If you have artificial seasonal wreaths or other outdoor decorations that you use year after year, one thing that can cause them to deteriorate over time is ultraviolet light from the sun’s rays. To keep the faux evergreen leaves, ribbons, fake berries and other items looking their colorful best, consider using a fabric protectant spray that has UV protection in it. These sprays are normally for things like boats or rain gear, but they can do a fantastic job in preventing splitting, fading, cracking and more on your outdoor items.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you use microfiber towels to clean around the house? These soft little towels are made from millions of microscopic fibers that are tightly knit together to wipe up spills and grip onto dirt, germs and bacteria. But what is the best way to clean microfiber towels? First things first: They should always be washed separately from any other laundry. When you launder microfiber towels with other fabrics, fibers from clothing like T-shirts and jeans can get lodged into the tight weave of the microfiber, which makes the cleaning cloths less effective. Instead, just wash the towels with liquid soap in the sink and air dry.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When rust starts to form on bakeware like muffin tins and cookie sheets, it may seem like it’s time to replace them. But it’s easy to remove rust and save your cookware using things you already have. Just cut a raw potato in half and dip it in dish soap. Then use the cut end to scrub the rust off your bakeware. You can also add some baking soda for grit; just keep rubbing until the rust lifts up. The combination of starch from the potato, degreaser from the soap and grit from the baking soda does wonders to shine up your rusty bakeware.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION