Any home cook knows you should never pour used cooking oil down the drain, because it can cause plumbing problems. But the alternative can mean tossing tons of soaked paper towels in the trash, where they surely will end up in a landfill. So, what to do? Take the cooled, used cooking oil out to the yard and use it to kill pesky weeds. Not only will cooled oil kill tough weeds, but the oily mixture will prevent them from coming back. And since it's vegetable oil, it also will biodegrade slowly in the ground.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Is your tea kettle in need of a good cleaning to remove mineral deposits inside? It's important to not use harsh products like bleach or chemical cleaners, since you'll be sipping tea using water you've boiled in the pot. Instead, fill the tea kettle with citrus peels from lemons, limes and oranges. The natural citric acid helps break down the mineral deposits. To do this, just fill your kettle with peels and water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the citrus mixture sit for an hour to work its magic.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

According to This Old House magazine, charcoal from the backyard grill can have myriad detoxifying uses around the house. When arranging flowers, place a few briquettes in the bottom of the vase to help keep the water fresh and clean. If you have smelly kitchen cabinets, place a piece in the back of the cabinet so it can absorb both odors and excess moisture, to help keep the area smelling fresh. And lay a few pieces on top of a household orchid plant to help it thrive; the flowers love the alkalinity from the charcoal.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION