5/30/12

Take a few seconds to clear out the clutter in your medicine cabinet. If you haven't used a product in months, start using it or wash the container out and recycle the packaging. Outdated prescription medicine should never be flushed down the toilet because it can contaminate the water supply. Instead, mix the medicine with used coffee grounds and put everything -- the medicine and packaging -- in a plastic bag and toss into the trash. If you have any questions, ask your pharmacist.

5/29/12

If your garbage disposal smells funny, don't pour toxic chlorine bleach down the drain. Instead, use tomato soup. Tomatoes can neutralize odor, which is why you wash the family dog in canned tomatoes after he's been sprayed by a skunk -- so think of the wonders the soup can do with your garbage disposal. Let the soup sit in the drain for a while before washing it away with water.

5/28/12

The next time you have a party and there are lots of half-empty cans or bottles of dark-colored soda left, don't pour the leftover liquid down the drain -- use it to clean your kitchen. Pour excess soda on top of grouted tile countertops or floors and let it sit there for a couple of minutes. Use a damp cloth to wipe up the drink, and you'll have clean, gleaming grout that looks almost as good as new. The high acidity in soda is what makes it an excellent natural cleaner.