Household tip

Wash kitchen sponges in your dishwasher, washing machine or soak overnight in salt water or baking soda added to water.

A cotton ball soaked with vanilla or an open box of baking soda set on the lower shelf will help eliminate refrigerator odors.

Store celery and lettuce in the refrigerator in paper bags instead of plastic.  Leave the outside leaves and stalks on until ready to use.

Burning firewood in the fireplace produces soot and carbon monoxide.   New petroleum-free logs made from old milk cartons, sawdust, plant wax, and even used coffee grounds, reduce smoke and eliminate sparks and embers.  Fire logs composed of used cardboard and glycerin made by TerraCycle can be found at terracycle.net.

Adding a spoonful of sugar and a splash of something acidic like lemon-lime soda in a vase of cold water helps prolong the life of cut flowers by three days.  Change the water and repeat every other day, or daily if you have time.