Natural Household Remedies

There are several ways of maintaining the freshness of your fridge - or freezer, for that matter.

• Place a bowl of coffee on one of the shelves, if you like the smell of coffee.  This will keep odors at bay for up to 7 weeks.
• Place a bowl with about 2 oz of vanilla extract on the shelves if you prefer the fragrance of vanilla over coffee.  Leave this in the fridge for a few days only though.
• If you have fresh herbs in your garden, cut a few sprigs of fragrant plants (e.g. rosemary, sage, mint, lemon balm), tie them with a string and hang them inside the fridge or freezer. This should keep fridge or freezer fresh for about 3 weeks.
• A piece of bread placed in the fridge or freezer will absorb many odors too.  if you want to add extra fragrance, sprinkle the bread with 2-4 drops of essential oil of any kind.

Stubborn sports are difficult to clean in a porcelain sink without leaving scruff marks.  But this herbal remedy will be hard on even the stubborn stains, yet soft on your beautiful porcelain sink.

Ingredients:

• 1 part sage, rosemary, lemon balm, thyme or mint, either fresh or dried
• 1 part water
• 4-6 drops of your favorite essential oil
• baking soda

Steep the herb in hot water for 2-3 hours, brewing a strong infusion, the strain and reserve the liquid.  Pour the liquid into the sink after closing the drain and let sit overnight, or for several hours.

If the stain persists, drop essential oil directly on the  stain and scrub after a few minutes with baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge.