Try loosening the pet hair stuck in carpet with a squeegee
Does pet hair seem permanently trapped in your carpets, and no amount of vacuuming will free it? While a vacuum can do a great job at suctioning up dirt, the weight of the vac can actually compress the fur more deeply into the fibers of the carpet. To free trapped pet hair, head to the shower and grab a squeegee. Running the squeegee across the rug creates static electricity that draws up pet fur. As it comes up, the fur will clump and be easier to collect. And go ahead and leave those clumps of fur outside for wildlife to gather and use for nest-making.
BUFF WITH FLOUR
Do you want your stainless steel sink to look brand new? All you need is a little elbow grease and some leftover flour. Yes, the same flour you use to make biscuits and cookies can be used to buff and shine your sink. It works because the flour dust gets into the small grooves of the stainless steel and draws up dirt, grime and grease that basic soap can’t reach. The key thing is this: Start with a very dry sink, because any residual water will turn flour into glue. Then buff away with flour, rinse, wipe and voila. Shiny sink.
BEWARE BALLOONS
When shopping for party goods, you may be tempted to get something marketed as “biodegradable” balloons. The reality is that these latex balloons may degrade, but it can take up to four years for them to completely deteriorate. In those four years, the small pieces of latex still can be mistaken for food and ingested by wildlife. And if these balloons were released with nylon ribbon attached, that can strangle animals as well.
USE ROTATING DOORS
Here’s a simple way to do your part to help conserve energy: When you have the choice, use rotating doors when visiting stores and office buildings. Rotating doors help block heat and air conditioning from escaping as visitors enter and exit the building. Using a regular door can create a vacuum effect in which cold air (in the winter) or hot air (in the summer) is forced into the building, which means more energy is needed to heat or cool the air.
TRY COUPONS
Organic food at the supermarket can cost more. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find great deals and save money with a little old-fashioned coupon clipping. The website allnaturalsavings.com has “clippable” coupons to help you save on organic groceries from national brands. At the time this “Do Just One Thing” tip was written, the site included money-saving coupons for organic baby food, coffee, snacks, beauty products, eggs and more. In fact, there were more than 100 coupons for brands that are easy to find at your local store.
SKIP PERFUME
If the chemicals and preservatives in conventional perfume aren’t enough to turn you off from wearing it, maybe this fact will: Perfume is aging your skin. According to a story by Harpers Bazaar, the chemical compositions of fragrances are so aggressive that they “undermine skin’s ability to protect itself against UV damage.” So when you spritz your neck and chest area, they can rapidly age, with hyperpigmentation and sagging skin. The solution? Skip perfume altogether and protect yourself from the sun.
YOGURT MASK
Is there some residual yogurt inside that plastic container? Don’t rinse it out; use it to create a highly effective face mask. Yogurt made from dairy milk has an active ingredient called lactic acid, which can help improve your skin’s clarity. Just spoon out the leftover yogurt and smear it on your face, throat and chest for about 15 minutes, then rinse it off (this is a great thing to do before you shower). It’s gentle enough to use daily, and you’ll see results after just a few uses of this oneingredient yogurt mask.