CasaSugar

Steal of the Day: Stainless Steel Soap

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:15:14 -0700

Stainless steel has magical deodorizing/odor neutralizing power that can wipe the pungent scents from things like garlic, onion, and fish away from your skin. There isn't a clear chemical explanation for this, but it's been hypothesized that sulfurous compounds are somehow catalyzed by the steel. So, some clever entrepreneur came up with a stainless steel "soap" product, essentially a block of metal in soap shape, to rid your skin of whatever stink ails you. But rubbing your hands across a stainless steel knife, spoon, or other utensil will have the same effect. Knowing that you can you use any old piece of stainless steel is certainly a deterrent from purchasing a bar of the soap, but I think it makes a good gag gift (or stocking stuffer!) for a fisherman or chef friend of yours. Luckily, the Uma Stainless Steel Soap ($8, reduced from $12.50) is on sale.

YumSugar Gift Guide: Newlyweds

partysugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:01:31 -0800

When Christmas shopping for the couple who was recently married, stay away from items that may have been wedding gifts. Instead, opt for fun and useful accessories for their kitchen. A simple serving tray is always welcome, as is a stylish tablecloth and napkin set. Or give them a cooking-for-two cookbook. They will be able to make delicious meals together for many days to come!

For more suggestions on what to give newlyweds, scroll below.

Smelly Garlic Hands Be Gone!

partysugar — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 09:47:19 -0800

The other day my girlfriends, Maite, Luisa, and I were chatting about, yep you guessed it, cooking! I was saying how much I love cooking with garlic but I hate the stench it leaves on my hands for the rest of the night. They told me an old wives secret and I tried it out and it worked. So here's the deal: once you have finished chopping your garlic, gently take the knife in your hands. Under a stream of cold water hold the knife in with your fingers pressed against the metal for about thirty seconds. So I went home and did a little bit of research. Turns out that you can do the same thing with stainless steel sink faucets, spoons or a Stainless Steel Bar of Soap. I'm not sure what occurs scientifically (please write me if you know), but the steel and cool water neutralize the odors (it should work for fish and onions or any other pungent smell, too!). I can't believe I didn't know about this trick before.

DearSugar also has a list of ways to combat the smell of garlic.

Casa Capsule: The Week That Was

CasaSugar — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 05:30:25 -0700

Check out Laurel's fantastic rainbow bright home.
Then, continue the tour when you check out her studio.
Get some color palette decorating ideas with my Ask Casa post.
This stainless steel soap is one of my more unusual steals.
Halle Berry's moving up North, eh.
What does shabby chic queen Rachel Ashwell think is a home must have?
You could turn this before and after idea into a fun weekend project.
Try your hand at urban curation.

Casa Verde: Natural House-Cleaning Hints

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 07:36:55 -0700

I know that a lot of you, like me, are making the transition to eco-friendly cleaning products, since most over-the-counter cleaners are bad for both the environment and your health. Of course, there are a lot of great eco-friendly brands out there, but you can also clean your house with ordinary and non-toxic substances you probably already have lying around.

Thanks to Mallomar for pointing me to this list of natural household cleaning tips from holistic health guru Dr. Andrew Weil. I can't wait to try some of these; I especially love the idea of replacing my bleach-based mildew remover with grapefruit-seed oil. Check out the list and tell me if you've tried any of these when you read more

Baking soda: An all-purpose cleaner; especially effective on glass coffee pots and glassware; removes red-wine stains from carpeting. A paste (made with water) can shine stainless steel and silver; the paste can also remove tea stains from cups and saucers. Make a paste with a castille- or vegetable-based liquid soap and a drop of essential oil (tea tree or lavender) to clean sinks, countertops, toilets and tubs. Pour 1 cup down the sink to clear a clogged drain, followed by 3 cups of boiling water.
Boiling water: Use weekly to flush drains and avoid clogs.
Coarse salt: Cleans copper pans and scours cookware. Sprinkle salt on fresh spills in the oven, then wipe off. Sprinkle salt on rust stains and squeeze a lime or lemon over them, let sit for several hours and wipe off.
Essential oils: Mix lavender or tea tree essential oils with water and spray on kitchen or bathroom surfaces for an environmentally and people-friendly antibacterial spray.
Grapefruit-seed extract: Add a few drops to water in a spray bottle for an odorless way to kill mold and mildew.
Lemon juice: Use as a bleaching agent on clothing, and to remove grease from your stove and countertops. Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice to 10 drops of (real) lemon oil and a few drops of jojoba oil to clean and polish wood furniture.
Olive oil: Use to lubricate and polish wood furniture (three parts olive oil to one part vinegar; or two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice).
Potatoes: Halved potatoes can remove rust from baking pans or tinware - follow with a salt scrub or dip the potato in salt before scrubbing.
Tea tree oil: Can be added to vinegar/water solutions for its antibacterial properties. Use it to kill mold and mildew, and on kitchen and bathroom surfaces instead of chemical products. Add 50 drops to a bucket of water to clean countertops and tile floors.
Toothpaste (white, plain): Cleans silver; can remove water stains on wood furniture - dab on, allow it to dry and wipe off.
White vinegar: Cleans linoleum floors and glass (from windows to shower doors) when mixed with water and a little liquid soap (castille or vegetable). Cuts grease and removes stains; removes soap scum and cleans toilets (add a bit of baking soda if you like). Pour down drains once a week for antibacterial cleaning. Add to water in a spray bottle to kill mold and mildew.

Yum Market Finds: Useful Kitchen Tools

partysugar — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:58:01 -0800

You have been doing an amazing job filling the Yum Market, on TeamSugar with fabulous food-related finds. As I was looking through it today, I noticed several functional, interesting everyday items that I just had to share. The first is a stainless steel soap bar. Redegg says she loves to give this as a gift to cooks because the steel eliminates the smell of garlic, fish, and other strong orders from your hands.

Two more so, read more

Spice up salad with these flashy, striped serving spoons. Eruntale discovered and saved these fashionable little spoons and totally deserves a round of applause, I love these! Awesome find!

Atkoester found these two-in-one measure and mix bowls. Modern and handsome, these bowls have an internal scale and come in two essential sizes. Their graceful shape allows for perfect pouring.

Thanks for bookmarking your cool stuff in the Yum Market! Please keep on sharing the wealth. If you would like to learn more about the Yum Market, read geeksugar's explanation.