How to Clean a Refrigerator

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Every so often, a refrigerator needs to be cleaned inside. The shelves have to be washed down from milk spills, and food must be tossed out if they have outlived the shelf life.

Steps

1. Take everything out of the fridge. Place it on the table. (do one shelf at a time to avoids spoilage. Cycle things in and out of freezer as necessary). Do a complete toss out first to make room to keep things in.
   
2. Throw out aged, moldy or inedible food, bagging securely. Toss anything you don't use regularly, too.
   
3. Wipe your refrigerator inside and outside with a cloth and vinegar and water or baking soda and water solution, rinsing well with a washcloth rinsed clear with water. Soapy water works, too. Clean rubber door closure area too.
   
4. Keep your refrigerator organized, with meats and cheese and butter in one shelf box, and vegetables in the crisper. Meats should be stored on the bottom shelf to avoid meat juices dripping onto the shelves below
   
5. You can buy a deoderizor or just plain old-fashion baking soda to keep out old smells.
   

Video

Tips

• Organize to make things easier to find. Put milk, juices, and other drinks on one shelf, and your dressings, sauces, and similar items in another place.
  
• Clean your fridge out approximately once every month.
  
• Once your fridge is clean, one easy way to keep it clean is to empty and clean just one or two shelves or drawers at a time. The entire fridge is never spotless all at once, but it can stay reasonably clean without being an all-day project. Just make sure to cycle through all the shelves.
  
• Keep a small jar (with the lid off) of baking soda in the fridge to absorb excess moisture. Please note that it has to be a jar and not a box.
  

Warnings

• Old food should be bagged securely and separately before placing inside your regular kitchen trash bag to avoid attracting animals/rodents if the garbage bag is not sealed securely or acquires a rip or tear while outdoors.
  
• Never wash a cold glass shelf with hot water. The sudden temperature change could shatter the glass. Instead, use cold water or remove the shelf and let it come up to room temperature before washing it.
  
• Don't let water or cleaning solution fall into any of the inside vents.
  

Things You'll Need

• Vinegar
  
• Baking soda (optional)
  
• Water
  
• Plastic grocery or trash bag(s), if necessary
  
• Washcloth or sponge
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Clean Coffee Pots
  
• How to Clean Copper Bottoms on Pots and Pans
  
• How to Clean a Stove
  
• How to Clean a Microwave
  
• How to Get Rid of Bad Smells in Your Fridge
  
• How to Replace a Refrigerator Door Seal
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Clean a Refrigerator. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

The textile industry now uses the following symbols for laundry care instructions:

Washing

Machine Wash, COLD Machine Wash, COLD Permanent Press Machine Wash, COLD Gentle Cycle Hand Wash Machine Wash, WARM Machine Wash, WARM Permanent Press Machine Wash, WARM Gentle Cycle Do Not Wash Machine Wash, HOT Machine Wash, HOT Permanent Press Machine Wash, HOT Gentle Cycle

Bleaching

Bleach as needed Any bleach, like Clorox®, may be safely used Do Not Bleach No bleach product should be used including detergents with bleach - or follow bleach package test procedures to test for bleach safety. Non-chlorine Bleach as needed Use only a color-safe bleach, like Clorox 2®

Drying

Tumble Dry, NO HEAT Tumble Dry, Permanent Press, NO HEAT Tumble Dry, Gentle Cycle, NO HEAT Do Not Tumble Dry Tumble Dry, LOW HEAT Tumble Dry, Permanent Press, LOW HEAT Tumble Dry, Gentle Cycle, LOW HEAT Line Dry Tumble Dry, MEDIUM Tumble Dry, Permanent Press, MEDIUM Tumble Dry, Gentle Cycle, MEDIUM Drip Dry Tumble Dry, HIGH Dry Flat

Ironing

Iron, Steam or Dry, with LOW HEAT Iron, Steam or Dry, with MEDIUM HEAT Iron, Steam or Dry, with HIGH HEAT Do Not Iron with Steam Do Not Iron

Drycleaning

Dryclean May appear with additional letters and/or lines Take this item to a professional drycleaner Do Not Dryclean

Today's question:

Walking through any grocery store you can see shelves full of all kinds of fabric softeners. They come in many fragrances and I see people opening the container caps and smelling them. I think all of that fiber softener will wear out our clothes sooner than they would otherwise. Is there anything to that idea at all?

