I love the tradition of mothers passing down their pearls of household wisdom to their daughters, such as “polish your silver with toothpaste” or “use vinegar for streak-free windows.” The best tip by mom gave me was “don’t let the door hit in you in the ass on your way out.” Which may sound mean, but when you think about it, it’s actually quite practical. Thankfully, my 80 year-old neighbor Ester, has decided to pass on a few of her household tips to me, so I can pass them on to (if things keep going the way they are) my cactus.

Esters’s Helpful Household tips.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If they stay connected they ripen faster.

When you buy new clothes, wash them with a little bit of vinegar to help set the color.

Put a couple of drops of lavender or peppermint essential oil on a cool light bulb to help repel bugs.

If you want to snoop into someone’s mail, put the letter in the freezer, and the seal will pop right open.

To reheat leftover pizza, use a nonstick skillet on med-low. This warms up the pizza and keeps the crust nice and crispy. No more soggy microwave slices.

To remove the odor of onions or garlic from your hands, hold a stainless steel spoon under running water and rub as though the spoon were soap.

A man’s penis is like a homeless cat, if you pet it, he’ll show up on your doorstep every night.

I’m grateful for household tips like these because I can’t wait to give them a try – particularly the kitty one. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share, like how to get red wine stains out of a shower curtain (it’s a long story), I’d love to read about them in the comments section -- and I’ll pass them on to my cactus.

That’s why I’m grateful for household tips.