A backyard grill may be a fun way to cook up dinner during the summer months, but it can also be a tempting home for wildlife and insects. To prevent an infestation in your grill, do a few simple things as routine maintenance. Be sure to scrub clean the grill grates so no lingering burned food pieces attract critters. Close and cover the grill and let it heat up for about 10 minutes; this will burn away anything inside. Finally, use a grill cover with a drawstring on the bottom to create a barrier that will help keep small wild animals out.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When you buy flowers, shrubs and other outdoor plants, they often come packaged in plastic pots and trays that can be difficult to recycle. Whether you bought the plants from them or not, Lowe’s Home Improvement will take these plastic components and recycle them for free. To date, hundreds of thousands of pounds of plastic containers have been diverted away from landfills and recycled by the home improvement chain. Since most community recycling programs do not accept these types of plastics, this is an easy way to plant a garden and recycle the containers, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Has your workplace gone from business to casual? If you have a closet full of neckties and you’re unsure what to do with them, consider donating them to be made into quilts. The company Prairie Moon Quilts (prairiemoonquilts.com) takes all sorts of ties and sews them into new quilts. The all-volunteer upcycling group is called a “Necktie Social.” These quilts are donated to nonprofit groups to use for fundraisers and charity events to benefit their good works.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION