| How to Go Green Posted: 04 Oct 2019 05:00 PM PDT Going green is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint and help the planet. Being green is all about reducing how many resources you use, reusing items when you can, and recycling items that can't be reused. If you're ready to go green, start by changing your personal habits and giving your home a green makeover. Additionally, change your habits at work and on the go to be as green as possible [Edit]Changing Your Personal Habits - Carry a reusable water bottle so you will not need bottled water. While bottled water is convenient, it is also really bad for the environment. Not only does it create trash, but it also uses more resources because it's shipped to the store. To be more eco-friendly, make it a habit to carry a reusable water bottle with you everywhere so that you can drink water on the go.[1]
- Plastic bottles are usually the lightest and most convenient. Look for one that says it's BPA free.
- You can also find aluminum and glass water bottles that are a great option if you don't like using plastic.
- Use reusable bags while you're shopping. Shopping bags make it easy to carry your items home, but they also pollute the planet. Skip the store's shopping bags and bring your own instead. Use a backpack or tote that you already own, or purchase a couple of reusable bags from the checkout area at your local grocery store.[2]
- You can use your reusable bags at most stores, including clothing or bookstores.
- Keep your bags in your car so that it's less likely you'll forget them.
- Reuse items to save them from the landfill. Before you throw something away, look for ways you might reuse it. Try re-purposing items or making green crafts. This will help you keep trash out of the landfill.[3]
- For example, instead of throwing away a jar, you might use it as a glass, vase, or storage container.
- Similarly, you could use a piece of cardboard to make a wreath.
- You can find ideas for green crafts by searching online.
- Reduce the amount of time you spend using electronics. While electronics are really fun and likely help you feel connected to your friends, they also use up a lot of energy. Schedule breaks from your electronics so you can use them less. During your breaks, do something fun like going for a walk, playing a game with your friends, or pursuing a hobby.[4]
- Invite your friends to connect with you in real life. For instance, instead of playing online video games together, go to a local park.
- Skip products that have a lot of packaging. Products that come with a lot of packaging are bad for the environment because the packaging is waste. Even if you recycle the package, it's still an unnecessary waste of resources. Do your best to pick products that have as little packaging as possible. This can keep more trash out of landfills and save natural resources. [5]
- For example, let's say you're buying a notebook for school. If you're choosing between a notebook that's wrapped in plastic and one that isn't, pick the unwrapped notebook.
- Buy second-hand products or borrow items instead of buying them new. Buying stuff generates more waste and pollution, so try not to purchase things you don't need. When you do need something, shop local thrift and second-hand shops or use online resale shops. If you can, borrow items that you don't use often, like tools, from a friend or family member.[6]
- To get stuff that's new to you, organize a clothing, toy, or home items swap with your friends. For instance, you might host a neighborhood back-to-school clothing swap before you shop for school clothes.
- Buy sustainable and ethical clothing when you need something new. You don't have to sacrifice your sense of style to go green, but it's best to avoid cheap, trendy clothing. Instead, buy clothes that are made well and will last you a while. Similarly, research the brands you buy to make sure the clothes aren't made by underpaid, mistreated employees.[7]
- Choose clothes that fit you well and look great on you. This way you'll always be in style even if you aren't following every trend.
- You might spend more money on new items when you buy better clothes. However, this typically saves you money in the long-run because the clothes will last longer.
[Edit]Creating a Green Home - Conserve electricity by turning off lights and unplugging electronics. Electricity is typically generated by burning fossil fuels or using other natural resources. To help protect the planet, cut down on how much electricity you're using. Here are some tricks to keep your electricity use low:[8]
- Turn off lights when you leave a room.
- Take advantage of natural lighting from windows during the daytime.
- Unplug electronics when you aren't using them.
- Wash your clothes on the cold setting so you don't use energy to heat the water.
- Change your light bulbs to energy-efficient light bulbs, such as compact fluorescent light (CFL) or light-emitting diodes (LED).
- Set your thermostat a few degrees higher during summer and a few degrees lower in winter. Then, wear less clothing if you're feeling hot or more clothing if you're cold. This can save electricity and cut down on your heating or cooling costs.
- Cut down on your water use. The Earth has a limited amount of freshwater, so it's important to conserve it. Change your household habits to reduce how much water you're using. Here are some great options:[9]
- Turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth, washing your hands, or doing the dishes.
