A tip for this, idea for that

“Antiperspirant stains getting you down? These stains — especially once set in — can be notoriously hard to remove. Try sponging the area with diluted ammonia; use a half-cup of water with a tablespoon of ammonia. Let the area set for 15 minutes and launder with a bleach-free detergent. Always check for stain removal before drying, as the heat of a dryer will just make it harder to remove.

“Never store out-of-season clothes in the attic, as humidity and high temperatures can take their toll on even the best-stored fabrics. Store them in an out-of-the-way place inside the house.

“”With four daughters, the spending on back-to-school clothing was getting out of hand. Finally, we sat our girls down and laid out a budget for them — and they are in charge of how to spend it. We showed them how to look for sales, how to pool funds by going in together on higher-priced items that they really wanted and reminded them to hold on to some of the money for things they might want after school starts. Each girl got her own prepaid VISA card to shop with, and I have to say they did really well. It was easy for them to beg for extra items when it was their parents paying, but they kept careful track of how much they had to spend — and saw how quickly it goes.” — The C. Family in Washington

“Keep recipes clean while cooking or baking by slipping the card or page into the tines of a fork. Set the fork in a tall glass and you are in business.

“”If you have slippery stairs going into the house, try mixing a little fine sand into an exterior paint. The sand will give you a bit of traction, and it’s unnoticeable if you get a paint that matches your exterior.” — F.E. in Idaho