NOW HERE’S A TIP

z To test the seals on your refrigerator and freezer, close a piece of paper in the door. If you can pull it out easily, it’s likely that your seal is loose. Clean or replace door gaskets for a better seal.

z To keep vinyl seats bearable in summer heat, keep a few towels in your car and lay them over the seat. This also keeps the plastic parts of baby seats from burning little legs and arms.

z You can use plain white bread to get fingerprints and smudges off wallpaper and semigloss painted walls. Just ball up the bread centre (not the crust) and rub the smudge away.

z “Out of prewash and looking at a nasty grease stain? Grab your dishwashing liquid soap (not the one you would put in your automatic dishwasher). It’s designed to break down grease, and I just dab it on, scrub a bit, then let it set for about 15 minutes. After that, I launder in hot water. (Check the garment is not marked for cold wash only.) It’s usually successful.” – via email

z Check bagged frozen vegetables with the squeeze test: A bag that’s hard and solid has thawed and subsequently refrozen. You should choose another bag, one with loose, free-moving pieces.

z Remove cloudiness from a batch of tea with this trick: Let your tea cool before refrigerating it. You also can add a small bit of boiling water to a glass of iced tea if it is already cloudy.

z Most tips are contributed thanks to this column’s readers, and are based on their personal experiences. Tips are intended to be general in nature and we encourage you to consider if they are suitable for your individual circumstances.