Holding your dish sponges with binder clips is a great way to keep them on your sink without taking up so much space. And, as an added bonus, this method of storage helps air-dry them quickly—which is more sanitary and keeps bacteria from building up on the sponge. It should also be noted that this wonderful method of air-drying your sponges and keeping them easy to access is dirt cheap.
Binder clips cost next to nothing; chances are, you already have more than a few of them in your home anyway! If you don’t already, they’re definitely worth picking up the next time you’re out at the office supply store. Not only can you use them for the kitchen sink, but they’re always good to keep around just in case you need to, you know, hold a number of different pieces of paper together, right?
Clean Silverware With Ketchup
This may seem somewhat counter-intuitive, but ketchup works as an effective polish for silverware and stainless steel or copper pots and pans. There is more to our favorite red stuff than playing the french fry's best companion. Simply squirt a little on, scrub with a scouring pad, and rinse the residue away with warm water.
Who would have known that a simple condiment like ketchup could actually be such a great cleaning agent? It’s enough to make you wonder who thought of this method in the first place. How many of us see something dirty and think to clean it with the same thing we put on burgers?
Easily Clean Your Microwave
When you cook things like soup in the microwave, pops, and splatters can leave the inside looking more than a little messy, and there si nothing more disgusting than opening the device and discovering dry and moldy leftovers from the last time you used it. To clean it without much scrubbing, just nuke a bowl full of vinegar or a sliced lemon, then wipe it down with a wet sponge!
This is definitely going to be a lot of help for any microwave owner because cleaning it thoroughly can be quite difficult. Many of us live with people who don’t clean up after themselves properly, so the grime and grease can get dry and hard to clean. No longer!
All-Natural Mosquito Repellent
No one wants mosquitoes hanging around their house or garden. No one says, “Hey, let’s set up these plants so we attract as many of those little bloodsuckers as possible!” Quite the opposite, in fact. But so many mosquito repellants rely on chemicals to deter the itchy little bastards. Luckily, there’s a way to keep them away from your garden without spending too much money or risking your health.
If you haven’t noticed when you’re buying candles or sprays that are anti-mosquito, one of the main ingredients is usually citronella – which is one of the reasons why this hack works so brilliantly! This particular grouping of plants is enough to keep the bugs away independently–no spray is needed. All you need to do is plant some citronella geranium with marigold, lemongrass, thyme, and catnip in your garden or in pots around your house. Bonus: your cats will love you for planting catnip – seriously.
Keeps the Critters Away With Plastic Forks
Okay, so maybe it takes a bunch of plastic forks, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll actually keep critters out of your garden or potted plants, but some people still insist it works for smaller pests. The thing about inserting a bunch of plastic forks upside down in the ground of your front lawn is this: it looks super tacky. But hey, if you’re determined to try anything to keep the pests from crawling around in your plants, you can give it a shot!
If you think about it, the forks actually do make some sense. After all, they serve the same purpose as chicken wire – to deter and block pests from certain areas. They won’t keep everything away, but they’ll make it less likely for snails and some small animals to harm your plants. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t have a drawer full of extra forks from takeout restaurants just rearing to go for this project?