Helpful Hints & Tips Archive

Browse Tips by Category…

Cleaner Home Improvement

Tree That Owns Itself - Bacon wrapped asparagus

To catch the dust while drilling a hole, poke the drill bit through the bottom of a small paper cup first, and then hold the cup rim against the wall while drilling.

To keep your summer drinks or white wine cold, drop a few frozen seedless grapes into the beverage. As the grapes thaw, they won’t water down the beverage. Then you have a sweet snack at the bottom of your glass!

Repel Mosquitos With Dryer Sheets

To keep mosquitos and other biting insects at bay, tuck a few new/unused dryer sheets into your pockets.

Keep Cilantro Fresher Longer

If you purchase cilantro from the supermarket or farmers’ market, try this trick to keep it fresher longer: Untie the bunch and spread the leaves and stems out on a few dry paper towels. Allow to air dry for 10 minutes, then roll them up in the paper towel and store in a sealable plastic bag. They’ll

Repel Silverfish With Whole Cloves

While silverfish are harmless, they can be annoying pests. To keep them from invading, try this home remedy: place whole cloves in drawers, in closets, or anywhere you’ve seen them scurrying. These bugs hate the smell!

Repel Mice Naturally

Got mice? Cotton balls with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil or peppermint oil, are great mice deterrents. Place a few in areas where you know the mouse has been hiding or eating. They can also be placed in closets, drawers, attics, and near openings to the outside.

Zest Citrus Fruits First!

Before juicing lemons, oranges, or limes, zest the peels first for use in cakes, muffins, frostings, etc. Scrub or soak the fruit first to remove any residue. Zest can be stored in airtight baggies in the freezer until ready to use.

Banish Onion Odors!

Raw onions are delicious on burgers and sandwiches but they can really create strong odors in the house and on your breath. To lessen the pungency of raw onions, try this easy trick: soak the slices (or chopped pieces) in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain. You’ll still get the great onion flavor but the

Repel Flies Naturally

Grow basil in pots and flowerbeds near your doorways and windows — it’s a natural way to repel flies and mosquitos and keep them from entering your home.

Keep Bugs Away!

To keep bugs away, replace your outdoor white light bulbs with yellow LED or CFL bulbs. Yellow light contains less of the blue wavelength of light and helps to keep bugs away. These bulbs, unlike incandescent bulbs, also emit very little heat, further reducing their attractiveness to bugs.