Feels like a good day for sharing tips about cleaning, summer activities like picnics and camping, and maybe some advice from our recent travelers.
Harriet gave good information last night about health concerns. Okay is working out an irrigation system that to me sounds like some fun tinker toys.
CathyS ~ Cleaning the stove burner pans: If your stove is electric, the elements will pop out and then you can remove the pans and soak them in the sink.
If you don't want to disassemble, then BAKING SODA. (NOT for the burner itself, try to avoid that. You might just need to scrape with a spatula if there's stuff on the burner.) Sprinkle a little baking soda on a section of the pan. Dampen your cleaning rag or sponge with plain water and lay it over the baking soda. Go do something else while it soaks for a few minutes. Check it to test if the gunk has loosened yet. If it has, wipe it clean and repeat on another section. If it's still stuck, let it soak a bit longer.
This works for both electric and gas stoves.
There was a cleaning guru called Don Aslett who wrote in a book about not wasting energy scrubbing something when it just needs a little time to soak. The chapter I'm remembering that tip from was about cleaning floors, but it applies to counters and appliances, too.
And baking soda can do all kinds of good stuff. In a sink you can sprinkle on baking soda and then spritz a little vinegar for scrubbing bubbles, but I wouldn't do that on a stove.
So I pulled 3/4ths of a trash can of those. It was great therapy for me and I can check exercise off the list now. 