- Take short showers instead of baths.
- Use a bucket to catch water in the shower so you can use it in your garden.
- Run your dishwasher only when it's full.
- Avoid using sprinklers in your yard.
- Plant drought-resistant and native plants in your garden so they require less water.
- Line dry your clothing instead of using a dryer. While dryers are super convenient, they also use a lot of electricity. Instead, hang dry your clothing on a line or a drying rack. This can save you energy and money. [10]
- If the weather is nice, hang your clothes up outside.
- If the weather is poor, use an indoor drying rack to dry your clothes.
- Make your own cleaning supplies. Commercial cleaning products often contain harsh chemicals and come in bottles that you'll likely end up recycling or throwing away. On the other hand, using homemade cleaning products helps you keep your home safer and helps keep trash out of the landfills. Use white vinegar, baking soda, and lemons to clean your home.[11]
- For instance, you can use white vinegar with a spritz of lemon as an all-purpose cleaner. If you like, add a few drops of essential oil to make it smell better.
- Similarly, you can scrub your bathroom and kitchen counters using a paste of baking soda and warm water.[12]
- Eat less meat because it takes more resources to raise. Raising animals for food requires feed, water, land, and transportation. When you add up these resources, animal products put a lot more strain on the planet than plant foods. To reduce your footprint, eat more vegetarian meals.[13]
- If you eat a lot of meat, try doing a meatless Monday. Then, slowly introduce more meatless meals into your life.
- Buy whole foods to avoid creating extra trash. Packaged foods will add to your recycling or trash, so do your best to avoid buying them. Instead, stick to fresh produce, which doesn't create extra trash.[14]
- Recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, and metal cans. Recycling can help you keep items out of landfills. Additionally, it can help save natural resources. Participate in your local recycling programs. For example, you can typically recycle the following:[15]
- Most paper can be recycled, including printer paper, magazines, newspapers, and junk mail.
- You can recycle most cardboard, such as pizza boxes, egg cartons, milk cartons, and juice cartons. Flatten out cardboard boxes before you recycle them.
- Plastic bottles and containers like those that contain dishwashing liquid, bleach, soap, milk, and condiments are typically recyclable, but rinse them out first.
- Metal cans like soda cans, tuna cans, and soup cans can be recycled if you rinse them first.
- Glass bottles and jars can usually be recycled but check the policies for your local facility. Additionally, rinse them out first.
- When your electronics die, take them to a local recycling center.
- Compost organic waste like uneaten food or produce skins. Composting lets you turn your old food scraps into food for plants. You can use your compost to fertilize your garden or spread it around vegetation near your home. To do composting, put your food scraps into a compost bin or a pile in your yard.[16]
- You can buy a compost bin to you use in your home online. Often, it will contain dirt and worms to help you get your compost going.
- If you have a yard, consider creating a compost corner where you can throw out your scraps. This is an easy way to start composting.
[Edit]Being Green at Work - Limit your use of paper. Communicate digitally whenever possible, and only print out items when you absolutely must. Talk to your coworkers and employer to change the way your office handles meetings and team projects so that you don't need to print out as much stuff.[17]
- When you do use paper, recycle it or save it to reuse the other side of it.
- Choose office products that are made from recycled materials. When you need to buy items for your office, check that they're made from recycled materials. This includes items like paper, folders, pencils, pens, desk supplies, and furniture. Buying recycled items can help save the Earth's resources.[18]
- Try to use second-hand products or to share whenever possible. For example, don't buy a new stapler if there's a used one in the supply closet.
- Start an office recycling program. Talk to your boss or human resources about getting recycling bins for the break room or copy room. Then, place your recyclable items in the bins so you create less trash.[19]
- If your company doesn't want to pay for recycling, you might start a recycling team to help take items to the local recycling center.
- Ask your boss if you can work from home to use fewer resources. Working from home saves energy because you don't have to commute and you don't use your office space. Similarly, it can reduce the overhead of your company if you do it for the long-term. Talk to your boss about working from home to see if it's an option for you.[20]
- Offer to use video calling to stay in touch with coworkers and to go into the office when you need to go to a meeting in person.
[Edit]Staying Green on the Move - Walk or bike places if you live close enough. Cars use up a lot of gas, so they're not a friend to the environment. Walking or biking instead of using a car is a great way to save natural resources while saving you money. When possible, walk or bike to work, school, or shops.[21]
- If it's unsafe for you to travel on foot or bike, don't put your safety at risk.
- Use public transportation to travel long distances. Public transportation is a great way to travel because it moves to multiple people at once. Take the bus when you can to conserve gas. To make it more fun, read, watch a movie on your phone, or make a small craft while you ride.[22]
- It might take some time to learn your city's public transportation system. Try riding it on your off days first.
- If your city doesn't have public transportation, this may not be an option for you.
- Join a carpool to save gas during your commute. You can save gas while getting to school or work by being part of a carpool. Ask your coworkers or people at your school about a carpool you can join. If you can't find one, start your own by partnering with coworkers or classmates who live near you.[23]
- You can take turns driving everyone to work or school, or you can all contribute money to buy gas for the person who drives.
- Choose a fuel-efficient vehicle if you need a car to get around. In some areas, the only way to get from place to place is to use a car. In that case, look for a car that gets good gas mileage. Choose an electric or hybrid car to help you do more to save resources and help the environment. Additionally, drive your car as little as possible.[24]
- When you buy a car, ask how many miles it gets for each gallon of gas. Then, compare the mileage for the cars you're considering to pick the one with the best mileage.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Fix Suede Shoes Posted: 04 Oct 2019 09:00 AM PDT Suede is a fuzzy type of leather that looks great when worn, particularly as a snazzy pair of shoes. However, it is also delicate, and damage can be difficult to treat. If you notice problems with your shoes, clean them off right away with a suede brush. This will help you begin treating scuff marks and creases. Water damage can only be fixed by adding gentle amounts of water. You can also fix most liquid stains with vinegar and oil stains with cornstarch. Serious damage sometimes cannot be reversed on your own, so take care of your suede to prevent further problems. [Edit]Removing Scuff Marks and Creases - Use a suede brush to sweep dirt off of the suede. The softness of a specialty suede brush makes it the best tool for fixing your favorite shoes. When brushing out suede, work in one direction. Brush along the grain, in the direction of the suede's fibers. Always sweep off as much debris as possible before attempting any other treatments.[1]
- Consider investing in a suede treatment kit, which often comes with a brush and a cleaning eraser. You can find them online or at many general stores.
- If you don't have a suede brush available, try using a clean nylon toothbrush instead.
- Scrub scuff marks back and forth to remove them. Move the suede brush quickly back and forth along the scuff mark. This will lift the grain back up. Continue brushing until the surface of the shoe looks even and clean. Then, repeat the treatment with any remaining marks to bring the suede back to its original state.
- Be careful to brush over the damaged spots only. Avoid rubbing the clean areas on the suede.
- If you can't scrub out the scuff marks, rub them with a cleaning eraser. The eraser restores the suede's texture.
- Scrape the scuff mark with a dull knife if it won't come out. Scuff marks happen when the suede fibers get too matted down. Use a butter knife or something similar to lift the fibers. Pull the edge of the knife against the grain slowly, taking care not to touch the undamaged portion of your shoe.[2]
- If you don't have a knife, you could also try using a plastic razor or an emery board.
- Stay away from sharp or serrated blades, if possible, to reduce the chances of cutting into the suede. Be very cautious if you choose to use a sharp knife.
- Buff creases by wiping them in a circle with a brush. If your shoe still has creases on it, scrub it using the suede brush, a nylon toothbrush, or a towel. Go around the crease repeatedly to smooth it out. You can also push and pull on the suede to flatten the creased area as you massage it back to shape.[3]
- Start off by going in the direction of the grain to prevent as much wear and tear on the suede as possible.
- Heat creases and stains with steam if you still can't remove them. Cover the shoe with a towel. Then, set an iron to the steam function or its lowest possible setting if you don't have that option. Once the iron gets hot, move it across the towel to make the damaged portions of the suede more pliable. Remove the towel when you're done and brush the suede out again.[4]
- Heat can be very damaging for suede, so don't apply the iron directly to your shoes. Also, keep the iron moving at all times so it doesn't linger in any spot for more than 3 seconds.
