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Procrastinating is dangerous. We all know it. I might have found a cure for procrastination.

Procrastination Anthem

Yesterday, I had a case of the procrastinations and I decided to clean my two popcorn pots.

I have a tendency to punish myself when I procrastinate.

Why don’t I just watch a movie or read a book like normal people? No, I clean closets or reorganize the basement or (gasp!) try to trim my inboxes. Yesterday it was cleaning popcorn pots.

These copper-bottomed Revere pots are burnt inside and outside. Years ago, I bought duplicates of these pots so it would look to my mother – who cleaned where it might get dirty someday — like I had a complete set of non-popcorn pots. (Or course, then I told her and showed her the popcorn pots because I thought it was funny. She just shook her head.)

In previous popcorn pot frenzies, I’d used Comet. I’d put water and Comet inside to work on that part, then next the pot in a bigger pot that also had Comet and water in it to expose the bottom of the smaller pot. Then I’d slowly heat the whole thing up on a burner.

But no Comet. Countertops, etc., demand kinder/gentler cleaners these days. Which is great for them, but not up to the popcorn pots.

So I read a few posts online and combined them.

Water with dishwashing liquid. Check.

Baking soda. Check.

Catsup. Oops. Don’t have any. But since they were talking about the acid working on the stains, I figured canned tomatoes would work. Plus, I was pretty sure I had some old-ish cans of tomato stuff. Uh, yeah. How about “Best used by 2-2012”?  (The photo is the “new” can.)

But, heh, the can didn’t explode when I opened it and the contents weren’t black or green, so I figured it was perfect for popcorn pots. Tossed some of that in, too.  So tomato stuff. Check.

And then, thinking about acid working away at the stains, I had a brilliant idea.

**Brilliant idea alert**  **Brilliant idea alert**  **Brilliant idea alert**

What else might work away at stains?

Vinegar.

So I poured in apple cider vinegar.

Instant tomato foam.

Over the top of the top, all over the cooktop.

So now I had the cooktop to clean.

And, sorry to say, the mixture did not miraculously clean the popcorn pots.

Solution?

After cleaning the cooktop, I put both pots in the dishwasher, figuring I’d just use them again for popcorn anyway, so why bother.

And returned to writing.

Moral

Never, ever clean.