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Cleaning out the pantry could be all you need to disinfect your home. Here's our list of top ten surprising cleaners... most of which you probably already own! Photo: kaiton, Flickr
1) Lemonade
To clean and deodorize, pour a few scoops of dry sugar-free lemonade (or Tang!) into your dishwasher detergent compartment and run an empty cycle. You may not notice the difference, but next time your child crawls into the dishwasher during a game of hide-and-seek, you'll be the best mom ever.
2) Salt
The next time you let your daughter crack the eggs on pancake day and she spills, sprinkle a few dashes of salt on the gooey yolk. Let sit a few minutes and wipe clean with a paper towel.
3) Tin Lids
No, not this kind. Save a few tin can lids from your mother's spaghetti night and place them underneath your honey and jam bottles to keep sticky edges from taking over your cabinets. You'll thank us when the ants don't.
Use cotton balls to deodorize smelly areas, such as your refrigerator, closets and/or drawers. Photo: Splendicity
4) Hairdryer
Removing tags and labels from gifts. Just plug in and blow on high. No more embarrassing adhesives!
5) Floss
Cleaning the goo (the official word, I'm sure) from sink faucets and other hard-to-reach crevices. Minty flavor optional.
6) Newspaper
Place a few crumpled sheets of newspaper -- preferably the sports section, of course -- to deodorize your son's soccer cleats overnight.
7) Vegetable Oil
Shine your best leather shoes with the same oil you stir-fry with. Dab a bit of vegetable oil on a cotton ball to remove scuffs and protect leather.
8) Mothballs
Yes, they stink like your grandfather's attic and keep insects at bay, but they also prevent silver from tarnishing. Stash a few with your silver to keep it shiny and bright while in storage.
9) Cotton Balls
Dab a bit of vanilla extract onto a few cotton balls and place in the compartments of your too-smelly fridge. The cotton will absorb the bad scent, leaving the good!
10) Old Socks
Never found the pair to last season's Christmas sock? Use it as a replacement Swiffer pad to save your floors and your dough. (Hint: Wash it first, especially if it's spent time in your son's aforementioned soccer cleat.)
Read More: How to Make Your Home Less Toxic
Removing tags and labels from gifts. Just plug in and blow on high. No more embarrassing adhesives!
5) Floss
Cleaning the goo (the official word, I'm sure) from sink faucets and other hard-to-reach crevices. Minty flavor optional.
6) Newspaper
Place a few crumpled sheets of newspaper -- preferably the sports section, of course -- to deodorize your son's soccer cleats overnight.
7) Vegetable Oil
Shine your best leather shoes with the same oil you stir-fry with. Dab a bit of vegetable oil on a cotton ball to remove scuffs and protect leather.
8) Mothballs
Yes, they stink like your grandfather's attic and keep insects at bay, but they also prevent silver from tarnishing. Stash a few with your silver to keep it shiny and bright while in storage.
9) Cotton Balls
Dab a bit of vanilla extract onto a few cotton balls and place in the compartments of your too-smelly fridge. The cotton will absorb the bad scent, leaving the good!
10) Old Socks
Never found the pair to last season's Christmas sock? Use it as a replacement Swiffer pad to save your floors and your dough. (Hint: Wash it first, especially if it's spent time in your son's aforementioned soccer cleat.)
Read More: How to Make Your Home Less Toxic
Reader comments (Page 2 of 2)
Pat, before giving grammar lessons, you should learn how to spell the words "grammar" and "misspelled". And, if you look at the dates on these comments, you will see that they are from October. Kate corrected her spelling way before you guys ever mentioned it. Look at the comment timestamps. Cheers :D
ReplyWhy spend all that money on food items to clean house when you can spend less on house cleaning products and get truely sanitized results?
ReplyThe reason to use food products instead of cleaning products is to be more green and such. More natural, less chemical.
Wait a minute, does anyone see the problem with this article? I don't care what you clean with. It doesn't matter if you spelled a word wrong or your grammer isn't perfect. I take issue with the statement that you will let your child play hide and seek in the DISHWASHER. Do we not remember all the deaths from kids hiding in the fridge? The best mom ever, I think not...
ReplyYou can also make a refreshing summer drink by simply taking ice and water, than for 10 seconds spray lemon pledge in. Stir and enjoy!
Replythe best thing I've ever found to remove odors from a fridge or freezer is about 1" of toothpaste. Any kind. It deoderizes instantly and costs less than anything else you've suggested. Got flooded once and power was off for a few days. What a mess. After cleanup, used toothpaste all over the place in little dibs and dabs and the odor was gone. A miracle?
ReplyOh, didn't know this was school and spelling counted.
Vegetable oil gets rancid after awhile. Mineral oil won't go bad and has a similar affect. It also can be used to illiminate squeeky doors and cabinets. Put a little on a Q-tip and rub into the hinges. I also us it on sticking zippers. Work it ino the teeth. Wipe off excess and don't let it get on the fabric. This works great for screenhouse zippers, sleeping bags, etc.
Replythink twice before you use the mothballs, they are extremely dangerous and poiinous, they can be fatal very quickly if a child eats one or just puts it in their mouth
ReplyI thought the tips were great and I appreciated the tips from others. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyTo Renette Mann... because you can't eat Windex, Fantastic, etc. when you are not using them for cleaning. They are not natural products. They make the manufacturer rich on people who are lazy and uneducated.
ReplyRe: groovi 2-25-2010 @ 4:19AM
ReplyWHY NOT JUST RINSE THE HONEY CONTAINER OFF??? IT IS A NO BRAINER ..DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Response: No brainer this dufus...Onl;y one person in this house uses the honey and he's a slob big time about it...After 35 years, it' pays off to adjust the little things that can drive you crazy...Like even getting my pown damn remote.
PAT, You misunderstood my statement about my Mother's age. She was 94 when she died; she did not die in 1994. She was not 11 years old when I was born. By-the-way, how old are you? You sound mischievious enough to be just approaching adolescence. Good luck in the future.
ReplyAnd, JO, thank you for your intelligent support for my suggestions. I appreciate your mature input.