- Another way to do this is to boil a pot of water on the stove, then hold the shoe over it. Let the steam hit the damaged area, then scrub it with a brush.
[Edit]Repairing Water Damage - Blot moisture out of the shoes with a cloth or paper towel. As soon as you notice a liquid spill on your suede shoes, treat it to remove as much of the moisture as you can. Pat the damp areas. Replace the cloth or towel with a fresh one once it gets saturated with water. Keep patting the suede until you are unable to absorb more water off of it.[5]
- By treating the suede quickly, you can lessen stains before they form. Always dry out the existing moisture before trying to treat any stains you notice.
- Wait up to 24 hours for the shoes to dry out. Suede becomes more prone to damage when it is wet. You won't be able to get all the moisture out by patting the shoes dry, so let them air dry on their own. Keep them away from heat and direct sunlight during this time. After the wait, check that the shoes feel completely dry to the touch.[6]
- The amount of time you need to wait will depend on how soaked the shoes got. If you got caught in the rain, for instance, expect to need to wait the whole 24 hours.
- Treating the shoes before they dry could lead to cracks in the suede. Don't rush to treat stains if the shoes don't feel dry.
- Use a suede brush to spread a light coating of water across the shoe. Dip the brush into clean, lukewarm water and shake out the excess moisture. Then, brush the entire shoe along the suede's grain. Make sure the entire shoe feels slightly moistened before you attempt to treat the stains.[7]
- Adding more water may seem strange, but it is the best way to eliminate a water stain. Cleaning the entire shoe prevents more discolorations from forming.
- Dab the suede with a rag to distribute the water evenly across it. Dampen a clean cloth by touching the moisture on your shoe. Use the cloth to pat down the surface of the shoe, ensuring every part of the suede gets wet. Pay particular attention to the water stains, since they need to be dampened again before they can be removed. The cloth will also remove excess moisture on the suede.[8]
- Every part of the suede needs to be damp, not just the water spots. Doing this blends in the marks while preventing new ones from forming.
- Stuff the shoe with paper to help it keep its shape. Set the shoe on a flat surface with the opening face up. Then, fill it with paper towels, rags, or other undyed pieces of paper. Crumple up the paper and fit as many as you can inside the shoe.[9]
- Newspaper contains ink that could bleed off and stain the shoe, so avoid using it.
- If you have a shoe tree, insert it instead for a much simpler way to maintain the shoe's shape.
- Set the shoe in a cool, dark place to dry overnight. Put the shoes out in an area with good air circulation. Suede can take a long time to dry, so you may need to wait a full 24 hours if your shoes are very wet. Make sure the suede feels completely dry to the touch before you continue fixing it.[10]
- Let the shoes air dry naturally. Since suede is delicate, keep it away from heat and direct sunlight.
- Water makes the suede more delicate, so make absolutely sure it dries out. Err on the side of caution before brushing it again!
- Brush over the shoe to finish cleaning it. Use a suede brush or a clean nylon toothbrush. Lightly brush the entire shoe along the suede's grain. When your done, the suede should be back to its original appearance.[11]
- If you still notice stains in the suede, treating them with vinegar or an eraser could help.
[Edit]Treating Salt and Other Stains - Scrub the stain with a suede eraser to attempt to remove it. A lot of stains come out right away when you use an eraser. Buy a suede-specific eraser, then rub it across the stain. Keep rubbing the stain until it's gone. Finish by brushing out the suede with a suede brush.[12]
- Purchase an eraser by shopping online or visiting a general store. If you need a brush as well, look for suede cleaning kits that include both tools.
- If you don't have a suede eraser, try using a regular pink pencil eraser. It's not as effective, but it's useful for eliminating minor stains.
- Mix 2 parts water with 1 part white vinegar in a bowl if the stain remains. You don't need to make a lot in order to treat stains. Try mixing about of white vinegar with warm water, for instance. If you're worried about exposing your shoe to water, you could also dab a cotton ball in vinegar and use it to scrub out the stain.[13]
- Rubbing alcohol can be used in place of the vinegar. Get it at a pharmacy, then mix it into the water or dab a cotton ball into it.
- Another option to try is micellar water, a product normally used to rinse off makeup. Add a little bit to a cotton ball and scrub away the stains!
