Houseplants spend much of the year competing for the brightest window, yet a Christmas cactus needs something different when flowering season approaches. Long stretches without light help signal that ...
People Are Pouring This Down the Toilet Once a Week, but Plumbers Say Don’t
Used coffee grounds have found another proposed destination after the morning pot: the toilet. A cleaning tip making the rounds calls for flushing spent grounds once a week to fight odors and help ...
Your Toilet Paper Can Hang Two Ways, but the Original Patent Shows Only One
Toilet paper rolls end up in one of two positions: the loose sheet hangs over the front, or drops behind the roll against the wall. Both work, yet a drawing from more than 130 years ago gives the ...
These 5 Flowers Are Better Planted in Fall Than Waiting Until Spring
Spring gets most of the attention when it comes to sowing flower seeds, but some varieties benefit from going into the ground months earlier. Seeds that fall from mature plants often spend winter ...
Think Twice Before Tossing Spent Tomato Plants Into Your Compost This Fall
Tomato plants can leave behind a large pile of stems and leaves once the last fruit comes off in fall. Sending all that plant material to the compost pile may seem like the next step, but check the ...
These 5 Garden Plants Need Attention in September Before Cold Weather Arrives
September changes what many garden plants need. Flowers fade, nights get colder, and plants begin storing energy for winter and next year’s growth. Cutting, feeding, or ignoring the wrong plant now ...
Why People Are Putting Bay Leaves Near Their Windows and Doors This Fall
Bay leaves tend to stay in the spice cabinet until a soup, stew, or sauce calls for them. Come fall, some people move a few leaves out of the kitchen and place them near windows, doors, and other ...
Before Scrubbing Greasy Pans, Mix a Spoonful of Sugar Into Your Dish Soap
Dish soap handles much of the grease left behind after cooking, but burnt food and residue stuck to the bottom of a pan can require more scrubbing. Adding sugar and baking soda turns the liquid soap ...
The Baking Ingredient That Can Help With a Slow Drain Isn’t Baking Soda
Baking soda gets most of the attention when household ingredients move from the kitchen cabinet to the cleaning bucket, but there is another baking staple that can be used when water has begun ...
Instead of Tossing Lemon Peels, Simmer Them Before Mopping the Floors
Lemon peels left after cooking or squeezing juice can get one more use before they reach the compost or trash. Simmering them in water extracts their citrus oils and creates the base for a homemade ...