Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Dear Heloise: My mother and I are having a discussion about the need (or not) to rinse dishes off before putting them in the dishwasher. Do you have a comment on this? I swear my mom "washes" the dishes and then puts them in the dishwasher. I think it is a waste of time! Help us settle this once and for all. Anita in Colorado
Ahhh! The "rinse or not to rinse" question! In general, if you are going to run the dishwasher soon, it's only necessary to scrape off big chunks of food. It is not necessary to "wash" dishes before putting them in, especially if you have a newer machine. However, if the dishes are going to sit for a while, you might want to give them a quick rinse (or run the rinse-and-hold cycle, if the machine has one), especially if the plates have egg or sticky stuff on them.
Also, load the machine correctly. Don't block water jets with big bowls or pans, and when loading silverware, put some with handles up and some with handles down so that they don't "nest" inside each other. Most dishwashers have specific loading instructions, so check the manual or Web site.
Also, to save energy and money, wash only full loads of dishes. Use only dishwasher detergent -- never use laundry detergent or dish soap. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Today, out of desperation, I discovered a wonderful hint to share. Opening and pouring coffee out of the can has always been a messy job for me. I have tried everything, from scooping it out of the can to putting it in plastic bags and cutting a corner out to make a funnel, etc.
Today, I had a can that could not be opened with a traditional can opener. Frustrated, I took a beer-can opener, used the punch end and punched about five holes on one side and a hole on the opposite side and poured the coffee into a container -- it worked perfectly, and no mess. I put the plastic lid back on the can and stored it until I need a refill. The holes can be punched to match the opening of the container -- smaller or larger openings. Debbie in Seguin, Texas
Dear Heloise: My boss loves to cook for his grandkids. When peeling 5 pounds of potatoes, he doesn't run the peels through the disposal unit. Instead, he lines the sink with plastic wrap, and when the peeling is done, out in the trash goes the pile of peels. Celeste in Wisconsin
Celeste, tell your boss he is helping to prevent a possible major plumbing problem! Overloading the disposal with anything is not a good idea. Compost if you can. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I wear rubber or plastic gloves when I'm mixing meatloaf, kneading dough, etc. This keeps my hands and rings clean. I simply wash the gloves when done. Jessie, via e-mail
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate