By Michael Franco and Katie Nolan
Believe it or not, your appliances can do more than their intended purposes. Check out the surprising ways you can use your big and small appliances around the house.
Making the Most of Your Appliances
If you think of your dishwasher, microwave, and coffee maker as one-trick ponies, you may be surprised to learn that they’re actually multitaskers. In fact, most appliances in your home can do double—if not triple—duty. Click through to discover some unexpected ways you can put your household appliances to use.
Defrost Food in the Washer
It may sound counterintuitive, but placing frozen foods in your washing machine and running it on the cold delicate cycle with a low water level may actually use less water and work faster than defrosting in the sink. Seal food items in a ziplock bag, and leave the lid of the washing machine open to prevent the spin cycle from engaging.
Straighten Vinyl Floor Tiles
When vinyl flooring tiles curl and warp, the solution could be as close as your laundry room. Grab the iron, plug it in, put it on a high setting, cover the warped area with aluminum foil, and then run the iron over the foil. The heat will soften the tile so you can pull it up, lay down new adhesive, and reaffix the tile. Afterward, weigh the spot down with heavy books to help the new glue stick.
Steam Fish
Sure, your dishwasher gets your dinner plates clean, but did you know that it can also cook the food that goes on them? Just place some salmon on a piece of foil, squeeze some lemon over it, add a dash of salt and pepper, seal it up, and place the packet on the upper rack of your dishwasher. The slow, steamy heat of a wash cycle will poach it perfectly. Leave the detergent out, though, or you’ll have soapy salmon!
Soften Up Honey
Old honey has a tendency to crystallize, which makes it virtually impossible to drizzle or spread. Before you ditch your old honey for a new bottle, try zapping it in the microwave. First, remove the lid from the jar and place the jar in the microwave. (If the honey isn’t in a microwavable container, transfer it into a microwave-safe dish.) Heat on medium power for 30 seconds, and stir. Repeat at 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until the honey is soft and liquid again.
Brew Some Good Eats
You’ve probably never thought about it before, but your coffee maker actually has three cooking modules: the burner, which can be used as a grill; the basket, which can be used as a steamer; and the pot, which can cook anything from rice to salmon.
Remove Wax with a Blow Dryer
If you’ve spilled wax on furniture, scrape away as much as you can without damaging the finish, then go get your blow dryer. Place a length of paper towel over the remaining wax, then blow over it with high heat from the dryer. The towel will absorb the wax, leaving you with a clean surface. The same trick works for crayon marks on walls.
Speed Up Cleanup
On top of the daily wear and tear lunch boxes experience, they’re also subject to spills and leaks that leave behind sticky, smelly messes. Rather than having to deal with the gunk yourself, put lunch boxes in the washing machine on a cold-water cycle with a load of towels, and they’ll come out fresh and ready for school.
Shred It in the Mixer
The stand mixer isn’t just great at creaming butter. The paddle attachment of this beloved kitchen staple can also be used to shred chicken, pork, or beef.
