Friday, January 30, 2009

Household Hints - Cleaning Hints - Easy Lemon and Boiling Water Trick to Clean the Microwave

This is my new favorite way to clean the microwave. And it's so easy and all-natural, with no chemicals for cleaning!

  1. Pop a quarter or half lemon into a microwave safe mug or bowl filled with water. (Whatever old lemon you have left in the fridge will work just fine.)
  2. Set power to high and microwave for about 5 minutes or so - long enough to get a good boil happening.
  3. Let the steamy bowl or mug stay in the microwave for about fifteen to twenty minutes without opening the microwave door. All of that glorious steam will make cleaning the microwave super simple later on.
  4. Dunk the lemon into some salt or baking soda and use as a little scrubber in the microwave to remove any burnt on bits of food. (Be careful - the lemon will still be a bit hot!)
  5. Finally, wipe all the gunk and mess away with a moistened sponge or cleaning cloth. And enjoy your beautifully clean new microwave oven!
Want more housecleaning hints? Visit http://www.happyslob.com for the Happy Slob's Guide to No-Hassle Housecleaning...Housecleaning for the rest of us.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Household Hints - Saving - Change Jar to Save Money

Here's an easy way to let your pennies, dimes and quarters accumulate into larger savings! Have a family change jar, where every member of the family dumps their extra change every week or so. Have the kids roll up the coins, and take the coin rolls to the bank. Use the extra money for savings, or towards a family vacation or special dinner out. It's a great way to teach kids (and adults too!) how small savings can really add up over time.