How.com.vn is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 14 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time.
This article has been viewed 71,323 times.
Learn more...
Filling salt and pepper shakers may or may not be self-evident, depending on the type of shakers used. Even if you think you've got this task sorted, there is always the issue of unwanted spillage while you pour––it's annoying! This article explores a few tricks that will help you to fill shakers with ease.
Steps
- Tape over the base holes of shakers designed for pre-ground salt and pepper. The fine grains will easily slip through when you tip the shaker upside down to fill and the tape will prevent this from happening.
- Turn the shaker upside down.
- Fill the shaker with ground salt or pepper. To make this easier, use a small funnel to transfer from the original container to the shaker. A funnel can be purchased from the store or one can be made simply from paper (see How to make a cone or funnel from paper).
- Fill the shaker just to the top. Leave enough space for movement of the grains through the holes.
- Pull the tape off the holes. Tip the shakers back up the right way. Done!
Some stoppers or plugs at the base of shakers can be really hard to budge. While that's great for during use, it's a bother when trying to remove it for a refill. Here are some helpful suggestions:
- Ease the side of a strong, blunt knife against one side of the stopper or plug. Gently lift the knife up and ease open the stopper. This method is best for hard plastic stoppers; the knife may mark or cut into softer stoppers.
- Ask a stronger person to open it. In some cases, there is nothing for it but brute force. Get someone who has a strong grip to place their fingers and thumb around the edges of the stopper and to pull really hard a few times. Eventually the stopper will begin to loosen and can be pulled out.
- Try softening the stopper by washing the shaker in warm water. This will only work if you're happy to let existing contents get washed away. Also, the container needs to be washable, so it's not ideal for untreated wooden shakers.
- Let the shaker soak for 10 minutes or so in warm water. See if it will ease out while in the water still. If not, proceed to the next step.
- Remove from the water and let dry or hand dry with a soft tea towel. Try removing the stopper again; hopefully the warmer water has softened it a little.
Community Q&A
- QuestionShould I wash the inside of new shakers before I fill them?Community AnswerYes, but make sure that the shaker is dried completely. If it is not dried properly, it will cause the salt/pepper to clump or the holes to plug.
- QuestionHow can I get more to come out of the shaker?Community AnswerMake sure the holes are free from obstructions and are dry.
- QuestionShould rice go in a pepper shaker as well?Community AnswerRice is added to salt to absorb excess moisture (and shouldn't be put in a shaker with holes large enough for rice to slip through them). Pepper doesn't usually need it.
Tips
- Take care not to lose the stoppers or plugs. Place them on a saucer or small plate while filling the shakers, so you can retrieve them easily.Thanks
- Mix a few grains of raw rice in to salt and pepper and fill the shaker.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- Tape
- Ground salt and pepper
- Shakers
About This Article
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.