4/27/13

Ever buy a new pair of shoes or a bottle of vitamins and notice those little packets filled with moisture-absorbing silica? Before you toss them away, think about saving them for your kitchen. The writers at TheKitchn.com keep the packets inside cast-iron pans in the kitchen cupboard. Since cast iron is never really thoroughly washed, some trapped moisture can live in the seasoned cookware. A packet or two of the silica gel helps prevent rust and degradation.

4/26/13

When it's time to replace your old toothbrush, don't toss it in the trash before you do a quick marathon of household chores. First, scrub the grout clean in the bathroom and around the seams of the faucet and handles in the shower and sink. Then, scrub between the buttons on the remote control, telephone and computer keypad to dislodge debris and dirt. Finally, scrub grime and dirt off the bottom of sneakers to help them look as good as new. After that, toss it in the trash.

4/25/13

Ever wonder what to do with your broken DVD player, GPS device or flat-screen TV? You can recycle them -- for free, regardless of where you bought them -- at any Best Buy store. The store will responsibly recycle your old electronics so they don't end up in a landfill. For heavy items like old refrigerators, washers and dryers, Best Buy has an at-home haul away program. It costs $100 to remove up to two items. Learn more at bestbuy.com.