Did you know your old metal sports equipment can be reused, recycled and even turned into cash? Scrap metal yards often accept items like old bikes, dumbbells, soccer goals, metal baseball bats and golf clubs, since they’re made from recyclable steel or aluminum. You can also take a wide range of used sports and fitness gear to Play It Again Sports, where they’ll evaluate your items and pay you for what they can resell. It’s also a great place to buy lightly used equipment at a discount.

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Tired of scrubbing your shower to fight mold and mildew? Try this simple, nontoxic prevention trick the next time you shower. While the space is still warm and steamy, sprinkle table salt over the tile, floor and even the shower curtain. The residual moisture helps the salt cling to surfaces, where it can sit all day or overnight. The next time you shower, it simply rinses away down the drain. Salt’s natural antimicrobial properties help discourage mildew buildup, keeping your shower fresher for weeks with almost no effort.

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If your garlic press is sitting unused in a drawer, it’s time to put it to work beyond garlic. It can also crush dried herbs and spices to create your own custom blends at home. Add whole spices like black pepper, cumin, coriander — whatever combination you like — then press them through for a fresh, coarse mix. Once you land on a blend you love, save money by buying the spices in bulk and making it yourself. These DIY mixes also make thoughtful gifts and can be stored in airtight jars.

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Hydrogen peroxide is a common first-aid antiseptic because it helps oxidize and break down bacteria and debris in minor cuts and scrapes. It then decomposes into water and oxygen, leaving no harmful residue behind when used appropriately. Beyond the medicine cabinet, it’s also a useful household cleaner. You can help disinfect cutting boards by spraying them with hydrogen peroxide, letting it sit briefly, then rinsing thoroughly (you can mix it with white vinegar as a separate step for added cleaning power, but hydrogen peroxide and vinegar should not be mixed in the same container). It can also be used to help reduce surface bacteria on fruits and vegetables: Lightly mist produce, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse well with water before eating.

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Memory foam mattresses and toppers are made from petroleum-based polyurethane foam, but they are not simply “melted down” like recyclable plastics; because the material is a thermoset, recycling requires breaking it down mechanically rather than melting it. The good news is that they are still widely recyclable in practice, and the foam can be processed into new products like carpet padding, insulation and industrial cushioning. Many manufacturers and retailers now offer take-back programs for old mattresses, sometimes for free or a small fee, and there are nationwide recycling networks, such as the Mattress Recycling Council’s “Bye Bye Mattress” program, that collect and divert them from landfills.

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If you think you have mold, don’t reach for chlorine bleach. Yes, bleach will kill virtually every kind of mold it comes in contact with, but it only works on nonporous materials like ceramic tile and glass. It does not penetrate materials like drywall and wood, where most mold issues really lie. An alternative is to use nontoxic borax to kill mold. Borax has commonly been used as a natural insecticide, so it’s highly effective at remedying other problems, like toxic mold.

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It’s wonderful to experience the beauty of another country on foot, but your hiking boots could be a source of contamination by bringing foreign species into the United States. When you’ve traveled abroad, be sure to have your boots cleaned before you head to the airport, especially boots with deep treads, which can be filled with contaminated soil, seeds and other items that create a biosecurity risk if they accidentally come home with you. U.S. Customs is flagging people who wear hiking boots on homebound flights, so be sure to scrub yours clean to avoid facing an inspection, or worse, being forced to toss them.