| How to Get Rid of Bad Smells in Your Fridge Posted: 23 Jan 2020 04:00 PM PST Over time, it's natural for most refrigerators to build up a slightly unpleasant aroma. While the smell can be off-putting, it's not doing any harm to your food itself. If you'd like to remove lingering food smells before they permanently soak into the interior of your fridge, start by throwing away any bad food. You can also place a deodorizer or 2—like coffee grounds and activated charcoal—on an upper shelf. To prevent bad smells in the first place, throw out food as soon as it begins to spoil, and always store food in airtight containers. [Edit]Removing Bad Food and Smells - Unplug your refrigerator from the wall before you begin cleaning it. Follow the power cable from the back of your fridge to the outlet where it's plugged in, and pull the plug.[1] If you leave the fridge plugged in as you clean, you'll find that your next electric bill is extremely high!
- Some newer models of refrigerator have an "off" button. If yours does, you can just turn the fridge off rather than unplugging it.
- Remove all of the food items from your fridge. Go through every storage area within your fridge—shelves, drawers, and door bins—and pull out all of the organic food items. Look closely at the food and, if anything is spoiled, rotten, or emitting a bad smell, throw it into the garbage. In most cases, bad smells in your fridge are caused by spoiled foods.[2]
- Try to start and finish the entire job within 4 hours. The USDA warns that food left out for over 4 hours may spoil or become unsafe to eat.
- Place any food you choose to keep in a cooler while you work. Depending on the amount of food you store in your fridge—and how long it takes to scrub out—unspoiled food could be sitting out for quite some time. To avoid ruining good food, place it in a cooler while you're cleaning the fridge. If you keep the lid shut, the refrigerated food will keep itself cold.[3]
- Add ice to the cooler if it will be out for over 60 minutes. This will keep the food well preserved.
- Scrub the fridge walls and floor with a mixture of baking soda and water. Dissolve 1 cup (128 g) of baking soda into of warm water. Dip an ordinary dish sponge into this mixture, lightly wring it out, and scrub out the interior of the fridge. Wash the fridge walls, ceiling, and bottom. Take the time to soak, scrub, and remove any lingering food stains.[4]
- If the mixture loses its potency or the sink fills up with food bits, throw out the batch and mix up a new one.
- Take out and wash all shelves, bins, and other removable parts. Remove all of the components of the fridge that aren't attached to the walls, including the vegetable drawers and the shelves themselves. Wash and rinse all of the parts with your baking soda mixture before thoroughly drying and reinstalling them.[5]
- Also be sure to look underneath the vegetable bins. Sometimes bits of food and old water can accumulate beneath the bins and create a foul smell.
- Clean any food scraps from the drip pan under the fridge. The drip pan is a thin plastic tray that clips into place beneath the bottom of the refrigerator. Remove the drip pan from beneath the doors, carefully pull it out and dump the contents. Then, dip your sponge into the baking soda mixture and scrub any food stains off of the drip pan before reinstalling it.[6]
- Not all refrigerator models have a drip pan. If yours doesn't, you can skip this step. Do take the time to scrub the bottom of the fridge, though.
[Edit]Using Odor-Removers - Keep an open container of baking soda on a back shelf. Baking soda has no smell itself, but it's great at absorbing and neutralizing other aromas. To get rid of odors in your fridge, open up a box of baking soda and store it on the back of the top shelf. When you notice a few unpleasant smells starting to emerge, toss that baking soda and replace it with another box.[7]
- If you fridge smells especially bad and you'd like to absorb a great deal of odor at once, pour out a full box of baking soda across a baking sheet and place leave it in the refrigerator overnight. Then discard the baking soda.
- Remove odors from your freezer with boiled apple cider vinegar. Combine apple cider vinegar and water at a 1:3 ratio. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. As soon as the mixture begins boiling, remove it from the heat and pour it into a heat-resistant glass or metal bowl. Place the bowl in your freezer, shut the door, and leave it for 4–6 hours. This should absorb foul smells from your freezer.[8]
- After the 4–6 hours have passed, remove the vinegar mixture and pour it down the drain.
- Once it's been boiled, apple cider vinegar absorbs unpleasant odors and replaces them with a pleasant fruity smell.
- Cover 2–3 shelves with coffee grounds if you have plenty of time. Coffee grounds can successfully absorb unpleasant odors, but they take a long time to work. If you can live without your fridge for a few days, try this method. Spread dry, fresh coffee grounds across 2–3 baking sheets. Place each sheet on a different level of your refrigerator. The smells should leave within 3–4 days.[9]
- During this time, you'll need to keep your food in a second refrigerator or in a few ice-filled coolers.
- Once the 3–4 days have passed, dispose of the coffee grounds, wash the baking sheets, and put your food back into the fridge.
- Set 2–3 baking sheets of unscented cat litter on different shelves. Coffee grounds can leave behind a slight coffee aroma in your fridge. If you'd like to absorb foul smells without leaving your fridge smelling like coffee, opt for cat litter instead. Spread a layer of clean litter in 2–3 shallow baking sheets and place the sheets on different shelves in your fridge. Leave the fridge running and empty with only the litter inside for 2–3 days to absorb any lingering smells.[10]
- Purchase unscented cat litter at any pet store or large supermarket. Some home-improvement stores will also stock cat litter.
- Let activated charcoal absorb bad odors if other methods fail. Fill 3–4 small cloth bags with about 1 cup (130 g) of loose activated charcoal. Then place the charcoal-filled bags on different shelves in your fridge.[11] Set the refrigerator temperature to low and leave the door closed as much as possible for several days. The smells in question should go away within 3–4 days.
- Activated charcoal can be purchased from pet stores or drugstores.
- Unlike with the coffee grounds method, you can use activated charcoal while your food is still in the fridge.
[Edit]Preventing Bad Smells - Toss expired food weekly to prevent bad smells from accumulating. To prevent odors in the future, make a point to look in your fridge once a week or so and remove expired food. This preventative measure will keep foul smells from building up in the first place. It's much easier to prevent bad odors in your fridge than it is to eliminate them.
- Try looking right before you take out the trash. That way, you'll be able to get the spoiled, smelly food out of your home as soon as you've noticed it.
- Store fresh foods where they're visible so they don't spoil unnoticed. Fresh items like fruits and vegetables can easily go bad without your noticing if they're tucked away in a seldom-opened veggie drawer or the back of a bottom shelf. Prevent this by storing them in a location where you'll be able to see them daily. Then, if you notice any fresh foods starting to look a little past their prime, dispose of them immediately.[12]
- For example, keep meat at the front of the top shelf, and keep fruits and veggies on a lower shelf where they're easily visible.
- Set the temperature in your fridge between . When kept in this temperature range, food will keep without going bad. Since it's only when food spoils that it begins to smell, you'll keep your fridge smelling fresh and clean as long as the temperature remains in this range. If the temperature in your fridge rises above , bacteria will begin to grow and the food will begin to smell.[13]
- Were you to set the fridge temperature to or lower, of course, the food would freeze.
- Keep leftover food in airtight containers to prevent it from smelling. If you leave food uncovered in your fridge or leave it in, for example, a cardboard takeout box, it'll go bad quickly. The sooner food goes bad, the sooner it'll begin to stink up your fridge. By keeping leftovers in a sealed airtight container, you'll help them last longer and prevent foul smells.[14]
- As an extra measure to keep food from spoiling in your fridge, label and date leftovers when you store them. Tear off a piece of masking tape and stick it on top of the airtight container and write, for example, "February 14; chicken parmesan."
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Cooler
- Ice
- Baking soda
- Warm tap water
- Sponge
- Coffee grounds
- Cat litter
- Apple cider vinegar
- Activated charcoal
- 3–4 glass or metal bowls
- 2–3 baking sheets
- Airtight containers
- Pen
- Masking tape
- Regardless of which method(s) you choose, don't put the food back into your refrigerator until the stench has cleared.
- After cleaning the fridge, also clean the condiment bottles and containers of food before putting them back in. Sometimes bad smells can cling to them.
- If you have to leave your fridge off or unplugged for an extended period of time—e.g., if you're taking a multiple-month vacation—clean it, take all the food out, and leave the door propped open since a warm, closed fridge can start to smell bad.
- Do not use charcoal briquettes in the place of activated charcoal. The 2 forms of charcoal cannot be substituted for one another.
[Edit]Warnings - Never clean a cold glass shelf with hot water. Either allow it to come to room temperature or use lukewarm water. A sudden temperature change can shatter the glass.
- Avoid using abrasive cleaning items (e.g., steel wool) to scrub refrigerator surfaces clean. These have the potential for scratching the refrigerator surfaces.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Clear Your Sinuses and Ears Posted: 23 Jan 2020 08:00 AM PST Your sinuses and ears are connected by way of your Eustachian tubes. So, if they get clogged or inflamed, then you can feel awful pressure and congestion in both of them at the same time. Fortunately, there are things you can do to try to clear your sinuses and ears. You can work to decongest your sinuses by drinking plenty of water, using medication, and moisturizing your sinuses. You can also help them drain on their own by avoiding temperature fluctuations, pressure changes, and substances like caffeine and alcohol, which can make your symptoms worse. If your symptoms get worse or don't improve after more than a week, see your doctor. [Edit]Decongesting Your Sinuses - Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to thin mucus. Staying hydrated will allow your body to be better able to expel any mucus that's built up in your sinuses and ears. To help clear them, drink an glass of water every hour or so to keep your membranes lubricated and any mucus thin.[1]
- Thin mucus will drain from your sinuses and ears easier.
- For the best results, warm up the water in a kettle and drink it while it's comfortably hot. To enhance the flavor and add extra decongesting power, mix in a little ginger, honey, and cinnamon.
- Place a warm, damp cloth on your face to loosen any mucus. Soak a washcloth in warm water and wring it out. Then, lay it over your face and nose and leave it on for 5 minutes, or until the cloth gets cold. The heat will warm your sinuses and loosen the mucus, making it easier to clear them.[2]
- Make sure the water is hot, but not so hot that you can burn your skin.
- You can repeat this process as many times as you want to help relieve sinus pressure.
- You can also loosen your mucus by steaming your sinuses. Boil some water in a pot and set it on a level surface, then position yourself over the pot and drape a towel over your head. Carefully lift the lid of the pot to let the steam out under the towel so you can breathe it in.
- Blow your nose to clear out your sinuses and relieve pressure. If the mucus in your sinuses is thin enough to be expelled, blow your nose gently into a napkin or tissue paper. Removing the mucus from your sinuses will relieve pressure and congestion in your sinuses and your ears.[3]
- For difficult congestion, block 1 nostril and blow through the other so you can clear them.
- Take an oral decongestant to drain and clear your sinuses. Over-the-counter decongestants can both thin out any mucus present in your sinuses as well as lubricate your membranes so it's easier for the mucus to drain. Follow the recommended dose listed on the packaging of the decongestant.[4]
- You can find decongestants at your local pharmacy.
- For serious congestion, call your doctor and ask if they can prescribe a prescription-strength decongestant.
- Don't take a decongestant for longer than 3 days unless your doctor advises you otherwise. Using a decongestant for too long can end up making your congestion worse.
- Be cautious about using oral decongestants if you have high blood pressure, closed angle glaucoma, or an overactive thyroid gland. If you have one of these conditions, stick to using Mucinex unless your doctor advises otherwise.
- Try a mucolytic medication to loosen your mucus. Mucolytics, such as Mucinex, work by loosening up the fluid in your nose and ears, making it easier to drain. If you're an adult, you can take 600 mg of Mucinex with a full glass of water twice a day.
- Always talk to a pediatrician before giving mucolytics to a child.
- Use a nasal saline spray to help decongest your sinuses. A saline spray will moisten and lubricate your sinuses, which will help you clear them out. Clearing your sinuses will reduce pressure in your ears and help any fluid trapped there drain more easily.[5]
- Use 1-2 drops of saline nasal spray in each nostril every 2 hours. You can use a saline spray as long as you like, and you can also use it preventatively.
- If saline spray isn't enough to relieve your congestion, you can use it in combination with a spray containing decongestant medication, such as Afrin. You may not need any additional oral decongestants.
- If you're using a medicated spray, read the packaging to make sure you can use it if you've already taken decongestant medication. Use the decongestant spray as directed on the packaging and don't use it for more than 3 consecutive days so your sinuses can start to regulate themselves after you clear them.
- You can find nasal sprays, such as saline sprays or medicated sprays, at your local pharmacy.
- Wash out your sinuses with a neti pot. A neti pot is a small, spouted pot that you can use to rinse your nasal passages with saline solution. To use the pot, stand over your sink and tilt your head at a 45° angle. Then, pour half of the saline into your upper nostril while breathing through your mouth. Repeat the process with the other nostril, then gently blow your nose to clear out the water and mucus.[6]
- You may find it more comfortable to use warm water with the neti pot. The water should be around body temperature ().
- Put a medicated rub on your chest to soothe your sinuses. A medicated chest rub, such as Vicks VapoRub, can soothe your irritated nasal passages and help you breathe a little easier. Use the rub according to the directions on the package.
- Don't use VapoRub or any other medication containing camphor on a child under 2 years old. To use the rub safely on children over 2 and adults, only apply it to the chest and neck, and never to the face or around the nostrils.[7]
- Take a hot shower to flush your sinuses and ears. The steam and heat from the shower will work to loosen mucus in your sinuses and will help drain your ears to clear them. You'll also feel much better after cleaning yourself and expelling any loose mucus and fluid.[8]
- Use hot water to create more steam in the shower, but don't make it so hot that you burn yourself.
- Place a humidifier in the room with you to keep from drying out. If your sinuses and ears are blocked or clogged up, dry air can make them even worse by drying out the mucus so it's hard. Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air, which will help to keep your sinuses and ears lubricated and moist to help clear out any gunk in them.[9]
- Place the humidifier somewhere higher up like on a dresser or on top of a shelf so it can evenly distribute moisture throughout the room.
[Edit]Staying Comfortable - Avoid major temperature changes. Going out into super hot or really cold weather can make your sinuses and ears worse and more difficult to clear. If you've got clogged sinuses and ears, stay in a consistent environment, such as your home or office, so they're better able to clear themselves out. If you do have to go outside, make sure you're dressed comfortably for the weather so you don't overheat or catch a cold chill.[10]
- Don't go for a run outside if it's too hot to try to sweat it out. The fluctuation can make your symptoms worse.
- Avoid cold-weather activities, which can harden any fluids in your sinuses and ears.
- Don't drink coffee or alcohol if your sinuses and ears are clogged. Caffeine and alcohol both affect your body's circulation. Changes in your blood flow and heart rate can put added strain on your blood vessels, which can affect both your sinuses and your ears.[11]
- Avoid your morning cup of joe until your sinuses and ears are clear.
- Drinking alcohol may make you feel slightly better in the short term, but your sinus and ear pressure will only get worse if you add the effects of a hangover on top of them.
- Limit your dairy intake if it makes your symptoms worse. Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, can cause your phlegm to feel thicker and more irritating. If you have a dairy allergy, it can also trigger symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose and post-nasal drip. Avoid drinking milk or eating dairy if it seems to aggravate your congested sinuses and ears.[12]
- Try dairy alternatives, such as soy or almond milk, if dairy makes you congested.
- Eat chicken soup or bone broth to clear your congestion. Chicken soup won't cure a cold, but it really can help you feel better. Warm chicken soup or bone broth not only helps clear congestion, but can also reduce inflammation and soothe irritation in your nasal passages. Try a little soothing chicken soup, chicken broth, or bone broth to reduce your congestion.[13]
- Ingredients like garlic, onions, and ginger can both enhance the flavor of the soup and give your immune system a boost.
- Stand up slowly to avoid getting dizzy. Pressure in your sinuses and inner ear can affect your balance and coordination. If you've got congestion or pressure in your sinuses and ears, don't stand up too fast or you could feel dizzy and potentially fall or faint.[14]
- Move in increments if you're getting out of a bed or chair. Sit upright, use your hands to help lift yourself, and then rise slowly so you don't get dizzy.
- Keep your head held upright to help with drainage. Bending forward or holding your head down can make pressure in your sinuses and ears worse. It can also inhibit the natural drainage that your sinuses and ears do on their own. To help clear your sinuses and ears faster, sit upright as best as you can.[15]
- Try to sleep with your head elevated as well.
[Edit]Warnings - If your symptoms don't go away after more than a week, see your doctor for treatment.
[Edit]References |
| How to Be Productive After School Posted: 23 Jan 2020 12:00 AM PST While being productive can be challenging, there are many ways to make sure that you get a lot of things done after the school day ends. Treat your body right by eating healthy snacks and getting enough sleep. Make a to-do list and stick to any schedules that you set for yourself; if you're consistent and make an honest effort to get things done, you'll discover that being productive when school gets out can be a breeze! [Edit]Motivating Yourself to Be Productive - Set rewards for yourself. Whether it's a video game, 30 minutes on social media, or a candy bar, find something that you really want to do. Make an agreement with your family that you will only receive the reward if you complete a certain number of tasks after school every day. This way, you'll have a reason to get things done as soon as you get home.[1]
- You don't necessarily need to arrange rewards with your family in order to motivate yourself to be productive. If you can be disciplined, you can be in charge of rewarding yourself after you've gotten a few things done.
- Ask your parents if there are any incentives that they can think of to give you for being consistently productive after school.
- Perform some simple stretches to activate your body. Stretching will get the blood flowing and make it easier to get started on your first task. Stand up and stretch your back by tilting backwards with your hands on your hips. Use your toes to lift your ankles off of the floor to stretch your hamstrings. Then, keep your legs straight as you bend over to touch your toes. Stretch your upper body by pulling back on your palms as they point away from you. Bend your elbow behind your upper back and push on your triceps to stretch your arms.[2]
- Jumping jacks, yoga, and jump rope are all good physical activities that can be used instead of stretching.
- Stretch for at least 5 minutes before moving on to your next task. This will help get your body in the habit of moving before
- Eat a healthy snack when you get home. Your body is going to need a little energy after you get home from a long day at school. Have a healthy snack, like an apple or bowl of oatmeal when you get home. Fueling your body will give you an energy boost and make it easier to get started.[3]
- Don't sit down for a full meal. Your body will get tired immediately after eating a full meal as it spends energy trying to digest the food.
- Announce your plans to be productive to the members of your family. You're more likely to be productive if other people know about your goals to get your work done. Tell your family members that you are actively going to be productive after school every day. This way, you'll know that you need to get to work when you get home in order to avoid letting your parents down.[4]
- Write a positive note of encouragement and post it in your home. A simple message like "stay busy!" or "getting stuff done feels good" can be written on a post-it note or piece of paper. Hang the paper up in a visible area in your home to give yourself a visual reminder about maintaining a positive mindset while getting your work done.[5]
- Remind yourself why you want to be productive and think about how good it will feel when you're done with your homework and chores. The satisfaction of getting a lot done is a strong motivator when it comes to getting yourself moving.
[Edit]Organizing and Planning - Make a list of what you want to get done after school. Compose a to-do list before you get home with 3-6 tasks that you want to complete. Arrange it so that your list is ordered from most to least important. As you work, cross things off of your list. This will help you track whether you're meeting your daily productivity goals or not.[6]
- Keep your daily to-do lists in the same notebook and bring it with you to school. During lunch or on your way home, review your list from the day before to see what tasks (if any) you need to carry over from the previous day.
- Start with the most important task on your list. If your room is already clean, getting your homework done first is a good idea. If your parents are having friends over for dinner and you haven't cleaned up yet, you probably need to pick your things up first. By beginning with the most important issue, you'll ensure that you're motivated enough to complete your first task. The positive momentum from finishing your first task will carry you through your next couple of items on your list.[7]
- Schedule blocks of time to work on daily tasks like homework. If you have certain things that you need to complete every single day, like homework or daily chores, schedule a specific time to complete them. Set a timer on your phone or alarm clock to remind you when you need to start a daily task. This will ensure that you never accidentally skip something important, and will help you develop the habit of getting stuff done every day.[8]
- Don't schedule something for a time slot when you aren't always home. For example, if you have basketball practice 2 days a week from 3:00-4:30 pm, don't schedule homework time for 3:30 pm.
[Edit]Performing Simple Tasks - Do your homework right away when you get home. Starting with your homework is a good way to make sure that you're using your time efficiently. Everything that you learned at school will still be fresh in your mind and it'll be easier to finish it quickly. Homework requires sitting as well, so you can have a healthy snack or glass of water while you work in order to refresh your body.[9]
- Clean your room and organize any messy areas. It's easy to leave dirty laundry on the floor and forget about trash in your room. Cleaning your personal space is a good activity to complete after school because it requires almost no brain power to complete. If you want to give your mind a rest when you get home, start by cleaning your room.[10]
- Finish any chores that your parents have given you. If your parents give you weekly or daily chores, you may want to get those done after school. If you leave chores for the weekend, you're only eating into your own free time. Once you're in the tempo of getting things done after school, incorporate your weekly chores into your routine.[11]
- Set a schedule where you complete certain chores on specific days of the week to avoid having to do them all at once. For example, you can do your laundry on Monday, take out the trash on Wednesday, and do the dishes on Friday.
[Edit]Keeping Yourself from Getting Distracted - Listen to music while you're working to stay focused. Listening to music is an excellent way to keep yourself from getting distracted. Build yourself a playlist on your phone or home computer, and throw some music on when you get started. This will prevent boredom from setting in while you're working through the mundane items on your to-do list.[12]
- Try to include uplifting and high-tempo tunes in your playlist. If you're listening to slower or softer music, you may find yourself falling asleep or getting tired while you work.
- Create multiple playlists filled with different artists and genres of music to prevent yourself from listening to the same thing over and over again.
- Ask your family to redirect you if you get off-task. Enlist a family member to keep you accountable if they see you getting distracted. Try to work when they're around so that they can keep an eye on you, and don't get upset if they remind you that you're trying to be productive, since a simple reminder will help you stay focused while you work.[13]
- Take a short nap before getting started. It may sound counterintuitive, but a nap may be the best way to be productive after school. A 15-20 minute nap can give your body a quick rest and make it easier to fight through the after-school slump. Be careful not to overdo it though; set an alarm on your phone and stick to strict time limits in order to prevent yourself for sleeping through the evening.[14]
- Deactivate notifications on your phone and avoid looking at social media. It's hard to get anything accomplished if you're consistently staring at a screen. Turn the notifications on your apps off, and close any social media programs to avoid the temptation altogether. Consider leaving you phone in a separate room or with someone if you aren't using it for music and don't need it for the task that you're trying to complete.[15]
- Consider downloading an app that monitors and limits the amount of time that you spend on social media. Offtime, Moment, and BreakFree are all apps that will cut you off from Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat if you can't help yourself.[16]
- If you're leaving it with someone, tell them you don't want them to give you your phone back until they can see you've completed everything.
[Edit]References |
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