Follow the rules of food safety when enjoying a picnic

DEAR READERS: With warm weather here, we definitely want to gather outdoors, in the backyard or at the beach this year — with recommended masks and social distancing! And we need to pay attention to food safety. Don’t let food sit outside in 85 degree heat for more than one hour, because food can spoil very fast.

When you prepare picnic food, make sure surfaces, utensils and hands are clean. Do not thaw food on the counter, and never allow raw meat or poultry to come into contact with other food.

If you are going to travel and bring food, it might be best to cut the food up into individual portion sizes and only take the amount you will consume. That way you won’t have to throw any food out.

DEAR READERS: Dishwashers are essential kitchen appliances. And while we fill them with pots and pans, cooking utensils and just about everything else we use for preparing food, the dishwasher also can be utilized to clean a variety of items.

You can clean these additional objects in your dishwasher: small plastic toys, combs and hair brushes (hair removed), flip-flops and cotton baseball caps. You can also clean sponges, sink stoppers, stove grates and removable shelves from the refrigerator.

DEAR READERS: If you are growing herbs in your garden or if you have bought bunches and you discover that you cannot use them all before they spoil, don’t toss them out. Instead, freeze them, which will help retain the aroma and flavor. Take these steps:

1. Stem the herbs and then blanch in lightly salted, boiling water for about 5 to 10 seconds only. Drain the water.

2. Place the herbs in a bowl of ice water. When they are cool, drain the water and pat dry with a paper towel.

3. Put the herbs in sealed freezer bags and keep in the freezer.

DEAR READERS: Take these steps with vacuum cleaners:

Unplug the vacuum first. Use hot soapy water to wipe off the outside of the machine and the inside area to get rid of dust or any collected grime Then examine the cylinder or chamber and hoses to remove any hair or debris that might be clogged there.

If the vacuum is bagless, clean the filters often so the machine operates efficiently. Remove the cup and wash it in soapy water. Rinse completely and air-day.

If the vacuum has bags, always check the amount of stuff in them before you use the vacuum cleaner. Too much crud will prevent the air from circulating thoroughly and reduce suction capability.