Did you know it’s illegal to throw old tires in the trash? The reason might surprise you: The steel belts inside of tires actually can puncture the liners at landfills, leading to ground contamination. In some states, getting caught throwing tires away can lead to fines and even jail time. There are recycling programs everywhere that recycle old tires -- the rubber and steel is recyclable, and over 75% of tires in the U.S. are recycled. So do the right thing and take your old tires to a dealer who can send them to a licensed recycling facility.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Wooden cooking utensils always should be cleaned by hand and never in the dishwasher, since the high temperatures can easily degrade them. When you want to disinfect your wooden utensils, try using hydrogen peroxide. Fill a shallow container (like a casserole pan) with your wooden utensils and pour hydrogen peroxide all over them. Let them soak for at least 15 minutes; as the hydrogen peroxide bubbles away it will kill any bacteria that have built up. Rinse and air dry, and you’re good to go.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Recycling scrap metal is good for the environment, but it can reap you some cash, too. There are scrap metal yards all over the country that pay cash for metals ranging from aluminum to steel to copper, all at different prices. Besides the obvious sources of scrap metal, there are also overlooked sources like damaged gutters, broken lawnmowers, metal shelves, outdoor furniture, old bicycles, appliances (full of copper wire) and even empty and clean paint cans. You might have cash lying around that you can get just by cleaning your garage!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION