Before you vacuum, sprinkle a powdered sweet spice, such as nutmeg or ginger, on the floor.  Vacuum it up, then proceed with the rest of the room.  You may never buy carpet deodorizer again!

Here’s another simple way to freshen up a musty insulated beverage container:  Toss 3 or 4 whole dried cloves into it, and let it sit until you need it again.  Just be sure that you pour out the cloves before you pour in your coffee or tea!  If the taste of cloves doesn’t appeal to you, rinse out the container with a mix of baking soda and warm water before you pour in your coffee or tea.

DRY CARPET CLEANER YOU MAKE AT HOME

2 cups of baking soda

1/2 cup of cornstarch

1 tbsp. of ground cloves

4-5 crumbled bay leaves

Mix all of the ingredients together, and store the mixture in a shaker jar.  (An empty carpet cleaner can is perfect.). To use the mix, dust the carpet thoroughly with the powder, wait at least 1 hour, and vacuum.