Seven ways to speed up your computer

As your cursor becomes a virtual hourglass, endlessly turning itself over and over, you know you're in for a long haul ... You have to wait for the computer to boot, for programs to open, and webpages to load. And at every step of the process, that hourglass is there, tempting you to put your fist through the screen.

But wait! Don't do it! There are easy ways to speed up your computer and help it run more smoothly. Instead of waiting for a sluggish PC to complete a task, take a few minutes to clean the computer up and save yourself time, plus energy needed to run the machine and the cost of upgrading to a new computer.

Try these simple tricks provided by Geek Squad Double Agent Ismael Matos to keep your machine, and your sanity, in good working order.

You may have heard some of these tips before, but actually taking the time to do them will save you time and frustration down the line. 

 

1. Delete old files.
Run through your folders and delete any pictures or documents you don't need. Extra files take up extra space on the hard drive, and keeping your hard drive clear is the best way to keep the machine running smoothly.

Look for old homework, papers, reports, and downloads and delete everything you no longer need. Don't forget to delete temporary Internet files periodically. Here are instructions for removing them from your PC or Mac.

Upload your photos to Flickr and store them on CDs or an external hard drive so you can make more room on your hard drive.  

 

2. Empty your trash or recycle folder.
The files you "delete" aren't actually gone until you delete them permanently from your computer's trash or recycle folder.

 

3. Delete programs you don't use.
It's easy to download a program, use it once and then forget it's there, but applications take up space on your hard drive. Look through your programs folder or start menu and get rid of everything you don't use.

 

4. Take note of what programs open when you start the computer.
A lot of programs and applications (especially Internet chat programs) are set to open automatically when you turn on your computer. Having too many open programs will slow down your machine, so make sure the only programs that are running are ones you're using.

To adjust what programs open in Windows, right-click on the start menu, click "Properties," choose to customize your classic start menu, and drag files out of the startup folder.

"If you have a lot of things running, that tends to slow things down," Matos said.

 

5. Keep your Internet router away from magnetic fields.
Keep your wireless Internet router away from other wireless communication devices like cell phones and cordless phones. Your connection will improve without the interference.

 

6. Shut it down – every night.
Try to shut your computer down on a daily basis. When your computer is turned off, the parts inside aren't running and won't wear down as quickly. Overall, you'll extend the life of your machine.

Running a computer all the time can cause a hard drive to break down, and the machine to stop working. You'll enjoy your computer longer, and it won't use up nearly as much energy when it's shut down.

"As long as your computer gets roughly two hours of rest time on a daily basis, that's what's important," Matos said. "Overnight would be ideal."

 

7. Run a disk cleanup or disk defragmenter.
These specific programs are for Windows, but other operating systems have similar options. Disk cleanup will delete temporary Internet files and cookies, leaving your hard drive clear – run this program once a week.

Defragmentation compresses your information and organizes it so your computer won't have to work as hard to load your files – run this program once a month. (Matos points out that if you aren't comfortable running these programs, Geek Squad can help.)

 

The time it takes to go through your files and run these programs, but it's worth the time it will save you in the end. Clean up your computer, and it will run faster. The less time you spend waiting for things to load, the less energy you'll require to run the computer.

 

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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

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Six perfect plants for dorm rooms

Plants are unique decorations that pay off in other ways besides aesthetics. Besides improving the air quality -- and the overall smell -- of a room, plants create a calming environment that's perfect for hardworking students. But having a dorm plant does require a little responsibility, so make sure you choose one that will definitely pay off.

The perfect dorm plants are tough enough to tolerate low light and water levels (just in case), and won't grow too big for an already cramped room.

Check out our list of the best dorm room plants to decide which is right for you!

 

Dwarf Lemon Tree
It doesn't at first seem logical to put a tree in such a notoriously cramped space, but a dwarf lemon tree can work in many dorm rooms. The trees can grow up to six feet tall in good conditions, so they might require a bit of pruning to keep them to a reasonable size. But it's worth the effort for the gorgeous yellow lemons that come all year and delicious citrus smell.

Water your tree enough to keep the soil moist, and mist the leaves daily so they don't dry out. Keep it by a window for optimal sunlight, and give it fertilizer once a month. Make sure to put it in a pot that allows for drainage and air flow to the roots. You can purchase dwarf lemon trees online or grow them from seedlings, if you don't mind waiting seven or eight years before it bears fruit.

 

Mint
It's the hour before your chemistry final, and you're nervous to the point of nausea as you pour over your notes one last time. For an easy, natural, and healthy way to relieve the stress, look to mint. Crush or chew on a mint leaf to emit a strong aroma that can calm nerves, ease nausea and sore throats, and freshen breath by killing germs.

Mint comes in a lot of varieties (may we suggest chocolate mint?) and is very easy to grow. Put plants in a moist, well-drained pot and make sure they get plenty of sunlight all year. Mint is widely available and can be purchased in pots or as seeds.

 

Lavender
Lavender plants are colorful and fragrant and a great way to freshen up a dorm room. To spread the yummy lavender scent around the room, you can dry out flowers to make sachets for drawers and closets.

Lavender plants like sun and air, so try to put them next to an open window or a fan. Keep your plant in sandy soil that drains well -- the roots rot easily in standing water. Buy lavender plants at nurseries or online.

 

Aloe Vera
Consider your aloe vera plant your own personal pharmacy -- at least for skin irritations like sunburns. Just break open a leaf and squeeze out some liquid for instant relief. Aloe vera plants are perfect for rooms that don't get much sunlight (the leaves start to turn brown if they're in the sun too long), and don't require much watering.

Try to buy mature plants. It's an easy plant to maintain that can help you out in a pinch! You won't have any trouble finding aloe vera where plants are sold.

 

African Violets
African violets are the perfect dorm room flower. They're small enough to fit on a windowsill, don't require much water and can grow in a variety of temperatures. And the flower isn't just known for its beauty, it's also known to clean the air of pollutants to leave you with a healthier indoor environment. Buy African violet plugs at local nurseries or online.

 

Cactus
Successfully taking care of a cactus is one of those out-of-the-classroom tests that helps you discover a little more about yourself. In this case, if it dies you'll know you're less nurturing than a desert. The only basic guideline: Don't overwater.

Cactus plants are very easy to find -- check your local grocery or hardware store. By the way, the jury is still out whether placing a cactus in front of your computer can protect you from electromagnetic fields.

 

More from The Daily Green:

• 10 of the Greenest Colleges in America
• 12 of the Most Healthy Sustainable College Cafeterias
• The Pickup Truck Garden and 18 More Mobile Gardens
• Simple Vegetarian Recipes for College Student Cooks

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

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46 smart uses for salt

How many ways can you use salt? According to the Salt Institute, about 14,000! I can't think of another more versatile mineral. The use of salt to preserve food was one of the early cornerstones of civilization (preservation lessened the dependence on seasonal food). Nowadays salt is the most common and readily available nonmetallic mineral in the world. In fact, the supply of salt is inexhaustible.

Since at least medieval times, salt (sodium chloride) has been used for cleaning, and ensuing generations have continued to rely on it for all kinds of nifty tricks around the house.

So with its nontoxic friendliness and status as an endlessly abundant resource, let's swap out some toxic solutions for ample, innocuous, and inexpensive salt.

There are a number of forms of salt produced for consumption (and by default, housekeeping!): unrefined salt (such as sea salt), refined salt (table salt), and iodized salt. Kosher salt is sodium chloride processed to have flat crystals. And in case you're wondering, Epsom salt is an entirely different stuff: magnesium sulfate to be exact (which is a salt that I consider to be, essentially, miraculous).

Here are just a few of the many ways you can put salt to good use in your home:

 

In the Kitchen

Aside from all of the alchemy that salt performs in terms of baking chemistry and food flavor, salt has a number of other great applications in the kitchen.

Test egg freshness.
Put two teaspoons of salt in a cup of water and place an egg in it -- a fresh egg will sink, an older egg will float. Because the air cell in an egg increases as it ages, an older egg is more buoyant. This doesn't mean a floating egg is rotten, just more mature. Crack the egg into a bowl and examine it for any funky odor or appearance -- if it's rotten, your nose will tell you. (Bonus fact: if you have hard-boiled eggs that are difficult to peel, that means they are fresh!)

Set poached eggs.
Because salt increases the temperature of boiling water, it helps to set the whites more quickly when eggs are dropped into the water for poaching.

Prevent fruits from browning.
Most of us use lemon or vinegar to stop peeled apples and pears from browning, but you can also drop them in lightly salted water to help them keep their color.

Shell nuts more easily.
Soak pecans and walnuts in salt water for several hours before shelling to make it easier to remove the meat.

Prevent cake icing crystals.
A little salt added to cake icings prevents them from sugaring.

Remove odors from hands.
Oniony-garlicy fingers? I like soap and water, then rubbing them on anything made of stainless steel (it really works), but you can also rub your fingers with a salt and vinegar combo.

Reach high peaks.
Add a tiny pinch of salt when beating egg whites or whipping cream for quicker, higher peaks.

Extend cheese life.
Prevent mold on cheese by wrapping it in a cloth moistened with saltwater before refrigerating.

Save the bottom of your oven.
If a pie or casserole bubbles over in the oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spill. It won't smoke and smell, and it will bake into a crust that makes the baked-on mess much easier to clean when it has cooled.

 

 

Personal Care

Extend toothbrush life.
Soak toothbrushes in salt water before your first use; they'll last longer.

Clean teeth.
Use one part fine salt to two parts baking soda -- dip your toothbrush in the mix and brush as usual. You can also use the same mix dissolved in water for orthodontic appliances.

Rinse your mouth.
Mix equal parts salt and baking soda in water for a fresh and deodorizing mouth rinse.

Ease mouth problems.
For cankers, abscesses, and other mouth sores, rinse your mouth with a weak solution of warm saltwater several times a day.

Relieve bee-sting pain.
Ouch? Immediately dampen area and pack on a small pile of salt to reduce pain and swelling. More bee-sting tips here.

Treat mosquito bites.
A saltwater soak can do wonders for that special mosquito-bite itch -- a poultice of salt mixed with olive oil can help too.

Treat poison ivy.
Same method as for treating mosquito bites. (Salt doesn't seem to distinguish between itches.)

Have an exfoliating massage.
After bathing and while still wet give yourself a massage with dry salt. It freshens skin and boosts circulation.

Ease throat pain.
Mix salt and warm water, gargle to relieve a sore throat.

 

Around the House

Deter ants.
Sprinkle salt at doorways, window sills, and anywhere else ants sneak into your house. Ants don't like to walk on salt.

Extinguish grease fires.
Keep a box of salt near your stove and oven, and if a grease fire flares up, douse the flames with salt. (Never use water on grease fires; it will splatter the burning grease.) When salt is applied to fire, it acts like a heat sink and dissipates the heat from the fire -- it also forms an oxygen-excluding crust to smother the fire.

Drip-proof candles.
If you soak new candles in a strong salt solution for a few hours, then dry them well, they will not drip as much when you burn them.

Keep cut flowers fresh.
A dash of salt added to the water in a flower vase will keep cut flowers fresh longer. (You can also try an aspirin or a dash of sugar for the same effect.)

Arrange artificial flowers.
Artificial flowers can be held in place by pouring salt into the vase, adding a little cold water and then arranging the flowers. The salt become solid as it dries and holds the flowers in place.

Make play dough.
Use 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons cream of tartar. Stir together flour, cream of tartar, salt, and oil, and slowly add water. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until dough becomes stiff. Spread onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the dough with your hands until it reaches a good dough consistency. (Read about juice dyes here.)

Repair walls.
To fill nail holes, fix chips or other small dings in white sheet-rock or plaster walls, mix 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons cornstarch, then add enough water (about 5 teaspoons) to make a thick paste. Use the paste to fill the holes.

Deter patio weeds.
If weeds or grass grow between bricks or blocks in your patio, sidewalk, or driveway, carefully spread salt between the cracks, then sprinkle with water or wait for rain to wet it down.

Kill poison ivy.
Mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water (use a gentle dish soap) and apply to leaves and stems with a sprayer, avoiding any plant life that you want to keep.

De-ice sidewalks and driveways.
One of the oldest tricks in the book! Lightly sprinkle rock salt on walks and driveways to keep snow and ice from bonding to the pavement and allow for easier shoveling/scraping. But don't overdo it; use the salt sensibly to avoid damage to plants and paws.

Tame a wild barbecue.
Toss a bit of salt on flames from food dripping in barbecue grills to reduce the flames and calm the smoke without cooling the coals (like water does).

 

Cleaning

Salt works as an effective yet gentle scouring agent. Salt also serves as a catalyst for other ingredients, such as vinegar, to boost cleaning and deodorizing action. For a basic soft scrub, make a paste with lots of salt, baking soda and dish soap and use on appliances, enamel, porcelain, etc.

Clean sink drains.
Pour salt mixed with hot water down the kitchen sink regularly to deodorize and keep grease from building up.

Remove water rings.
Gently rub a thin paste of salt and vegetable oil on the white marks caused by beverage glasses and hot dishes on wooden tables.

Clean greasy pans.
Cast-iron skillets can be cleaned with a good sprinkling of salt and paper towels.

Clean stained cups.
Mix salt with a dab of dish soap to make a soft scrub for stubborn coffee and tea stains.

Clean refrigerators.
A mix of salt and soda water can be used to wipe out and deodorize the inside of your refrigerator, a nice way to keep chemical-y cleaners away from your food.

Clean brass or copper.
Mix equal parts of salt, flour, and vinegar to make a paste, and rub the paste on the metal. After letting it sit for an hour, clean with a soft cloth or brush and buff with a dry cloth.

Clean rust.
Mix salt and cream of tartar with just enough water to make a paste. Rub on rust, let dry, brush off and buff with a dry, soft cloth. You can also use the same method with a mix of salt and lemon.

Clean a glass coffee pot.
Every diner waitress' favorite tip: add salt and ice cubes to a coffee pot, swirl around vigorously, and rinse. The salt scours the bottom, and the ice helps to agitate it more for a better scrub.

 

Laundry

Attack wine spills.
If a tipsy guest tips wine on your cotton or linen tablecloth, blot up as much as possible and immediately cover the wine with a pile of salt, which will help pull the remaining wine away form the fiber. After dinner, soak the tablecloth in cold water for 30 minutes before laundering. (Also works on clothing.)

Quell oversudsing.
Since, of course, we are all very careful in how much detergent we use in our laundry, we never have too many suds. But if someone overfills ... you can eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.

Dry clothes in the winter.
Use salt in the final laundry rinse to prevent clothes from freezing if you use an outdoor clothes line in the winter.

Brighten colors.
Wash colored curtains or washable fiber rugs in a saltwater solution to brighten the colors. Brighten faded rugs and carpets by rubbing them briskly with a cloth that has been dipped in a strong saltwater solution and wrung out.

Remove perspiration stains.
Add four tablespoons of salt to one quart of hot water and sponge the fabric with the solution until stains fade.

Remove blood stains.
Soak the stained cloth in cold saltwater, then launder in warm, soapy water and boil after the wash. (Use only on cotton, linen, or other natural fibers that can take high heat.)

Tackle mildew or rust stains.
Moisten stained spots with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, then spread the item in the sun for bleaching -- then rinse and dry.

Clean a gunky iron bottom.
Sprinkle a little salt on a piece of paper and run the hot iron over it to remove rough, sticky spots.

Set color.
Salt is used commonly in the textile industry, but works at home too. If a dye isn't colorfast, soak the garment for an hour in 1/2 gallon of water to which you've added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup salt, then rinse. If rinse water has any color in it, repeat. Use only on single-colored fabric or madras. If the item is multicolored, dry-clean it to avoid running all of the colors together.

 

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• 51 Fantastic Uses for Baking Soda
• 9 Surprising Uses for Beer

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