Hangover

To relieve a hangover, eat a piece of toast drizzled with honey for breakfast. Honey contains fructose, a natural form of sugar that speeds alcohol metabolism, and the carbohydrate-rich bread fights hangover morning sickness.

Energize yourself

If you are tired and there is no time to nap before you head out to your next mission, try this quick energizer. Sit on the floor and hug your knees to your chin. Keeping your spine rounded, rock back and forth about 12 times. This yoga mini move massages the back and neck, causing the feel-great hormone serotonin to be released.

Bleach splatters on clothes

Do not throw away your favorite garment, just because some drops of bleach accidentally landed on it. Instead, reach for a permanent marker in an ink color that matches the fabric. Dab the tip over the faded spots until they are covered. The ink will not run during normal laundering, but try to keep the garment away from powerful stain remover products, and keep the marker on hand in case you need a touch up.

Heel dents on wood floor

To reverse an indentation, first check the dent for cracks, which signal that the wood’s fibers are broken. In case of no cracks, the ding is not permanent. Heat an iron to its highest setting, dampen 3 cotton washcloths and set them over the dimple. Press the fabric with the hot iron until it stops steaming. Repeat if necessary. The heat causes the wood’s pores to swell, pushing the fibers up to fill in the inverted grain.

Stains on wood floor

If you have stubborn stains on wax-finished floors, apply a drop of paint thinner to a very fine steel-wool pad. Gently rub the area until the marks fade. Apply 1 tsp paste wax (specially formulated for wood floors) to a clean sponge and buff the spot. To clean water spots and scuffs, skip the paint thinner. Never use steel-wool on polyurethane floors since this will remove the protective finish!

Alternative disinfectant

Some disinfectants have a very strong chemical odor and harmful ingredients. To make a safer cleaner, mix 1 cup of water and 20 drops of lavender essential oil in a spray bottle and shake well. Mist any areas that need to be disinfected, and wipe with a dry cloth. Lavender oil contains naturally occurring alcohol that kills bacteria and viruses more effectively than some commercial products.

Polishing furniture

Sometimes furniture polishes have an unpleasant and persistent smell that can even cause irritability or depression. Try this safer and more natural way to polish wood: combine in a bowl a few drops of olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon (or ¼ cup of bottled lemon juice). Dip a dry soft cloth in the mixture and polish your furniture as usual. Lemon juice will draw the dirt out of wood fibers, and olive oil will keep the moisture in.

Alternative oven cleaner

If you want to avoid using harsh chemicals to clean your oven, try this homemade recipe. Combine 2 tbsp each of baking soda and liquid castile soap, and 1/2 cup of hot water in a spray bottle. Preheat oven to 250F, then turn off and spritz the interior. Let sit about 20 minutes and wipe with a clean damp sponge. Baking soda will help to dissolve grease and get rid of odors, while the soap will help to remove the grime.