I thought at first that this was sort of a silly question: Why would they sell stuff that is supposed to keep your clothes nice when it is actually eating them up?

However, I looked into it a bit and found there is something to this.

Sort of.

It isn't so much that fabric softeners hurt your clothes, although some people say they do. The real problem seems to be what fabric softeners might do to you, not your duds.

According to a study reported in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health

" in May 2000, some fabric softeners can throw off, among other things, stuff such as toluene, styrene, phenol, thymol, xylene, and trimethylbenzene. None of these things is especially good for you.

Reach Thompson at clay .thompson@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8612.

The problem is that these chemicals build up in the fabric of your clothes and are released over time.

Granted, I haven't ever heard of somebody slowly poisoning a spouse with fabric softener, but still, the thought of all those chemicals is a bit off-putting.

If you're worried about it, I am told that putting a bit of vinegar and lavender oil on a sock and tossing it in your dryer will do the softening job.

I also read that putting a ball of aluminum foil or a tennis ball in the dryer will take care of static electricity.

Why a tennis ball would work, I don't know, but there you have it.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 04:09 PM

Originally Posted at: http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/claythompson/54087

Note: Temperature settings between microwave ovens may vary. Therefore, the time periods suggested for cooking or heating as listed below are approximate. For best results, check your user’s manual for recommendations from the manufacturer.

Beverages

• Thaw frozen juices by removing the metal lid, placing the packaging cylinder in a microwavable container and heating for approximately 30 seconds.
• Keep morning coffee, tea or hot chocolate fresh by covering leftovers with plastic wrap and placing in the fridge. Reheat one mug at a time for 1-2 minutes on high power. Prior to microwaving, peel loosen plastic wrap to allow steam to escape.

Condiments

• Soften a chilled or frozen stick of butter by reducing power to 50% and heating for approximately 40 seconds.
• When heating cream or sour cream, lower the power to 50-75% to help avoid curdling.
• Soften hard-packed brown sugar by placing in a microwavable container with a slice of apple or a slice of fresh bread and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Heat on high for approximately 30 seconds.
• Make breadcrumbs by cutting bread slices into cubes and microwaving on high until hard. Crush cubes in a resealable plastic bag for a quick cleanup.
• To renew hardened honey, check to see that it is contained in a microwavable jar and that the cap or lid has been removed. Cover the opening with plastic wrap, leaving a small gap for steam to escape, and microwave for approximately 1 minute. If you are uncertain as to whether the packaging container is appropriate for microwave use, transfer pieces of the hardened honey to a container that you know is appropriate for the microwave oven.

Desserts

• Melt chocolate squares by heating at full power for approximately 45 seconds per ounce of chocolate.
• Soften rock-hard ice cream by heating at 30% power for approximately 20 seconds.
• Toast coconut by spreading into a thin layer and heating on high power for approximately 2-3 minutes. Stop and stir after 1 ½ - 2 minutes.
• To dry lemon and orange peel, place grated rind in small microwavable container and heat on high power for approximately 30 to 60 seconds.

Fruits

• Microwave lemons and other citrus fruits for approximately 20 seconds to help get more juice when squeezed. Just before cutting the fruit, roll it against a countertop or cutting board surface, applying pressure with the palm of your hand, until softened.
• To plump dried raisins and other dried fruits, measure one cup of dried fruit and sprinkle with two tablespoons of water. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and heat on high approximately 30 seconds.

Herbs

• Dry herbs in the microwave by spreading into a single layer between paper towels and heating at full power for approximately 2-3 minutes. After the first minute, begin checking herbs at 30-second intervals. When herbs are dry, crumble and store in airtight containers. Heating times will vary for different herbs.
• To help maximize flavor, try adding herbs after food has been cooked or heated in the microwave.

