splutters on kitchen walls and grease in the oven! I am also looking for some good solution for cleaning the bath tub too. I am in US, some brand found in the local market will be really useful. :roll:

Apujittu

[gv]

My kitchen sink is ceramic. Its all stained and has few scratche also. Can any one suggest how to remain the stains(some what light yellow in color )

TIA

GV

[sarithasai5]

Hello Apujittu,

Bath tub:
For the bath tub cleaning, I use "CLR" which is around 3 to 4$.
It cleans out well.Just got to spray it all over the bath tub and leave it for 3 to 4 minutes.Then take a sponge(u get in walmart too) and rub the tub.That's all .It smells good and also cleans well.

Kitchen walls:
And to clean the oil spluttering in kitchen walls, u can rub with wet plastic-wired cleaner which is used to clean vessels with solution (used to clean vessels)on it.

But best thing u can do in order to keep the wall clean in kitchen is to tape an Aluminuin foil in the area where usually oil splutters.
With this U can keep changing the foils when necessary.

Gas Stove:

U can wrap the aluminium foil to the gas stove plates so that u will have to change the foil once in a while to keep clean from seasoning splutterings.

And cleaning the gas stove immediately after ur cooking work will save lot of work at once and also the strain.

:) Saritha

[sarithasai5]

Hi gv!

Use an all-purpose kitchen or bathroom cleaner for Ceramic sink. Use a scrub brush to stains; rinse with warm water.
It shld help u :)

[sarithasai5]

hi Apujittu,
Forgot to write abt Oven.
If the oven is very much greasy,then u can use this method(home made).

Pour 1/2 cup vinegar into a small bowl.

Add 1/2 cup hot water.

Rub away greasy stains with a sponge or a cloth soaked in this solution.


Otherwise, one can use Oven cleaning solutions which we get in any store.But be careful if there r kids at home coz they say they generate fumes that wld be pungent. :)

[tomato]

To make small amounts of ginger/garlic paste grate a knob of ginger or a large clove of garlic on the part of grater that is used to grate apples for babies.

[tomato]

To get rid of strong odours form microwave ovens (especially after cooking fish) boil a few mint leaves in a bowl of water in the oven for a minute. Then keep the door of the oven open for a few mins. Finally remove the bowl and wipe the inside of the oven with a kitchen cloth.

[indu]

Thanks napolims445 and grl95014 for the responses.
Are the swiffer sheets disposable or can they be re-used. And regarding the Microfiber cloth, I just saw in the shop y'day, but it says it should be used with little moisture .... Won't the dampness affect the tv, dvd, sound system etc. ?

[rsankar]

Hello,

I just saw the "Hard Anodized" wok, what is this? (this is looks like non stick)and is this best for cooking?

[napolims445]

Swiffer dry sheets(for dust) are disposable and u can use it to ur hearts content before u dispose. Just that simple. U dont have to damp the swiffer sheets before u clean unlike the microfiber cloth u mentioned about..
Hope it works..

[R]

Hi friends,

Can you tell me a way to clean thick mats which we use at the entrance for all rooms?

And, for cleaning the kids' clothes, always prefer to use dettol since they are going to school and bringing infection. Is there any alternative US product available?

Thanks and Regards.

[Nichiro]

Hello R,
Cleaning mats is easy.
Once a month, when you are having having head bath with shampoo, stand on inverted mat .Do this while you are still taking bath.
You will notice all the dust from the mat has collected down or goes down the drain. In ten minutes, your mat will be free of dust.
No extra cost of detergent is there.
Try SAVLON for children's clothing.
It is available in all major department stores like Albertson, SAFEWAY etc.

[deepali128]

hi sarith

is that risk to cover a drip pan with foil? do u do it regularly? actualy it's a nice tip.

Deepali

[Kz]

Hi R
U can use vinegar and baking powder too while washing kids clothes and even adults white clothes. and try to dry them once in a while in the sun during summer, as sun bleaches and kills all the germs.

Hi Nichiro,
Regarding cleaning the mats while taking head bath is a great idea but, wont our hair get stuck to the mats?
then cleaning the hair will be more tough. i think i will try it while cleaning the bathtub tiles , so the tiles get cleaned as well as the mat. thanks for the idea. it is time to clean the mats and i usually waste one washing cycle for few mats.
kz

[R]

Thanks Kz and Nichiro.

I too have the same doubt, Kz. But while cleaning the bathroom, if you clean the mat, again the dirt coming out of the mat will not get stuck?

I also use to put in the washing machine, but the mat's quality is getting worse. Machine is not meant for mats.

And, can anyone suggest me tips to maintain the silver vessels or idols? I tried putting besan flour, curd etc. no use at all. Though I wash every two days, somehow, the black is not going clearly. So, an effective solution is better.

thanks.

[svasu_ani]

Hi R,

for cleaning silver, easiest way is to use a tooth paste, (use a white paste...). I saw this in a tv show called how clean is your house..and i did try.. the blackness goes off...

anitha

[R]

Thanks, Anitha..

will give a try soon and let you know the result.

[kavithasenthil]

Hello R,

Easy way to remove black thing in silver is to rub it with viboothi(thiruneer-what we put in our forhead)

This is the method i am using for a long time. Hope this help you.

[indu]

How to use Dettol while cleaning the kid's uniforms ---- should we add to soap water while pre -soaking the clothes or at the time of rinsing ?


Hi R,
I have seen long ago , a neighbour using this method to clean her silver pooja vessels, kinnams, thambalams and even the kuthuvilakku. She had seen Mallika Badrinath, do this on some tv show & the vessels became so clean, shiny without any scrubbing. Just place enough water in a big heavy pan and bring to a boil. { My friend used her old pressure cooker itself as water should be enough to submerge all the vessels to be cleaned} !! Meanwhile, cut a sheet of aluminium foil into small squares, the size of a 'krackjack' biscuit. When the water boils, add all the foil squares and boil foranother minute or so. Then add a tsp. of cooking soda ....at this stage water may froth a little , then subside, so be careful. Then add all the stuff to be cleaned, drop them slowly as hot water my splash on your hands. Switch of gas, cover the pan and leave it for at least 20mins. After this time, water will not be so hot to handle and you can see for yourself, all shiny new vessels emerging from the pan !!

Try it out and good luck .
Indu.

[R]

Hi Indu,

This is so new method which have never seen. Will try all of yr methods and definitely intimate you.

one query, is that ok to put silver vessels while the gas is on ?

Thanks so much for yr time.

Bye.

[khushi]

Indu,
I have tried the method you have suggested, it really helps to get some of the tarnish. My silver things were really black, atleast it came to some what silverish color. I will have to do couple of more times before it comes very close to the true sense.

-Regards,
Khushi.

[indu]

Hi R,
Yes, my friend put her silverware, stirred it all with the back of her wooden mathu and only then switched off the gas, and closed the cooker with the lid.

Hi Khushi,
I think my friend does this sort of cleaning regularly, as her vessels were literally 'palapala' , shining like never been used at all !!

I'm reposting my previous query here,

How to use Dettol while cleaning the kid's uniforms ---- should we add to soap water while pre -soaking the clothes or at the time of rinsing ?

Thanks and bye.

[R]

Hi Indu,

I always add dettol at the initial stage itself. Though use washing machine to wash my kids' clothes, pour soap powder and dettol one by one. The purpose is to avoid infection, so it is better to add at the earlier stage.

Hope this is enough.

[R]

Hi Indu,

Just now, tried yr tip for my silver vessels and yes, it is really effective. Though it is not like a new silver vessel(as kushi said, shd do a couple of more times), it lost its black and slowly coming to the original silver color which have never seen with any method. So, should thank you and yr friend for sharing.

I have some basic doubts; hope you can clarify me.

The bottom of the vessel (old cooker) becomes slightly black. Is it becoz of the blackened foil? anyways, it is not a problem. Becoz, I always use lemon to make it whiten; still, what does yr friend do to avoid this problem? Can u let me know?

And, how frequently does she do this? weekly once or monthly once?

Guess I loaded you with too many queries..Bye..

[R]

And Khushi, after cleaning the silver vessels, actually, rinsed with cold water; slowly, rest of the black from the vessels are also coming out. Slowly, I took all of the with a fresh cloth.

Obviously, the hot water released all the black stains out of the silver vessels. Have you tried that too?

Bye.

[sarithasai5]

hello Deepali!
I am sorry as I could not respond u soon.
It is not a risk to use the foil.
But do wrap good to see that u don't block the wire atleast..I mean wrap as the plate is.
In fact it wld be easier to change the foil regularly than cleaning the plate which u can do once in a while. :)

[indu]

Hello R,
The friend who did this silver cleaning has left the country years back, and has moved to Australia now. But I'm still in touch with her & have mailed her this morning , asking your queries also.

For blackness of cooker: Sometimes I forget to check for sufficient water inside cooker & so the insides become burnt, I used to come running only by the smell !! But , I use Pril dishwash [liquid / bar] with a steel-wired sponge [Scotchbrite / Vileda] and this is very effective on the stains. This is my method only, and I have also asked my friend your doubt on cleaning. As soon as I get her reply, I will post it here. OK.

Bye.

[R]

Hello Indu,

Thanks for yr fast reply.

Actually, blackness of cooker is not a problem. That day, I boiled the silver vessels with the foil. Becoz of the foils, it got darkened (not becoz of lack of water). Anyways, I always put lemon inside the cooker while cooking so that it will be so white (palich) and no black at all.

Just want to know if she follows any different method other than lemon.

No hurry..take yr own time..

[gv]

Hi All,
I have a white sink in my kitchen which is stained very badly.Is there a way to regain its white color.
Is there any cleaner avaialabe in USA to make the sink white?

