Sit back, relax, pop an ice cold one and... use the beer in 14 out-of-the-six-pack ways for everyday improvements around the house. 

Cris Carl shared his 14 sudsy suggestions in his original article on Networx, a great website for locating the right contractors for your home improvement projects:

1. Trap slugs and snails: Protect your garden by arranging dishes or glasses/jars of beer around your garden, especially in the evening. The aroma and fermentation will attract the slugs and they will remain there for removal. The beer can be re-used until it evaporates for garden and pest control. 

2. Trap fruit flies: If you keep a compost pail in your kitchen, or just a lot of food refuse in your trash can, you will also likely have fruit flies. Just place a jar or can of beer on the kitchen counter (red wine can be substituted here as well). Cover the top with plastic wrap or paper, leaving small openings for the flies to get into. The fruit flies won’t be able to get back out. A one way trap for easy disposal. 

3. Distract bees and wasps from your outdoor gathering: Beer placed in cups around the outskirts of your picnic or barbecue will attract bees and wasps. It's not a long-term wasp control tactic, but it can do the trick in a pinch.

4. Get rid of mice: If you don’t have a cat or another furry rodent controller, a small amount of beer placed in a bucket will help take care of a mouse problem, especially if you prefer to capture mice in a humane fashion. Just put an inch or so of beer in the pail, place some type of ramp, such as a piece of wood for the mice to crawl up. The mice fall into the pail and then you can remove your inebriated mice to some place outside.  At least they'll have a great time in the bucket! 

5. Cockroach motel: Nothing like a good slice of bread with your ale! Put a piece of bread soaked in beer in a jar. Put Vaseline around the lip of the jar. Roaches are attracted, get in, and can’t get out.

6. Fertilize your gardens: The sugars in beer are also enjoyed by your garden vegetables and flowers.

7. Fertilize your indoor plants: Yep, they like beer too. You don’t want to over-do it with indoor plants since they are contained and not subject to the cleansing distribution of rain. Use flat beer, just a small amount at the base of the plant.

8. Get rid of brown spots in your lawn: The acids in beer kill off fungi and pests, and the fermented sugars feed the grass. Nature's growth in a bottle!

9. Stain removal: Instead of pulling out a chemical cleaner when you’ve dribbled tea or coffee on your clothing or rug, soak the stain in beer. Let the beer sit for awhile then dab with a clean cloth. Wash well with soap and water once the spot has soaked. Always spot-test the fabric first.

10. Spruce up wooden furniture: Rub flat beer gently onto furniture using a soft cloth. The beer will help restore some of the polish and color.

11. Clean gold jewelry: Similar to how you would use commercial gold-cleaning chemicals, just place your gold jewelry in a dish of beer. Let it soak, then remove, rinse, and gently polish with a dry cloth.

 12. Polishing brass pots: Using a soft cloth, gently rub beer onto the pot. Let the pot sit for awhile, rinse, and dry with another soft cloth. The acids in beer work wonders on most metals.

13. Loosen rusty bolts: Using beer to loosen bolts is a bit innovative, but the acids in the beer may dissolve enough rust to allow you to get them loose. (If not, grab a can of Coke as a back up plan!)

14. Insulation: Lastly, for the truly adventurous and creative, if you use full, unopened cans of beer in construction of walls, the beer absorbs the cold.

Cris Carl is a Hometalk - http://www.hometalk.com - writer.  Read more articles like this one - http://www.networx.com/article/14-uses-for-beer-around-the-house - or get help with your home project on Hometalk.com.