Timely Tips and Tricks: Handy Home Hacks That Save Money
Check out some of these Farmers' Almanac tips and tricks that will help you save time, money, and energy.
Quick Reference: Handy Tips and Tricks
- Grass stains: coat with molasses, rub in, and let soak a few minutes before washing.
- Homemade drain cleaner: 1/4 cup cream of tartar, 1 cup salt, 1 cup baking soda.
- Keep tomatoes fresh: store them stem side down on the counter, not in the fridge.
- Freshen the microwave: heat water and lemon for 40 to 60 seconds, then wipe.
- Boil water now or later: above-ground crops go in boiling water, root crops start in cold.
Some of the best household know-how never made it into a manual. It got passed across the back fence, written on a recipe card, or remembered from a grandmother who could get a grass stain out of anything. We have gathered a handful of these Farmers’ Almanac tips and tricks to help you save a little time, money, and energy this summer. Try the ones that fit your day and file the rest away for later.
Get Grass Stains Out With Molasses
Grass stains are the badge of a good summer, but they do not have to stay on the knees of your favorite pants. When grass stains get on clothes, coat the stains with molasses and rub it in well. Let the fabric soak for several minutes so the molasses can loosen the green pigment, then wash the garment as usual. It is an old trick, and a cheap one, since a jar of molasses already lives in most pantries.
Turn a Broken Mug Into a Garden Planter
Do not toss a favorite cup just because it took a chip. Make colorful garden planters out of gently chipped mugs or cups. A mug holds a single herb, a small succulent, or a start of something for the windowsill, and the handle makes it easy to move into the sun. If you are looking for the right day to set your new little planters out, our Gardening by the Moon Calendar lists this month’s Best Days to plant.
A Low-Cost Homemade Drain Cleaner
Before you reach for a jug of harsh chemicals, mix up a low-cost drain cleaner from three pantry staples. Combine 1/4 cup cream of tartar, 1 cup salt, and 1 cup baking soda. Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into the drain and add a cup of water. Flush the drain with hot water once the bubbling stops. Store the extra mixture in a jar and add a label that lists the ingredients so no one mistakes it for something else.
This is a maintenance trick, not a rescue for a fully clogged pipe, so run it through a slow drain once a week to keep things moving. Baking soda has been a household workhorse for generations, and if you want more uses for the box in your cupboard, see our roundup of handy baking soda uses. For the shine-and-scrub jobs it cannot handle, a splash of vinegar often finishes the work, as our guide to the many powers of vinegar explains.
Keep Tomatoes Fresh Longer
Here is a summer kitchen tip that costs nothing at all. Store tomatoes stem side down and they will last longer. Resting them on the shoulder rather than the stem scar slows moisture loss and keeps air from creeping in through the spot where the tomato left the vine. Keep them on the counter, too, not in the refrigerator. Michigan State University Extension notes that cold temperatures turn a tomato mealy and dull its flavor, which is why they say tomatoes do not belong in the refrigerator.
Get Tar Off Bare Feet
A barefoot walk on a hot parking lot or a beach near a boat launch can leave tar stuck to your soles. Try using a cotton ball dipped in mineral oil. Apply light pressure to the tar with the cotton ball and work slowly. This should take the tar off, and it is safe for your skin. Follow up with soap and warm water to rinse away the last of the oil.
A Beach Umbrella the Kids Can Find
On a crowded shoreline, one navy umbrella looks like every other navy umbrella. Decorate your beach umbrella with painted handprints and art. This will help kids, and adults, spot the right umbrella to head back to after a swim. It doubles as a rainy-afternoon craft, and the handprints make a nice record of how much the little ones grew over the season.
Freshen the Microwave With Lemon
Last night’s fish or this morning’s popcorn can leave a microwave smelling less than fresh. Place a microwave-safe bowl filled halfway with water and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, or a cut up lemon, inside the microwave. Cook on high for 40 to 60 seconds, then remove the bowl. The lemon steam loosens dried-on splatters at the same time, so a quick wipe with a cloth leaves the inside clean and citrus-fresh.
An All-Natural Room Deodorizer
When you want the house to smell like a holiday kitchen, skip the aerosol can. Place a few teaspoons of cinnamon and cloves into boiling water. Add orange and lemon rinds or zest, then let the pot gently simmer for a while. Keep an eye on it so the water does not evaporate, and top it off as needed. This simmer-pot trick is a favorite from fall through winter, but a bright citrus version works just as well in summer.
Boil the Water Now or Later? A Timely Vegetable Tip
Ever wonder whether you should boil the water before or after you add vegetables to the pot? The answer comes down to what the vegetable is made of. Cooking corn and greens is simply a matter of softening their cell walls to bring out their flavor. Because most green vegetables have thinner cell walls, this does not take long, so boil the water first and then add them. Root vegetables are a different story. They contain a great deal of starch, which needs to be dissolved before they can be eaten. It takes a while for the heat to penetrate those cell walls, so they start out in cold water and heat gradually.
Here is a simple way to remember it:
- Vegetables that grow underground (beets, carrots, potatoes) should start off in cold water. Think of the ground as cold.
- Vegetables that grow aboveground (corn, peas, greens) should go straight into boiling water. Think of the open air as warm and sunny.
Why These Old Tricks Work
None of these fixes are magic. Each one leans on a plain bit of chemistry that folks noticed long before they could name it. The molasses on a grass stain works because its sugars help lift the plant pigment so the wash water can carry it away. The drain mixture fizzes because baking soda is a mild base that reacts and bubbles, nudging loose gunk down the pipe. The lemon in the microwave puts steam and a little natural acid to work on dried splatters, and the mineral oil on tar dissolves a sticky substance that plain water cannot budge.
That is the thread running through all of them. Reach for what is already in the pantry, give it a few minutes to do its job, and you save a trip to the store and a bit of money besides. Keep the ones that earn a spot in your routine, and pass them along to the next person leaning over the back fence.
Household Tips and Tricks: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get grass stains out of clothes naturally?
Coat the grass stains with molasses and rub it in well, then let the fabric soak for several minutes before washing as usual. The sugars in the molasses help loosen the green pigment so your wash water can carry it away.
What is a good homemade drain cleaner?
Mix 1/4 cup cream of tartar, 1 cup salt, and 1 cup baking soda. Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into the drain, add a cup of water, and flush with hot water once the bubbling stops. Store the rest in a labeled jar and use it weekly to keep a slow drain clear.
Should you store tomatoes stem up or stem down?
Store tomatoes stem side down on the counter and they will last longer, because it slows moisture loss and keeps air out of the stem scar. Keep them out of the refrigerator, since cold temperatures turn a ripe tomato mealy and dull its flavor.
How do you clean a microwave with lemon?
Fill a microwave-safe bowl halfway with water and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or a cut up lemon. Cook on high for 40 to 60 seconds, then remove the bowl. The lemon steam freshens the air and loosens dried-on splatters so they wipe away with a cloth.
How do you get tar off bare feet?
Dip a cotton ball in mineral oil and apply light pressure to the tar. Work slowly and the tar should lift off, and mineral oil is safe for skin. Finish with soap and warm water to rinse away any leftover oil.
Do you boil water before or after adding vegetables?
It depends on the vegetable. Above-ground crops like corn, peas, and greens have thin cell walls, so boil the water first and then add them. Root crops like beets, carrots, and potatoes are starchy and need to heat gradually, so start them in cold water.
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
Can you explain why the water should be boiling or cold before adding the vegetables? What difference does it make? Thanks
Thanks for a great, helpful post!
1/4 cup of raw apple cider vinegar in a sink of cool water for soakin veggies an fruits will allow longer storage in the fridge with out spoiling or growing molds.
how do i remove dry paint from hardwood floors
Gramma knew along with boiling whole cloves, cinnamon and allspice for a great room deodorizer as well.
Awesome way to remember when to put veggies into water to boil! Never knew that and I’m 51!
I never knew that about vegetables, I always started them in cold water. WOW who knew?
Great Tips.
Microwave Deodorizer Tip: Add some whole cloves to the lemon juice and leave the mixture to cool in the microwave the smell is sensational.
Wow. really handy tip. Thanks!