The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-09-29
ESSWASHINGSODA
EXPERT WRITES OF MISTAKE
MADE IN THE KITCHEN
Constant Use Of Strong AIkali Bound
to Destroy Innings of Pots and
Pans, to Say Nothing Of Ruin
ing the Hands.


If l had my way l would 20 into
the kitchen of every woman in the
land and cOnfiscate her entire SUNNY
OF washing soda, writes Mrs. Christine
Frederick in the Chicago Daily News
That one misused article is responsi-
bic for more sore, red hands, more
pots with WORKOUT Innings, than anv
other one thing. | do not exaggerate
when | say that in many kitchens
washing soda is put into the pots at
ter every meal. Then how can we ex-
pect to have utensils that are bright
and shiny if we subject them constant
ly TO SO strong a chemical?
Washing soda is the crystal of soda
ash, Il very strong alkali. Washing
soda should never be used in a solid
form, but should be dissolved sepu-
rately and the solution be used spar
ingly. When | say that two table
spOonfuls of dry soda are sufficient for
large tub Of water, you can readily
see why "a handful of soda" is alb
Surdly too much to use in a poor,
harmless Kitchen utenSll.
If foods are cooked with care there
need be no scOrching. Ii no scorChing
then the particles which adhere to the
bottom and sides should be easily
scraped off with round-pointed fiat
wooden paddle, and not metal instru-
Ihent. Ii one is so careless as TO
scorch Il utensil plain water will dis
solve the food as well as any water
with soda.
Now as to actual cleaning: Our
modern pots are made either of en-
amel, aluminium or retinned ware. In
any case the outside should never be
secured with an aIkaii. Enamel is the
easiest TO keep clean of the three be
cause of it's chinalike surface. The
worst thing we can do to enamel ware
is to let a soda solution soak into II. as
this eats off the porcelain and lessons
the life of our pot.
So many say to me: "Oh, aluminium
ware is so hard to keep clean In
my own home we have used aiuui-
mum for three years and IL is stu
bright and silvery looking outside. The
inside of some pots has become us
colored through cooking certain foods,
All we ever use on aluminium is "hild
soap and water daily, and then we
polish it weekly with good silver pol
ish. No alkaIi or powders such a. are
on the market and commonly used
should ever be allowed to touch alumni
mum. as il is the alkaH in the water
that turns the aluminium dark.
Never rub an entire cake of cleanser
on pan or utensil, as this makes
scratched and streaky places. ScEape
or use a very line powder with as little
sand as possible in its composition, ana
apply preferably with a soft oFuNh
rather than rag. which is an un>"'a-
tory procedure. There are special
no, brushes" on the market WIN
hristlcs that look like lamp Gimme!
brush. also a very good kind maze Oh
corn fiber in compact SquallS N"'i'
which could be easily secured Oh me
inside of the pot. II is a great mis-
take to use metal pieces and scraF'Fs
on ANY kind Of a pot, except I. . '"~
Dap which Is iron and can Stah' III.
Dppu heaps with monuments az ~"
a,,ai mans. and rubbish piles with as
corded utensils would be sinaL'sI J.
80 housewives exercised q hii'r
cnrn,nop sense in the cleaning oL p'.s
and kitchen utensils.