| How to Wash Produce with Vinegar Posted: 05 Jun 2020 05:00 PM PDT With all the germs and pesticides in the world, it can be daunting to think about what kinds of bacteria are lingering on your fresh fruits and veggies. Although you should never use chemicals or soaps to clean off your produce, there are few household supplies like vinegar and lemon juice that can partially sanitize your fruits and veggies.[1] It only takes a few minutes to clean and rinse your produce so you can safely enjoy it at home. [Edit]Spraying Smooth-Skinned Produce - Mix water and white vinegar together in a spray bottle. Fill an empty spray bottle with convert|4|cup|mL|abbr=on}} of water with of white vinegar. Replace the spray head on top of the bottle, then shake the ingredients together to mix them up.[2]
- You can also add in of lemon juice, if you'd like. This will help make your produce wash even more effective.
- It's best to clean your produce right before you plan on eating it so it doesn't go bad in storage.[3]
- Arrange your produce in a strainer or colander. Place your apples, oranges, tomatoes, or any other produce in a large colander. Set this in your sink, so you don't spill water or produce wash anywhere in your home.[4]
- Colanders are better than regular containers, as the dirty water and produce wash can easily rinse out.
- Spritz over the surface of your produce with the vinegar mixture. Cover as much of the fruits and veggies as you can. Shift and turn your produce around if you need to—just make sure that it's all getting covered with the vinegar wash.[5]
- It's always better to use too much than not enough.
- Let your produce soak for at least 5 minutes. Set a timer for around 5 minutes to ensure that your fruits and veggies are thoroughly sanitized. While vinegar is pretty effective at getting rid of common produce fungi and germs, it doesn't work instantaneously. Leave your produce in the colander while it soaks.[6]
- You can soak your fruits and veggies for up to 10 minutes, if you'd like.
- Rinse off the vinegar with tap water. Turn on your faucet and move the colander around below the running water. Wash off all of the vinegar mixture from your food so you won't be tasting it later on.[7]
- Cool water works well for this.
- Blot your produce with paper towels. Take your fruits and veggies out of the colander and set them on a clean surface. Grab a fresh paper towel and dry off any leftover water on your produce, so it's ready to prepare and eat![8]
[Edit]Washing Leafy Greens - Fill a container with 4 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. Find a large, clean basin or container that can fit some of your lettuce or other leafy greens. Pour of water into the container, then add in another of distilled white vinegar.[9]
- You always want your vinegar wash to be a 4:1 ratio of vinegar to water.
- Since all sides of the greens are exposed, it's better to soak the produce rather than spray it.
- Let your lettuce soak in the mixture for 5 minutes. Submerge your lettuce in the vinegar wash, checking to make sure it's completely soaking. Set a timer for around 5 minutes and wait while your lettuce gets sanitized.[10]
- Transfer your produce to a colander and rinse it off. Pour any excess vinegar wash out of the container, then move the greens to a colander. Turn your tap onto a cool setting and rinse off any leftover vinegar wash from the greens.[11]
- Dry your lettuce in a salad spinner or with paper towels. Blot each piece of lettuce dry or use the salad spinner to get rid of any extra water and vinegar. Once you've finished using the salad spinner, wash it off with hot water and soap.[12]
- It's best to wash your produce right before you plan on eating it, rather than washing it right away.[13]
- Commercial produce washers may be a good option if you're really worried about lingering bacteria and pesticides on your fruits and veggies. You can find these washes at most grocery stores.[14]
[Edit]Warnings - Don't clean off your fruit and veggies with soap or any kind of bleach product.[15]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Sanitizing Regular Produce - Spray bottle
- Water
- White vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Colander
- Paper towels
[Edit]Washing Leafy Greens - Water
- White vinegar
- Colander
- Salad spinner
- Paper towels
- Dish soap
[Edit]References |
| How to Clean a Selfie Camera Posted: 05 Jun 2020 09:00 AM PDT Taking the perfect selfie is almost an art these days, so it's a bummer when your front-facing camera lens is blurry, dusty, or greasy. It's a little trickier to clean than the lens on the back of the phone because the opening is so tiny and slightly recessed, but it's a cinch with the right tools. If your front-facing camera phone is ultra dirty, you may need to clean the interior as well. If you're not confident about opening your phone up, take it to a retail store that sells that model and have them clean it for you. [Edit]Cleaning the Outer Lens - Use the corner of a microfiber cloth to reach inside the small lens opening. The front-facing lens is hard to clean with a large area of cloth, so fold one corner of the cloth so it's small enough to fit inside the small indentation. Use a microfiber cloth to get the best streak-free clean.[1]
- It may help to lay the cloth over the dull end of a toothpick to get more leverage in the tiny crevices around the lens cover. Just be extremely gentle so you don't scratch the lens.
- Don't use a cotton swab or tissue to clean the lens because the tiny fibers could break off and get stuck around the edges.
- Wipe the outer glass clean with a microlens cleaning pen. Pop the cap on the lens cleaning pen and gently rub the tip against the glass that covers the actual lens on your front-facing camera. Work in small circles around the lens first and then wipe through the center.[2]
- You can buy a microlens cleaning pen online or at most electronic stores.
- The tip of the brush is coated in a carbon compound that gets oils and dust off of the lens.
- Blast away dust with compressed air. Hold the canister at least away from the front-facing lens and give it a good spray. Spray it at a diagonal angle in small, quick bursts so you're not blowing dust deeper into the grooves around the edge of the camera.[3]
- Never shake the canister before using it because it could liquify some of the air inside.
- Take your phone to the manufacturer's store to clean the interior of the lens. Look up the nearest phone retailer that sells your model and book an appointment. Even if your warranty has expired, they won't charge you to open up your phone and clean it.[4]
- If you're feeling brave, you can open it up yourself. Just know that there are a lot of sensitive parts in there that could get damaged.
[Edit]Keeping Your Selfie Camera Clean - Don't touch the lens with your fingers. When you hold your phone, be careful not to touch the lens cover with your fingers because it'll leave behind smudges and skin oils. Hold it with your fingers to the sides and never wipe the lens cover clean with your finger (even if you've just washed your hands!).[5]
- Consider sticking a pop-up phone holder on the back of your phone so it's easier to hold—it'll keep your fingers far away from the lens cover.
- Get a phone case that has a camera covering. Shop online to find a case that has a moveable camera covering. They're intended for privacy purposes but they'll also keep the lens coverings on the front and back of your phone clean. When you're ready to take a picture, all you have to do is slide the lens cover to the side.[6]
- The EyePatch phone case is a good option—it fits on iPhone 5, 6, 7, and X models.
- If you have an Android or other model, you may be able to find a slidable camera cover that sticks onto the front of your phone.
- Place your phone face-up on clean surfaces only. When you set your phone down anywhere, place it face-up so the front-facing lens isn't at risk of picking up dirt or debris. Don't put it on a dirty countertop or on the ground because that's just asking for dust and dirt to get stuck in the lens cover.[7]
- Of course, this won't protect the lens from dust particles that are falling from the air, but it's better than putting it right on top of a pile of dirt or dust.
- Store your phone in a special pocket in your pants or purse. Designate a special area for your phone when you're on-the-go. Don't just toss it into your bag or pants pocket with other items like change, tissues, or cash. That way, you're not exposing your phone to lots of dirt and lint.[8]
- If you carry a purse, consider lining one of the interior pockets with a small plastic baggie so your phone is fully protected.
[Edit]Dusting the Interior Lens - Unscrew the screws at the base of your phone with a screwdriver. Turn your phone upside down to where the charging port is and locate the two little screws on either side of it. Insert a P2 pentalobe screwdriver into one of the screw's top grooves and twist it to the left to loosen it up and remove it. Do this again to take out the second screw. They're tiny so don't do this over a carpet or other surface where you might lose the screws if they fall off your workstation.[9]
- It's best to do this on a white table or over a white piece of paper so it's easier to keep track of the screws.
- If you have an Android phone, you'll need to flip it over, take out the battery, and unscrew the 6 screws holding the back plate in place. They're located at the four corners of the phone and on the long sides near the middle.
- You can buy a screwdriver kit made especially for smartphones online or at some electronic stores.
- Use suction cups to lift the front cover of the phone and turn it to the side. Place a suction cup on the front of the phone and another on the back. Grasp the suction cups with each hand and gently pull them apart to slightly separate the front and back of your phone. Don't pull them apart completely because there may be wires inside (usually near one of the corners) that need to stay connected.[10]
- Certain models don't allow the backing to fully come off, so if you feel resistance at one of the corners, simply turn the uplifted backing of your phone to the side.
- You may need to use a spudger tool to unclip the back of the phone from the sides and top. If you don't have a spudger, insert the edge of a credit card into the crack to separate the backing from the front of your phone.
- Flip the cube in the top center area or righthand corner to reveal the camera. Look for a small metal square in the top right corner or top center of your phone—that's the camera cube. Use your fingernail to gently turn it over so the part that was facing down is now facing to the side.[11]
- This will give you access to the lens and the glass cover for the lens.
- Clean the lens and lens protector with a microlens cleaning pen. Run the tip of the brush pen around the perimeter of the lens and then wipe the center. Do the same for the glass piece beneath it (the protective lens cover). Spin the brush around while you rub it to make it nice and clean.[12]
- You can buy micro cleaning pens online or at most electronic supply stores.