Meats and Fish

• Separate cold or frozen meats by microwaving at the defrost setting for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Drain fat from hamburgers by microwaving in a plastic colander placed on top of a dish or bowl.

Snacks

• Crisp stale chips, cookies or crackers by microwaving them at full power for approximately 10 seconds.
• Blanch nuts by placing them in boiling water and heating on high up to one minute. Remove skins by rubbing between paper towels.
• Roast nuts by spreading evenly in a single layer and cooking on high for approximately 2 ½ – 3 minutes.

Veggies

• Veggies can be steamed in the microwave in just a few minutes with no added fat. Simply chop vegetables as desired, place in a microwavable container with 1 to 2 Tbsp. of water and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Cook on high until soft.
• To make mashed potatoes in the microwave, cut potatoes into small pieces and place in a microwavable container with 1 to 2 Tbsp. water. Cover container with plastic wrap, turning back one corner to allow steam to escape, and microwave on high until soft. Mash and season with milk and herbs.
• When baking a potato in the microwave, be sure to pierce the skin to release steam.
• When peeling garlic or onions, snip off the ends and microwave for approximately 10 to 15 seconds to make the job easier.
• Make great corn on the cob by rinsing ears in cold water with the husks on. Heat in the microwave on high for up to six minutes for two ears and up to eight minutes for four.

Originally Posted at: http://www.plasticsinfo.org/s_plasticsinfo/sec_level4_alt.asp?CID=576&DID=2298

Please visit the above link for more tips and tricks of cooking with your microwave.

Pick 3, spend 50, takes 1 to start a trend

3 What three local businesses would you miss if they disappeared? Your purchases, great or small, are what keep those businesses around. Stop in. Say hello. Pick up something that makes you smile.

50 Spend $50 in a local business and $34 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, etc. Spend $50 in a national chain and only $21.50 remains. Spend online and nothing comes home.

1 It takes only one person to start a trend.

Save our local economy! Together we can make it happen.

http://www.sonorannews.com/archives/2009/090708/thebuzz.html

Arizona's economic recovery depends on small business

July 8, 2009

Data underscores importance

WASHINGTON – Arizona's economic recovery will depend on small business. That message is driven home in the updated Arizona Small Business Profile released by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The most recent data show that the state has 107,490 small employers, and they employ 97.4 percent of the state’s workforce.

“Arizona depends on small business for jobs and economic growth,” said Shawne McGibbon, Acting Chief Counsel for Advocacy. “During this time of financial stress and economic instability, policymakers need to remember that the state’s small businesses provide the economic base for its families and communities.”

To further highlight the importance of small business, the updated profile notes that small businesses created 60.4 percent of the state's net new jobs from 2004 to 2005 (latest available data).

Not only does the state’s economy depend on the health of its small businesses, so too does the economy of the United States.

The U.S. has slightly more than 6 million small employers, or 99.7 percent of all employer firms, and they provide 50.4 percent of its private sector employment. These firms created 78.9 percent of the nation’s net new jobs from 2004 to 2005, and they generated more than half of the private non-farm gross domestic product.

The Office of Advocacy, the “small business watchdog” of the federal government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats, and it funds research into small business issues.

For more information and a complete copy of state and territory small business profiles, visit the Office of Advocacy website at www.sba.gov/advo.

The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. The presidentially appointed Chief Counsel for Advocacy advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policymakers.

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT: http://www.sonorannews.com/archives/2009/090708/thebuzz.html

Your clothes are labeled for the type of cleaning requirements the garment requires. Following this rules can save you time and money. This can help keep your favorite clothing last as long as possible.

When it comes to bleach follow the clothing tags instructions. Be aware that clothing can end up being mislabeled so follow the bleach containers instructions on testing the fabric for colorfastness. Always be mindful to details like using only "non-chlorine" bleach.

Washing is not the only important information on the garments tag. Drying, ironing, dry cleaning, instructions are all important thing to keep in mind. Make sure you keep your clothes in the best condition possible by following these rules.

Labels: dryer, washer