Rice

Sure rice is a great side dish, but there are lots of other ways you can use it to help in your house.

1. If you've ever had to ice an injury you know that the ice melts and will drip all over the place. Save yourself a mess by filling a plastic freezer bag with uncooked rice and store it in the freezer. The rice will retain the cold and it conforms easily to sore knees and elbows!

2. This same idea works when you need dry heat. Fill a sock with some uncooked rice, tie off the end and microwave it for 30 seconds. Just make sure you test the sock so you know that it isn't too hot!

3. An easy way to clean silk flowers is to pour some rice into a garbage bag. Put the bloom end of the flowers in the bag, seal it off and shake vigorously. The rice will clean away dust without damaging the flowers.

4. A couple of tablespoons of rice will help scrub those hard to clean thermoses. Pour some warm water over the rice, and shake it up. Then just rinse it away!

5. Don't forget the old standby. A few grains of rice in your salt shakers will absorb moisture and prevent clumping!