Stop scrubbing away, or hurting your hand trying to get into the crevices of those awkward jars. This month we bring you four great tips for cleaning those tricky items around the house.

Cleaning Caste Iron Cookwear

With all the don’ts that come with cleaning a caste iron pan, you may feel despondent about getting one in the first place; but it is in fact an easy clean. When cleaning cast iron cookwear, you cannot use regular detergents or a scourer. Rather just scrub them with coarse salt and a clean, dry paper towel. You should do this straight after cooking without leaving the pan to soak, and while the pan is still a little warm. If there is some sticky, stubborn food, boil water in the pan in order to loosen it first.

Cleaning an Electric Kettle

Unsightly calcium build-up on the heating element of the kettle is well-known to everyone who owns one. The first thing that comes to mind is, “throw it away!”, but it is easy to get rid of and there is no need to replace your kettle just yet. Boil the kettle with a mixture of one part white vinegar and one part water, and then give it a good rinse.

Cleaning the Crevices in Jars/Vases

To get into those small, hard-to-reach corners, fill the jar or vase with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets. The bubbles will do all the hard work, breaking away the dirt.

Drains, Stovetops and Sinks

Your mother might have told you that baking soda works a charm at deodorising the fridge, but did you know it is also a very good cleaning agent? Pour it down the drain and then throw in some vinegar to deodorise and keep them from clogging. Use it to gently clean stove tops and metal sinks.