Home Made Mosquito Trap

gModern technology has brought us many benefits, including mosquito traps that cost hundreds of dollars, but sometimes we overlook simple solutions to difficult challenges such as mosquito control. When it comes to controlling pests, research tends to focus on chemicals or concepts that can be patented. Unless someone can make a profit from an idea, the public may never become aware of it.

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP:

Items needed:

200 ml water
50 grams of brown sugar
1 gram of yeast
2-liter plastic bottle

Or US conversion:
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of brown sugar

HOW:
1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.
2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.
4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.
5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)

Change the solution every 2 weeks for continuous control.

Old Bathtub Made Into Sofa

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What a great way to recycle a claw foot bathtub. Would make a great conversational piece. I don’t know how the cut was made except if they used a blow torch to do the cut. A nice paint job and then a good coating of polyurethane with a cushion for comfort would finish it off nicely. The faucet cutouts left open look like a face. There is no reason to cover up the up-cycle – it is what it is. Wouldn’t this be great in a foyer or even a child’s room. Its not destructible practically!

Rotisserie Chicken Container Greenhouse or Terrarium

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Use a Rotisserie Chicken Container  to make a greenhouse.You can plant directly in the bottom of the container or do as they did in the picture – use a smaller planter inside. Use these to get a head start on seedlings or make a terrarium with your children on a rainy day.

Wire Spool End Table

What a great idea for a dorm or a country rustic home interior style. These are usually thrown away from companies that use cable (cable companies, electricians) and make a great strong piece of furniture. First it does need to be cleaned very well with soap and hot water and a hard bristle scrub brush to remove grime and dust. Dry. Sand away any stamped names or images as those will be hard to cover. Cover with one coat of primer to seal off the wood and allow paint to cover and not soak into the raw wood. Paint your favorite color (or colors). Add dowels that are minimum of 1/2 inch thick (but thicker can give a more bold appearance). Paint out the dowels and spool one last time to ensure good coverage. Coat with polyurethane to seal. On the bottom add rolling casters or other re-purposed “feet”. If you want a little cleaner look you could add a top just a little larger in diameter then the spool top.

Recycled Bike Rim Pot Hanger

What a great way to recycle an old bike tire. Holes are already along the sides to insert hooks into or over that can be purchased at any hardware store along with simple chains to hang. Pictured it is hung by a rod and hook system but chains are easier to attach. Make sure the hook that this is all attached to is deeply embedded into a rafter to avoid a terrible accident. Use this for lighter weight pans or use as a utensil hanger. If you want to use this for heavier pots and pans remove spokes and cut a 1″ thick piece of wood the diameter of the rim (use the rim as a template) stain or paint then polyurethane and attach to rim. This will give a much stronger rack that you can hang heavier items on. I think this look great…. can anyone else come up with another usage for an old bike rim? If you can share in the comments: