Next time you’re running low on fabric softener, pest repellant or household cleaners, check the pantry.
Plenty of kitchen items, including baking soda, lemons and even coffee, can work well as substitutes for other household products.
In some cases, the experts swear, they’re even better! Try these alternate uses the next time you’re in need:
Baking soda
Laundry Boost: Place baking soda in your wash to make your wash brighter.
Pet Shampoo: Add a little to your dog’s shampoo for bath time. It amps up the cleansing power.
Oven Cleaner: Use a mix of baking soda and vinegar as an oven cleaner.
Bay leaves
Bug Repellent: keep a bay leaf in the bag of flour, it keeps the bugs out.
Bread
Broken Glass Pick Up: Since white bread sticks to things, it comes in handy cleaning up shattered glass.
Canola Oil
Grime Buster: Use to clean anything greasy. Oil cuts through other oil, so it’s the perfect grimy oil cleaner.
Coffee
Odor Remover: Soak smelly cutting boards with some coffee grounds to remove odors.
Dish Scrubber: Wrap up a few teaspoons of coffee grounds into a rag, and secure with a rubber band. Use that to scrub dishes. The rough texture of coffee grounds can help you scrub your dishes without damaging them.
Cooking Spray
Wasp Repellent: In a pinch, use to kill wasps. Something in the greasy
nature of it impedes the bug’s ability to fly. You can use it at picnics or when we eat outside on the deck where food is uncovered and not worry about harsh
chemicals.
Corn Starch
De-greaser: Use it to groom your pet. Add a pinch to your dog’s
coat. It effectively works to absorb any extra oil or grease.
Ketchup
Pot and Pan Polish: Use it to remove tarnish and other stains on our pots and pans.
Lemons
Clean Porcelain: Slice ripe lemons in half and then dip them in salt for a great sink and tub cleaner.
Freshen Garbage Disposal: Toss the spent flesh and peels into the garbage disposal to freshen it.
Olive Oil
Furniture Polish: Because of its natural properties, olive oil
makes a perfect furniture polish. Mix with a little white vinegar to
remove dust and grime and your wood furniture will gleam.
Grease Hinges: Use to lubricate squeaky hinges.
Protect Leather: Rub a bit into baseball mitts, shoes and other leather goods to preserve them.
Free Stuck Zippers: Rub on stuck zippers to unstick them.
Tea bags
Pet Grooming: They help remove tearstains at dogs’ eyes, says Bendersky.
Microwave Cleaner: To clean a microwave, boil water and add a few green tea leaves to steep. After it is cool enough to handle, use the tea water to wash down the inside and outside of your microwave. It will help remove odors and add a fresh smelling clean to your microwave oven.
Turmeric
Deter Pests: Sprinkle it around to ward off ants and other pests. Works like a charm.
Vinegar
All-purpose Cleaner: The experts agree: use a mix of vinegar and water as an all-purpose cleaner for sinks, countertops and floors.
Stain Remover: If you really
want to get tea or coffee stains off ceramic cups and teapots, mix
vinegar with baking soda or cream of tartar. Let stand overnight, or a
few hours, and they come right off.
Fabric Softener: Substitute for fabric softener. In lieu of Snuggle or Downey fill a ‘Downey Ball’ with white vinegar for softness and static reduction.
Remove Odors: Use a dab as a pet ear cleanser to remove or reduce funky smells.
Window Cleaner: Clean windows with vinegar and old newspapers, instead of paper towels, They won’t leave streaks.
Mint.com