Everyday Cleaning--Food Processors

Food Processors
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Somewhere among the jungle of gadgets on your kitchen countertop there is probably a food processor. This piece of equipment is an enormous time saver--it purees, minces, mixes,,kneads,blends, and more. But much like a food grinder, the multitalented food processor requires a multifaceted approach when it comes to cleaning. That is, should be cleaned part by part.

For general cleaning, use the side sprayer on your sink, with the water pressure on as high as possible to remove stuck food. For really tough cleaning jobs, use the outdoor garden hose--it'll have the same effect as a high-powered restaurant kitchen sprayer. Another time-saver: If your recipe doesn't require the use of the feed tube on top of your food processor, cover the bowl with a strong piece of plastic wrap before locking on the lid. This will prevent splattering on the lid and minimize cleaning.

To clean the power unit of your food processor, turn it off and unplug the unit. Wipe it with a damp cloth. Wipe off the safety motor drive cover and reinstall it on the unit, if necessary. Never use coarse or caustic cleaning products on the power unit or immerse it in water.

To clean the attachments, put them in the dishwasher--all except the blades. Since items can shift in the dishwasher, the blades could bend, be dulled, or be burned if they touch a heating element. Wash the blades in hot, soapy water, dry with a cloth, and store for future use. Some experts prefer to hand-wash the plastic bowl of a food processor in hot, soapy water. This protects the bowl from the harsher dishwasher detergent, which can make the plastic brittle and prone to breakage. On some models, the plastic bowl has a safety spring located where the bowl attaches to the food processor. It's difficult to get this spring thoroughly dry. so after you've given the bowl a quick wipe, let it air-dry before reassembling the processor. Otherwise, the spring may rust.

Fountains
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whether you're tending the 160 fountains in Kansas City Missouri--known as the City of Fountains--or just the one on your patio, the same rule applies: Fountains have to be cleaned part by part.

Washing your fountain periodically with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water will help inhibit algae.

To prevent mineral deposits from (forming on bowls, the motor shaft, or other parts of the pump (which could cause it to fail), always use distilled water, rainwater, or dehumidified water in the fountain. If your fountain is so big that using distilled water is not pratical, treat the water with a mineral deposit inhibitor, such as Protec (a companion to Fountec), or another product recommended by your local fountain or garden store.

To remove mineral deposits--should they develop despite your best efforts--you'll first need to know that what your fountain bowl is made of.

• Some materials, such as resins and copper, are soft and should be cleaned with a cotton rag.
• Slate can be cleaned with a soft-bristled brush--but don't use soap. Slate can be porous; if it absorbs soap, your fountain could turn into a bubble bath.
• Other fountain bowl materials can be cleaned with an abrasive sponge and white vinegar or a mineral deposit cleaner, such as CLR Calcium Lime Rust Remover, available at hardware stores and home improvement stores.

  If your preventive maintenance is working, you may need to clean your fountain parts only once a year. If you're getting mineral deposits, you'll have to clean teh parts more frequently-likewise if you're not using a water treatment product. In general, you should sterilize your fountain after you clean it and before you reassemble it by dipping all parts, including the pump, in the mild
bleach solution mentioned above (1 part bleach to 10 parts water).

To clean the fountainhead, you will need to know what it's made of:

• Most molded fountainheads are cast from a polyester resin mixed with fillers such as powdered marble. These materials are strong but scratch easily, so the best way to clean them is with warm, soapy water and a soft sponge. Before using tile cleaners or other acids on a cast resin fountainhead, check it by putting a few drops of the cleaner on the bottom of the fountainhead and scrubbing it a bit with a toothbrush.
• When cleaning concrete or natural one, never use an acid cleaner. Dishwashing detergent or bleach mixed with water, plus a scrub brush, will work fine.
• Clean slate as described above for removing mineral depsoits.

simple SOLUTIONS

If You Want to See the Coins at the Bottom >

To combat slime and algae in a fountain, a bit of preventive maintenance will go a long way. A water treatment, such as Fountec, will keep the green stuff at bay and yet is safe for birds, pets, and plants (not for fish, though). You typically add a few drops to the fountain each week. Treatment products are available at fountain and garden stores.

To clean a fountain pump, first check to see how well it's working. Most pumps have some sort of inlet strainers or screens to ensure that small pebbles and other debris don't get into the pump and jam or damage it. Watch the water flow in your fountain. If you notice it's slowing down, clean the pump before it clogs entirely, overheats, and burns out. (Then you'll have to replace it.)
  with indoor pumps and simple outdoor pumps, you can follow the instructions that came with the pump to learn how to take it apart and reassemble it. If your pump has an adjustable flow, note the setting when you remove the pump for cleaning in case you inadvertently change it. once you have the pump apart, clean it with  warm water, dishwashing detergent, and an old tooth brush. Dip the parts in a bleach solution and reassemble it.
 The more complex, industrial-type fountains are trickier to clean and should be entrusted to a professional.

Fountain Pens

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Writing with a fountain pen is an indelible experience--

the nib stroking across paper, the ink flowing smoothly. If you appreciate this fine art, you should learn how to keep your fountain pen in top working order. All fountain pens--whether they have a metal or gold nib--should be cleaned after four or five fillings or four or five cartridges.

To clean your fountain pen, flush the nib section by running it under plain tap water at room temperature. For ink deposits that may have stood in the pen for a long time, make one of the following four solutions. They'll help the water penetrate areas in the pen more quickly and thoroughly:

• 1 drop of dishwashing detergent in 1 cup of water at room temperature.
• A couple of squirts of household cleaner, such as Formula 409 cleaner, in 1 cup of water.
• A few squirts (about a teaspoon) of a bleach cleaner, such as Colorx Clean-Up, in 6 ounces of water.
• 1 cap of nonsudsy household ammonia in 1 cup of water.

To clean self-filling pens, the kind you dip into the ink, place your cleaning solution (see above) in a glass and draw it into the pen, just as you would to fill the pen with ink. Then place the nib in the water and let it all soak for two hours to two days, depending on how long the ink has been in the pen. To rinse, draw fresh water into the pen and empty it.
 To clean a pen that's not heavily caked with ink, fill the pen with solution and empty it two or three times.

Cleaning ink-cartridge pens is a little trickier because there's no device on the pen to force the cleaning solution through the very fine internal channels of the nib. Squeeze an empty ink cartridge to force the air out, dip it into one of the cleaning solutions mentioned before, and release it, drawing the solution into the cartridge. Attach the cartridge to the nib section as if it were full of ink, and squeeze the cleaning solution out of the cartridge and through the nib. Repeat the procedure a couple of times.

More tips for cleaning fountain pens:

• India ink or waterproof inks aren't recommended for fountain pens. They should be used only with the type of pens that are dipped into an inkwell.
• Avoid letting hot water, alcohol, or acetone come in contact with your fountain pen, because they could damage certain parts of it.
• The barrel (the shaft that holds the ink) and cap of your pen can be washed in cold water. Use a cotton swab to clean the interior of these long, narrow cylinders.
• Dry each section of your pen before putting it back together. A cotton swab is useful for this task, because it can get into all parts of the pen.

Furnaces

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Most homes today have forced-air furnaces. They work this way: A blower forces warm air through supply ducts and into rooms through registers or diffusers.

A cold-ai duct returns the air to the furnace, where it's filtered of dust and dirt particles, reheated, and recirculated. Don't worry. You, as a homeowner, aren't expected to maintain the entire furnace. Modern furnace technology is just too complicated --and getting more so. But there are some cleaning chores you can do to keep your furnace running efficiently and reduce service calls.

Cleaning or changing the filter is the number one maintenance job for t homeowner. Most service calls can be traced to dirty filters that affect the efficiency of the furnace. All filters should be checked once a month. (Tip: Why not check the filter every time you pay your utility bill?) Disposable filters typically need to be changed every month during the heating months (Prices range from $1 to $20, and in this case you get what you pay for. Higher quality filters do a better job.) Cleanable filters will need to be cleaned every 60 to 90 days--either in a bathtub, sink or laundry tub or outside. Hopefully, you already know where your furnace's filter is located and how to change it, but if you don't it's either inside the blower compartment or in a slot on the cold-air return duct near the point where it joins the furnace. The filter just slides in and out.
  Electronic filters are cleanable. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't clean an electronic filter, which charges air particles, you could eventually cause damage to the heat exchanger.

If you have a cleanable filter and  pre-filter, you can take two approaches. Turn off the furnace, remove the filter, and then

• Spray the filter with water, followed by a cleaning solution, such as Formula 409 or Fantastik. Let the cleaner sit for a few minutes and thoroughly rinse. Use the shower nozzle if you're working in a bathtub or use a garden hose if you're working outside. Protect your bathtub from scratches with a mat.
• rinse the filter in cool water. Next, fill the bath halfway with hot water and a mild detergent, such as Dreft. Immerse the electronic filter grid and let it sit for half an hour. Hold the sides of the filter and lift it up and down and then swish it from side to side in the water. Empty the water and rinse the filter with cool, clear water from the shower nozzle.

  Whichever cleaning method you choose, make sure cleanable filters are completely dry before reinstalling. Otherwise, you risk receiving an electrical shock or short-circuiting your furnace.

Clean the outer part of the furnace with a damp cloth to remove dust that could collect and get into the fan motor and furnace. Keep the area around your furnace free of flammable liquids and anything else that could catch fire. To keep your furnace in tip-top shape, have it inspected annually by a professional.