Slugs and snails in the garden

Bury a clean container (like an empty juice carton cut length-wise in half) in the area where you have seen the pests, so that the top is about one-half inch higher than ground level, and pour in leftover beer. Slugs and snails will fall in, and drown.

Exterminate weeds

Soak weeds with a mixture of half water and half vinegar (you can use the leftover vinegar from a jar of pickles), and they will be dead a few days later. This is a good method for exterminating weeds with long taproots.

Prevent weeds from growing

At the end of winter, sprinkle some salt on gravel garden paths to keep weeds from coming up in the spring. Salt also makes a good weed barrier along lawn edgings and other places you cannot reach with a lawn mower. Apply it carefully, because it will erode concrete surfaces and can leave the ground infertile for a long time.

Eliminate weeds

Cover low-growing weeds such as clover and crabgrass with several layers of newspaper. The lack of sunlight will exterminate them. Similarly, put down layers of newspaper (it is biodegradable) and then cover them with mulch. This is a highly effective way of keeping weeds from sprouting up, and it helps the soil retain moisture.

Dry out weeds

When cooking potatoes or pasta, repurpose the boiling water by draining the pot directly onto the weeds in your yard, herb garden and patio. A splash of scalding water will shrivel even the toughest weeds in a couple of days.

Pulling weeds

Some weeds are much tougher to pull than others. Try watering the area directly around the weed or pulling weeds after a rainstorm, when the ground is softer. Also, insert a knife blade, screwdriver or "dandelion puller" alongside the deep root and pry it loose a little before pulling.

Scrape marks on dark wood

Make a paste of 2 parts instant coffee to 1 part water and apply to marks with a soft cloth. The more you dab, the darker the stain. Wipe excess with a clean rag.

Stubborn stains in carpet

Place a clean wet terry-cloth towel on the spot and press it with an iron set on high, alternately pushing down on the iron and moving it back and forth. Rewet the towel and check the stain every 15 seconds until it is gone. The moisture from the cloth liquefy the dye while the steam dry it out of the fibers.