5 Hacks to Make Life Around the House Easier

Maintaining your home can be a tough job. Consider these five tips to make things just a little bit easier around the house.

Save Money with a Homemade Vegetable Wash

Why spend money on pricey fruit and vegetable washes when you can make one of your own using hydrogen peroxide? Just fill a sink with cold water, add 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and clean and rinse your produce. The hydrogen peroxide will help rid your fruits and veggies of bacteria and pesticides.

Silence a Squeaky Wood Floor

You can silence the squeal of your squeaky wooden floor planks simply by sprinkling baby powder, powdered soapstone, or powdered graphite between their gaps and spaces. Put a cloth over the treated area and walk on it, back and forth, to push the powder into the cracks.

As the planks move under the weight of foot traffic the powder will act as a buffer between them, and reduce rubbing—and those pesky squeaks.

Freshen Your Upholstery Without a Professional

If your upholstery has taken on a not-so-fresh smell you may not need to hire a professional cleaning service. Believe it or not, a little vodka can freshen things up. Pour vodka into a spray bottle and lightly mist the surfaces of your furniture and curtains. Because vodka is a natural deodorizer and disinfectant, it will help lift odors. In between deep cleanings, you can keep your upholstery smelling its best.

Freshen Your Front Loader

If the odor of mildew smacks you in the face each time you open the door of your front-loading washing machine, try running a cycle using white vinegar as a freshener. Add 2 cups of white vinegar and one-half cup of baking soda to the washer tub, and run an empty cycle using the CLEAN setting and hot water. In the future, leave the door of your washer open to allow the tub to dry.

Protect Your Spices

Be mindful to place your spices, or spice rack, away from your stovetop and oven. The heat and humidity can cause them to clump and crystallize.