Now Here’s a Tip – April 10, 2018

#Middlebury #NowHeresATip

• Don’t throw toads out of your garden! There’s hardly a better pest-control method than these good old-fashioned bug eaters. Toads can eat hundreds of bugs a week, and they don’t cost a dime. They are a gardener’s good luck!
• “How to never have cloudy ice tea: Brew tea bags in hot water; steep for 4-5 minutes and remove bags to cool. Mix to taste with room temperature water and let the whole business cool down before you put it in the fridge.” – J.G. in Alabama
• To clean your car’s cup holders, use this sneaky trick: “Find a large cup that just fits inside the holder. Slip it down inside a sock, and then spray the bottom of the sock with all-purpose cleaner. When you put the sock-covered cup in the cup holder, it can get down in there and scrub off the gunk.” – R.E. in Texas
• To get rid of mineral deposits or hard-water stains in your toilet, try dropping two Alka-Seltzer tablets in a flushed toilet and letting them bubble and sit overnight. In the morning, scrub with a toilet brush and flush until clear.” – G.K. in Pennsylvania
• Peeling a boiled potato? Drop it quickly in an ice bath, and the skin may just slip right off! If you prep peeled potatoes, be sure to keep them submerged in water and add a tablespoon of white vinegar to keep them from browning.
• It’s hard to measure out sticky substances like honey or molasses when you’re using a measuring cup. They cling to the inside, and you’re never sure that you added the right amount. The next time you’re cooking with something sticky, spray the inside of the measuring cup with cooking oil. It will slide right out.

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