Fix Rainbow-Stained Pans, a Crusty Microwave, and Dishwasher-Dulled Aluminum With Stuff Already in Your Kitchen

The Techniques

Rainbow discoloration on a stainless pan

Heat leaves a blue-purple-gold "rainbow" tint on stainless steel. For light discoloration, a splash of white vinegar wiped over it clears it. For anything more stubborn, switch to steel wool or a Brillo pad.

A crusty, splattered microwave

Squeeze a full lemon into a bowl of water — an already-drying-out lemon works fine, no need to buy a fresh one just for this — and microwave it until the water starts to steam. The steam loosens the crusted-on splatter so it wipes away easily, and the lemon leaves the inside smelling clean rather than like whatever last splattered in there.

Oven degreaser on more than just the oven

Oven degreaser cuts through baked-on grease that a sponge won't touch — and it isn't only for ovens. It works on stovetops, pans, and baking trays with the same baked-on buildup. Check the specific product's label first, since not every oven degreaser is rated safe for other surfaces.

Keeping green onions and herbs going longer

Instead of throwing out the root end of green onions, stand them root-side down in a glass of water in the fridge — they regrow, sometimes more than once. The same trick keeps fresh herbs going noticeably longer than leaving them in their plastic clamshell.

Gray, oxidized aluminum after a trip through the dishwasher

Aluminum cookware run through the dishwasher can come out dull and gray — that's oxidation from the dishwasher's alkaline detergent, which is also why aluminum pans generally shouldn't go in the dishwasher at all. To fix it, mix cream of tartar with a little water into a paste, apply it, and let it sit — the longer it sits, the easier the oxidation scrubs off.