1 cup baking soda
1 cup washing soda
¼ cup citric acid
¼ cup salt

Method

1. Put all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor
2. Mix on high speed until you have a fine powder
3. Use 1 tablespoon per wash
4. Store in a clean dry container.

Because this mixture doesn’t have the harsh ingredients of the commercial stuff, you may find that tea stains don’t come out of cups so easily.  If this happens, then simply try rubbing the inside of the stained cup with salt.

The reason for using the ingredients for this powder is:

Washing soda – cleaning

Baking  soda – abrasive

Salt – whitening agent

Citric acid – grease remover

The best way to deal with this is to remove and throw away all the food. Even if individual items don’t smell, there is a food poisoning hazard and no food from the freezer should be eaten.

Wash the interior of the freezer with a strong solution of ¼ cup baking soda and ½ cup white vinegar.

Leave the freezer door open overnight and check the results next day.

If the smell still lingers, you may need to use a strong disinfectant (Check manufacturer’s instructions first).

Don’t put any food into the freezer again until all traces of food or cleaning smells have disappeared.

A small dish of baking soda and water paste or an open bottle of vanilla essence left in the freezer overnight will speed up the odour dispersal.

And if you turn the power off and leave the fridge door closed for more than a few days, you will find a hard-to-shift smell when you open the door again.

To get rid of odours caused by these or any other causes put a small dish of baking soda and water paste or an open bottle of vanilla essence in the fridge and leave overnight.

If you still can’t shift the odours, then wash the inside of the fridge with a very strong solution of ¼ cup baking soda and ½ cup white vinegar.

If you just want to freshen up your fridge, wash the interior with a clean cloth soaked in a solution of baking soda and vinegar or put some fresh stalks of mint in a small glass in the fridge.

Some remedies include:

• Put 2 tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl and mix in 1 cup water.  Leave for up to 24 hours.  This works for removing odours from inside a refrigerator or in a musty cupboard.
• Heat a saucepan of water containing orange or lemon peel and whole cloves and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes
• After you have finished cooking, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ground cloves on a baking sheet and place in the oven after it has been used.

These last two remedies not only remove the bad odours, they create a pleasant smell that wafts through the house.

The baking soda solution can also be used to get rid of the smell when the cat has peed somewhere it shouldn’t have.

To keep your kitchen clean and hygienic, wipe the bench-top down whenever you prepare food of any sort.

Don’t leave food scraps and crumbs lying around for hours.

If you get into this habit you will protect members of your household from food borne sickness and keep insects and other pests away.

Mostly a quick wipe down with a clean cloth and a little detergent is all that is needed. The multitude of products advertised will work – but are much more expensive.

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar is also a good kitchen cleanser. Vinegar kills bugs and makes surfaces sparkle while baking soda is an abrasive cleanser.  A combination of the two mixed with water will clean up your kitchen bench (and other surfaces) and kill any nasties hiding around the place.

You can make your own vinegar and baking soda cleaner.  

Add ¼ cup white vinegar to ¼ cup baking soda in a spray bottle and top up with water. 

Note: Be careful as it will fizz when you add the vinegar – so give pour the vinegar in slowly so you don’t end up with spillage!

Harmful bacteria present in raw meat can otherwise be transferred to cooked food, which may be eaten without further heating and thus carry the harmful bacteria straight into your body.

Use a plastic chopping board for cutting meat.

Wooden boards are good for cutting non-meat products.

Always clean knives thoroughly between preparing raw and cooked food.  You will need at least three good knives in your kitchen.

• A sturdy chef’s knife for chopping, dicing and slicing hard foods
• A serrated knife for bread, tomatoes and other soft foods that are best cut using a sawing action
• A smaller thin-bladed paring knife for fruit and hard vegetables

Good personal and kitchen hygiene is your first stage protection against food poisoning.

Proper handling of food and appropriate cooking follow closely.

In other posts we have some hints and tips for keeping your kitchen safe and hygienic.