"Yankee Home Hints"

If your oven is not self-cleaning and its racks are pretty gross, put them in the bathtub filled with hot water; 1/4 cup automatic dishwasher detergent and 1/4 cup white vinegar.  Soak for an hour, rinse and let dry.  Drain and rinse your tub immediately.

You refrigerator will chill more efficiently if the condenser coils are kept free of dust.  The condenser is located either in the back or at the bottom and looks like a big grill.  I f yours is at the bottom, popoff the bottom panel and use a hose attachment on your vacuum cleaner to get to the dust build up.

If those little pans that sit under your stove's burners resemble charred ruins, here's how to get them looking like new.  Run them under the faucet to get them web and coat with a layer of baking soda.  Let them sit for about 10 minutes and scrub them clean with a sponge.

Lime and other mineral deposits clog the drainage systems in these large appliances.  Add a gall of white vinegar to the washing machine and run a full cycle-using hot water; in the dishwasher , set a bowl containing three quarts of vinegar on the bottom rack and run a cycle with the hottest water possible.

If you have hard water your chrome may have a buildup of hard, white lime deposits.  To get rid of them, douse a rag with white vinegar and place if on the deposits overnight.  The next day, rub the chrome with the rag and rinse.

To whiten tile grout mix together fresh hydrogen peroxide (if the expiration date has passed,  it's lost its punch) and a powdered cleanser to form a thick paste.  Use an old toothbrush to rub the paste into the grout.  After a few minutes rinse with a scrub brush and warm water.