Mold, Strawberries & Squirrels
Joan Clark
September 21, 2026
In partnership with
.
Hi there,
Cleaning takes on new meaning when mold appears on basement walls, or when squirrels stage a daily raid on the bird feeder. We're sharing practical fixes for common home and garden challenges that crop up this time of year.
In today's issue:
Removing Mold from Concrete Block Walls
Keeping Squirrels Off Your Bird Feeders
The Right Way to Freeze Fresh Strawberries
And more…
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CLEANING
Mold on concrete walls can spread across 10 square feet in as little as 48 hours, turning a small mold spot into a serious problem faster than most people realize. We found seven tips that work surprisingly well, including a few household items that tackle stubborn growth without harsh chemicals.
FOOD STORAGE
Fresh strawberries stay at their peak for only a day or two on the counter, but frozen berries hold their flavor and nutrition for up to a year. We've gathered five tested methods that preserve their sweetness without turning berries into a solid, unusable block.
TIP OF THE DAY
Eliminate Smells Instead of Masking Them
Pour half a cup of white vinegar into the toilet bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes before your next flush. The acetic acid in vinegar breaks down ammonia and sulfur compounds that cling to porcelain and grout, destroying odor at the source instead of layering fragrance over funk.
For stubborn smells, add two tablespoons of baking soda to the vinegar and scrub lightly with a brush while it fizzes. This combination raises the pH and lifts trapped particles that hold onto stink.
WILDLIFE CONTROL
We once watched a squirrel dangle upside down from a branch, performing acrobatics that would make a trapeze artist jealous, all to reach a supposedly squirrel-proof feeder . These clever critters can leap up to ten feet horizontally and remember the location of thousands of buried nuts, so outsmarting them takes more than wishful thinking and a basic baffle.
FUN FACT
23 Years!
The first ice cream factory opened in 1851, but early vendors only served the treat in dishes or between wafers. Scooping only became necessary when soda fountains exploded in the 1880s, and customers wanted towering sundaes and cones that required round portions. Alfred Cralle filed his patent in 1897, the same decade the ice cream cone debuted at world's fairs, proving that necessity and timing matter as much as ingenuity. |  |
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THANK YOU!
You've now got the know-how to banish mold, defend your bird feeders, and freeze strawberries like a pro . Three challenges, dozens of answers—all waiting for you to put them to work.
Wishing you mold-free walls,
Tipsbulletin Newsletter Team
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