Earl Proulx

When Earl Proulx died in March 2002 at age 88, he’d written Yankee Magazine’s “Plain Talk” advice column for 22 years. With his trademark folksy wisdom, Earl Proulx told readers how to recycle those things we all have lying around the house into ingenious solutions without spending money on fancy cleaning solutions or pricey gadgets. Some of Earl’s particular favorites were kitty litter (as a cleaner for oils pills and as a base for a soothing facial mask) and, of course, vinegar (to clean just about anything, unclog showerheads, as well as trap fruit pests), duct tape (as both tick remover and protection against blisters), and milk jugs (bird feeders and clothespin holders).