TIPS

How To Clean Tupperware Stains

Tupperware is one of the most useful products in the kitchen but they have a problem of developing stains very easily. If you do not know how to clean Tupperware stains easily, you are surely going to have a very tough time. You wouldn’t like to use them until the stains are removed and removing the stains shall become a huge concern for you. Here are some tips for cleaning Tupperware stains which you will surely find very useful.

Baking soda

This is one of those products which can be used to remove the stains with very less effort. You just need to sprinkle the soda in the container and wipe it slowly with a moist cloth or towel. You will see the stains disappearing very soon.

Lemon juice

 There are many stains which we refer to as ‘stubborn’, since we cannot get rid of them easily. Lemon juice works well to remove these stains. You just need to squeeze fresh lemon juice on the stained area of the container and then place it in the sun. You will notice that the stain is slowly dissolving in the juice. When you rinse it in warm water, you will find that the stain has completely disappeared from the Tupperware. Lemon juice helps to remove some undesirable odors too which might exist in the container.

 White vinegar 

 This is one of the oldest methods to remove stains from containers. White vinegar is known to be one of the best stain removers and is considered to be safer than several commercial products. You can mix white vinegar with warm water and then leave it on the stain for around an hour. After one hour you can rinse the container. You will love to see the stain disappearing in no time. If you still find that the stain is not removed or has just lightened a bit, you can add some baking soda with white vinegar and try to remove the stains. You will surely be successful in not only removing the stains but in also getting rid of some unwanted odors.

Salt

You can also use milk powder with some iodized salt as a scrub to remove stains from Tupperware. You can dissolve the salt in some lukewarm water and then use a very soft cloth or a wipe and scrub it slowly on the stained area. It is best to keep the Tupperware soaked in the solution for an hour to get the maximum benefits. However, you have to remember that you don’t rub the Tupperware too harshly as it shall damage the container.

**********************************************************************************

Food Hygiene and Cooking Practices Hygiene is an essential part of healthy living. Not just selecting the right food choices but also cooking & consuming them in a hygienic way is equally important in preventing the infectious diseases. One does not have to spend a fortune for healthy hygienic cooking practices. Following are some points which should be inculcated in day-to-day life
Wash hands thoroughly with soap after using the toilet, changing diapers, handling pets and before handling food. Clean & Trim the nails of both hands. Tie your hair before handling the food. Kitchen should be well lighted & ventilated (with either chimney/exhaust fan) & with meshed windows. The cooking and eating area should be preferably elevated. Keep the cooking, washing, and utility area and kitchen clothes clean. Protect the kitchen & food items from insects, pests & other animals. Before  spraying insecticides, in the kitchen walls/cupboards, remove all the food items. Spraying should be done during night time. Wet mop the cupboards before storing again. Do not store raw foods (vegetables, dals, cereals, masala, i.e. powdered spices) for long periods. “First in first out” (FIFO) practice should be followed by all  and, more so, in regions where the humidity is high. Storage of food items should be in airtight containers/utensils to protect them from dust, insects, and moisture. Separate raw, cooked & ready to eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing foods. De-weed the green leafy vegetables & then wash them, repeatedly in clean water till they are free from dirt/mud. Wash & Soak the vegetables/fruits in water & then scrape. (Soaking removes pesticides, preservatives present on the surface. Vendors polish the brinjals & apples with engine oil to give a shinning look, so soak & scrub them thoroughly). Cruciferous vegetables should be soaked in boiled water to remove worms. Raw Vegetable/Fruits for Salads should be washed thoroughly in running water before cutting. Do not consume cut fruits from the street vendors. Clean the dals/cereals- wash them 2-3 times before cooking/soaking. Transfer the cooked food into a clean serving utensil before consuming (this is to prevent the erosive action of salt/turmeric/tamarind/lemon with aluminum, brass etc.). Boil the milk before consumption & keep it in a cool place/refrigerator to prevent curdling. Do not consume raw milk. While buying meat/fish/poultry make sure they are freshly cut. Clean fish/ poultry/meat thoroughly before cooking. Cook them thoroughly before consuming. Do not leave food outside in summer months for long time. Try & eat freshly prepared food everyday. Refrigerate perishable foods promptly, prepared food and left over within 2 hours. If refrigerator is not available then regulate the amount of food cooked, so that food doesn’t have to be stored. Do not store food for too long in the refrigerator/freezer. Boil/filter the drinking water before storing it in a clean vessel & cover it. Use a spoon/glass with a long handle to drink water. Don’t insert your hand/fingers in drinking water. Don’t drink directly from bottles containing drinking water which are shared amongst individuals. Do not use packed food beyond its expiry date. Do not consume food in tetra packs/tins which have leaks or are puffed, even if they are well within the expiry date.

Following are some points which should be inculcated in day-to-day life:
Wash hands thoroughly with soap after using the toilet, changing diapers, handling pets and before handling food. Clean & Trim the nails of both hands. Tie your hair before handling the food. Kitchen should be well lighted & ventilated (with either chimney/exhaust fan) & with meshed windows. The cooking and eating area should be preferably elevated. Keep the cooking, washing, and utility area and kitchen clothes clean. Protect the kitchen & food items from insects, pests & other animals. Before  spraying insecticides, in the kitchen walls/cupboards, remove all the food items. Spraying should be done during night time. Wet mop the cupboards before storing again. Do not store raw foods (vegetables, dals, cereals, masala, i.e. powdered spices) for long periods. “First in first out” (FIFO) practice should be followed by all  and, more so, in regions where the humidity is high. Storage of food items should be in airtight containers/utensils to protect them from dust, insects, and moisture. Separate raw, cooked & ready to eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing foods. De-weed the green leafy vegetables & then wash them, repeatedly in clean water till they are free from dirt/mud. Wash & Soak the vegetables/fruits in water & then scrape. (Soaking removes pesticides, preservatives present on the surface. Vendors polish the brinjals & apples with engine oil to give a shinning look, so soak & scrub them thoroughly). Cruciferous vegetables should be soaked in boiled water to remove worms. Raw Vegetable/Fruits for Salads should be washed thoroughly in running water before cutting. Do not consume cut fruits from the street vendors. Clean the dals/cereals- wash them 2-3 times before cooking/soaking. Transfer the cooked food into a clean serving utensil before consuming (this is to prevent the erosive action of salt/turmeric/tamarind/lemon with aluminum, brass etc.). Boil the milk before consumption & keep it in a cool place/refrigerator to prevent curdling. Do not consume raw milk. While buying meat/fish/poultry make sure they are freshly cut. Clean fish/ poultry/meat thoroughly before cooking. Cook them thoroughly before consuming. Do not leave food outside in summer months for long time. Try & eat freshly prepared food everyday. Refrigerate perishable foods promptly, prepared food and left over within 2 hours. If refrigerator is not available then regulate the amount of food cooked, so that food doesn’t have to be stored. Do not store food for too long in the refrigerator/freezer. Boil/filter the drinking water before storing it in a clean vessel & cover it. Use a spoon/glass with a long handle to drink water. Don’t insert your hand/fingers in drinking water. Don’t drink directly from bottles containing drinking water which are shared amongst individuals. Do not use packed food beyond its expiry date. Do not consume food in tetra packs/tins which have leaks or are puffed, even if they are well within the expiry date