With the cold winter months behind us, don’t forget to close up your fireplace during the warmer seasons ahead. It’s important to keep the damper closed in your fireplace. Having an open flue is essentially equal to having a small window open in your home. The open flue can make your home up to 8% less energy-efficient, and an inactive but open fireplace is an invitation for wild animals to find their way in. Just give it a firm close to help seal up your house.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Got leftover lemons? Give your white T-shirts a good cleaning. The natural acid in lemons can help brighten and freshen cotton fabric. And if your white T-shirts have stains on them from sweat or deodorant, lemons can help remove the stains for good. Just rub salt and cut lemons all over the fabric where you have a stain. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse before laundering for fresh, clean, stain-free shirts.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you keep the cords for personal electronics, like GPS devices or your phone, plugged into your car’s USB ports overnight? Even when you turn your car off, these cables and cords can still draw a trickle of energy from your car’s battery. Over time, this can drain the battery and, in the worst cases, cause it to die. For some personal electronics, leaving them continuously plugged in can decrease their lifespan. Make a habit of unplugging your devices and their cords when you’re not driving.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION