Tip of the week: How to get more use out of your microwave
Clean your socks; Sterilize a kitchen sponge; Remove chewing gum from clothes
Clean your socks. “Washing machine broken?” You can clean dirty socks by placing them in a bowl of soapy water and running the microwave on high for 10 minutes.
Sterilize a kitchen sponge. To “de-bug” a sponge, dampen it with water, set your microwave on high, and blast the germs for two minutes.
Remove chewing gum from clothes. Warm a small amount of vinegar in the microwave, then dab the vinegar on the gum with a clean cloth. “The gum should simply peel off.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Dry out fresh herbs. Place thyme, oregano, or other herbs on a paper towel. Zap them on high in 30-second bursts until they’re completely dry.
Re-crisp your chips. Renew soggy cereal, potato chips, or crackers by microwaving them on high for 30 seconds.
Source: Daily Mail (U.K.)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The state of Britain's Armed Forces
The Explainer Geopolitical unrest and the unreliability of the Trump administration have led to a frantic re-evaluation of the UK's military capabilities
By The Week UK
-
Anti-anxiety drug has a not-too-surprising effect on fish
Under the radar The fish act bolder and riskier
By Devika Rao, The Week US
-
Sudoku hard: April 21, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff