You probably have a box of old baking soda in your refrigerator that needs to be replaced. But don't toss out the old box; you can use it to help clean around the house. Fill your coffeepot with 1/4 cup of baking soda and cool water. Dissolve the mixture, then run it through your automatic coffee maker. The baking soda mixture will help disinfect and clean the inside of your coffee maker, picking up mineral deposits and grime. Follow it up with a full pot of clean water to make sure it's sparkling clean.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Even if there are recycling bins at parks or other outdoor recreational areas you are visiting, consider taking your recyclable trash home with you instead. Wild animals can't tell the difference between trash cans and recycling bins, so they'll root through them no matter what. Glass and plastic containers that once held snacks can be tempting to animals, possibly causing them to get stuck inside with no way to escape. Taking these containers home is a good way to help keep animals safe.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

You may have heard that you should not store ripe tomatoes in the refrigerator; store them at room temperature right on the kitchen countertop instead. But what do you do if you have a bumper crop of ripe tomatoes? To extend the shelf life of a ripe tomato, go ahead and put it in the refrigerator. The chill will prevent it from ripening more. When you're ready to enjoy it, bring it out of the fridge and let it warm back up to room temperature. It'll taste like you just picked it from the garden.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION