11/16/13

Stained coffee mugs can be an eyesore and embarrassing to use when serving guests. Instead of using chemical chlorine bleach to restore your mugs to their former shine, try these pantry staples instead: Generously sprinkle baking soda inside the mug and pour white vinegar on top; the natural chemical reaction will neutralize the stain, which you can rinse and wipe out of the mug. Powdered orange drinks like Tang or lemon-flavored Kool-Aid also work -- the high level of citric acid in the mix will do the trick.

11/15/13

If you’ve ever felt bad throwing away leftover oatmeal, here is a clever way to reuse it: Oatmeal is a great natural deodorizer, so place your excess in the fridge -- it will absorb and neutralize odors. Place cooked oatmeal in food storage containers that have traces of last week’s marinara sauce; it’ll absorb the smell, and it works better the longer it sits in the container. You can also make a paste using oatmeal, extra water and soap to give your pooch a bath. The oatmeal will help soothe his irritated skin and deodorize his fur. A little goes a long way, though, so use just a few spoonfuls.

11/14/13

When smoke detectors need to be replaced, don’t toss the broken safety devices into the trash; recycle them. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the majority of smoke detectors in the U.S. contain a minute amount of a radioactive element called americium-241. It can take 432 years for the element to decompose safely in the ground. First Alert, the leading manufacturer of all types of detectors, will recycle its detectors free of charge. Mail the detector to 3920 Enterprise Ct., Aurora, Ill., 60504; mark the package, "For disposal only."