Now Here’s a Tip – September 15, 2020

#Middlebury

• Cooking a recipe with garlic and onions to start? Invite me to dinner! But first, remember to let the onions cook to nearly translucent before adding the garlic, which cooks much faster. If you put both in at the same time, the garlic will burn before the onions have a chance to deepen their flavor.
• Automatic toilets are great for not having to touch the handles, but they can be scary for kids – and some adults too, if I’m being honest. Try putting a sticky note over the sensor so that it will not flush until you take it off, giving you some control.
• “For chores, I write tasks on sticky notes and put them up on our family board. The kids choose the things they want to do, and when they are done to my satisfaction I sign their ticket. At the end of the week, they can bring me the tickets to pay out. This is for extra money, so they don’t have to do it; I don’t have to chase them, and I don’t have to keep track of it either.” – E.L. in Montana
• Every so often, use a very diluted bleach solution to rinse out your reusable water bottles. Put them on a bottle rack to air dry completely before sealing them back up.
• “I use the same grip tape that my son uses for his baseball bat on my hand tools, like my hammer and pry bar. I also have used it on my lawn tools. It makes a nice barrier that stays put.” – C.R. in South Carolina
• Things you should wash with soap and water more often than you think: hairbrushes, eyeglasses (and sunglasses) and key chains. Think about how often they get handled and how infrequently they get cleaned.

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