- Blow dust away with compressed air. Spray the lens and the glass lens covering with compressed air in short, small bursts. Angle the straw-like end of the air compressor so you're not blasting it straight on but at a diagonal (45-degree) angle.[13]
- While you may be used to shaking spray canisters, don't shake it before you spray it. Shaking it up could cause the air to come out as a liquid and that's definitely not what you want near the insides of your phone!
- Fold the camera back into place and reassemble your phone. Use your finger to flip the little camera cube back into place. Place the two sides of your phone back together and press down along the corners and edges until you feel or hear the pieces click together.[14]
- Be very gentle when you push down on the edges—don't smack them together because it could damage the chips inside or the tiny lipped fasteners that hold your phone together.
- Reinsert the screws and tighten them with a pentalobe screwdriver. Carefully pick up each screw and, one by one, reinsert them into the holes near the base of your phone on either side of the charging port. Once you have the screw in place, insert the tip of the screwdriver into the top grooves and turn it to the right until it's nice and tight. Repeat this for the other screw.[15]
- The screws are really tiny so it helps if you have a pentalobe screwdriver with a magnetic tip so you can easily pick it up and put it in place.
- Phone cases and lens-covers can be pricey, so shop around on second-hand sites like Craigslist or eBay to save some money.
[Edit]Warnings - When your phone is open, don't mess with any other parts—you don't want to risk your phone malfunctioning for the sake of cleaning your camera.
- Never spray your skin with compressed air because it could cause burning or irritation (kind of like frostbite).[16]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Cleaning the Outer Lens - Microfiber cloth
- Lens cleaning pen (micro-sized)
- Compressed air canister
[Edit]Keeping Your Selfie Camera Clean - Phone case
- Camera covering
[Edit]Dusting the Interior Lens - P2 pentalobe screwdriver
- 2 suction cups
- Lens cleaning pen (micro-sized)
- Compressed air canister
- Spudger tool or credit card (optional)
[Edit]References |
| How to Make Cake Doughnuts Posted: 05 Jun 2020 01:00 AM PDT Cake doughnuts are a delicious and chewy version of regular doughnuts. Their crust is crisp and golden, while their inside is soft and cake-like. Unlike regular doughnuts, cake doughnuts are fluffed up with baking powder instead of yeast. Their overall composition is quite rich and delicious, and with this article, you'll learn how to make your own.
- Makes 16 regular-sized doughnuts
[Edit]Ingredients [Edit]For the Doughnuts - 2 1/2 cups (590 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup (230 ml) milk
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) white sugar
- 2 quarts (1892 ml) oil
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) melted butter
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) baking powder
[Edit]For the Glaze - 1/3 cup (79 ml) melted butter
- 2 cups (413 ml) confectioner's sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 ml) vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons (41 ml) hot water
- Mix the salt, sugar, flour, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
- Add the eggs, butter, vanilla extract, and milk into another bowl and whisk well.
- Incorporate the dry mixture into the liquid mixture slowly and stir well. You can use a dough hook on an electric mixer or knead it by hand to mix the ingredients together. Keep kneading it until it becomes elastic and smooth. Add some extra flour if the dough is too moist.
- Let the dough rise. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl coated with vegetable oil. Put the plastic wrap over it, and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. You can also put the dough inside the refrigerator, but the dough will require an extra hour of proofing this way. If you're not ready to make the doughnuts yet, you can always freeze the dough before it rises to save it for later.
- Roll the dough out on a flour-coated surface until the dough is 1/2-inch thick.
- Cut the dough into 3-inch circles. Use a smaller 1-inch cutter to make the holes. Plastic bottle caps or martini shaker caps work well for this job. The doughnut holes can be recombined to make more doughnuts, or they can be fried along with the rest of the doughnuts.
- Pour the oil into a skillet and heat it to 360°F (182°C). You can use a meat thermometer or an infrared temperature scanner to test the temperature.
- Place the doughnuts into the hot oil, taking caution not to splash it. Use a spoon or spatula that has drip holes to let the oil flow out.
- Flip them over after 60 seconds, or until one side turns golden-brown. If you are making doughnut holes, fry them for 30 seconds per side.
- Remove them from the skillet with tongs, a wooden spoon, or chopsticks.
- Place the doughnuts onto a plate layered with two paper towels. This will help reduce the fat content of the doughnuts.
- Make and apply the glaze to the doughnuts. In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, hot water, and whatever extract you chose (i.e. almond, vanilla, lemon) until smooth and creamy. Dip the still-warm doughnuts into glaze and let excess drip off.
- Add cinnamon, sugar, icing, or any other toppings.
- You can also use a fryer instead of a skillet to quickly and efficiently fry the doughnuts.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - 2 large bowls
- Whisk
- Large spoon
- Plastic wrap
- Large metal skillet
- Large plate
[Edit]References |
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