4/1/13

If you want to control static electricity in your freshly dried clothes without resorting to chemical-laden dryer sheets, try this tip from the home design site Apartment Therapy: Use aluminum foil. Roll up a sheet of foil into a small, solid ball about 3 inches in diameter. Toss it in the dryer with your wet clothes, and dry as you normally would. The foil helps control static electricity and it won't leave any artificial fragrances on your clothes. You can reuse the aluminum ball for several months, and when it's time to replace it, just toss it into the recycling bin.

3/31/13

With spring around the corner and the harsh winter months behind us, many of us have unused bags of de-icing salt sitting in the garage. Left unattended through the spring, summer and fall months, the salt can clump and become useless when winter rolls around again. The simple solution? Toss charcoal briquettes into the bag and seal it tightly. The briquettes will absorb excess moisture and help keep the salt loose and crumbly.

3/30/13

Around 40 percent of Americans enjoy a cup of hot tea every day, so the question is, is it more energy efficient to heat water in a teakettle or in the microwave? The easy answer is in the microwave. According to Energy Star, an Environmental Protection Agency program, heating a mug of water in the microwave can save up to 80 percent of the energy it takes to do the same task on the stove. Microwave heat waves concentrate solely on what you're warming, and you are heating only what you're drinking instead of a whole kettle of water. The same principle also applies when you're reheating leftover food.