Alternate Uses for Toothpaste

If you decide to stop using your current brand of toothpaste before the tube is empty, don't just throw it in the trash. The soapy-abrasive quality makes it very useful for polishing sinks and stainless steel cookware. I've read that it works well on white rings on furniture, too.

Toothpaste: Loaded with Chemicals

Have you ever looked at the ingredients of your tube of toothpaste? Silica, PEG-32, sodium lauryl sulfate, red, green blue and yellow dyes...not to mention saccharin and, of course, sodium flouride. Even though we're not supposed to swallow this chemical swill, it surely is being absorbed through our mucus membranes. Try natural brands (read the label first) and good old baking soda.

Find New Life for Those Old Linens

What do you do with linens that are not in good enough shape to donate to charity? Donate them to your local animal shelter. Shelters are always in need of bedding and towels, and they don't have to be perfect. While you're there, why not take a look around the facility? You never know, you may just go home with a new friend!

Ways to Get Rid of Old Clothing

Spring cleaning usually means getting rid of clothes that do not fit anymore, are out of fashion, or that we are just plain sick of. If they are in good condition, try selling them at a tag sale. Consignment shops are a good bet, as well. If you are not concerned with making a few dollars, donate your used clothing to charities like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Don't throw clothing in the trash if someone else can use it!

Keeping Mice out of Your Outdoor Equipment

A friend of ours recently shared this tip with us: To keep mice out of her camper when it is not in use, she uses dryer sheets. Apparently, she places them around the interior and the smell keeps the vermin away. This should also work for items such as snow blowers, garden tillers and lawnmowers, all of which spend several months stored in an outdoor shed. Stuff them into nooks and crannies through which mice can enter (be sure to take them all out before using!). I don't recommend using these sheets for anything else, though--they contain chemicals considered toxic by the Environmental Protection Agency!

Water Your Garden Using Rain Barrels

Every year, we set up one or two rain barrels underneath our gutter downspouts. All spring, summer and fall, we have a ready supply of water with which to water gardens, rinse out buckets, wash cars, etc. Our lot is on a hill, so we are able to use gravity to drain the barrels. Once you set these barrels up, you will be surprised by the many uses you will find for the water, all without straining your well pump and wasting precious resources.

Sun-Lighten Your Hair, Naturally

If you have dark blonde to light brown hair that used to lighten on its own each summer when you were younger, you can still achieve that look, albeit with a little help. Soak a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide and apply to the surface of your hair; then, go sit in the sun. If you do this several times a week, by mid-summer your hair will have that sun-kissed look without dangerous chemicals or damage to your hair.

Reduce Waste, Reuse Containers

Instead of throwing out (or, hopefully, recycling) containers such as pumps, spray bottles, shakers, etc., wash them out and use them to store your homemade concoctions. There is no reason to buy an expensive pump container for shampoo or hand soap when many store-bought products provide them as packaging. The same goes for squeeze bottles and the above-mentioned containers. When they wear out, recycle and put a new one into service. It's just that easy!

Set Your Hair With Yogurt

Instead of using chemical hair gels to make your hair behave, try yogurt. I've used plain, nonfat yogurt instead of gel, and it really works. You don't need much, either, and if will control my mop-top it will surely work for you!

How to Decrease Your Trash Output

Reducing the amount of trash you have to lug to the curb each week is not only environmentally sound, but easier on your back. One simple way to accomplish this is to set up a compost bin in your yard. Put in all non-animal sources of food scraps, mix with yard waste, and you will have some beautiful material for your food or flower garden. If you live in an apartment or condo, use a small-scale composting unit right on your counter top. Check your local library for books on kitchen composting, which takes a bit more effort than the backyard style. Either way, you'll be amazed at the lighter weight of your trash barrel at week's end.

Fabric Softener Alternative

Instead of using fabric softener, try adding a half-cup of white vinegar to the rinse water. Vinegar effectively removes traces of detergent, making the clothes softer, while preserving the absorbency of your bath towels. Commercial fabric softeners are full of chemicals, some of which are listed as toxic by the Environmental Protection Agency. Do yourself and the environment a favor and don't use them.

How to Use Hair Conditioner Effectively

How many bottle of hair conditioner do you have in your bathroom cabinet? If you are like most people, you have an array of half-empty bottles taking up space. Either they stopped working, didn't do the job correctly or weigh your hair down. What to do with all that stuff?

Conditioner works by coating your hair's cuticle, making it tangle less and shine more. If you use too much, and don't rinse enough, it can make your hair seem greasy. Not enough or too much rinsing and it seems to have no effect at all. Most of these products require you to wait for a few minutes while the conditioner "works". Here's a better idea.

After your shower, lightly towel dry your hair and put a small amount of conditioner in the palm of one hand. Rub your hands together and apply to hair. Now, you are applying the product to the areas it is needed, the surface and ends. Comb it through, and set or style as usual. You'll use a lot less product and water, plus get better results.

Good to the Last Drop

When times are tough, people find new and inventive ways to use up products they buy so that they are not wasting anything. For instance, adding water to the last bit of shampoo is not a new idea, but many people don't do it because they don't like the way it squirts out of the bottle when it's too diluted. What to do? Use these last drops to clean the shower enclosure, toilet, or vanity top. Or, take it down to the kitchen and run under the tap as you're filling the sink full of water to do dishes. Alternately, dilute some more, add a bit of white vinegar, and you've got a cheap disinfecting cleaner, already in a squirt bottle, to clean your counter tops!