Baking Soda Expires?

How fresh is your baking soda.  Not sure?  Let's test it.  Pour 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar in a little bowl, then you add 1 tablespoon of baking soda.  If it fizzes, it's fresh enough to get the job done.  No reaction when combined with the vinegar means it's no good.  But fresh or not, it's always good to pour down the drain.

Update:  Baking powder can also lose its "potential."  Here is how you can test for that.  Put 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in 1/4 cup hot water.  If the powder is fresh and vibrant, the water will bubble actively.

When plastic wrap becomes unruly and does nothing but stick to itself, the freezer is your only option to straighten things out.  Keep the  plastic wrap in the freezer and you will never have to struggle with your wrap again.

If your plastic wrap won't stick to the container you are trying to wrap, just dampen the edge of the container and then put the plastic wrap on.

Make your own scouring powder by mixing together 1 cup borax powder, 1 cup baking soda and cup of table salt.  This works great for scouring sinks or bathtubs.  Store in an airtight container with other cleaning supplies.  And don't forget to label it.  For easy application use a large salt shaker. Better yet, this would be a good opportunity to recycle a Parmesan cheese container.  Again please label.  No one wants to scour the top of their pizza.

Exactly how long after a power outage is the food in the refrigerator still good.  First of all try to figure out exactly when the power went out.  An electric clock (one that plugs in) would tell you this. You should keep the refrigerator and freezer doors shut.  Generally food kept cold in an unopened refrigerator will last about 4 hours.  Food in a full, unopened freezer will stay frozen for about 48 hours.  Food in a semi-full, unopened freezer will stay frozen for up to 24 hours.

Your freezer does work its best when it is 2/3 full.  To occupy more space use water bottles until you go shopping.  Water expands so make sure to leave a little room when filling the water bottles.  These frozen bottles work great in a cooler too!