Thanks in Advance
GV

[sarithasai5]

Hi gv!

Use an all-purpose kitchen or bathroom cleaner for Ceramic sink. Use a scrub brush to stains; rinse with warm water.
It shld help u :)

I am reposting this message:)

[gvb]

Hi Gv,
i had the same problem with my sink too..I used baking soda and it removes most of the stains effectively..it works wonders on countertops also..Hope this helps..

[deepali128]

hi Sarithsai5

thanx! i will give it a try.

deepali

[gv]

Hi SarithaSai and GVB
I will try ur tips and post my feedback

Thanks

[R]

Hi,

This is not an exact question about household; but, really need everyone or (mother)'s suggestion.

Have two kids ranging in the age of 3 & 6; but, different sex. I am planning to buy an outdoor play thing for them. Other than trampoline, is there any better equipment ?

Thanks and pls reply soon.

[indu]

Hi R,

My friend has replied stating that she washes the silver like this on average only once a month, mainly depending on usage. If lot of festivals, vradhams then she does even once a week, before they gather too much blackness. For the cooker base becoming black, she says not to take out the washed vessels one by one, wash in tap water etc. Once the vessels are cleaned & water has slightly cooled, stir them again in the cooker itself [to dislodge the black particles in the base], then lift the cooker itself & empty the entire dirty water directly into the sink. Take care to hold the vessels though! Then fill fresh water into the cooker which has the cleaned vessels, and rinse them side-by-side placing them inverted on a clean kitchen cloth. Then wipe dry.

Regarding the outdoor play stuff, I think all kids like water, maybe an inflatable pool would be enjoyed by the kids. Or even a tent/camping set [esp. boys like it] , and a small swing/slide set for your little girl . Kids love getting dirty and building a sand-pit is also a nice idea, not very costly too ; they will be occupied for hours with their tiny plastic buckets , making castles etc.
Hope these ideas are useful,
Indu.

[indu]

R,

Do you have any ideas of how to keep the thiri burning properly in the ashtalakshmi vilakku ? It burns well only if ghee is upto the brim --- once the ghee reduces, even a bit, the flame get small and centre of flame is black . Even in smaller size of this kind of lamp , I have this problem . And I think you must be knowing the 'Nandha' vilakku -- small brass one, in an hour-glass shape ? Can we use both sides of that vilakku for putting the thiri ? The grooves of the side I always use, have become smooth and the centre thandu is not standing straight.
One more doubt R, how to make the manjal/sandal/kumkum paste we put on God's photos, stay for long ? By 2 days, they dry & fall off ! A friend says to wipe the photos with 'Johnson's Baby Wipes' { weirdest & crazy suggestion I've heard} which will remove dust, she says ---- I'm wondering if she was joking !! Do you have any correct method 'cos I'm also worried whether wiping with wet cloth is spoiling the photos ?
Sorry for pestering with so many questions .... Bye.

[R]

Thanks a lot, Indu.

And, for all vilakkus, my mother and paati use to say that cotton thiri is much better and auspicious than the other ones. With the other nool thiris, I also faced this kind of problem becoz they are equally thin from the top down to the bottom. So, try using cotton thiri and if you face the same problem still, try making the front portion as a thinner one which you use to lit (vilakku nuni), so that it will not burn fully. Try and let me know...

And for nanda vilakku, did not know the name; but, according to yr description, my mother was using one and she used to lit at the center portion. As you said, the sides will not be comfortable for the thiri to stand for a long time. Unfortunately, dont remember the bottom portion, so cant answer yr query. Maybe, will check with my folks and get back to you.

For the paste, if you use manjal, it will not come for a longer time though you make it as a paste. Sandhanam will come for a long period, atleast for a week.

First, make a thick paste(not too thick) of sandhanam like we get in temples so that if you use yr hand and keep on the vilakku or photos, will stay. With the same hand, take kumkum and apply on the photos/vilakku. Definitely, this will stay for some days. Unless, otherwise, you clean the photo, will not fall down.

I have more idols than the photos. Still, cleaning with plain tissue or with just a wet cloth(minimum wetness) should definitely will do. If we do every week, then there is no need to do heavy cleaning. Being in US, hardly see the dusts on the photos and also, myself is a closed cabinet .

Bye.

p.s.: Are you from chennai? And, one tiny question-is there any way to clean agal vilakku(karthigai vilakku)'s oil stains?

[gvb]

Hey everybody,
I need ur advice fast.I made chapathi in Iron tawa in high flame and from the day after it has become impossible to make dosas..The whole dosa gets glued to the bottom and i don't know what to do.I tried rubbin the dosa kal with onion but doesn't seem to work.Do u guys have any suggestions?

Thanx,
GVB

[Kz]

GVB,

Try adding little oil and saute 1/2 spoon urad dhal in the tawa and then try making uthappams instead of dosa. it will take time for dosa to come out properly so try to make uthappams, then keep rubbing onions after each dosa and try it.
even i did that mistake once and it too a while to get my dosas properly, but now i have a different tawa for chapathi.
Kz

[gvb]

Hi KZ,
I will try it out tomm..Am now using nonstick pan and the taste just isn't the same...Thanx for helping out..

GVB

[Kz]

Oh yes!! my hubby used to always tell that his mom's dosas are great and i found out the secret was kal tawa. so i got one from india and he has stopped talking abt his mom's dosa :D i keep the non stick for chapathi now. once started tasting kal dosa then we wont go back to non stick.
kz

[R]

Hi gvb,

I have both kal and non-stick. When it comes to paper, crispy dosa, you shd go with non-stick and if you want thick dosa like uttapam, then, go with kal. That is how I do and you will not feel any difference.

[gvb]

R, tried only with uthappams..I felt like my arm wud come off trying to remove itl.thats how stuck my dosa kal is.. :oops:

[R]

My mother always says that one should not wash the dosa kal too much; otherwise, this kind of problem will happen.

Are you sure it is problem with yr kal or could it be becoz of batter(excess of urad dal)?

Grease the kal with oil or spray and evenly spread with tissue; make a small first dosa and then, start making the usual size of dosa. I also noticed that if I pour the batter on the black grease(edge of the kal), it would stick and would not come. Also, try dipping the spatula in water before flip over the dosa to the other side.

[tomato]

Sometimes the dosa kal (tava) does act as though it has a mind of its own :evil: :evil: and it is extremely frustrating especially if ur making breakfast. This is how I deal with it.
Scrape of any dosa pieces stuck to the kal, vigorously. Then heat the tava well. Now dribble half tsp ghee( not oil only ghee does the trick). Spread the ghee well. After a few seconds rub off the ghee with kitchen towel. Let the tava cool down a bit and then make dosas.
It also helps to make first couple of dosas using ghee rather than oil.
Try this and post your experience.

[gvb]

Thanx for ur suggestions guys.Am sure its not cos of excess urad dhal,R..The culprit is definitely the chapathis made at high flame.As Tomato had said i'll try it out with ghee this weekend ..I will also try wetting the spatula..I do everything else the way u have mentiones..Am dreading to even take the kal out. :cry: I'll let u know soon.

Regards,
GVB

[R]

Applying pam spray will also help; in idly plates, use to apply that spray and without using spoon or anything, it will come down without sticking even a bit, FYI.

[gvb]

Hi R,
My dosa came perfectly well today..I don't know how..I made cutlets a coupla days ago maybe all the oil i used helped..Anyways thanks for all ur suggestions..i'll remember them for future needs..wats this pam spray?Which one shud i get?IS it a substitute for oil?Is it more healthy ?can i use it for dosas also?

[R]

This spray is for greasing purpose like greasing the cake vessel before we pour the batter etc. Before making idly, we grease the idly plates with oil; instead, saw my friend were using this spray(brand name is pam). since it is fat free & cholesterol free, have started using them. It is available in different flavors like butter, olive oil etc. Can choose whatever u want.

When I was greasing with oil, the idlies sometimes use to stick, but after using this spray, the idly will come out automatically, when I keep the plate upside down without disturbing it. After seeing this, my cousin has started using this spray for idly.

Anyway, it is mainly for greasing purpose. To my knowledge, it is not a substitute of oil.

[R]

Need an advise on ironing silk saree/mysore silk saree..

thanks and regards.

[gvb]

Okay R..sounds good...I'll give it a try

[Sun]

Hai,

Could anyone tell me how to clean and polish hardwood floors and how often should it be cleaned?

Thanks

[indu]

Hello R,
By 'oil stains' do you mean the black stains in 'agal' vilakkus ? Actually I asked some friends also for the solution {hence the delay in reply, sorry }. I get only black stains & they will not completely go away as the mud is porous & absorbs the colour. My husband used to paint the cleaned lamps with 'semman' [ red mud, kaavi, which we put as border for kolams during festivals ] powder mixed with water, dry in the sun & keep. This we do about 10 days before the Karthigai Deepam day. 2 days before, we soak them in 1/2 a bucket of water, alongwith 2 or 4 new lamps [we have to buy new also every year], overnight. After 24 hrs. take them out, wipe dry and next day in the morning itself I arrange thiris, etc. in the lamps & light them in the evening.

For oil marks, one person says to soak in the solution of 1 part warm water, 1/2 part vinegar and 1/2 part bleach . Another friend says she uses a powder called 'Pitambari' which is actually for copper vessels, but even for silver she uses that only !! Yet another aunty is telling to scrub with paste of rice flour, sambal and little rock salt , kal uppu. I have no idea how or whether these suggestions will work. Esp. sambal, where you can get in US ?

Anyways, hope you find the tips useful, Bye.

[indu]

And yes R, I am a true - blue Chennai lady, at present residing in Dubai, UAE.

[R]

Hello sun,

There are many solutions available in American stores to clean the hardwood floors. Mine is murphy brand. When it comes to hardwood floor, monthly once should be enough becoz wood cant take too much of water as it will expand.

As per the instruction, you have to apply the solution directly on the floor and mop it hardly; otherwise, it will stick at our leg. So, it is ok to mix the solution with quarter bucket(depending on yr house size) of water and do the mopping.

About polishing, dont know how old is yr house? And, when we shifted to our new house, we called up a servant maid to do the polishing at the apartment. So, you can check at any maid cleaning service. Hope this helps.

[R]

Thanks Indu. Can we dip the used vilakku in water? did not know this..What you meant is, after 24 hrs of cleaning, take them out, wiping and do the painting, right?

My vilakku has more oil stains than the black. I dont think that pitambari is available here just like sambal and rock salt too. But, I can try this vinegar method..will let you know. BTW, which bleach I can use-the one we use for clothes or a different one?

More queries here- my brass vessels's coating is coming out. I didn't notice it till now. I thought that the lifetime is very long. Is there any way to use them ? Is there any alternative to use instead of brass vessels becoz it is meant only for doing pooja purpose; I dont know what are all the things available currently in the market just for pooja purpose.

Take yr time and revert to me back..bye..

[svasu_ani]

Hi,

I used white toothpaste again for cleaning my silver kamakshi vilaku and all the blackness went off....it was really easy to use.jus apply tooth paste on the surface and keep rubbing with fingers. you can see the blackness coming out..This was the second time i used toothpaste for cleaning silver.It works fine...

Am pregnant and in last trimesters and To clean the bath tub it was becoming a huge task. I found this product Mr.Cleans Magic reach for cleaning shower and bath tub very useful.. It comes with a long wand (4feet) and with the scrub pads. Jus wet the pad, scrub the surface of the bath tub and shower tiles. rinse off with water...becomes clean....easy to use ...

Anitha

[gvb]

Hi R,
I Got SoS and Pam spray..SOS works incredible..Thank u for that..Regarding the agal vilakku i'll ask my mother when i call her up and will revert back..

GVB

[R]

Good to hear gvb and am waiting to get a response from yr mother.

Can you atleast answer my question about ironing silk sarees/mysore silk sarees?

Bye.

[indu]

Hi R,

Ironing sari is a back breaking job --- literally! Esp. silk / mysore silk, it is better to use low heat [some iron boxes have switches like low, med. etc. depending on fabric to be used]. Ironing SHOULD be done only when the sari is a little damp, before it fully dries. Sprinkling water or using steam-iron for silk saris is very wrong method, it will spoil the weave, look of the sari. Care should also be taken to keep a cloth [like a towel] over the sari & then iron the cloth -- NEVER use iron directly on silk / expensive sarees.
Regarding your query on brass vessels, am not clear what it is --- you want a good method for cleaning brass vessels ? What is the coating, from the vessel itself ? For worship only brass or silver vessels we use. For pouring water for tulsi plant, I use a copper small pot.

I have read your pm, will mail you shortly ok.
Bye,
Indu.

[gvb]

Hi R,
Well my mom said for "vengala" villakku she uses tamarind(wet) for scrubbing and then washes with regular detergent..For "mann" vilakku she soaks them in medium hot water with detergent b4 rinsing..I will get a detailed explanation and post it tomm..
For ironing i pretty much iron the way Indu had said..I wasn't sure whether its the right way but now am glad..

[R]

Thanks, both of you for the tips.

Yes, Indu. The color of the thaambaalam is coming out and can see the inner color(how to call). Initially, thought that am not washing it properly; now, realized that the color is going away. So, I am confused whether to use or not and if I buy a new brass vessel, the same will happen, no?

Have not heard this kind of problem from my folks/friends.

[gaya3usa]

Hello,

I just saw the "Hard Anodized" wok, what is this? (this is looks like non stick)and is this best for cooking?

Hard Anodized is not a non stick cookware.
It has a semi non stick feature plus better durability than non stick.
that even lets you use metal spatula or stirrer
If you have caution toward non stick, Hard anodized is much safer and durable !!

To learn more facts on Anodized cookware go to -
http://www.perfectpeninsula.com/AnoDeepKadai220.html
http://www.perfectpeninsula.com/AnoConcaveGriddle275.html
http://www.perfectpeninsula.com/AksAnoCoo5L.html

Anodized cookwares gains value for your money.

--Gayathri---

[gaya3usa]

Sometimes the dosa kal (tava) does act as though it has a mind of its own :evil: :evil: and it is extremely frustrating especially if ur making breakfast. This is how I deal with it.
Scrape of any dosa pieces stuck to the kal, vigorously. Then heat the tava well. Now dribble half tsp ghee( not oil only ghee does the trick). Spread the ghee well. After a few seconds rub off the ghee with kitchen towel. Let the tava cool down a bit and then make dosas.
It also helps to make first couple of dosas using ghee rather than oil.
Try this and post your experience.
:arrow: Here is my suggestion, apply a fresh cut onion ( x 1/2 ), on a hot tawa and also repeat this between each dosa.
The dosa comes out with extra crisp and self- raise from the pan also.

:idea: Also use different pan to make dosa and another pan for making Chappathi and egg.

----Gayathri----

[rsankar]

Hello Gayathri,

Thankyou.

rsankar.

[Sun]

hai R,

Thanks for your help. I will try the murphy brand and let you know about the result.

I just have a another question. What is the best way to save and retrieve all the recipe collection?

thanks
sun

[sarithasai5]

Hi Sun!
To save and retrieve the recipe collection with u, one way is to copy on to CD and use it when needed.

The other way is to save one more copy in ur Email which u check regularly and also has enough space for u to keep the recipe file in addition to CD .This wld help when u lose either of those.

One more way to copy it on to the Flash Drive /Flash Memory if u have as it wld be portable and easy to use whereever u r with a computer. :)

Saritha

[apujittu]

Hello Apujittu,

Bath tub:
For the bath tub cleaning, I use "CLR" which is around 3 to 4$.
It cleans out well.Just got to spray it all over the bath tub and leave it for 3 to 4 minutes.Then take a sponge(u get in walmart too) and rub the tub.That's all .It smells good and also cleans well.

Kitchen walls:
And to clean the oil spluttering in kitchen walls, u can rub with wet plastic-wired cleaner which is used to clean vessels with solution (used to clean vessels)on it.

But best thing u can do in order to keep the wall clean in kitchen is to tape an Aluminuin foil in the area where usually oil splutters.

Forgot to write abt Oven.
If the oven is very much greasy,then u can use this method(home made).

Pour 1/2 cup vinegar into a small bowl.

Add 1/2 cup hot water.

Rub away greasy stains with a sponge or a cloth soaked in this solution.


Otherwise, one can use Oven cleaning solutions which we get in any store.But be careful if there r kids at home coz they say they generate fumes that wld be pungent
With this U can keep changing the foils when necessary.

Gas Stove:

U can wrap the aluminium foil to the gas stove plates so that u will have to change the foil once in a while to keep clean from seasoning splutterings.

And cleaning the gas stove immediately after ur cooking work will save lot of work at once and also the strain.

:) Saritha

Thanks Sartitha for the tips!. I am using comet,next time i will try to get CLR for bathtub.

For kitchen I have started to clean it immediately,this really helps. Few days you do it, then it becomes a habit, so now my kitchen is better.

Oven I have been using heavty duty ones(with fumes), may be now I will try the vinegar one this time .

Thank you once again for the tips, I had completely forgotten my posting in this section,hence my delay in replying.

[R]

Hello Sun,

Somehow missed yr posting to read. Yesterday only and that is what this delay..excuse me..

You can save the file in a hard disk creating a directory one or two sub directory and finally a file name has to be given, in order to protect yr files.

Obviously, it is better to save all those files in a CD as a backup.

Now, coming to the retrieving part-you can download free Desktop from MSN or GOOGLE sites. It will take just 2 to 3 mts and once done, a small screen will appear at the bottom.

This is the main picture..In this way, you can view the files whatever you want to, in the internet explorer screen, but have to give the correct name.

While choosing from the small screen, you should choose desktop; then, it will show the internet explorer consisting of yr files-whether it is a word document, or email or anything.

Hope I am clear.

[Sun]

Hai sarithasai and R,

Thanks a bunch for your valuable suggestions.

sun

[indu]

Can anyone post some tips on saving cooking fuel / electricity / water etc. so that we can rectify the mistakes we unknowingly make in day-to-day living ?

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi R,
Let me thank you first for posting the feedback on my recipe. I have been really busy and not been able to come to forum. Your thread on baby food will be very useful to me shortly. My baby will start solid food in another month or so.

To answer your question about ironing mysore silk sarees, this is the best way to do since it is very delicate. Spread a thin cotton cloth on the area you want to iron - best is a old veshti if you have and iron on that cloth. It will neither spoil the material nor spoil the brightness of the jari.

And to wash the saree, hand wash with one of the mildest body soaps. In India, my sisters wash it with Lux or Pears. You could use Ivory here.


Hope this helps.

By,
CI.

[MysoreHudugi]

I had the same problem and searched the net for a solution. If the coating is coming off, the easiest way to refurbish is to wash it really well and use brasso and polish it. Brasso has oil as one of the ingredients which will prevent oxidization due to exposure to air. It is not a one time solution though. You will probably end up polishing your vessels and lamps once in 6 months or more depending on how often you use it and wash it.

You can avoid polishing so often by wiping the brass items with a little bit of olive oil after washing.

As far as the alternative to brass pooja items is concerned, I found it easier to take care of silver items (valli) than brass.

Ofcourse, you will end up polishing that one too with its polish (Wright brand I guess)

Bye,
CI.

[R]

Thank you a lot, CI for yr valuable suggestions. Being in US, I think that changing to silver is a better solution.

BTW, have a question-are you the old CI, mean Karnataka thread famous....? It is a pleasant surprise to see you back(assuming that you are the one..)

I saw yr id somewhere in the thread, but was little hesitant whether it was right or wrong.

Anyways, great to have you back.

Bye.

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi R,
I am the same person. I started working more than a year ago and got really busy. We bought a house and have a 3 month old baby now.

I stopped contributing in that thread since I did not see anyone participating with the same enthusiasm as I did. Plus got busy.

Thanks,
CI.

[R]

Hi friends,

Need a suggestion-am planning to buy a kitchen item for my mother preferably smaller size since one of my folk is going to carry the same to India.

At first, pepper grinder came to my mind; on the second thought, just want to check with you guys whether you have any better idea and more helpful than the above.

Quick response would be highly appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance.

[Minni]

R,
I personally am a fan of those pepper mills. I use it for grinding fresh cumin powder, fresh coriander seeds powder and sometimes even Methi that I use in many dishes.
I find them quite handy. I am sure they are a great idea.
Other thing I can think of is a good knife like JA henckels(sontoku is most convinient for everyday cooking, a 5-in is better for indian cooking as teh veggies are lot smaller than here). They last generations!

Hope that helps!

Minni

[R]

That is great to note down, Minni.

Have a few questions-did u buy it from Walmart or Bed, Bath & Beyond? Which one to buy-wooden or other metal grinder?

Thanks for the information that you are grinding dhania, methi seed etc. which is NEWS to me.

Bye.

[a_gopinathan]

R,

i am going to india in three months, but already started shopping. i am planning to get a good slicer for my mother which she can use for slicing onion, and other vegetables. other suggestions are microwaveble rice cooker, if she useas a microwave.

[Minni]

R,

I have wooden ones(about 4 pairs) from Mikasa at an outlet store under its clearance sale each for $5.

Minni

[R]

You must be lucky Minni to have them under this price!! When I checked in walmart, they have in this price range(smaller size), but in Bed bath..., they are big and it costs 15 to 20 bucks(glass, wooden etc. material)!! Will check anyways there..

And, about slicer, checked it at a local grocery store to get an idea. It says farberware slicer which we can use for all vegetables, cheese etc. Is that the one you are talking about? Can u tell me how to use them? From that box, cant figure out anything.

Thanks to both of you.

[R]

Hi Minni,

Long time back, I saw garlic peeler in Martha's show; dont remember what is the name or even the figure. This is not for my mother, anyways.

Need yr opinion whether it is useful for a newly married lady?

sorry for the botheration.

[a_gopinathan]

R,

please check the thread
http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=820&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=180

You can see that deepali has posted about Borner V slicer Mandoline. i read the reviews in Amazon and everyone seems to be seeing its pretty good. i want to get one for my self too. the food chopper i have is not good at choping onions...

[a_gopinathan]

Also if you check the kitchen section in Amazon.com, you"ll get some ideas...you can read the reviews also..

[gvb]

Hi R
I have actually got a coffee grinder for my Mom which is Indian Voltage compatible..My mom found it very useful when she was here since u can powder almost anything..

GVB

[a_gopinathan]

hi gvb, did you get the coffe grinder in us? could you please let me which brand is that? i am going to india in another three months and have started shopping...thanks

[Minni]

R,

This is my personal opinion, not to offend: I do not understand why they invent sofisticated gadgets for something so simple as garlic peeling. I just press its head(of the clove) at an angle on the counter and there it spilts the cover and off comes the peel. In the event I need to peel a whole lot of garlic, my mom taught me to smear the cloves with turmeric(haldi) and oil and leave for couple minutes. The covers become even more easy to remove.
The one you are referring to is most probably a small tube in which the cloves are put in and rubbed against the counter. Then comes off the peel.

Martha stewart has a product line introduced by herself. She uses all those nifty tools that most ppl don't even need. Whenever I watch her show I felt she was trying to market new tools in her line. Personally, I like most things about her, but I feel most of the gadgets that are on the show are unnecessary.
On one of her shows when she had a guest chef, they were trying to make those curly fries from potatoes with the help of a nifty tool, Martha could use it, but her guest chef declared its not her cup of tea after failing couple times and went the manual way! :)

Minni

[R]

Minni, of course I know that it is very easy to peel off the garlic. And, infact, dont have either pepper grinder! or galric peeler becoz I always tell my husband that it is easy to manage without those things.

Being a newly married thought that we have to give some thing new. I was looking at the bed, bath site and everything seems to be very big. so, have to stick with something since she is going to visit me in a couple of days and leaving before this week. So, I dont have time to explore more and have to buy something before she is here.

thanks, anyways for yr opinion.

[R]

Hi gvb,

Do u have any site to see the picture of the grinder? Becoz, I remember seeing that it is little bigger. Am i right?

thanks

And, will check the thread for slicer, a_gopinathan. thanks to both of you for the info.,

[tastemakers]

Hai

I have a coffee grinder , Black and decker. Its very good and I feel its very useful. I use it to powder cardamon and powdering small quantities of jeera pepper etc. It costs around 12$ to 16$. Its available in walmart ,target too.
Though garlic peeling is easy, I too personally think that the garlic press is a good item to be taken home , especially for new householders

Hai gvb

I would like to know where you got the Indian Voltage compatible one . I would like to buy one too.

Priya

[gvb]

Hi a_gopinath,priya
i got the coffee grinder when i had been to chicago .The brand is Braun and it costs around $15..I think i have the shop's fone no with me somewhere..Let me know if u need it..

Hi R,
Its actually not big at all..And very very useful..Initially i even used it for grating coconut..Check this out..its the first one..
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=pd_kk_sr_3/103-5397470-5476658?index=blended&field-keywords=grinder

[gvb]

R,
This is the shop where i got mine from..
http://www.bombayelectronics.com/kitchen/blenders/index.html#coffee

the one i have purchased is "Braun Coffee Grinder KSM2 "..u can see the pic here too..

Hi Priya,a_gopinath

check this site out..u can get all details from there and maybe a few ideas on what to get for a trip back home to India.

GVB

[gvb]

R,
This is the shop where i got mine from..
http://www.bombayelectronics.com/kitchen/blenders/index.html#coffee

the one i have purchased is "Braun Coffee Grinder KSM2 "..u can see the pic here too..

Hi Priya,a_gopinath

check this site out..u can get all details from there and maybe a few ideas on what to get for a trip back home to India.

GVB

[R]

Hi gvb, Priya.

thanks so much for the details.

[tastemakers]

Hi GVB

Thanks for the information .

Priya

[a_gopinathan]

Hi GVB,

Thanks for the info. this website seems to have lot of stuff

Anju

[gvb]

No problem,guys..Pleasure to help out.

GVB

[rsankar]

Hello friends,

I'm going to India within 3-4 weeks. So, Could you tell me where is (the best) EMBROIDERY sarees available near chennai, parris corner or around chennai?

Thanks

rsankar.

[R]

Hi rsankar,

Nalli and Kumaran are very old shops, but they have a huge varieties for silk sarees as well as other sarees too which is in Usman Road. In the same area, you can check these new and popular shops like Chennai silks & RMKV.

If you go to North Usman Road, you can find Sundari silks (ner Vivek & co.)where they have exclusive collections for the latest models. Though the price is little higher, but, their collections are always nice.

Good luck with yr journey.

Bye.

[rsankar]

Hello R,

Thankyou for your reply.

But, when we stop eating non.veg, I've only bought cotton...etc. sarees only. I stop buying the silk sarees, because of the killing Larva or pupa (I don't know which one is correct).


I heard, near sowcarpet there is more Embroidary saree shops are there. But I don't know where exactly. If you know please tell me.


Thanks in advance.

rsankar.

[R]

Nalli & Kumaran are not only for silk sarees; they have other collections too. Their prices are comparatively cheaper than the other ones(am talking abt the old kumaran).

Abt sowcarpet, no idea..My cousin who is working in Madras-will ask her and let you know soon.

Bye.

[a_gopinathan]

Also manmandir silks near nungabakkam also has nice saris...not the pattu, but they have nice embroidery kind of saris..i like radha silks also...

[Kz]

In Mylapore Rangachari has good cotton sari collections, if u have time u can buy simple cotton saris and get them custom embroidered, but i know it takes more time. In Paris corner in godown street there are some good shops, forgot the names will try to get it from friends.

Kz

[rsankar]

Hello R, a_gopinathan, Kz,

Thanks for your information.

rsankar.

[sk]

Hi rsankar,

You can check out Varshidi in TNagar,near Vani Mahal.They have very nice colors and patterns but its bit expensive there.I got one saree for 3500Rs and 2700Rs last year. Emb sarees are also available in Parrys,i got one for 300Rs,but the quality and the texture is completely different.Even Manmandhir is very nice but samething its bit expensive.Rangachari in Mylapore is good for cotton Salwars and Sarees.Sundhari Silks has got a good collection of sarees. Happy Shopping and Have a wonderful Trip.
Regards
Sk

[rsankar]

Hello friends,

Thankyou all. I realy appreciate your reply. :)

rsankar.

[sudhakarthik]

Hi,

Does anyone know how to starch cotton clothes (sarees, churidhars and dupattas) in a washing machine. I tried the starch spray but it is not lasting even for 1/2 an hour. In India I used maida starch for my dresses and dried them in the sun. Here, I live in denver, where we have snow most of the time and if I air dry the clothes inside they are smelly. So, if anyone can suggest how to starch in a washing machine and to dry them in the drier. It would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Sudha

[dev]

.del

[indu]

How to keep bathroom smelling fresh, always -- like in Shopping Malls ? I have stuck on the wall the Airwick air-freshner circle, but after initial 2 days, can't smell the scent at all ?
Which type to use , even for WC -- the one which should put in the tank [like toilet duck] or the one to be fixed on the rim of the seat of the WC, which is more effective & lasting freshness ?
Someone please suggest ?

[dev]

try the liquid ones...they come in bottles that look like the mosquito repellents bottles we get in India...U can use it if u've a plug point in the bathroom...

[R]

How to avoid or kill the black big ants(katerumbu)?

For the last few weeks, have been facing this problem. I tried killing the ordinary ant spray, did not find any major change.

Yr vaulable suggestions are most welcome!!

Thanks and Bye.

[indu]

Thanks for responding Dev, but I don't have plug point in the bathroom. Plus, we don't have window also [only exhaust fan is there], so I have to keep the door ajar and sometimes esp. when we come back from outside and open the main house door, can smell some musty, old papers, wet carpets like smell.

[indu]

Hello R,
For ants, the best remedy is tobacco -- 'poga ilai' , what the old servants, keerai sellers etc. used to chew in their mouth. I remember my mummy used to soak some of these in little water, after some time crush nicely. This juice she used to pour little by little into the cracks on the floor, outside our house door [vaasakkal] and some holes in the almirahs, wherever ants came . Esp. in summer, as our house will be cooler, ants used to visit often & this had immediate and lasting [upto about 2 - 3 weeks] effect.

You can also try powdering some bay leaves [brinji elai] with some salt, and spread the powder whereever the ants appear. Another alternative is kerosene, but not sure if it will last as it evaporates fast.
A friend of mine used to make some small balls for insects [esp. cockroaches, in kitchen] & keep them in the corners, like our napthalene moth balls. If you want, I can ask her & post how to make those insect balls .
Bye.

[R]

Thanks for the suggestions, Indu. Pls do ask yr friend; meanwhile, will try brinji leaves..

I also saw a kind of tablet for killing ants in a pharmacy. It is more or less similar to what we do in India to kill rats(the rats will eat and die outside).

Since I have a little one in our house, I did not try that.

Will let you know the result soon..

[Anandi]

Hi,
Can anyone tell me how to clean gold ear rings? I have this ear ring which is like a "koodai" with complicated design and so the soap etc are accumulated in it and I am not even able to reach some points even with a tooth brush(to clean). Can anyone tell me how to remove those dirt??

Anandi

[rsankar]

Hello friends,

India poi ammaa-vum, paappaavum hair kaanikkaiyaagha koduthu vittu (mottai adithu vittu) marubhadi thirumbha UK vara Airport-il anumadhi koduppaarghalaa? (or) hair nanghu valarndha piraghu dhaan UK vara anumadhi koduppaarghalaa?


Please help me.

rsankar.

[rsankar]

Quick response would be highly appreciated.

rsankar.

[R]

For kid, it should not be a problem, guess. Last year, we put mottai to our daughter and left India in 20 days or so. So, hardly she got any hair in her head.

Though I am in USA, we came thro' British airways and did not find any problem either in London or US airports.

If you are still not satisfied, why dont you talk to the consulate general or airport officials?

[rsankar]

Hello R,

Thank you for your reply. I really appreciate.

rsankar.

[gvb]

Hi Anandi,
Mix detergent powder with water and soak ur earings for a few hours...Mostly it takes all the dirt out..And also try cleaning with ear buds..Best for cleaning small gaps..

GVB

[Anandi]

Thanks a lot gvb, but I had tried detergent-dont get that "new one" look. anyway, will try with buds and see..

[R]

Any tips on cleaning the basement becoz normal vacuuming or mopping is not possible becoz of the strong dirt?

Pls do share yr experiences.

Thanks in advance.

[padmasini]

Try cleaning your earrings with shampoo.. Soak it in shampoo solution for an 1hr or so that should help..

[R]

Hi friends,

This is not about household or cooking. So, pls bear and reply me.

We are planning to take our kids in one of the weekend(June) to Claws and Paws which is a pet feeding zoo in PA. Anyone from there or have been there can tell me whether it is worth to go and see.

Becoz, some places are not good, but the advt. in the site will be so exaggerating!!

Try to answer me soon.thanks in advance.

[Kz]

how to get rid of fruit flies the small kind of flies called molambu in tamil. i left over ripe bananas outside uncovered and a whole lot of flies have somehow come in and now they aren't going. please help!
Kz

[Seethab]

Hi R:

I saw ur posting abt the petting zoo. I am planning to take my daughter to one here in chicago but from what i heard is that its worth as the kids really would get to touch and feel and feed the animals. Its considered safe as they are domesticated.

I will share my experience once I visit and request you to do the same. Check if they have any local petting zoos.

Bye

Seetha

[R]

Thanks, seetha..The problem you know, here in NJ, there is one, but it is very small and the distance is quite far from our place which is not at all worth to visit.

Anyways, I think that pennsylvania has some interesting places to visit like pet feeding zoo, maize the maze etc; worth to visit, as u said, for the kid's sake.

Will surely let you know my opinion as well as my daughter's feeling and vice versa!!

Bye.

[numkitchen]

Numkitchen has a huge collection of useful kitchen tips and also
more interesting kitchen tips are added every week @ www.numkitchen.com

[Seethab]

I sure will share my experience with ya R after my visit. Happy outing!!

Seetha

[Shobana]

U get nice cling freshners for just .60 cents.U can hang these inside the toilet bowl where the water flushes. It keeps the whole bathroom odor free.

[gv]

I would like to apply egg whites on my hair. Would someone tell me which egg to buy for that. There seems to be too many varieties in the stores here . I live in Bayarea,CA.
Whats the shelf life for eggs. bcos I dont consume eggs (except cakes :))

Thanks
GV

[Kz]

You can use any eggs. the expiry date will be printed on the egg carton itself. keep it refrigerated. any white eggs will do.you can also use the eggyolk for ur hair.

Kz

[R]

Hi friends,

Can any of you suggest me where to buy indoor swing(sofa pattern)(teak or rosewood with a good design) ?

Thanks in advance.

[Kz]

Need advice on buying an electric hand held mixer.
Mine got burned within 2 yrs and i am looking for one which will last long.

Thankyou!
Kz

[Idiappam]

The cheaper ones are good! You get to change them every 2 years! How much did you pay for that??

[Kz]

I paid 15 $ for it, it is good for beating egg or buttermilk etc, but when it comes to mixing icing and cake batter the motor gets smoky. so looking for better one which doesn't get broke the first time i use for stiff icing batter.

Kz

[Seethab]

Hi R / CI :

Can I get any inputs on how to get rid of spiders other than cleaning? I would appreciate all/ any suggestions?

Seetha

[Aaraam]

Hi,

Could anybody help me with tips on cleaning hardwood floors? Will really appreciate it.

Thanks!
Aaraam

[MysoreHudugi]

Easiest way is to sweep weekly and once a month use murphy oil soap to mop it. You will have to add one or two capful for a gallon of water. Twist the mop really well so that there is not too much of water. Wood can absorb water which is not good. That's all is there to clean the hardwood floors.

If they start looking dull, you might want to polish it once or twice a year. There are many products available for polishing. I haven't done it, so maybe someone else can give you some hints.

CI.

[R]

CI is right. Once in a month, cleaning is sufficient as wood absorbs water, then it will expand which is not good.

Dont have to polish frequently; we moved into our new house around 3 to 4 yrs back and the polish is still there and looks shiny too!!

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi Seetha,
I have no idea how to get rid of these creatures without killing them. I kill them whenever I see one. I don't have too many in our house. Probably they are getting inside through some hole or some opening? Check it out and try to close it. It could work. If you keep spiders away, you don't have to clean their web.

Check this out:
http://calstaging.bemidjistate.edu/students/jhatch/howto.html

There are some sprays which can kill them. If you have a baby at home (I know you do), I wouldn't suggest it though.

Another Tip I found on web:
Wash windows inside and out with a combo of ammonia & water. When windows dry (almost automatically outdoors) go over the entire window (metal frame too, if necessary) with newspaper and kerosene. The kerosene also evaporates immediately but leaves a residue that repels spiders, flies and mosquitoes.


I hope it helps.

CI.

[R]

Hi Seetha,

A couple of months back, we had lots of carpenter ants all of a sudden; since we have woods at the back or dont know, it was uncontrollable. I was trying to sweep it out or tried to kill, but more was coming.

So, atlast, used this spray HOT SHOT and sprayed at the corners of all over the house in the night so that it will evaporate in the morning and many ants died and after a couple of days, could not see one.

The above spray is not only for killing ants, also for roaches, spiders etc. Since my daughter is also small, I was hesitating to use this; but, it was very yuck to see them coming all over the kitchen and when I asked the pest control people, their estimate was way too high!

Try the above spray in the night and hope, it will work out for you too. Sometimes, would get up very early in the morning and would spray all over the house and leave some windows too opened. So, by the time, my kids came down, no smell would be there.

Good luck.

[Seethab]

Thank you CI & R for your valuable inputs.
CI, I think your input that there may be a gap somewhere which has to be plugged. I shall check the spray R.

Thanks again.

Seetha

[Aaraam]

Thank you CI and R, your suggestions give me a great start. Its been a week since we moved into our new home so your quick reply really helps.

Aaraam

[Kz]

Any suggestions on how to store onions and potatoes? I read that onions and potatoes shouldn't be stored nearby each other. do u keep it inside the kitchen cabinets or outside? how to organize them neatly? for me it looks messy. also how do u store rice?

Kz

[kritica]

Hi i dont use much of onions, wat i generally do is i cut them and put them in a ziploc bag and store them in the fridge.... well i guess lots of my friends.. just bake or cook potato and freeze them....
well i hope i helped u
thanks
Kritica

[Kz]

Kritica, Potatoes when freezed doesn't taste good. but i am looking for a way to store them outside,after we buy them from the shop. thanks
Kz

[Yamuna]

How to clean shower curtains (plastic one) & the grout between each tile in the bathroom shower wall ?

[ammu]

Dear friends,
somebody pls. give me the method of cleaning the blinds and also cleaning the vinyle flooring .What type of soaps has to be used to maintain them .thanks .
ammu

[ammu]

Dear friends,
I need help,how to clean the blinds and clean the vinyle flooring? what kind of liquids can we use?
thanks
ammu

[Anandi]

hI,
fOR THE mold between the tiles, you can use clorox bleach pen. Just put it the place that is black. If u dont have pen, u can spray the clorox bleach itself in the place. Then wait for 30 min . It wll be gone..no scrubbing necessary

For the shower curtain, I always buy a new one as soon as it becomes black.
So any suggestion is welcome.

Anandi

[MysoreHudugi]

I read somewhere online that this can be washed in hot water in regular washer. Place enough towels in the washer and wash the curtain with these towels.

Other alternative was to wash it with white towels' load to which you've put bleach and pour a cup of vinegar to the fabric softener cup in the washer.

I haven't tried it yet. Please post the results if you try.

CI.

[MysoreHudugi]

I forgot to mention that do not put the curtain to dryer. Just hang it back in its place to dry it.

Here are the links where I read this information.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2022_clean-plastic-vinyl.html

http://coco.essortment.com/howtocleanas_pwq.htm

http://www.mrscleannw.com/tips/shower-curtain.html

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf629412.tip.html

[Yamuna]

Thanks Anandi & CI for the responses.

Can anybody explain how to make the 'maa kolam' -- I tried with some maida paste & an old cloth to make Krishna's baby feet [for Janmashtami y'day] but it didn't come well at all. Either too thick & messy or watered down where we can hardly see the feet .
Please give exact method to make this kind of kolam, Thanks !

[Sowmya]

Hi yamuna
The easiest way of preparing "maa kolam" is to use rice flour.I made a thick paste of arisi maavu with water and used it.
Or if you are quite orthodox you can soak rice in water for about 1 hour and grind the same into a smooth paste.

Regards
Sowmya

[MysoreHudugi]

Dear friends,
somebody pls. give me the method of cleaning the blinds and also cleaning the vinyle flooring .What type of soaps has to be used to maintain them .thanks .
ammu

Check this out.
http://ask.yahoo.com/20020430.html

CI.

[Anandi]

Hi Sowmya
What should be the consistescy of the rice flour. I did the same on friday and tried to put with hand -but didnt come atall.
Do you use a paper towel or cloth??
Also, can I get some basic designs of maa kolam somewhere??
I would love to put the designs, but have no idea!!

[rajraj]

Anandi: Try

www.i-kolam.com

[R]

There is no specific ratio. If it is very thick like idly batter, then u cant put as you want. So, it is like bajji batter(little thin) and if it is too watery, then, the color will be light.

I always use paper towel if you dont have any small thin cloth( or small painting brush will also do)which we use in India to put kolams. But, for the kaavi(border line), have a small thin cloth which will also come out neatly.

And for occasions, we always put this 4 lines square box as our traditional one; instead of line, you can put with curves and then in all four sides, put 4 more curves as a triangle from both sides for each sides or you can even put bended lines like a semi circle after putting the squares; and at the corners, decorate like spirals or small flower whichever u want. Like this, u can proceed.....

[Aaraam]

Any tips on removing turmeric stain from carpet? This is an emergency!!!!!!
I remember that there was an older thread on stains, but am not able to locate it.

Thanks,
Aaraam

[Anandi]

Hi raj,
The site i-kolam does not have designs for "maa kolam" I think. If you can find any site, please let me know.

R,
Can you send me 1 or 2 designs(by paint) or anything. I am really desperate to try those designs!!:)

Anandi

[MysoreHudugi]

Aaram,
Try applying a thick paste of baking soda (made with water) and leave it for half an hour or so. Then, scrub it well with a brush and wipe it clean. Then try spraying some carpet cleaner and follow the instructions of that product. You should be able to remove the stains.

That is the only solution since you cannot use bleach on carpet unless the carpet is white (which I doubt it).

CI.

[kritica]

R,
yennaku maa kolam anupungo.. please
kritica_22@yahoo.com

[Aaraam]

Thanks CI for the quick response, will try this asap.
Its about a day since the stain occurred, will it still work ? Would leaving the baking soda paste on longer help?

Aaraam.

[Anandi]

R,
can you send the kolams to my id too -nandumom@yahoo.com

[MysoreHudugi]

Thanks CI for the quick response, will try this asap.
Its about a day since the stain occurred, will it still work ? Would leaving the baking soda paste on longer help?

Aaraam.

WOrks even if the stain is a couple of days older. I have tried it on other surfaces, but not carpet. Try it and do let us know if it worked on carpet too. Since it works on cloth, it should work on carpet too.

CI.

[dev]

Hi,

Can anyone let me know how to clean a very greasy ,dirty stove top?... we r moving in to an acco which hasan extremely dirty kitchen but we had to settle for it due to some compelling reasons... I've to clean it before I move it...Pls help...

[MysoreHudugi]

Dev,
Get a can of oven cleaner. Spray the whole stove top/range and get out of the house for half an hour or so. Then scrub it with a brush. It will be clean. Make sure there are no kids around. It is not good around kids and pregnant woman.

You might want to clean it with water and soap later on to get the offensive smell of oven cleaner out. I would leave the kitchen window open for atleast a day if I use this.


Hope this helps.

CI.

[dev]

Hi CI,

Thanks a lot for the tip...I too was thinking of the same...The stove hob is on an aluminium base & the stove base seems to be of some brown material which I'm not able to make out... the brown area is ok,the burner is very dirty & the aluminim area is also very dirty... As of now,the kitchen is so dirty that I feel sick even to step into it... :cry: Hopefully,the owner will clean it up before handing over to us...But even then I guess we'll have a lot of cleaning to be done to bring it to my liking...

Also,any ideas to clean greasy kitchen tiles,wooden worktops & to make the stainless steel sink shiney?...

[MysoreHudugi]

Dev,
To clean the greasy tiles, you can use the clorox bleach. Refer to the label for the amount of dilution to cut the grease. Mop it with that. It not only cuts grease also gets rid of lot of foul odor. Ofcourse, your kitchen will have a faint smell of bleach for couple of days, but it is not bad at all.

To clean the countertops, what I do is take a sponge which is not corrosive, and use the dish washing liquid to clean it up. It works great. You will have to wipe off with a wet wash cloth couple of times get the soap out.

I clean my sink also using dish washing liquid. But I use scrotch brite scrubbing pad so that it gets a polish. I have never tried (necessity did not come) products like CLR or kaboom. They say it is pretty good. Try it out if you like and if you can get it in your place.


CI.

[dev]

Hi CI,

Thanks for all those timely tips... I managed to clean the stove & sink today...Now it looks pretty good... I'm planning to spray silver colour paint on the aluminium area of the stove top where the knob is placed to make it look better...I used magic clean to clean the stove & it worked like real magic...it took away all the grease in just 15 mins...Just sprayed it & left it for 15 mins & then wiped it with a sponge...
Next is cleaning the wooden countertop & tiles... Will be probably hiring a maid to get those done...Will get clorex bleach to clean the tiles...:)

[vm]

Hi friends,

Can somebody tell me how to

1.clean the scratch marks in Stainless steel appliances
2.Scratch marks in harwood floors

[R]

Hi friends,

How to remove mild oil stains(a couple of) at the back wall of the stove or at the wooden cabinets?

Thanks.

[MysoreHudugi]

R,
If the stains are not very old, you can get rid of them by wiping with dish washing liquid. (Use a soft sponge not scrotch brite or anything corrosive)Wipe dry with a paper towel.

If the stains are old, easiest way is to use magic eraser (Mr.White). If you have patience and time to try out, you can try applying a paste of washing soda or baking soda and after some time, scrape it off and wipe with wet paper towel.

Magic eraser works like a charm.

CI.

[R]

thanks, CI.. will try & let you know..

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi R,
I read somewhere which I recalled now that you can use shaving cream to get rid of the oil stains. Don't know if it works on walls. But it works on wooden cabinets. Try it if you want. Apply the shaving cream and take a sponge or brush and wet the sponge and move it on the cream so that it creates the lather. Wipe it clean with wash cloth or wet paper towel.


CI.

[chamy]

Hi Everybody !
Can anybody give me idea regarding putting covers for sofa ?I have a kid at home.So i have to put the sofa cover.But it doesn't look neat at all and i have to make it look good every time somebody sits.i even tried surefit slip covers.Thanks in advance.
Regards foodlover.

[R]

Hi foodlover,

If you know sewing, then buy clothes for the cover and stitch; me, took the measurement, bought some clothes from India(2 pairs) and got it stitched from the tailors and put them on for our sofas.

Here, I also searched for covers, but did not get any. Even, if you want to wash one set of covers, can put the other one on.

[R]

Thanks, CI..will try that idea too..

[MysoreHudugi]

You can buy sofa covers from stores like walmart, bed bath beyond etc.
Of course, if you know sewing as R mentioned, it works out cheaper too.


You can download the free patterns for sewing from internet.



CI.

[R]

CI, a long time back, tried for sofa covers in walmart and other shops. But, none of them carries sofa covers(individual cushion covers), instead, they all have sofa throw!!

[MysoreHudugi]

R,
I meant sofa throws itself. If anyone is interested in making covers for cushions, it is very easy to sew. If anyone doesn't know sewing, they can wrap the cushion with the fabric and fasten at the back using velcro or concealed safety pins. (So that the kid doesn't find it and play with it).

CI.

[gv]

Can any one pls tell me how to do Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja . I am from Madras. So is there a different way to do that pooja.
I am not asking abt vinayaka chaturthi but sankatahara chaturthi.
you can also post link.
Thanks in advance
GV

[R]

Hello gv,

Keep checking in www.panchangam.com and they do usually upload the upcoming festivals like now, they have varalakshmi mantras, vinayaka chathurthi etc. Not sure about sankatahara chathurthi since it is coming only next week. But, give a try.

Have not heard about pooja for sankatahara chathurthi; people does fasting, guess. If you have this book called viratha pooja vidhanam, check it in the same.

Vinayaka chathurthi comes during valarpirai whereas the sankatahara chathurthi comes during thei pirai. The neivedhan will be kozhukattai & appam like we do for vinayaka chathurthi.

[gv]

Thanks R,
I checked panchangam.com. they have procedure for vinayaka chaturthi. not for sankatahara chathurthi .
i vaguely remember abt the fasting . other than fasting is there any pooja to be done? is neivedhyam vella kozhukattai ? it comes once in a month rite?
meanwhile i will try to get hold of vidhanam book
Thanks again
GV

[R]

Hi gv,

I already clearly mentioned that they have not uploaded any details for sankatahara chathurthi as of now. Or, you can even mail them abt the details and hope they will help you for sure.

In my family, my folks use to fast during this day and they make kozhukattai, appam & vada for maha sankatahara chathurthi which comes once in a year. But, for all chathurthis, they fast and after seeing the moon in the night, they will take food which is the main significance. Being in US, it is not possible, so just forget that part.

When comes to my friends & SIL, they use to make vella kozhukattai too(u r right) for all chathurthis as a neiveidhyam. Of course, it comes once in a month. Dont remember seeing anyone doing pooja, so I am not sure abt the pooja.

Maybe, till you get some idea, you can do the neivedhyam, nothing wrong in it and if possible include fasting. I have checked viradha pooja vidhanam book and they have not given anything for sankatahara chathurthi.

[R]

[gv]

Thanks a Lot R for your patience and a detailed reply!

GV

[svasu_ani]

For sankatahara chathurthi, in temples they offer spl poojas to lord ganesha in the evenings...

anitha

[malinibalaguru]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me if there are any special techniques to freeze food. Can i freeze chapathis, parathas also? Me and my husband..both of us come back late in the evenings most of the time. And it's time consuming and difficult to cook at that time.

I would really appreciate if anyone of you can give me some tips as to what kind of curries can be freezed and also any other tips to make quick dinner.

Thank you all in advance.
Malini

[Sowmya]

Hi all
Can somebody please let me know if the scratch marks on the kitchen countertop can be masked or removed?I have a couple of them and would like to know if there is a solution..

Regards
Sowmya

[MysoreHudugi]

Sowmya,
What kind of counter top do you have? If it is wooden, try buffing the scratches with sand paper. (Do it very lightly) and then use some wood polish. It should be alright.

If it is laminated counter top, use clear nail polish and try painting those scratch marks. You might want to coat lightly first and then repeat if necessary.

Hope this helps.

CI.

[Sowmya]

Thanks a lot CI.Will try and let you know the result.I have laminated countertop.

Regards
Sowmya

[SL]

Can any one pls tell me how to do Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja . I am from Madras. So is there a different way to do that pooja.
I am not asking abt vinayaka chaturthi but sankatahara chaturthi.
you can also post link.
Thanks in advance
GV

Yes, there is a separate Sankatahara Chathurthi Pooja. Separate book is available. It is not the regular vinayaka chathurthi pooja. I do this pooja every month. For neivedhyam i make appam and wheat flour/maida kozhakkattai which is fried not steamed. Stuffing is same coconut pooranam, just outer cover is like chapathi dough using wheat flour or maida with some oil.

[dev]

Hi CI,

Thanks a lot for all those house cleaning tips... It was very useful for me to clean the deserted house... I used clorox belach to clean greasy wall tiles & floor tiles...Used wood polish for the dull looking wooden floor & cleaned the kitchen countertop & stove using magic clean... Now the house looks much much better than what it was previously... Only thing is tht I'm not able to clean the mirror in the bathroom... I tried to clean it using glass cleaner... It didn't work... It looks stained(something like soap stain) & dull...Any tips to clean it would be highly appreciated...:)

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi Dev,
You are welcome. I am happy that it helped you. To clean the bathroom mirror, easiest way is to mix equal parts of water with white vinegar and spray it and wipe it. If the stains are stubborn and do not come out, spray or spread shaving cream on the mirror and rub them with a wash cloth in circular motion. Wipe them clean with paper towel wet with water. It should get its original sheen back.

Hope this one helps you too.

CI.

[dev]

HI CI,

Thanks a lot for the tip...will try it out & let you know...:)

[dev]

Hi CI,

This mirror claning din't work out on my mirror coz there r more scratches on it than stain... I wonder how these guys managed to scratch it that badly... :?

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi CI,

This mirror claning din't work out on my mirror coz there r more scratches on it than stain... I wonder how these guys managed to scratch it that badly... :?

Dev,
Don't know if you want to replace the mirror or what? In case you do want to give one more shot at cleaning those scratches, I found something online.

Let me know if you try and it worked for you.

Scratches, Stains, And Discoloration In Glass and Mirrors

Toothpaste. Rub a little toothpaste into the scratch. (Normally geltype pastes are not as effective as regular pastes.) Polish with a soft cloth.

Dry Mustard and Vinegar. Mix 1 part dry mustard and 1 part white vinegar into a paste. Apply paste to the scratch. Polish with a soft cloth. AVOID EYE CONTACT; DRY MUSTARD CAN BE DAMAGING TO THE CORNEA.

I have not tried any of these. So, use your own judgement.

CI.

[pr]

Hi CI
We have a white sink in the kitchen . The turmeric stains are not disappearing easily . I tried lysol kitchen cleaner . yellow colour goes off but the sink is not white as before . Do u have any idea how to make the sink look shiny and white as before .Any suggection is greatly appreciated .
Thanks and Regards
Pr

[MysoreHudugi]

PR,
I have removed turmeric stains from ceramic tiles just by scrubbing very well with dish washing liquid. You will have to scrub hard. Try that and if you've already tried and did not work, here are some things you could try.

1. apply a paste of baking soda to the stain. Let it stand for an hour or so and then remove it. If it is still there, try the next idea.
2. Fold couple of paper towels (it should have 8 - 10 layers) little bigger than the size of the stain. Place it on the stain and saturate the towel with hydrogen peroxide. Let it stand for couple of hours. Make sure that the whole area is completely touched by the paper towel. The stain should have gone.

There is one universal idea to remove stains. Use clorox bleach. Use it only if your sink is bright white not off white. Use the same technique as mentioned for hydrogen peroxide use and it will go away.

But, I would first scrub it with ordinary dish washing liquid and try the other things if it does not work.

Hope this helps you.

CI.

[chamy]

Thank u R and Mysorehuduggi foe the information regarding sofa cover.
regards foodlover.

[dev]

Hi CI,

The toothpaste tip didn't work either... I am reluctant to change the mirror coz it's screwed to the wall & am scared tht I might damage the wall in the process of removing/fixing a new mirror...Also,I'm not sure if I can find a mirror that has screws exactly in the same place as this mirror else I'll have to drill new holes,which I don't want to do...So will try out all tips I come across...:)

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi CI,

The toothpaste tip didn't work either... I am reluctant to change the mirror coz it's screwed to the wall & am scared tht I might damage the wall in the process of removing/fixing a new mirror...Also,I'm not sure if I can find a mirror that has screws exactly in the same place as this mirror else I'll have to drill new holes,which I don't want to do...So will try out all tips I come across...:)

What kind of mirror is it? Is it like a framed one that hangs or it has fixings on all the corners? If it has fixings (don't know what they call it) at all the corners, your job is easy if you want to replace the mirror. These can be tilted to remove the mirror and you will have to get the same size mirror to put it back. If it is like a framed one, you might not find the one which has screws just like this one.

If I come across some more tips, I will let you know. Sorry, couldn't help here.

CI.

[dev]

This mirror has screws on the four corners... the screws(I believe they r screws) are plain on the top & I don't know how to remove them...I mean,there is no cut in the centre of the screw top & so cannot use the screwdriver... it's fixed very tightly to the wall... I'm planing to ask the person at the hardware shop near my house & I believe he'll be able to give some tips...Will let you how if I suceed in replacing it or in removing the scratches... Thanks for all your suggestions...they were really valuble...:)

[vm]

Hi CI and others,

Do u know how to remove scratches from stainless steel appliances and stainless steel sinks? This is urgent

[MysoreHudugi]

You can try polishing. Use brasso polish and you might be able to mask the scratches. You cannot really remove them except maybe use a corrosive pad to uniformly remove a thin layer of the metal. That is the only thing that I know of. Sorry can't help much.

CI.

[gkus]

Hi gv,

I already clearly mentioned that they have not uploaded any details for sankatahara chathurthi as of now. Or, you can even mail them abt the details and hope they will help you for sure.

In my family, my folks use to fast during this day and they make kozhukattai, appam & vada for maha sankatahara chathurthi which comes once in a year. But, for all chathurthis, they fast and after seeing the moon in the night, they will take food which is the main significance. Being in US, it is not possible, so just forget that part.

When comes to my friends & SIL, they use to make vella kozhukattai too(u r right) for all chathurthis as a neiveidhyam. Of course, it comes once in a month. Dont remember seeing anyone doing pooja, so I am not sure abt the pooja.

Maybe, till you get some idea, you can do the neivedhyam, nothing wrong in it and if possible include fasting. I have checked viradha pooja vidhanam book and they have not given anything for sankatahara chathurthi.

Hi GV & R,

Yes, there is a specific Sankatahara Chathurthi pooja every month.

Since you are from Madras, you might want to ask your in-laws/parents to send you the book about this pooja, available in Giri Trading Co.

Also, I feel being in US is not an excuse for not adhering to the austerities. It is possible to see the moon even in the US, weather conditions permitting. This is the case anywhere in the world.

Doing Sankatahara Chathurthi pooja is very holy and will bring prosperity to whoever does it with full devotion.

Good luck!

[R]

Hi gkus,

Abt seeing moon here in US-did not mean what you have mentioned. Have been living here in NJ for a long time where most of the time is cold and also, rarely see stars outside at the sky. That is what I meant!!

Otherwise, I am also very particular in following our rituals and customs. BTW, Thanks for the info., abt the book availability.

Rgds.

[rain]

hi all,

cud u please suggest any tips to clean inside of the refrigerator?do u think dish washing liquid will be enough to clean AND remove odours?thanks in advance.

rain

[dev]

Hi rain,

I use magiclean kitchen cleaner to clean anything & everything in the kitchen...just spray it,leave it for a min...rub & wipe off with a clean cloth...clean again with a wet towel... we get this cleaner in Singapore...dunno if it's available elsewhere...

[rain]

hi dev,

thanks for ur response.we get mr.clean here.....it has this muscular old man in white t-shirt as mascot......dunno if it's the same. i shud check out . also heard baking soda is effective for removing food odours and cleaning too. has anyone tried it?

regards,
rain

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi Rain,
I clean the refrigerator with 6:1 water and vinegar solution. It is safe even if its residue is left and gets rid of the odours. I usually line the shelves with paper towel and on the top of it spread newspapers and toss them out once a month or so. This helps in not spending too much of time in cleaning the next time.

Of course, whatever can be removed, I remove them and wash them in the sink with water and dish washing liquid.


Hope this helps.

CI.

[gv]

Hi SL,GKUS
Thanks for replying abt the sankatahara chaturthi. I will ask folks back home abt the book

[vekala]

Hi Folks!
Can anyone tip on how to remove the odour from the refrigerator and also how to avoid the odour in the foods that are kept inside the fridge.
I have kept a packet of baking soda slightly opened in one corner inside the fridge. But i am not very satisfied....
I really need some suggestion on this ...mainly b'cos my husband always complains of this odour in the food that is stored in the fridge. So anything that was stored in fridge, he doesn't take. Even the curd. He just has it the day it's made or b4 it's stored....so i literally end up throwing out the left overs...which i really hate to do!
So pls can anyone pass some suggestions on this!

Thnx,
Kala

[rain]

hi CI,

thanks for ur input.it seems a good idea to line the racks with paper towels.
wat kind of vinegar shud i use? i have seen white,brown vinegar and then there's wine and balsamic vinegar.surely not the last ones,i hope :-) in india u get 1 basic vinegar off the shelf,so its pretty much simple.but i am not sure here.

regards,
rain

[R]

You can even use aluminium foil .

[MysoreHudugi]

hi CI,

thanks for ur input.it seems a good idea to line the racks with paper towels.
wat kind of vinegar shud i use? i have seen white,brown vinegar and then there's wine and balsamic vinegar.surely not the last ones,i hope :-) in india u get 1 basic vinegar off the shelf,so its pretty much simple.but i am not sure here.

regards,
rain

Use distilled white vinegar. Any brand would do. You need not pay more for that. I buy the biggest bottle available. I don't use fabric softner for my baby's clothes. Instead I pour a cup of vinegar into the softner cup of the washer. I use vinegar to wash windows and lot of other cleaning purposes. If you are going to use it like that, buy the biggest one. Works out cheap. (Lot cheaper than buying cleaners)

CI.

[MysoreHudugi]

Hi Folks!
Can anyone tip on how to remove the odour from the refrigerator and also how to avoid the odour in the foods that are kept inside the fridge.
I have kept a packet of baking soda slightly opened in one corner inside the fridge. But i am not very satisfied....
I really need some suggestion on this ...mainly b'cos my husband always complains of this odour in the food that is stored in the fridge. So anything that was stored in fridge, he doesn't take. Even the curd. He just has it the day it's made or b4 it's stored....so i literally end up throwing out the left overs...which i really hate to do!
So pls can anyone pass some suggestions on this!

Thnx,
Kala

Try this. It has worked for me.
For odor control, use a solution of 2 tbsp. baking soda to 1 quart warm water to wash the inside of the refrigerator. A solution of 1 cup of vinegar and 1 gallon warm water is also effective; apply and rinse. A box of baking soda placed in the refrigerator will also cut down on odors.

I use vinegar mixed with water to clean the refrigerator. Baking soda solution might leave white streaks on the glass shelves. So, I don't use it.


CI.

[vekala]

Hi CI,
Currently i AM using a box of baking soda as a soln....but my husband still complains of odour. So let me try ur way and will let u know!.
Thanks for the tip.

Kala

[rain]

thanks CI, for pointing out the multi use of vinegar.

normally vinegar has a twangy smell. since u r using it for clothes it must be smell free.is it because u r mixing with water or does this distilled vinegar come with neutral smell ?

regards,
rain

[MysoreHudugi]

thanks CI, for pointing out the multi use of vinegar.

normally vinegar has a twangy smell. since u r using it for clothes it must be smell free.is it because u r mixing with water or does this distilled vinegar come with neutral smell ?

regards,
rain

It removes the odors from the clothes. It will not have any smell after the clothes are washed. It does have tangy smell when you are using it.

I use it mainly for my baby's cloth diapers. Since I wash them once in 2 - 3 days, it helps in getting rid of urine and poop smell from the diapers.

Hope this helps.

CI.

[dev]

hi vekala,

Do U store the cooked food stuffs in an airtight container?...if not,try putting it in airtight containers or close the bowls with cling wrap instead of the normal lids/plate we use to cover the mouth of the bowls...this way,the flavours of diff cooked foods don't get mixed up with the others & the food stays fresher & the fridge too wouldn't smell bad...

[vekala]

hi dev,
Thnx for the suggestion!
Yea at first i just used plates to close them....recently i hv started to use airtight containers!
:)
Kala

[dev]

Okay... so my suggestion would be to take out everything from the fridge & clean it (using ur own method or those mentioned by CI) & leave the fridge open for a few hrs... then store things in the fridge as usual...but cooked food in airtight boxes... I guess this will eliminate most of the odour from the fridge...

[gv]

can anyone tell a easy way to remove the sticker from plastic containters. to be precise, i get these nuts ina plastic container from costco and i would like to resue those dubbas to store flour. but i hate to see those stickers . i try to remove and its not coming out fully and its even more ugly now.
so pls tell me a way to remove those stickers fully.
TIA
GV

[MysoreHudugi]

GV,
Fill them up with water (cold) and use hair dryer in warm setting and blow air on the sticky part. Some of them are sticky all over and some are stuck only at one place. Do it for a minute and try to pull them. They will come off once they are warm enough. These adhesives are heat sensitive. If it gets cold, it gets hard again. You might have to do it again in places where it is not coming off. The reason to fill water is to prevent plastic from warping. Even I use the pretzel containers. They are great for storing dal, flour etc.

Hope this helps.

CI.

[gv]

Thanks CI, I tried ur method of removing the stickers. Atleast the colored part (outer layer) of the sticker came out. But the inner layer is very stubborn.

Also, Can any one tell when is Sankatahara chaturthi this week. Wed or thursday?I live in CA,USA

[arrecipes]

Hi gv,
Sankatahara Chathurthi is on 21st(Wednesday)

[sarithasai5]

Hi !
I want some remedy to either kill or move away the flies that come for banana.
It wld be nice if somebody having idea can let me know :)

Thanks in advance.

[Seethab]

Hi Saritha:

I was talking to a localite who works for a grocery store. She told me that if you mix apple cider vinegar with a little soap and keep in a small plate or cup. I believe the flies will get stuck in the above soln.

Please do check it out!! Good luck!!

Seetha

[MysoreHudugi]

Thanks CI, I tried ur method of removing the stickers. Atleast the colored part (outer layer) of the sticker came out. But the inner layer is very stubborn.

Also, Can any one tell when is Sankatahara chaturthi this week. Wed or thursday?I live in CA,USA

It needed more heat than what you provided. Everything comes out clean. Even the baby food jars if you microwave it and peel it off, comes clean. All these adhesives are heat sensitive. The problem with removing the stickers from plastic containers is you are at a danger of warping the plastic. This is not the case with glass. Anyway, when you have to do this next time, try using the dryer for a little longer and fill warm water instead of cold water and you should be able to get them out completely.

Sankashti is on 21st. That is tomorrow. Don't know if you are the one asking about breaking the fast, what I used to do is look up on the web to get the moon rise time and on the days I cannot see moon or no hopes of seeing it due to weather conditions, break the fast after the moon rise time.


Hope this helps.
CI.

[SL]

Thanks CI, I tried ur method of removing the stickers. Atleast the colored part (outer layer) of the sticker came out. But the inner layer is very stubborn.

Also, Can any one tell when is Sankatahara chaturthi this week. Wed or thursday?I live in CA,USA

gv,

Sankatahara Chathurthi is on wednesday 21st sept. Normally I fast during the day and perform the pooja in the evening. Usually we break the fast upon seeing the moon. In case moon is not visible due to weather conditions in your area, you can break the fast at the time of moon rise(as CI had mentioned).

SL