11/1/13

Are pesky insects eating away at your household plants? There's no need to spray them with chemical insecticides. Instead, head to your pantry and grab self-rising flour. Sprinkle a light dusting of the flour on the plant and leave it alone. When insects attempt to eat the leaves from the plant, they'll ingest some of the flour. The natural leavening agent -- baking soda -- expands when in contact with moisture, so insects die since it expands in their stomachs.

10/31/13

Have you ever wondered what your donation of lightly used clothes, books and household items really mean to Goodwill? Donations are sold, and the money is used to help people in your community train for careers. Last year, more than 6.7 million people benefited from Goodwill's training programs. At goodwill.org, you can calculate the impact of your donation by entering the amount and type of clothes, household items and electronics you are donating. Its online calculator determines the value of those items and then tells you the number of hours you've contributed toward career counseling to help someone in need.

10/30/13

If you're battling an insect infestation in your garden, try this nontoxic tip: Save your bathwater. The residual soap in the bath water is both an insect repellant and a natural fungicide for plants. Just be sure to bathe using natural and organic bath products. If you soak your aching muscles using Epsom salts, save that water, too. The magnesium in the salts promotes plant growth. Just allow the water to cool completely before using it on your plants.