Do the math: With millions of cars on the road and winter weather around the corner, countless wiper blades will be replaced and tossed into landfills. Since wiper blades are nearly impossible to recycle, the next best thing is to help extend the life of your existing blades. Take a few minutes to saturate a soft cloth with rubbing alcohol and wipe down the blades. This will remove dirt, grime and debris from the blades. Even the smallest particles from insects, pebbles and leaves can leave streaks across your windshield, so a simple cleaning can sometimes do the trick to bring them back to almost as good as new.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

How often should you vacuum around the house? If you bring out the vac only when there’s a big spill or as a weekly chore, you might want to consider vacuuming more frequently. Many health care experts agree vacuuming is something you should be doing at least two or three times per week. It does more than just suck up pet hair and crumbs; a vacuum picks up particles that are covered in chemicals, and models with a HEPA filter can even help purify the air. Instead of spreading around chemicals and dust, the filter traps them and helps create a much healthier indoor air environment.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When it’s laundry day, there’s an assumption that if you get your clothes “extra clean,” they’ll stay cleaner, longer. But the reality is that adding a little bit more laundry detergent or choosing the “heavy wash” option on the machine actually can do more harm than good. Too much detergent means the machine won’t be able to wash out the soap properly. This can not only leave a film and break down fibers, but it also can become an odor and dirt magnet when you wear your clothes. And choosing the heavy-duty setting doesn’t mean extra-clean clothing; it means whatever you’re washing is getting extra wear and tear.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION