To keep guacamole from turning brown, you can put water on top of it and drain when needed.

To keep milk fresh longer, try adding a pinch of salt to the milk when you first open it.

If you run out of Windex, you can polish your mirrors with a coffee filter and a mixture of equal parts of water and vinegar.

If you need to quickly ripen your bananas, you can put them in the oven by baking at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until desired ripeness has been achieved.

You can clean your grill with an onion. While the grill is still hot, take a freshly halved onion, stick it on a fork and use the cut side to scrub the residue off the grate. The oils in the onion will take most, if not all, of the residue off. The grit without the elbow grease.

You can use salt to remove dirt from leafy vegetables. Just add salt to water and soak your greens.

Need to make your stove sparkle? Mix 1 tablespoon each of salt and baking soda with one cup water and then scrub with a soft cloth.

Traveling with the kiddies in a large park? Make them a bracelet containing your phone number (using numbered beads) in case they get lost.

Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a vase of flowers to keep them fresh longer.

Need to un-shrink your shirt? Place shirt in sink, add lukewarm water with some hair conditioner. Remove and press. Place shirt on a towel and gently stretch it out to the desired size.

Keep your brown sugar soft by adding marshmallows to the bag.

Not sure if your challah is ready? Just put in a digital thermometer. It should read between 190-200 degrees.

Like popcorn? No need to buy fancy bags. Make your own. Just add 1/3 cup kernels to a brown paper bag. Fold the bag over twice and then heat in a microwave, folded side down, for two minutes. That’s it!

Need to remove small scratches from your cell phone screen? Just dab a bit of toothpaste at the end of a Q-tip and rub it into scratches in a circular motion. Wipe clean with a soft, barely-damp cloth.

To sharpen up an old bike, try cleaning with Dow Bathroom Cleaner. It’s great for wheels and spokes.

Get lipstick on your carpeting? Try taking it off with Lestoil. You can also try Barbasol Shaving Cream for other carpet stains.

To clean a nasty vase, try dropping in one Efferdent tablet with warm water. Let sit overnight.

Need to clean your Shabbos urn from hard water build up? I use Melech Limon (Lemon Salt). Fill your urn up with water and the crystals, let sit for a few hours and then flush out with a cycle of fresh water.

Clean your leather pocketbooks or coats with VO5 Hair Cream. It makes the items very soft and shiny.

Save old credit cards. You can use them to scrape off tough build-up from dishes when you are washing them.

Use Bounce to clean your eyeglasses. It works like a charm.

To clean piano keys, try using Hellman’s Mayonnaise.

You don’t need to be an interior designer to put up a great photo wall. Use packing paper to map out where you want to hang each frame. Simply trace each frame onto a piece of paper, then cut the paper “frames” out and tape them to the wall. You can move each one around to find the perfect configuration before you make any unnecessary holes in the wall.

Gail Hochman has been a Bergen County resident for over 30 years and has been blessed with many grandchildren.

By Gail Hochman