If you open an old bottle of olive oil and it smells rancid, you definitely shouldn’t use it for cooking or salad dressing, but you also shouldn’t toss it into the trash. Rancid oil is still useful around the house. Grab a soft rag and use olive oil to condition leather furniture, belts and bags. Also, use the oil and rag to help moisturize wicker and rattan furniture; it’ll help prevent the natural materials from cracking. And that door that creaks every time you open it? Use olive oil as a lubricant around the hinges.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When a refrigerator stops cooling, you may automatically think it means you have to invest in a brand-new appliance. But before you take that pricey plunge, check a few things inside your refrigerator. First, is the gasket around the door of the fridge sealing properly? If cold air is leaking out, your appliance has to work harder. Is the refrigerator too packed with food? If the air vent inside is blocked, that could be why your fridge is warm. And finally, it may seem obvious, but it’s worth checking: Has the temperature setting been changed? If it’s off or set too high, it just needs to be readjusted.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Did you know that for every 10 minutes a car is idling, a pound of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere? One avoidable cause of emissions is when you’re driving in circles in a city, shopping mall or popular destination looking for a parking spot. The Parkmobile app can help prevent this waste of gas and time by eliminating your need to hunt for a place to park. With the app, not only can you find spots, but you also can reserve them and even refill a meter from your phone. The app is growing nationwide, so check parkmobile.com to see if they participate where you live.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION