The Do-It-All Adhesive

I have a dark carpet that hides dirt and stains but shows every piece of sock fuzz and lint. I make small rolls of duct tape, sticky-side out, my kids put them on their hands and feet, and they make a game out of collecting the fuzz. Instead of my having to run the vacuum, they get to play.
Angela Carroll
McKee, Kentucky

Trusted Classics

Paintbrushes of all sizes are great for dusting hard-to-reach places, like the spaces underneath and between radio buttons and knobs, the crevices in remote controls, windowpane borders, light fixtures, and decorative wood etchings. The bonus is that my kids love using them this way.
Nancy Leppla
Fairfield, Connecticut

I love using squeegees to clean the windows and mirrors in my house; they leave virtually no streaks. And I've found that they cost less in the automotive aisle than in the cleaning-product aisle.
Danyelle Barrett
Gloversville, New York

Hydrogen peroxide cleans jewelry, removes blood from most fabrics without fading colors (always test a section first), and, of course, cleans scrapes on your skin.
Katherine R. Oberst
Toledo, Ohio

"I use a tennis ball to rub scuff marks off the floor. It solves the problem in seconds."
Katie Zack
Tampa, Florida

I put my hand into a pair of panty hose to clean the dust off candles and lampshades.
Laurel Coote
Torrance, California

Soft cloth diapers are absorbent, and they don't scratch, tear, or fall apart in my hands. I throw them in the washing machine and use them over and over again.
Lana Maskus
Wright, Kansas

Cotton swabs are great for getting fine dirt out of corners and polishing hard-to-clean spots on silver, copper, and brass items.
Laura Furlong
Sterling, Colorado