Eco

When you get to the last slice of bread and it's not as fresh as you'd like it to be, instead of tossing it, there are ways to transform that crumbling mess into something useful. After all, why throw away the old when you can upcycle it into something new?

You might be surprised at the various things you can do with stale bread, ensuring you get every penny out of your favorite loaf. Here are several cool uses for stale bread:

• Artisan bread crumbs: Cube stale bread, and season it for delicious bread crumbs that can be used for topping soups, stews, or fresh salads.

• Happy plants: Dry stale bread in the oven, and then grind in the blender, creating fine bread crumbs. Simply mix with your potting soil or rake into your garden. The crumbs will add nutrients and moisture to your happy plants. While you're at it, throw in some crushed egg shells for a nutrient-happy plant.

• Special bird treats: Instead of tossing dry chunks of bread to the birds, grind stale bread in the blender and leave out in small dishes for your friendly birds. Or mix together equal parts bread crumbs, birdseed, peanut butter, and lard, and roll into rounds. Place in bird feeders for a really special bird treat.

Read on for more smart ways to use stale bread.

Here's a quick tip: don't trash your bread when it's stale; just repurpose it by feeding it to your living greens.

Dry stale bread in the oven, and then grind in the blender, creating fine bread crumbs. Simply mix with your potting soil or rake into your garden. The crumbs will add nutrients and moisture to your happy plants.

Front-loading washing machines are energy efficient and use less detergent than top-loaders, but they sometimes have a tendency to harbor mold and unpleasant smells. By giving your washing machine a quick clean once a month, you'll keep your front-loader fresh, which means cleaner clothes, too. This eco-friendly method doesn't use bleach, costs only pennies to make, and comes together with ingredients you already have on hand.

Keep reading for the directions.

There's nothing better than sinking into your freshly fluffed feather bed at the end of a long day, but if it's feeling a bit flatter — and grubbier — than usual, then it's time for a cleaning. Instead of taking it in for a high-priced professional laundering or potentially ruining your own washing machine with a feather eruption, clean your feather bed with a few items you probably have around the house. You'll love drifting off to sleep on your refreshed feather bed while dreaming of all the ways you'll spend the money you saved by cleaning it yourself.

Keep reading for the directions:

If you're trying to sell a TV, you'll quickly realize it's a whole different ball game than hawking off smaller electronics, such as smartphones.

First of all, the television is heavy and bulky, so it's going to be hard to mail it off to a third-party seller, and the shipping costs might be too high. The smartest option would be to sell it to the buyer directly. Secondly, there's a lot of information on selling gadgets, but not specifically TVs, which require a different approach. And lastly, it's hard to put a number on it because of the big discrepancy between prices in the used-TV market.

Where to Sell

Although people sell their TVs on sites such as Amazon and eBay, the best place to unload them is Craigslist. After all, you can arrange for buyers to come pick it up themselves, so you don't have to mail it off. Since it's also a potentially bigger financial transaction, you might prefer to ask for the payments in cash, which is possible with Craigslist.

Cut to the chase: Sell it on Craigslist.

Read on for more.

Club soda is yet another common household item with a variety of uncommon uses. If you have some left over and don't know what to do with it, don't throw it away. Here are some clever uses for this popular drink mixer:

• Stain remover: Treat stains by dabbing on club soda and gently scrubbing the material. It works on a variety of spills, including red wine stains.
• Fluffy food: To fluff up food like pancakes, waffles, tempura batter, omelets, and more, use club soda instead of water or milk. It makes the end results more fluffy and light.
• Water plants: Club soda is better for your plants than regular water because it has more minerals. Try to water your plants with flat club soda at least once a week.
• Clean surfaces: Gently wipe down surfaces in your home like countertops and the inside of your fridge with club soda. Club soda is also good for cleaning porcelain surfaces because it doesn't ruin the finish. You can even pour it on pots and pans while they are still warm to help remove the gunk that's stuck to the bottom.
• Remove rust: Pour club soda over rusted materials or soak the rusted objects in them. The carbonation will make it easier to remove the rust.
• Soothe your belly: If you have stomach upset or are feeling nauseated, sip on some club soda.
• Clean gems: Soak gemstones in club soda overnight to clean them.
• Restore hair color: If you go swimming, make sure you rinse your hair with club soda to prevent discoloration in your dye job.
• Preserve newspaper clippings: Preserve newspaper clippings by soaking them in a club soda and milk of magnesia mixture for an hour before taking them out to dry.
• Shuck oysters: Make oyster shucking an easier task by soaking them in club soda beforehand.