Instead of using harsh paint stripper to remove paint from your hands or a nonporous surface, try this natural method natural instead: Use olive oil and salt to loosen dried paint and gently lift it away. Start by dabbing the area with a small amount of olive oil. Then sprinkle salt on top and use it as a gentle exfoliator. Add more oil and wipe away. Use a little soap and water to wash the oil mixture off. The oil helps lift the paint away from the surface, and the salt speeds up the process.

In the summer months, thunderstorms may mean relief to us humans, but it can be a scary experience for our pets. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has launched a free smartphone app to help pet owners. If your dog or cat goes missing (especially during a traumatic moment like fireworks or a thunderstorm), this app helps you take the right steps to find it. The app includes strategic steps to use when looking for your pet, a personalized missing pet recovery kit, a digital missing pet flyer that can instantly be shared across all social media channels and access to health records for your pet. Just search "ASPCA" in the app store and download for free.

Backyard gardening is hot, hot, hot right now, and everyone from novice gardeners to green-thumb pros are sharing more than tips online. The online forum GardenWeb is a great place to share ideas, tips and ask questions about gardening. But it's also a free forum to connect gardeners who have excess seeds with those who want them. Often, all you have to do is send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the gardener with seeds, and he'll ship you free seeds. Remember to share the wealth: If you have leftover seeds after planting, offer them up the next time you're surfing the web.