- Apply the mixture to the stains by using a clean rag or towel. To avoid damaging the suede, don't pour the mixture onto your shoe. Instead, dip a clean cloth into it, squeezing out the excess moisture. Pat the cloth onto the stains you wish to treat. Finish by rubbing the stain in a circle.[14]
- If you're worried about exposing your shoes to too much moisture, get a cotton ball instead and apply the solution the same way you would with a cloth.
- Wait overnight for the shoe to dry. The amount of time you need to wait depends on how wet the suede is. It won't take more than a few hours for spot treatment, but make sure the suede feels completely dry to the touch. If the stains were minor, they will also be gone after the suede dries.[15]
- Always let suede dry after applying moisture to it. Moisture makes it more prone to cracking.
- Brush the suede out with a suede brush. Use a suede brush along the suede's grain. Go over the entire shoe, paying particular attention to the areas you treated. When you're done, check the shoe over for any remaining stains or signs of damage.[16]
- You may need to treat the suede a few times to eliminate stubborn stains.
- Your shoes may smell like vinegar or rubbing alcohol when you're done. It will fade over time as you wear them.
[Edit]Removing Oil Damage - Pour cornstarch or baby powder over the oil. Position the shoe in a spot where you will be able to leave it undisturbed for a few hours. Then, cover the stain completely with a layer of the absorbent material. Cornstarch and baby powder are both good at drawing oils out of suede so they don't set in as permanent stains.[17]
- This treatment is effective for stains like sweat, grease, and gasoline. If you're treating another type of liquid stain, consider using vinegar instead.
- Leave the shoe overnight so the powder draws up the oil. It needs time to work, so wait at least 1 hour. If you have more time to spare, you will likely notice better results. Make sure the stained area stays covered by the powder the entire time.[18]
- Keep your shoes away from fans or open windows, or else you may end up losing the powder before it has a chance to work on the stain. Also, avoid leaving the shoes near heat or direct sunlight.
- Use a suede brush to sweep away the powder. Sweep the powder off into a trash bag to avoid scattering it throughout your home. Then, brush the entire shoe off along the suede's grain. This will fluff up the fibers so the suede looks bright and clean again.[19]
- If you notice a large amount of oil still on the suede, apply another coating of cornstarch or baby powder. Let it dry, then brush it off again.
- Treat stubborn stains with a cotton ball dipped in white vinegar. Apply a little bit of the vinegar to a cotton ball or clean cloth. Make sure it isn't soaked or dripping before you use it. Then, scrub the stains lightly in a circle. Brush the shoe off again when you're done.[20]
- Use only a little bit of vinegar to avoid soaking the suede in it. You can also use rubbing alcohol or a suede cleaner.
- Repeat the treatment if needed to restore the suede. Use more powder to lift up oil and then repeat scrubbing stains with vinegar. You may need to do this a few times to get the suede back to normal. Finish each cleaning with a thorough brushing to lift up the suede's fibers and blend in any permanent wear and tear.[21]
- To protect your shoes from damage, consider spraying them with a suede protector. Reapply the product whenever you wash your shoes or get them wet.
- You can buy suede cleaners online or at clothing stores. However, you don't need one to take great care of your shoes.
- If your shoes are in very bad shape, take them to a professional dry cleaner.
- Keep in mind that no treatment is guaranteed to work, especially after your shoes are damaged. The best way to deal with damage is to prevent it from happening.
[Edit]Warnings - Treating your shoes improperly can cause further damage to them. Remember that suede is delicate and doesn't respond well to water or other cleaners in most cases.
