"Cleaning" news and stories

As we approach the height of grilling season, you may discover that your grill grate is still covered in gunked-on residue from last year's meals.

Brushes, detergent, coffee pot: Partners in grime. Photo: Erin Meister

Erin Meister trains baristas for North Carolina-based Counter Culture Coffee and sporadically maintains the blog Meet the Press Pot from her home in New York City. This is the eighth in a series of tips for the caffeine-addicted.

First storage, now cleanliness? I guess I'm getting a little domestic on y'all.

Coffee machine cleanliness is super important and, sadly, all too easily overlooked in both the café and the kitchen. The coffee oils that become your French press' ring around the collar are incredibly tenacious little suckers -- think of them as the caffeinated cousins to the crust in a skillet after cooking with oil. If left there, they can turn rancid (yuck!) and infiltrate every cup you make.

But don't pop open that vinegar bottle yet, friends: Vinegar's strong flavor and scent can overpower coffee by lingering if you don't rinse and rinse (and rinse and rinse). Not only that, but it probably won't banish all that stubborn residue on its own.

How to get rid of coffee oils after the jump.

Residue from sticky, soft cheeses can be a pain to remove from graters. Here's how you can easily clean them.

One of the tools that I use the most is my trusty bench knife. Some people call it a bench scraper, and I've also heard it referred to as a bencher, but bench knife is my favorite term.

The main duty of the bench knife is to divide dough and I use mine frequently throughout the day while I'm at work. It's also helpful in moving dough around. If your dough is a little sticky, the bench knife can help you get it from the table/counter to the scale to rising spot. On in addition to all that, the bench knife is great for keeping your work space clean. Experienced bakers know how the dough seems to get into the oddest places and dry there. Use this tool to scrape up all the little bits and then brush them into the garbage. Just be a bit careful on easily scratched surfaces.

I highly recommend a bench knife for anyone really interested in baking. If you're using one at home, you can find other uses for it. The wide surface makes it good for scooping things up, and makes transferring food from board to pan a breeze.

Take a look at all the things that Alka Seltzer can help with around the house!