There must be a scientific explanation for why stainless steel has some antidotal properties against the strong smell of garlic.

But I don’t need to know what it is. What I’d rather know is how to use stainless steel in a way that won’t require me to go to a kitchen-specialty store to buy some stainless-steel gizmo manufactured just for this purpose. And now I do.

Read on.

Odor-free hands: After chopping garlic, the best way to get the odor from your hands is to soap up and rub them on the kitchen spigot. Stainless steel removes the odor. They sell stainless-steel stones for this very purpose, but why spend the money? The faucet works great. – Nancy B., e-mail

No-spill indoor gardening: I discovered an excellent “no spills” method of watering my small houseplants and cut flowers. I take an empty water bottle with the pop-up sports top, fill it with tap water, replace the cap and pull up the spout.

You can gently spurt water into the pot or vase over and over and never spill a drop on your tables. – No name, e-mail

Homemade ice packs: If you freeze equal parts rubbing alcohol and water in a small zipper-top freezer bag, you will always have an ice pack.

The alcohol will keep it from freezing solid, creating a kind of icy slush that easily forms to your neck or shoulder or wherever you need the ice pack. – Sherri K., e-mail

(Please make sure you label these bags clearly to prevent anyone from mistaking them for something edible. – M.H.)

Makeshift pepper grinder: One of my favorite kitchen toys that I can’t do without is my “pepper grinder.” There is nothing better than freshly ground pepper, and I use the old-fashioned hand-crank coffee grinders with the little drawer.

You can mix whatever blend of pepper you wish and play with how coarse you want the grind.

Then, when cooking, just crank a few times, open the drawer and sprinkle. – Gail S., e-mail

Cheap way to cut out soap scum: Instead of buying an expensive and potentially ineffective cleanser to get rid of soap scum, I use a moistened dryer sheet to clean my sinks and showers. It cuts soap scum instantly. And when you’re done, it smells great.

I use the cheapies, and one box lasts forever. – Angelina H., e-mail

OK, I couldn’t help myself. I researched the stainless-steel issue. The stainless must contain a nickel alloy (not all stainless does), which catalytically enhances the oxidation of odorous compounds.

You can check with a magnet. When nickel is added to the stainless-steel production, it becomes nonmagnetic.

• You can contact Mary Hunt, creator of “The Cheapskate Monthly,” with questions or tips at Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135 Paramount, CA 90723.

source : www.kcchronicle.com