10/20/13

Here are two clever way to reuse coffee grounds: Use damp coffee grounds as an abrasive cleanser for your cast-iron pans. The natural oils in coffee will help break up stubborn stains or burnt-on food without ruining the natural nonstick surface of the pans. Just scrub with a sponge and wipe with a damp cloth. And the next time you’re cleaning the fireplace of white ash, sprinkle damp coffee grounds on top before scooping away. The grounds will help settle the ash so it’s easier and cleaner to scoop up. When you’re done, you can toss both the grounds and ash into your compost bin in the backyard.

10/19/13

Fall season is apple-picking time for many, which can lead to a bounty crop of fresh apples. When left on a kitchen counter, fresh apples can last for as little as two days before going bad. So try this trick instead: Wrap each apple in a small piece of newspaper. Wrapping the apple in newspaper helps prevent them from bruising one another; bruising speeds up the ripening process and turns fresh apples into rotten ones very quickly. After wrapping each apple, place them in a cardboard box and store them in a cool dark place like a refrigerator or a basement.

10/18/13

With cold winter weather around the corner, one way to winterize your home is to seal up leaks around drafty windows. Doing a proper caulk job can help you save up to 14 percent on home heating and cooling costs, which can add up to $150 a year in savings. But one mistake homeowners make when DIYing windows is choosing the wrong type of caulk. When shopping at the home improvement store, look for silicone caulk, not acrylic; silicone is waterproof, flexible and won’t shrink over time.