by Lisa Hughes in ...and More!, Food for Thought, Kitchen Stuff Tags: Ammonia, fire, Gym, Oven Cleaner, Paper Towels

Feeling especially ambitious at daybreak, I got my old, rather crusty toaster-oven out for a good cleaning, generously spraying the racks with oven cleaner, washing the “walls” and “ceiling” of the appliance with ammonia, then changing the old foil liner on the bottom.

After everything was spic ‘n span, I tightly rolled the soaked paper towels used for this project into the foil, then threw the “package” into the trash can.

With kitchen cleaning done, I changed into exercise gear and headed for the gym. But while walking out the back door I heard a very strange hissing. A sizzling sound. Could it be Mom? No – still asleep. Checked the basement. Nothing. It seemed to be coming from the kitchen and was growing louder. Following the noise, I discovered steam escaping from the kitchen trash can. It was crackling! The ammonia and lye, sealed in foil, had begun to simmer – a true chemical fire! Burning hot. I immediate doused it with water, extinguishing the “fire” and carried the can to the yard – in case.

I’m just grateful for hearing those sizzles before leaving the house. Accidents do happen. Just make sure they don’t happen to you. Read warning labels – as dumb as they may seem. There is no such thing as being “too careful”!