Mixing equal parts corn starch and baking soda with a few drops of lavender essential oil, then funneling it into a salt shaker, makes a dry shampoo for pennies that works into roots and scalp just like the store-bought version.
A Dishwasher Fix, DIY Dry Shampoo, and a 'Cook's Choice' Dinner
A dishwasher that's suddenly not cleaning well may not need a repair at all. Shreds of detergent-tablet packaging can lodge in the spray arms and block the tiny holes that spray the dishes; pulling the arms out and clearing any blockages usually restores full cleaning power.
Make DIY Dry Shampoo
Plan a 'Cook's Choice' Dinner Before Shopping
The night before a grocery run, a dinner built entirely from leftovers, a stir-fry or soup from odd vegetable and meat scraps, French toast from stale bread and a few eggs, lasagna from bits of meat and cheese, clears out the fridge so it's ready to restock.
Got a handy tip of your own?
Reply and let us know, we love hearing your tips.
This edition is part of the Genius House Hacks archive: 20+ years of tips, rebuilt from the original Handy Hints newsletter. Browse more hacks →