- Even with proper treatment, your shoes may not be completely fixed. Damage done to suede is permanent, although a professional cleaner may be able to restore the shoes to hide the damage.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Removing Scuff Marks and Creases - Suede brush
- Dull knife or razor
- Iron
- Water
[Edit]Repairing Water Damage - Suede brush
- Water
- Cloth
- Paper
[Edit]Treating Salt and Other Stains - Suede eraser
- Suede brush
- Cloth
- Water
- White vinegar or rubbing alcohol
- Mixing container
[Edit]Removing Oil Damage - Suede brush
- Cornstarch or baby powder
- White vinegar
- Cotton ball
[Edit]References |
| How to Defrost Salmon Posted: 04 Oct 2019 01:00 AM PDT Nutritious and delicious, salmon is a highly versatile fish that can be prepared in a variety of ways. While fresh salmon tastes wonderful, frozen salmon can be easily and successfully prepared, too. Whether you're keeping a few extra fillets on hand for future meals or you're saving a fresh catch in the freezer, try thawing it in the fridge for around 12 hours for the best results. For same-day defrosting, pop the frozen fish into a resealable plastic bag and submerge it in cold water for about 1 hour. Microwave defrosting is also possible; it's quick but it won't produce the same moist, flaky texture. Either way, beat off bacterial growth by cooking the salmon directly after thawing it. [Edit]Thawing in Cold Water - Place the frozen salmon in a resealable plastic bag. Remove the fish from its original packaging. Pop the frozen pieces into a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag. Squeeze out any air bubbles so that the sides of the fish are pressed against the inside of the bag. Then seal it up tightly.[1]
- Set the bagged salmon into a large, deep bowl. Choose a bowl that's wide and deep enough to hold the salmon pieces without the fish extending over the top of the bowl.[2] The fish should be fully submerged when the bowl is filled with water.
- Use 2 or more resealable plastic bags and 2 or more bowls if you're defrosting a larger quantity of salmon.
- Fill up the bowl with cold water until the salmon is submerged. Run water from the faucet until it's cold to the touch. It should reach below to prevent the growth of bacteria.[3] Once you reach the right temperature, pour enough water into the bowl to completely cover up all parts of the frozen fish. Use a sealed can or jar to weigh down the fish if it floats to the top; aim to keep all of the salmon underwater.
- Refrain from using warm water. If you warm up the outsides of the salmon, the fish will quickly lose its moisture and flavor. Plus, the insides won't be properly defrosted.
- Refresh the water every 10 to 20 minutes or use running water. For a lower-maintenance defrosting method, keep the faucet running so that cold water pours directly into the bowl. You'll need to weigh down the salmon with a sealed jar or can as it's more likely to float to the top this way. Or, if you don't want to use running water, just tip out and refill the cold water ever 10 to 20 minutes.[4]
- It's important to refresh the water so that it doesn't start to approach room temperature. It should stay close to the whole time.
- Thaw the salmon under cold water for up to 1 hour before cooking it. Allow 30 minutes of defrosting time for every of fish. Once the fish has completely defrosted, cook it immediately. Refrain from leaving it in the fridge or refreezing it.
- This method doesn't work well for whole fish, as they won't fit in a resealable gallon bag and are typically too thick to thaw completely underwater. Instead, try defrosting a whole salmon in the fridge overnight.[5]
- If any ice crystals remain in the inside cavities of a whole salmon, seal the fish in plastic wrap and run cold water over the frozen parts for up to 1 hour.
[Edit]Defrosting in the Fridge - Remove the salmon from the freezer 12 hours before you plan to cook it. Fridge defrosting yields the most successful and flavorful cooked salmon. Thin salmon fillets and pieces weighing less than each will take around 12 hours to defrost in the freezer. For whole fish or thick cuts weighing over each, take the salmon out of the freezer 24 hours in advance.[6]
- If you want to prepare your salmon fillets at 7:00 PM, take them out of the freezer first thing in the morning, at 7:00 AM.
- It's okay to leave thin cuts in the refrigerator overnight, but don't leave them in longer than 24 hours.[7] So, if you want to start cooking your salmon at 4:30 PM on Tuesday, and you won't be up at 4:30 AM that morning, you can take it out of the freezer before you go to bed on Monday night.
- Wrap each frozen salmon piece in plastic wrap. Remove the fish from its original packaging. This is especially important to do if the salmon came in a vacuum-sealed package.[8] Seal up the individual piece(s) of frozen fish in a single layer of plastic wrap.[9]
- If the fish came in a package with multiple fillets and you only want to defrost 1 or a few, remove the desired piece(s) of salmon from the package, then reseal it and return it promptly to the freezer.
- Place the plastic-wrapped salmon on a paper towel-lined dish. Set a layer or 2 of paper towels at the base of the dish to capture any moisture from the thawing process.[10] Then put the pieces of salmon side-by-side on the dish.
