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Boiling Water Hacks To Avoid Using In Your Home
By ASHLEY HANSON
Frozen Windshields
Pouring boiling water onto frozen locks, windshields, or door mechanisms may invite huge temperature fluctuations that can crack, break, or bend these items.
Instead, use de-icing sprays or apply lukewarm water to remove ice without thermal shock. Use your car’s defrost settings and put magnetic insulation covers over door locks.
Plastic Pipes
Boiling water can make plastic pipes soften, twist, or melt, damaging your pipe's structure and making it more prone to breaks, leaks, and significant water damage.
Tools like a drain snake or plunger work much better for unclogging such pipes. You can also use vinegar and baking soda for a cost-effective, eco-friendly way to deal with clogs.
Hardwood Floors
Using boiling water on hardwood floors damages their protective finish and causes their pores to expand from heat, take in more water, and warp or swell.
It's much safer to use as little water as possible and only clean the floor using a damp mop with a hardwood floor-specific cleaner. Then, sweep or vacuum any leftover debris.
Frozen Foods
Using hot water to thaw frozen foods, especially meat, creates a temperature difference between the frozen exterior and interior, leading to uneven cooking.
The warm exterior can also often harbor bacteria that may not die even after being cooked. So, it's much better to thaw foods in cold water or defrost them in the fridge overnight.
Sink
Do not attempt to unclog grease from sink drains with hot water, as melted grease will slide deep into the pipes, cool, and harden, re-clogging the pipe in a tougher spot.
The solidified grease also traps other waste, making the clog worse, putting pressure on your pipes, and likely causing leaks. It's better to use dish soap and warm water.