Obviously, a broom is an energy-efficient way to keep your floors clean at home. But do you ever wonder how you can clean a broom? A mixture of hot water and salt creates a saline solution that disinfects naturally and helps clean, too. Just soak the broom in a bucket of very hot, salty water for about 20 minutes. Let it air dry, and it’ll be good as new. Fill a spray bottle with a little of the salt-water solution, and use it to deodorize the inside of smelly sneakers. If you’ve got weeds, pour salt water right on top to zap them away.

Charities like the Red Cross depend on donations to do their lifesaving work. When you can’t make a financial donation, you can look at loyalty programs with hotel chains, airlines and retailers to help. If you belong to programs where you’ve accrued points but don’t have enough to redeem for a free night or flight, donate them. Charities can pool the points and use them to raise cash or apply them toward travel costs for their work. Donating can be done online with just a few simple clicks of the mouse.

Is it chilly at your workplace? Instead of plugging in energy-wasting space heaters to stay warm, take a look around the office. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, furniture fixtures like filing cabinets and even storage boxes often block airflow from vents. Blocked vents mean warm air can’t heat the office, and can require as much as 25 percent more energy to get air into your office. Simply moving these fixtures away from vents can make a big difference.