Simple Way to Keep Boxed Mixed Greens Fresh

 I quite like getting the boxed mixed greens, as it is fast and simple way to make a salad, BUT I have also noticed that it can go limp and mushy quite quickly, and I have found the easy way to fix this.

This also works for bagged lettuce if you purchase it that way.  

Below are a couple of great ways to keep those lettuce leaves fresh and stop the waste.

Food is too expensive, so the less you throw out the better.

Boxed Mixed Greens

Step 1 - Open the plastic container as soon as you get it home.

Step 2 -  Place a clean folded paper towel (folded lengthwise) gently on top of the greens.

Step 3 - Close the lid and store it upside down in the refrigerator.

This allows any moisture that may be present to be absorbed into the paper towel.  Replace as needed.

I was amazed at just how well this worked.   Storing upside down is key for this to work, which places the paper towel at the bottom.

Prepared Green Salad Leftovers

Here is another tidbit I learned years ago from my gran.

If you are creating a large green salad for you family or guests, then place a small bowl upside down in the bottom of the salad bowl before adding your washed ingredients

This allows any of the moisture to trickle down under the small bowl in the bottom and collect, which will keep you salad fresh even the next day in the refrigerator. 

Hope this was helpful.  I despise throwing out food, so I found this trick works well.  You can also transplant your greens to special containers that will keep it fresh longer.  Check them out below.

How to Clean a French Press

 I love a French Press, because it seems more convenient to me that using a coffee maker.  I also need to drink decaf (I know hiss boo!) so by having two French Press's I can make both quickly.

But cleaning them out can be a bit of a pain, especially when the grounds harden.

Here is a quick way to do this.

Step 1 - Fill your press halfway with water to rehydrate the grounds.

Step 2 - Place a paper towel in the drain of the sink 

Step 3 - Gently pour the coffee grounds/water over the paper towel.

This collects the grounds and stops them from going down the sink

NOTE:  Don't pour grounds down the sink as they will eventually create a plug up in the drain as they don't dissolve like bits of food do.

Take the paper towel of grounds and place in your green compositing bin, or your backyard composting bin or throw in the garbage.

Step 4 - Place a few drops of mild dish soap into your press.

Step 5 - Fill half way with warm water

Step 6 - Take the plunger part of the press and simply go up and down into the glass container.  The soap will not only clean the glass but also the plunger, as coffee oils do build up.

Step 7 - Dump the water.

Step 8 - If stains remain, use a micro fiber cloth to gently rub the sides of the glass.

You are done!

It is best if you can do this after each use, as the oils from the coffee will tend to build up on the glass and the plunger making your coffee taste a bitter.

Invest in a Couple of French Press's

This way you can have one on the go while the other is set aside for cleaning!  Or like me, one ready for decaf, so I can enjoy coffee too!

I love the french press, it is a quick way to make good tasting coffee!

How to Clean Bathroom Tile Grout

 No matter how well you clean the bathroom, the grout between tiles is a magnet for mildew, soap scum and other gross things.  Instead of a remodel or spending loads of money on fancy toxic cleaners, give these ideas a try using products you probably already have:

1.  Mouthwash that has a tooth whitening additive.

Using a toothbrush (you can get packs of them from the dollar store just for these tiny areas to clean) and a small bowl of the mouthwash, scrub the grout and then rinse.

2.  Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda

Making a thin paste by combining the two ingredients, apply to the grout, and wait about 10-15 minutes then using your cleaning toothbrush give it a scrub.  Wipe clean with a damp cloth.  Repeat if needed.

3.  Lemon

Cut a lemon into quarters, and then rub the lemon into the grout, then using a toothbrush or even a old nail brush to lift the stains.  Wipe with a wet cloth to get rid of stains and the pulp from the lemon.

4.  Desperate Measures - Household Bleach

If for example the corners of the bathtub grout is showing the worst dirt and grime, then consider dipping cotton balls into bleach and then taping them to the grout with painters tape to let it soak in instead of simply running down the wall.  This hold the bleach in place longer, so that you can simply scrub and then rinse clean after.

The above 4 ideas, have been used by me, mostly depending on what I had in the house.  I found that most grout could be brought back to life and look brighter and cleaner.

There are some environmentally friendly cleaners on the market if you don't like to make your own, that are not so toxic.  Just check the ingredients especially when cleaning in a small space such as the bathroom.

It is amazing at what a difference a good tile and grout clean will do for your space, especially the bathroom.

Getting Out the Big Guns - Hard Surface Steam Cleaners

It is so expensive for a remodel.  So before you start ripping those tiles off the wall, consider some of these cleaning ideas, or you can also use things like a tile steam cleaner.  This uses pressurized steam to clean all the gunk off.

There are so many ideas for making that most popular room in the house a little cleaner and brighter.