Robin's work on her cast iron skillet.

Cast Iron Cleaning - Step 1:

Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a tub, bucket, or sink big enough to submerge the pan. You can soak the pan for up to 8 hours but check often - it could be ready in as little as an hour. You know when the pan is done when rust flakes away easily.

Cast Iron Cleaning - Step 2:

Use mild detergent and warm water to clean away any lingering rust with a mild abrasive sponge.

Cast Iron Cleaning Step 3:

Dry immediately and pop in the oven. You will now re-season your pan. Seasoning is the process of baking oil into the pores of the iron. This practice prevents rust and provides a natural, easy-release finish that continues to improve with use. To do this, set your oven to 350° and line the bottom of the oven with foil. Rub a mineral oil with a high smoke point (like vegetable oil) over the entire pan and let it bake for an hour.

Cast Iron Cleaning Step 4:

Now, every time you use the pan, just lightly wipe the inside only down with another layer of oil. This will gradually build up to a nice protective layer make it a better cooking surface and guarding against rust.

This method should provide great results, and leave you with years of great use (and meals!) from your iron skillet. Check out Robin's before and after pictures above!

Happy cooking!

The post How to Restore a (Very) Rusty Cast Iron Skillet appeared first on JoeCleans.

One common task listed on every janitorial agreement today was never included when we started in the cleaning business – empty the recyclable items. There was no recycling back in the day. How about emptying and cleaning ashtrays in the lobbies and at workers’ desks? Use to be an everyday item… now, it is preferred that workers do not smoke while within the county.

I was reminiscing recently about an incident which arose from Robin and my limited vocabulary and taking directions from clients, back in the day, to get to their houses. I recall it was a crisp, sunny morning and I was trying to locate a customer’s house in a rural farm area off Windy Road. I drove to the end and back of the road but had no success. Unlike today, there was no cellphone back-up plan and to avoid having to drive back into town to look for a payphone to call Robin in the office or our eager client directly, I chose to drive to the end and back twice more. No luck. It all got resolved in the end when it was realized that there was no Windy Road. Part of the directions related to a “winding” road not a “windy” road. (If I had only paid more attention to Beatles lyrics.)

Today there are almost no directions needed… “just give me the street address for the GPS.” We’ll get there – no worries.

Ciao and God bless, joe

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We toured the very grand Mount Washington Resort Hotel, built in 1900 (owned and operated since 2015 by the Omni Hotel Group) - it is a stunning historical beauty. We also visited Diana's Bath in Bartlett. It is a series of small waterfalls and pools enjoyed by families of all ages due to its short 0.6 mile hike - nature is a beautiful thing.

One discovery that was new to both of us was lunch at what proved to be a gem - the Gypsy Cafe in Lincoln, NH. We are not food critics nor experts, but found the food, atmosphere and staff were all superlative. We had the Mediterranean Salad which was served with a lime-cumin vinaigrette, and a memorable split-pea mint soup. In addition, we shared 3 appetizers including Egyptian Brussel Sprouts, Turkish Cauliflower Patties and a mouth-watering Black Bean Empanada with tamarind sauce and cilantro-tomatillo salsa. Robin enjoyed a brownie cheesecake pie slice for dessert. It was a homemade pie crust then ice cream sandwiched between two brownie cheesecake layers with pecans and a chocolate drizzle. Yummy is what it was, says Robin, while I sipped on a tequila mojito. A delightful repose on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

We look forward to our next adventure! Won't you please share one of yours with us?

Check out some of our photos below, and click for bigger images!

Ciao and God Bless,

Joe

The Mount Washington Hotel. Breathtaking.

Diana's Bath

The Gypsy Cafe, where we had lunch.

Mediterranean salad, served with a lime-cumin vinaigrette, along with our split pea mint soup.

Delicious Egyptian brussel sprouts and Turkish cauliflower patties, along with black bean empanadas served with tamarind sauce and cilantro-tomatillo salsa.

Robin's brownie cheesecake pie. How good does this look?

The post White Mountains appeared first on JoeCleans.

Every week we are in people’s homes and business cleaning using green solutions, cutting edge equipment and good old fashion elbow grease to provide our customers a special relief and relaxation that only an all-around clean can provide. On Saturday April 23rd past, we put aside pH, fiber identifications and all the important details of professional cleaning and simply picked up roadside litter. This is as low-tech as it gets – donning fluorescent vests, gloves and filling trash can liners while walking and beautifying roadsides.

It is a wonderful time when our cleaning team, family and friends enjoy time together and doing some simple good. Too often we all get too busy just “doing” life and miss out on precious together time. Our litter patrol gives us time together in the great outdoors. This year, seventeen of us collected 51 bags of trash, tires and dumped electronics along about seven miles of roadsides in central MA and NE CT.

While it may not be noticed by most, it matters little, as the rewards are great. The roadsides are clean and subsequent walks or drives are more enjoyable for all. Afterwards we enjoyed a picnic lunch and pleasant fellowship – slow time. What a treat!

Care to join us? Contact us and we’ll invite you to join us next year around Earth Day. Clean is a state of being. It’s a reflection of who we are and of how we take care of ourselves (and planet Earth). Doesn’t it just soothe the soul?

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