Around the house

* Brighten dull vinyl or wood floors quickly. Place a piece of waxed paper under a dust mop and buff floors to a shine. In addition, loose dirt will adhere to the paper.

* Make a quick pitcher of iced tea. Steep tea bags by filling half of a plastic, heat-proof container with hot water. Remove tea bags and fill the remainder of the pitcher with ice cubes. Stir and serve.

* Remove baked-on grease from casserole dish. Make a paste of automatic-dishwasher detergent or baking soda and water and coat the pan with a thin layer of the mixture. Let sit overnight and scrub off residue.

In the garden

* Coat shovels, rakes and hoes with cooking spray before working outdoors; they'll clean more easily.