TLC for Pots and Pans

The weeks leading into the holidays are full of parties, events, guests, and meals, and this can leave your pots and pans looking a bit rough. Adding some extra care into your dishes as you do your normal housekeeping tasks can make a big difference into extending the life of your pots and pans.

Tarnished Copper  happens over time, no matter how carefully you handle your copper pots, and it leaves them looking old and used. Thankfully, there's an easy, completely economical way to take care of the stains:

The trick: It's as easy as half a lemon and a bit of salt to take off the tarnish. Dip the cut lemon into a little bit of salt and scrub the stained areas. Repeat until the tarnish is gone.

Grease & Stuck-On Food  can become quite a hassle as you try to wash your dishes. The dishwasher can't necessarily power through stuck-on food, and your hands might get a beating trying to scrub it off. 

The trick : Baking soda works for both of these issues. For stubborn grease, sprinkle some baking soda on a wet cloth or sponge and wipe; it will come off without too much work. For stuck-on food, shake a generous layer of baking soda over the stuck on food, add just enough water to cover, and let it soak for a couple of hours--the food will break loose easily when you come back to wash.

Burnt Food Stains are only an over-heated burner away from taking over your pots and pans. Avoid the temptation to scrub, and instead use the no-work solution!

The trick: Cola is the secret to getting burn food off of pots and pans. Pour in enough soda to cover the burnt area and let soak for a few hours or overnight. When you come back to clean, the burn on food will come off with no hassle.

If your holidays are packed with events and you find it hard to fit cleaning into the schedule, consider hiring a maid service to help you get through the season.