Dear Reena: We have two CorningWare casserole dishes that were bought used. They are stained and I am wondering if you have a suggestion as to how these stains might be removed.
Anon.
In a large pot, combine 3 cups vinegar, 4 cups water and 2 Tbsp citric acid, and bring to a boil.
Set one CorningWare dish into the boiling mixture for five minutes (the water must cover the dish).
If necessary, scrub wet CorningWare with an S.O.S pad.
Once dry, your dishes will look brand new. If black marks are scratched into the glass, the marks are permanent.
Dear Reena: A metal kitchen light fixture is caked with cooking grease and dust. I tried Windex and WD-40 without any luck. What do you suggest?
Debbie
Assuming you are referring to the fixture alone (no electrical wires), an easy solution is to place the fixture on the top rack of the dishwasher.
Dishwasher detergents are formulated as grease cutters and are amazing at cleaning grime. The metal exhaust-fan ceiling cover also benefits from dishwasher cleaning.
Dear Reena: Our front door key broke inside the lock. What can I use to remove the broken piece?
Jimmy
Put a little Super Glue onto the broken key part. Push that piece into the lock and hold for a few seconds so the two pieces bond. Turn and pull.
Dear Reena: I own a large plastic bucket that I fill with water to wash the car. The problem is, I can’t fill the bucket under the tap because as soon as the bucket is full of water, I can’t pull it out of the sink without spilling water everywhere. Any suggestions?
Bev
Instead of placing the bucket inside the sink, position it on the edge of the counter. Hold a dust pan under the tap. The water flows into the dustpan and inside the bucket without having to place the bucket inside the sink.
Making better cakes from mixes
Homemade baking is best, but not everyone has time to bake from scratch.
Here are a few tricks to help cakes from mixes taste homemade:
• Add one package of instant-pudding mix to a boxed mix to moisten the cake and upgrade the flavour. Jessica
• Substitute milk for water in cake mixes. Also, add one extra egg. Jordyn
• Add 1 cup of sour cream and 1 tsp real vanilla extract to cake mixes to give the cake a moist texture. Helena
Frozen blueberry tips
• When it comes to using frozen blueberries in a recipe, do not allow them to thaw first. Adding them while frozen will preserve the texture and prevent them from bleeding into the other ingredients and changing the colour of your baking.
• Before adding frozen blueberries to your pie crust, sprinkle the crust with 3 Tbsp cornstarch right before adding the berries. The cornstarch absorbs liquid, preventing a soggy crust.
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.