- Choose a plate or bowl that's large enough to fit the pieces of salmon in a single layer.
- Leave the dish of frozen salmon in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Wait around 12 hours for pieces under to defrost. For larger cuts or whole fish weighing more than , wait around 24 hours before removing the fish from the fridge.[11]
- Make sure your refrigerator is set to or less.
- Cook the defrosted salmon immediately after removing it from the fridge. Once the fish has thawed out, it's ready to cook. Discard the paper towel, packaging, and any plastic wrap you used.[12] Then be sure to cook the salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of .[13]
- Don't leave the salmon to sit out at room temperature unless you're planning to cook it right away.
- While it's technically safe to refreeze the uncooked salmon after you've thawed it correctly in the fridge, it will loose much of its flavor and moisture.[14]
[Edit]Using the Microwave - Take the frozen salmon out of its packaging 10 minutes before cooking it. If you're defrosting all of the fish, discard the plastic wrapping and any paper or foil packaging that it came in. If you're defrosting 1 or a few pieces from a larger package, remove the ones you want, reseal the packaging, and return it to the freezer.
- Microwave defrosting is the quickest method, but it's not highly recommended.[15] The salmon will certainly be safe to cook and eat, but it may end up tough and dry or unevenly heated.
- Place the frozen salmon on a dish between 2 pieces of paper towel. Use a microwave-safe dish that's large enough to fit all of the salmon pieces side-by-side. Line the bottom of the dish with a few pieces of paper towel to catch the melting ice crystals. Place the salmon directly onto the paper towel-lined dish, and cover it with another piece of paper towel.[16]
- Position the thickest parts of the fish towards the outside edges of the dish and the thinnest parts toward the center so the whole piece defrosts evenly.
- Use the microwave's defrost setting to gradually heat the fish. Each microwave will be slightly different but start by hitting the defrost button. Then, if prompted, enter either the weight of your salmon or the amount of time you want the microwave to run. Aim to warm up the salmon for 4 to 5 minutes per of fish you're defrosting.[17]
- The defrost setting is usually 30% of the microwave's heating power, so if you don't have a defrost feature, set the controls to 30% or Power 3.
- Pause the microwave halfway through to flip over the salmon. If you're defrosting a piece of salmon, open the microwave door about 2.5 minutes through the defrosting sequence. Carefully flip the salmon over so that the bottom side faces the top. This will help it thaw out more evenly. Then close the door and allow the microwave to continue the cycle.[18]
- Wash your hands with soap after handling the raw, partially-thawed fish.
- Remove the salmon from the microwave before it's totally thawed. Stop defrosting the fish when it's mostly pliable but still contains a few frozen patches. Feel the fish to check on its progress. If needed, keep defrosting it for 30 seconds at a time until it reaches this stage.[19]
- After handling the raw seafood, wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
- Avoid overdoing the microwave defrosting. If you keep it in for too long, it may start to cook unevenly or dry out.
- Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before cooking it. Instead of totally defrosting it in the microwave, take the salmon out of the microwave and allow the heat to work through the fish while it rests at room temperature. Wait about 5 minutes for the frozen patches to thaw out. Then immediately cook the salmon.
- Feel free to cook the salmon in the microwave or in the oven.
- If you're defrosting a whole salmon, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then check the inner cavity for ice chunks. Seal the whole fish in plastic wrap and run cold water on the cavity for around 1 hour to finish defrosting this portion, if necessary.
- Label and date your salmon before storing it in the freezer so you remember to defrost and cook it before 2 months pass.[20]
[Edit]Warnings - Keep your salmon frozen for no more than 2 months' time.[21]
- Don't attempt to thaw out frozen fish at room temperature. This promotes the growth of bacteria.[22]
- Avoid buying frozen salmon that's covered in a thick layer of frost or ice crystals. It's either been stored for too long or has been defrosted and re-frozen.[23]
- Avoid buying "frozen" salmon that's pliable. The fish should be frozen solid. If it's bendable within its packaging, this is a sign that it may have been partially defrosted already.[24]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Defrosting in the Fridge - Plastic wrap
- Large dish
- Paper towels
[Edit]Thawing in Cold Water - Resealable plastic bag
- Large bowl
- Cold, running water
[Edit]Using the Microwave - Microwave-safe dish
- Paper towels
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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