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Household Hacks & Cleaning · Sep 13, 2022 edition

Why Shoes Belong at the Door, Plus Two More Household Hints

From the Genius House Hacks archive.

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More than half of household dust enters through windows, doors, vents, and the soles of shoes. An EPA study of homes that added a doormat at the entrance and banned shoes indoors found a 60 percent reduction in lead dust and other contaminants, along with a real drop in allergens and bacteria. A coarse-fiber, heavy-duty doormat outside exterior doors, plus a bench, shoe rack, and a basket of cheap slippers inside, makes a shoes-off routine easy for everyone.

Reheat Leftovers With a Damp Paper Towel

Place a moist paper towel over a plate before microwaving leftovers. The steam it creates keeps the food tasting just as good as the night before.

Switch to Rechargeable Batteries

The corrosive acid in disposable batteries is damaging to soil once they end up in a landfill. A rechargeable setup costs more upfront, but it pays for itself over time, and there's never a shortage of a battery when one's needed.

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