FOOD NEWS
A Three-Ingredient Hack Will Have Your Slow Cooker Cleaning Itself
By Chris Day
Most people fill their dirty slow cooker with water, squirt in a little dish soap, let it sit overnight, and wake up to a crock of cold water with bits of the previous night's dinner floating in it. Fortunately, there’s a better, eco-friendly cleaning hack that requires ingredients you likely already have in your pantry and involves no harsh chemicals.
Turn off your slow cooker and fill it with water, and once the stuck-on food has submerged, add one cup of distilled white vinegar, then gradually add one cup of baking soda. The acidic vinegar is on the opposite end of the pH scale from baking soda, so when combined, the two create carbon dioxide bubbles that lift the food from a surface.
Put the lid on and place the slow cooker on the lowest setting overnight, and in the morning, wipe the inside with a soapy dishcloth once it cools, and finish it off with a quick rinse. You can also use this combo to eliminate smelly odors from a drain or the laundry you left too long in the washer.