INSIDE & OUT

* Ice for cooler. Fill several balloons halfway with water after partially blowing them up; freeze. Place ice balls in cooler. If desired, balloon can be easily peeled away while ball is still frozen.

* Unpleasant odors in kitchen. Try placing two tablespoons coffee grounds in a pan with no water and heat briefly on top of stove to clear odor.

* Air conditioner care. Once a month, remove front panel of room air conditioner; wash filter in tepid water and mild detergent. Vacuum dust from surfaces before reattaching panel.

* Open sluggish drains. Try pouring one cup salt and one cup baking soda into drain and carefully flush with a kettle of boiling water.

* Unclog vacuum cleaner hose. Insert a broom or mop handle into the hose and carefully try to dislodge debris. Be sure to change the paper bag or clean the cloth bag regularly--suction drops noticeably when bag begins to fill.

* Cleaning litter box. Avoid using chlorine bleach to sanitize box. Fumes can result from a chemical reaction between the bleach and residual ammonia remaining in the litter box after it has been emptied.

* Garden compost. Save stalks, leaves and other leftovers from a garden harvest for the compost bin. Compost enriches soil and increases its ability to hold moisture. Do not compost diseased plant matter.