Scrubs work best on damp skin, so enjoy the warm water for 5 to 10 minutes. This will help soften the skin up in preparation for the scrub. Have the jar of scrub ready to use. How much you scoop up depends on what area of your body you will be scrubbing. You'll need more scrub for your legs (ie: palm-full) than for your feet (ie: coin-sized). Cover the jar with its lid immediately after, especially if you are taking a shower, so that no water gets inside. Use a gentle, circular motion while doing so. Keep the body part out of the water while doing this so that the scrub does not wash off. You can massage the scrub for up to 1 or 2 minutes. If your skin feels oily afterwards, you can wash it with soap and more water. Leaving a thin film of oil on your skin would not be a bad idea, however, especially if you have dry skin. The oil will get absorbed into your skin, and help moisturize it. Body oil would be even better because it absorbs into your skin more readily. Lightly pat your skin dry—enough so that it is still damp, but not dripping wet—then apply your desired moisturizing lotion o body oil. Avoid using the scrub too often, or you may end up irritating your skin. You can also use the scrub less often, if you prefer. The scrub is self-preserving, so it should last up to 1 year; if it starts to look or smell bad before then, however, toss it out. If you added citrus juice to your scrub, use it within 1 week. You can prolong its shelf life to 2 or 3 weeks by keeping it in the fridge, however.
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One-sentence summary -- Step into the tub or shower. Scoop out a small amount of the scrub. Massage the scrub onto your skin. Rinse the scrub off. Follow up with some moisturizer. Use the scrub up to once or twice a week.


If you have a bundle of fresh herbs that look clean and dust-free, you don't need to wash them. However, if you just picked them from your garden, it's likely they contain some dust and dirt. Rinse them in gentle running water, then shake off the excess water. Whether you just rinsed your herbs or they were wet when you received them, you should first dry off the obvious moisture. Spread them out on a paper towel or clean dishcloth until there are no more water beads on the surface of the herbs. If you'd like to use your herbs right away, use this method to dry a small handful at a time. This method is also suitable for tea leaves that have just been used to brew tea. For either material, spread small leaves or pieces of herbs out between two dry paper towels. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until they are brittle, paying close attention for signs of burning. Moist, fleshy herbs such as mint and basil won't dry easily in the microwave unless they are already partly dried. Some herbs don't have much moisture to begin with, and can be dried over the course of a few weeks by tying the stems in bunches and hanging them upside down. Do this indoors in a dark place if possible, because sunlight can harm the color and flavor of the herbs.  Herbs in this category tend to have stiff or thick leaves. They include rosemary, parsley, sage, and thyme. If you'd like to dry soft, moist herbs in this way, hang them in small bunches inside a paper bag. Poke holes at the base of the paper bag and place in an area with good air flow so the herbs dry more quickly and mold has less chance to grow. Herbs with soft, juicy leaves need to be dried quickly or they will grow mold. Pluck the leaves off the stem and lay them between paper towels so that no two leaves are touching. You may stack up to five layers of leaves if you need to, alternating between paper towels and herbs. Place these in an oven safe dish and place in an oven at the lowest possible temperature setting. They may take up to 8 hours to dry.  Turn your oven dial just enough that only the pilot light or electric oven light comes on. Herbs that dry well in this method include basil, sage, bay leaf, and mint. Crumble the herbs between your fingertips before storing or before adding to food. Store dried herbs in an airtight container and place it in a cool, dark, dry place to keep the herbs flavorful as long as possible.  Dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh herbs. When substituting dried herbs in a recipe that calls for fresh herbs, use 1/3 the amount listed, or 1/2 the amount if the herb is basil.  Tea leaves can be dried immediately after used to brew a pot of tea. The microwave method above works best, as you usually have a small amount and a longer drying time could lead to mold. Use dried tea leaves as you would herbs, or use them to cover unpleasant smells around the house.
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One-sentence summary -- Rinse dirt off fresh-picked herbs. Spread out wet herbs until the water evaporates before using any other method. Dry small amounts of herbs or tea leaves quickly in the microwave. Dry thick or sturdy herbs by hanging them indoors. Dry moist or soft herbs in a low temperature oven. When the herbs are crisp and crumbly, store them in an airtight container.


Make sure no one’s using any appliances, sinks, or toilets. If you’d like, you can even turn off the water at each individual valve or outside at the water meter. Doing this will allow you to see if water is moving through your pipes when it shouldn’t be. If you have a basement, this will likely be the spot where you’ll most easily hear water in the pipes. Walk down the stairs and stand quietly for a few minutes. If you hear water running even though no one is using any, there’s a leak somewhere in the house. If possible, try to follow the pipe back to the source of the water. If you don’t have a basement, walk around each room and hallway in your house and listen for water moving through pipes. If you can’t follow the pipe back to the source of your leak (or if you couldn’t hear running water), you’ll need to search for other signs of leaks. Walk around your house and look under your sinks for wet spots or water damage. These pipes are common sources of leaks. You should also check for water damage on each ceiling, which could indicate a burst pipe. You might also find signs of damage on carpets or wood floors. Be aware that if you have damage on your floors or ceilings, you may have a problem with your roof rather than your pipes. It’s a good idea to call a contractor to be sure. Your hot water heater is likely located in a closet or the garage. Without touching it, carefully examine your heater. If you see water dripping from any part of the appliance, call a hot water heater specialist to get it looked at and repaired. It’s not a good idea to attempt to fix your hot water heater on your own. It can be very dangerous, and you may injure yourself. Squirt a few drops of food coloring into the tanks of every toilet in your home. Don’t flush them for 1 hour. Check the toilet bowls after the hour is up. If any of the bowls contain food coloring, there’s a leak in the toilet. To figure out where it is, turn off the water supply by twisting the valve at the base of the toilet.  After you’ve turned off the water, open the tank again and draw a line to mark the water level. Wait 1 more hour. If the water has fallen during that hour, the leak is in the flush valve or flapper. If it hasn’t dropped, the leak is in the fill valve or float. If you’re not comfortable fixing your toilet, call the plumber! You don’t want to make the problem worse. Leaky faucets are one of the more common types of leaks. While you might think it’s not worth it to fix these faucets, they can actually waste several thousand gallons of water per year.
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One-sentence summary --
Turn off all sources of water in the house. Start in the basement and listen for water in pipes. Check for water damage under sinks and on ceilings. Listen for running water in or near your hot water heater. Use food coloring to test for leaks in your toilets. Don’t ignore leaky faucets.