5 Ways to Use Barkeepers Friend Cleaner

If you've been here before, you know that I'm a rather big fan of natural cleaning recipes. But, there are a few traditional cleaners that I also like to use around my home. At the very top of that list is Barkeepers Friend. If you live in the US, you've very likely not only heard of Barkeepers Friend, but have also used it often. In Canada it's not quite as well known - in fact, it can be tricky to find this powdered cleanser. I've heard that Home Hardware stocks it, or if you happen to live in Calgary - you can pick some up at the Compleat Cook in Willow Park Village.
Oh lookie what I found in my cupboard:
(click on the link if you'd like to purchase some Barkeepers Friend cleaner for yourself!)


Here's some of the best ways to use Barkeeper's Friend:

1. On Pots and Pans - especially useful for stainless steel pots and pans. Even high-end cookware companies like All-Clad recommend that you use it! It shines them up more beautifully than anything else I've ever tried. You needn't use it every single time you clean, but when you notice the cookware is looking a bit shabby.

2. On stainless steel sinks and appliances - Again, BF is a true BF for stainless! On appliances, always do a little test spot in an inconspicuous area to make sure it won't damage the finish. (Although I've never heard this to be a problem...)

3. On bathtubs, sinks and faucets in the bathroom - As amazingly as it cleans stainless, it also tackles porcelain! A little goes a long way - shake a little BF out, scrub, then rinse. Your sinks and tubs and showers and faucets will all sparkle.

4. On toilets! The 'porcelain throne' will never look better! Again, sprinkle on some Barkeepers Friend, give it a bit of a scrub and then flush away. OR...for more intense cleaning, shake the powder on, then scrub slightly and set your timer for 15-20 minutes. Then give it another good scrub and flush away. It'll look remarkably better.

5. Remove scratch marks from plates and dishes. Modern cutlery can leave greyish marks behind on dinnerware, and no matter how much you scrub away at them, they just won't budge! Try a sprinkle of Barkeepers Friend, and then use a moistened soft cloth to buff those marks right away! It's amazing!

New cleaning with hydrogen peroxide tips

Hydrogen peroxide is right up there with vinegar and baking soda as one of my favorite household cleaners.

Happy Slob reader Jo Ann B. submitted these awesome new (to me!) hydrogen peroxide cleaning tips that I knew you guys would love. If you have a fresh way to use peroxide, then please post a comment with your cleaning tip.

Here's Jo Ann:
"I too love hydrogen peroxide. I add 1 tablespoon to my dawn dish detergent. It is amazing. Dishes come out sparkling clean. And pots I use to fry, no oily residue. I put hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle and clean my glass tables, TV screens etc. I also add it to fantastic for other cleaning jobs. Can't live without it. "

The BEST Homemade Dishwasher 'Booster' I've Ever Found

Okay, all you regular readers (lovingly known as Happy Slobs, or 'slobbos') know all about my ongoing trek to find the best way to get dishes truly, beautifully clean right out of the dishwasher.

I think many of us have a common complaint. Why even use a dishwasher, if you have to pre-scrub or scrub after the dishes come out! It's beyond frustrating.

So, I've been doing research, and experimenting with my old, beat-up dishwasher that we've had for many a year. And, I've finally found what really works.

Baking soda and/or kosher salt
plus
One teeny drop of dish liquid
...added to your regular dishwasher detergent

That's it! I half-fill the cups with regular dishwasher detergent POWDER. That's an important point, because my dishes come out far cleaner using the powder than they ever do using liquid or even those little tabby do-dads. (Which yes, is the technical term, thank you very much indeed.)

Then, in the open cup (the cup that doesn't have a little lid to close), I add one minute drop of regular dishwashing liquid that you'd use to wash dishes in the sink. TEENY drop of that - use too much and you'll have a sudsy disaster spreading all over your kitchen floor, and I don't want that to happen to any of you.

Then, finally, pour a few tablespoons of either kosher salt, regular table salt, or baking soda over top the teeny drop of dishwashing soap. It seems to prevent the problem of over-sudsing.

Then, turn on your dishwasher and prepare to be amazed!! Please post your comments - I think you'll be thrilled with how even once-murky dishes (and glasses!) come out crystal clear. And, like mentioned previously, this is in my old, old, old dishwasher - so it should work a treat in any dishwasher at all.