How to remove dirt from the crevices of lids of containers

The most convenient containers are the one which are air tight micro wave containers as they can be of multiple uses. For school kids they are the best for packing lunch. But the biggest problem faced is how to clean the dirt which gets accumulated with the passage of time and gets hardened due to heating in micro wave. My daughter in-law one day was at her wits end to get the crevices of lids cleaned . I told her do not worry it is easy only next time do not wait so long that the lining of lid starts becoming black, I can get the dirt out of the crevices but certain amount of black marks will remain as they are the discoloration of the material caused by accumulating dirt and it will not cause any health hazard. She was surprised that cleaning the lid crevices could be so easy and effective. She has made it a point that once in a week all lids are cleaned by the method I explained and is now happy with the outcome.  

Soaking Time: 2-3 hrs

Cleaning Time: 15min

Cleans 4-5 lids

Materials Required for cleaning The lid Crevices:

• 500ml.water

• 2 Tea spoon Detergent

• 3-4 Ear buds

• Water was final wash

Directions for Cleaning the Lid Crevices:

Lid with dirt in the crevices

• Take 500ml. water in a container and heat it to lukewarm state.

•  Add 2 tea spoon detergents to it.

Water with detergent

• Dissolve the detergent in hot water.

• Soak the lid with dirty crevices in the detergent solution for 2-3 hrs. 

Dirty lid kept in detergent water for dirt absorbing water and swelling up

• The dry dirt will soak detergent solution and swell up.

• Remove the lid from detergent solution and roll a cotton ear bud in the crevices of the lid applying little pressure.

Clean ear bud and the dirty lid soaked for 1 hr.

Ear bud collects the dirt and also forces the dirt out of the crevices

• The cotton of the ear bud will collect the dirt a force it out of the crevices.

Dirt being removed by ear bud

• Repeat the process of rolling the ear buds in the crevices till they come out clean.

• Wash the lid in flowing water and roll a clean ear bud through the crevices while washing under flowing water.

Lid after cleaning with ear bud

• Clean lid is ready to be put on the container.

Lid after dirt has been removed from the crevices

Ear bud with some of the dirt

Tips:

• Increase the water amount for more.

• If the dirt has been accumulating for very long time then increase the soaking amount to 6-8 hours.

• Do not rub the ear bud to  harshly for it will cause aberration in the material of the lid crevices.

• If you do not have ear but simply roll some cotton or cotton cloth strip on a tooth pick and use it to remove the dirt.

• Do not use very hot water as it may spoil the lid.

Suggested Variations:

• In a house hold small pieces of soap are always wasted as they cannot be used for bathing/washing cloths they can be used instead of detergent.