Remove water stains from your coffee tables, dining room table or even your piano bench (!) with the concentrated heat of your hair dryer. Cool glasses of water or hot cops of tea–along with those sippy cups full of juice that your kids love–leave a white mark on wood furniture. […]
A DIY vacuum extension can come in handy when the parts that came with your vacuum just aren’t doing the trick. Let’s say you want to reach all the way under your couch or bed, or behind the t.v., without having to move the furniture around. You can make your vacuum […]
Remove sticker residue once and for all, the easy and natural way. Kids love stickers, and most kids go through a stage of putting stickers on everything. Some stickers slide right off; others leave a gooey mess behind on toys, walls and furniture. Here’s the simplest way to remove that […]
Clean beauty brushes are the foundation (get it? foundation) to a beautiful look. But most of us are using dirty brushes. Think about it: you spend good money on bronzers, powders, blushes, highlighter, sparkles and who knows what else and then apply all that beautiful stuff with a brush that’s been […]
DIY fabric softener, made with one ingredient that you probably already have in your cupboard, is a great alternative to store-bought softener. The store-bought brands can be tough on people with allergies. Make your own and save some money while you’re at it! Simply pour 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup (depending […]
Iron away melted wax that has dripped onto your slacks, sleeve, or any other piece of clothing. When wax melts on a tablecloth, it’s pretty easy to cover it up with a plate or a centerpiece. But what about when it drips onto your clothing? You’re at a restaurant or […]
Tension rods are a cheap and easy solution for hanging up café curtains in your kitchen, but have you ever thought about putting them under the cupboard? In kitchens and bathrooms, under-the-sink storage is hard to come by, thanks to water pipes. Make some extra room by putting a small […]
A red wine spill doesn’t have to ruin your night, or your shirt. Use white wine to neutralize the stain before it sets. Red wine contains anthocyanins, compounds responsible for the red color in plants (including red grapes). White wine can neutralize those compounds by breaking them down. Just pour […]
Remove pet hair from carpets, tiles and hardwood floors with a simple squeegee. Even after you’ve swept, mopped and vacuumed, Fido’s hair is not totally gone. Dog hair tends to build up in corners and against baseboards. A squeegee is the perfect tool to sweep pet hair out of tight […]
A DIY cleaner will come in handy for all your minor spills and messes around the house–from cleaning up your countertops and kitchen sink to wiping away dust and dirt on window sills. If you want something done, it is best to do it yourself, although there is no harm in […]
Shaving cream is something you probably use every day, but did you know that it’s good for more than getting a close shave on your legs? Here’s a use you might not have considered until now–it removes makeup stains from your clothing. The next time you find traces of your foundation–or […]
Toothpaste cleans your cars’ headlights, even better than a drive-through carwash will. Think about it: your headlights are constantly bombarded with dirt, bits of rocks and who-knows-what from the road, and dead bugs. If you want to save money by not getting your car detailed the next time you have […]
Clean wine glasses should sparkle like fine crystal–even if you bought them at a discount store. Yet running through the dishwasher and drying them by hand isn’t always enough. If your wine glasses look a bit “foggy” no matter what you’ve tried, here’s a tip: use a coffee filter to […]
Clean suede the absolute easiest way with something you probably already have handy: bread. Yes, forget about sprays, gels and special wipes. You’ve got a simple, cheap and easy way to take care of dirty suede. Take the crust off a piece of plain old white bread and let it […]
Erase sweat stains once and for all. You know, those nasty yellow stains on your white t-shirts, tops and even dress shirts. You’ve tried stain sprays but somehow the stains never quite disappear. Here’s your solution, and it’s simple and inexpensive. Just use lemon juice. You can buy it by […]
Clean a blender so easily… you won’t need to scrub, scrape or even use a sponge. Start with your dirty blender, filled with bits of all the things you just added to your morning smoothie. It can be difficult to get in there and clean the narrow part of the […]
Wash sponges the easy way–just put them in the dishwasher the next time you run it! Sponges are a mainstay in every kitchen, and all too often we throw them out before their best days are over. There are a couple of ways to clean sponges: you can pour boiling […]
A lint roller comes in handy for more things than keeping your clothes looking good. Use it in the craft room–especially with glitter-happy kids–to quickly pick up glitter, sparkles, embellishments and who-knows-what-else kids like to play with when they’re crafting. Sweeping the glitter is almost impossible, and vacuuming it leaves […]
Garbage disposal cleaning was, for a few decades, left to the whims of chemical companies. But no more! These days, DIY cleaning solutions are all the rage, and there’s no reason that your kitchen sink (or you) should miss out on this trend. Start with oranges, lemons and limes. Go […]
Microwave odors can linger for so long that the time you saved cooking is lost to the time you spend apologizing for “that smell.” No more! Here’s a simple hack to help you rid your microwave of cooking odors–even the tough-to-remove smell of burnt popcorn. Start with lemon juice, either […]
Remove musty odors from cabinets, drawers and even old suitcases with this simple, natural hack. You know how nasty the places that have been closed up can smell. No need to use bleach to clean them when you can use this simple, old-fashioned method. You’ll need some white bread and […]
Refresh carpet the easy, natural way with this simple cleaning hack. Has a dirty carpet got you down? Did Fido leave too little to the imagination? Maybe you had a dinner party and that one guest–who had a few too many–dropped a plate of appetizers and you can’t quite get […]
Ice chest cleaning isn’t something you had in mind when planning your off-the-grid weekend getaway–until you opened the ice chest. What might have seemed clean last spring now smells like the bottom on a gym locker. Don’t worry–there’s no need to run to REI or Target to buy a new […]
Stinky food storage containers–you know, the “wares” like Tupperware(r), GladWare and the Dollar Store versions of storage ware–are probably filling up your kitchen cupboards right now. When you bought them, you had the best intentions: buy in bulk, save money, prep for the week. Yet somehow those perfectly stackable containers have […]
Have you noticed some build-up on the inside of your microwave? If it’s been a while since you’ve had the chance to clean your microwave, there could be all sorts of grime inside. And every time you cook, that grime cooks along with your food. Yes, it’s time for a cleanup session. Don’t […]
You love your car. You’re careful to keep it clean on the inside and out. Then one day, you notice a nasty scuff mark. First, take a deep breath–you know it’s not your fault and whatever, or whomever, left the stain is long gone. But it’s easy enough to fix without […]
A little bit of time spent to thoroughly clean your gutters can yield big dividends, in terms of cost savings and peace of mind. Typically this would require setting up a tall ladder and getting to work. Keeping the gutters on your house free of debris can save you tons of […]
When you’ve just walked in the door and all you want to do is to heat up that frozen pizza, the last thing you need is to fight with frost–it’s like climbing into an igloo through a closed door. You can prevent frosty messes with this freezer hack. First, you’ll need […]
Grapefruit is delicious for breakfast, makes a great juice and you can even use it to clean the tub. If you have a dirty tub, skip the chemicals and the expensive “all natural” cleaners because it’s easy to make your own. Cut a grapefruit in half and sprinkle it generously […]
A clean keyboard is a thing of beauty. It also prevents your keys from sticking. When little tiny crumbs, specks of dirt, and dust get suck between the keys on your keyboard, you can try one of those very cold cans of… what is in those cans, anyway? There’s an easier […]
Remove cherry pits before you serve a bowl of cherries and you won’t have to worry about your kids chocking on the pits–or spitting them out at their siblings. First, wash the cherries. Use a narrow-necked bottle, like a wine bottle or an old-fashioned soda bottle. If the cherry has […]
Create font based on your very own handwriting. Just a few years ago, creating a font took months of work by a graphic designer. Today, you can create a font based on your own handwriting, the easy way. High tech meets low tech at a website that will walk you through the […]
DIY nail art can be simple, fun and oh-so chic–all you need are a couple of Band-Aids. First, paint your nails with a base color. You can add a clear top-coat over the base, or over your “art” or, for a super long-lasting manicure, over both. Place the end of […]
Perfect mascara can be yours, at last. You want to coat all your lashes, from the base all the way up–but it can get messy. Try this: hold a business card at the base of your lashes. The card will absorb the extra mascara that would otherwise end up all […]
Remove water stains from your coffee tables, dining room table or even your piano bench (!) with the concentrated heat of your hair dryer. Cool glasses of water or hot cops of tea–along with those sippy cups full of juice that your kids love–leave a white mark on wood furniture. […]
Shaving cream is something you probably use every day, but did you know that it’s good for more than getting a close shave on your legs? Here’s a use you might not have considered until now–it removes makeup stains from your clothing. The next time you find traces of your foundation–or […]
Ice chest cleaning isn’t something you had in mind when planning your off-the-grid weekend getaway–until you opened the ice chest. What might have seemed clean last spring now smells like the bottom on a gym locker. Don’t worry–there’s no need to run to REI or Target to buy a new […]
Erase sweat stains once and for all. You know, those nasty yellow stains on your white t-shirts, tops and even dress shirts. You’ve tried stain sprays but somehow the stains never quite disappear. Here’s your solution, and it’s simple and inexpensive. Just use lemon juice. You can buy it by […]
You love your car. You’re careful to keep it clean on the inside and out. Then one day, you notice a nasty scuff mark. First, take a deep breath–you know it’s not your fault and whatever, or whomever, left the stain is long gone. But it’s easy enough to fix without […]
Remove musty odors from cabinets, drawers and even old suitcases with this simple, natural hack. You know how nasty the places that have been closed up can smell. No need to use bleach to clean them when you can use this simple, old-fashioned method. You’ll need some white bread and […]
A little bit of time spent to thoroughly clean your gutters can yield big dividends, in terms of cost savings and peace of mind. Typically this would require setting up a tall ladder and getting to work. Keeping the gutters on your house free of debris can save you tons of […]
Clean wine glasses should sparkle like fine crystal–even if you bought them at a discount store. Yet running through the dishwasher and drying them by hand isn’t always enough. If your wine glasses look a bit “foggy” no matter what you’ve tried, here’s a tip: use a coffee filter to […]
Iron away melted wax that has dripped onto your slacks, sleeve, or any other piece of clothing. When wax melts on a tablecloth, it’s pretty easy to cover it up with a plate or a centerpiece. But what about when it drips onto your clothing? You’re at a restaurant or […]
A red wine spill doesn’t have to ruin your night, or your shirt. Use white wine to neutralize the stain before it sets. Red wine contains anthocyanins, compounds responsible for the red color in plants (including red grapes). White wine can neutralize those compounds by breaking them down. Just pour […]
Ice chest cleaning isn’t something you had in mind when planning your off-the-grid weekend getaway–until you opened the ice chest. What might have seemed clean last spring now smells like the bottom on a gym locker. Don’t worry–there’s no need to run to REI or Target to buy a new […]
