by carol evenson, guest contributor

Sometimes it feels like it takes all day just to get basic household chores finished. These 10 home hacks will speed up some of those mundane tasks so you have more time for the things you really enjoy.

1. Refresh Pet Beds With Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of those staples that every household has, even if no one in the family even thinks about baking. And that is great news because it is an amazingly versatile cleaning tool. If you have pets, it makes a great, all-natural cleaner and deodorizer for bedding and stains. Because baking soda neutralizes the ammonia in urine, it can help eliminate those stubborn odors that many more expensive cleaners leave behind.

2. Clean Tough Stains With Hydrogen Peroxide

If you have hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet, then you have one of the best cleaners for cutting through really tough stains. It can remove everything from mold to blood. So, there is no more need to worry about how to get blood out of your favorite sheets. Just apply a small amount of peroxide, scrub for a minute and watch it disappear.

3. Buff Small Scratches Out With Toothpaste

Toothpaste is great for more than getting teeth clean and refreshing your breath. Thanks to the baking soda that scrubs food particles off of teeth, it is also an effective tool for buffing minor scratches. Many people find this is a great way to remove annoying surface scratches from glass and device screens and give them a new, smooth shine.

4. Melt Crayons With a Hairdryer

Every parent experiences this at some point: Crayons left on a windowsill that have now melted into an abstract mosaic of color on the woodwork. Push down the panic that rises and break out your hair dryer once it solidifies. Use a low setting to gently soften the wax, then peel or scrape it up. You can continue heating to get any little bit of residue left behind.

5. Fill Your Toilet Tank To Reduce Water Use

If your most recent water bill made you want to cut back on water use, the toilet is a prime place to target. Weight down a plastic bottle with sand or gravel, and place it inside the tank. It displaces water, meaning it takes less to fill the tank after every flush. So, the toilet will function like normal, just with less water.

6. Use Magnets To Keep Spices Handy

Install a magnetic strip under your countertop where you do most of your food prep. Store your most commonly used spices in metal tins that can hang right where you need them.

7. Make Pop-Up Wipe Dispensers Do Double Duty

Those large round or rectangular tubs that hold baby and disinfecting wipes also make great bag dispensers. Stuff grocery bags into the container and gently pull them up through the top.

8. Keep Bugs Out With Nail Polish

Most insects can get through even the tiniest of spaces. You can fix small tears in window and door screens by applying a small amount of clear nail polish to the area. It will bind the mesh together, at least temporarily, to help you keep bugs outside where they belong.

9. Apply Caulking To Make Rugs Stick

Do your area rugs slip and slide all over the house? You don't have to splurge on an expensive liner to solve the problem. Instead, flip them over and apply a small line of silicone caulk around the edges. Once it has dried fully, flip the rug over and use it like normal.

10. Always Keep Vinegar on Hand

Vinegar is one of the most versatile things you can have in your home. It is excellent for cleaning glass, mold, and surfaces. When combined with baking soda, it powers through clogged drains and stuck on stains. You can even use it as a natural weed killer. Buy it by the gallon and keep it handy for whatever happens to come up.

From reusing pop-up dispensers to finding new uses for common products, these basic hacks help make life easier.

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