Is your wooden bread board looking a little tired? Don’t throw it away. Clean the board by leaving it to soak in a bucket of Nappy-San overnight, or in a strong solution of salt and water.
REFRESH OLD BREAD
Speaking of bread, to refresh bread that is up to three days old, place it in a brown paper bag and bake at 160C/350F for 25 minutes, depending on size. Allow to cool before using.
CLEAN YOUR WOODEN SPOONS
If you’ve never deep-cleaned your wooden spoons, this one is for you. It’s important to clean wooden spoons for hygiene reasons, and thankfully it’s easy. Just gently boil them in a saucepan of salted water for 15-20 minutes. This allows the wood to expand, releasing trapped food particles and rancid oils. Remove and cool naturally on a dry cloth.
SCRUB OUT KITCHEN BENCH STAINS
To remove water stains from natural stone benchtops, soak a cloth in white vinegar and place it directly over the stain for 3-5 minutes; it lifts the mineral deposits like magic. Repeat for stubborn stains, then buff to finish.
SAVE BADLY BURNT PANS
Add 1 cup water with 1 tsp dishwasher granules and 1 tbsp of vinegar to the pan, cover with a lid, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Lightly scrape the softened burnt bits and discard them with the liquid. Use a scourer to remove any lingering burnt bits.
MAKE YOUR SILVER SPARKLE
This is the easiest way to make your tarnished silverware and cutlery shine again. Line a plastic tub with tinfoil, and add your silverware or cutlery so they do not touch each other. Cover with boiling or very hot water, sprinkle with roughly 2 tbsp of baking soda per litre of water and 2 tbsp of salt per litre of water. Now let the magic happen. Over the next few minutes, you’ll see a chemical reaction where the tarnish is lifted from the silver. Carefully remove and buff with a soft dry cloth. If your silverware is badly tarnished, you might need to repeat the process.
LOOSEN TIGHT LIDS
Stuck with a stuck lid? Run the jar lid under hot water (or submerge it upside down in hot water for 30–60 seconds). The heat expands the metal lid slightly, loosening the seal. Or, use a butter knife, or the edge of a teaspoon to gently pry under the lid to let air in. You’ll often hear a pop, and then the lid will twist off easily.
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