Clean your lint trap!

Yesterday, I was sitting around looking at my notebook of homemade recipes. For those that don't know, I'm compiling them into a book to give as a gift this year to all the women in my family. They are recipes that I've shared here, found on the web, or been told as I've grown. They are all recipes that I've personally tried myself, so I know that they work.

While working on this, I've also come across some great tips and tricks. I thought I'd share a few of those with you today.

• Use your crockpot as a humidifier. This one is one of my favorites. I usually boil an entire stockpot of water a day during the winter months, as the air can get really dry in our house. Using the crockpot saves money. Simply fill with water, turn on high, and once it's boiling, vent the lid. 

• Soak your new dark wash denim jeans in vinegar for 20 minutes before washing for the first time. This will help set the dye into the jeans. I would still wash them separately a few times before washing with other clothes. They dye will run less though. 

• Use dryer balls in your dryer to help aerate clothes and shorten drying time. It also helps to reduce static. You can make your own wool dryer balls, buy the plastic ones in stores(which I don't recommend) or use tennis balls. 

• Clean your lint trap. I'm not talking about just removing the lint. I'm talking about actually washing the lint trap. To determine if your lint trap needs washed, pull it out, and run some water over it. If the water beads, it needs washed. To wash it, simply put a drop or two of dishsoap on it, scrub with a nail brush, or other similar brush, and rinse well. Allow to dry before using in dryer. This should be done every 6 months at least, especially if you use commercial softeners. 

• Microwave a bowl of lemon juice for 2-3 minutes to help clean the gunk from your microwave. Simply wipe down afterwards. I do this quite often. 

• If you are like me, when your children were born, you were given umpteen baby wash cloths. Here are some uses for old baby washcloths that I've come up with:

• Use with an eyeglass cleaner to remove smudges from eyeglasses.
• Use as a drying towel for polishing jewelry.
• Sew two together for a quick "boo boo bag."
• They make great doll blankets.
• They are also ideal for patching knees on kids play clothes.
• Ideal for dusting furniture.
• Re-usable baby wipes. 
• If you have children, specifically infants, save the droppers from their medications. These can be used in the EO bottles so you don't have to purchase separate droppers. I know that the dropper from gas medicine fits the Tea Tree Oil bottle I have. It also makes them child-proof. 

I hope you fine this post helpful! Feel free to add your own tips!