Household and Baking Hints - How to Make Softer Cookies

If you want cookies like sugar cookies or peanut butter cookies to stay soft when they cool, bake them with a loaf pan with about 2 inches of water in it also in the oven (don’t let the pan touch the heating element). After the cookies cool, store them in an airtight container.

**Thanks to Carolyn for sending in this hint!**

Household Hints - Cleaning - Cleaning Chrome and Removing Rust from Chrome

To remove rust from chrome, wipe it with aluminum foil dipped in Coke. To polish chrome, use a crumbled up piece of aluminum foil and rub

Household Hints - Natural Ant Repellant

Ant Repellant: To keep ants out of the house, find where the ants are entering the house and sprinkle a "barrier" of cinnamon or any type of ground pepper to block their way. The spices are too hot for the ants to cross.

Household Hints - Laundry - Lint Removal Tips

When you are washing things that attract lint put some heavy net in with your clothes. It grabs all the lint. Every now and then wash the net to get the lint off of it

Thanks to Shelly for this household hint!

Household Hints - Cleaning Stained Marble Surfaces

For heavier stains, take three or four cakes of Ivory soap, cut them up and disolve in hot water until you have a "slurp."

Paint this on the marble and let it sit for five days or so. If the gunk starts to dry during that time, consider slopping some more on -- or wetting it down.At the end of the period, hose and wash it all off. Presto, the marble is as good as new!

Thanks to Carolyn for submitting this household hint!

Household Hints: Baking - Instead of Using Pam and Cooking Sprays - Try This

Instead of using Pam and other cooking sprays, just use olive oil or canola oil (or any other heart healthy oil) in a spray bottle. You'll find specialty spray bottles just for use with oil at kitchenwares shops or online at places like eBay.

This way you're using a natural product, which is actually good for you. But, by using the spray on cookware and on salads, you'll limit the amount of oils you're eating.

Household Hints - Keep Kitty Litter Clean and Fresh Smelling

Here are two ways to keep plain kitty litter smelling fresher and cleaner:

1. (Submitted by a reader) Sprinkle baby powder in the litter every time you change it.
2. My favorite tip - I sprinkle baking soda in the kitty litter every time I change the cat litter box. It helps to neutralize odors SO well, and it's natural so it's safe for my pets. :)