100 Surprising Ways to Clean With Household Items

Baking Soda as Tub Scrubber

Rub tub stains away. Create a paste mad up of equal parts baking soda and cream of tartar and a little lemon juice. Let sit for 30 minutes, then rinse.

White Bread as Glass Magnet

The next time a tumbler takes a tumble, sponge up the shards with a slice of bread. Even tiny slivers will cling to it.

Collapsible Laundry Bins as Garbage Bins

During seasonal cleaning binges, soft-sided, handled laundry bins can double as trash cans.

Coffee Filter as Screen Cleaner

For lint-free viewing, grab a coffee filter to wipe down dusty and staticky computer monitors and TV screens regularly.

Salt as Homemade Drain Cleaner

Get a slow-moving drain flowing again and pour a solution of ½ cup of salt for every quart of hot water down the pipe.

Baking Soda as Stain Remover

Clean discolored teacups and teapots by making a paste of baking soda and water. Gently rub over the stain to remove.

Bleach Bottle as Cat Litter Scoop

Cut diagonally across the middle of an empty, clean bottle, toss the base, and use the half with the handle to scoop up soil or cat litter.

Tennis Ball as Light Bulb Remover

Remove a hot bulb that's just burned out, using the other half of the ball.

Socks as Floor Protector

Protect wood floors. Slide socks onto the legs of chairs and tables so they don't scratch the floor when you rearrange the room (yet again).

Binder Clip as Sponge Stand

To prevent a smelly, waterlogged sponge, air-dry it in a binder clip away from the sink.

Panty Hose as Candle Cleaner

Revive a forgotten flickerer. Slide a dusty candle inside a stocking and roll it around.

Baby Oil as Paint Remover

Dab some baby oil on splatters to remove latex paint from skin.

Colander as Toy Scoop

One of the most popular kitchen tools also happens to double as a clean-up aid. Before draining the tub, use a colander to make scooping up small toys fun and easy.

Clothespin as Cord Holder

Keep a retractable cord from rewinding too soon. Just clip the cord near the opening to prevent the cord from being sucked back in too quickly.

Salt as Iron Cleaner

Eliminate sticky residue from an iron. Run the hot iron (no steam) over plain paper sprinkled with salt.

Olive Oil as Sap Remover

If dragging and decking out fresh spruce leaves you with sticky digits, pour a tablespoon of oil onto a cloth, then rub until clean. Bonus: The oil is a great moisturizer for dry winter skin.

Newspaper as Refrigerator Odor Absorber

Absorb odors in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer with a lining of newspaper.

How to Clean Stainless Steel Without Any Chemicals At All

Both durable and shiny, stainless steel is the ideal material for kitchens and bathroom. But as anyone who's owned stainless steel kitchen appliances knows, the name is somewhat of a misnomer. The material is prone to fingerprints, streaks, and water stains. The name "stainless" was originally used to describe the metal's ability to withstand heat and humidity without corroding.

Although this material is tough, harsh abrasives can scratch it or make it rust, so it's important to learn how to clean stainless steel the right way. Follow the steps below to get your stainless steel shiny and have it live up to its name.

• Soft cloth
• Mild dish soap
• White vinegar
• Baking soda

1. Check the manual: Before you clean a stainless steel appliance, it's a smart idea to check the manufacturer's recommendations. Lost the manual? Don't worry, you may be able to find it online. It's important to check the directions for your specific appliance, because there are numerous grades of stainless steel that may be more or less durable, and some appliances are treated with a clear-coat finish, which can be stripped by certain cleaning products.

2. Go with the grain: Just like wood, stainless steel has a grain. Check out the striations on the surface of your appliance, and wipe in that direction, beginning at the top and working your way down.

3. The quick clean: In most cases, wiping down the stainless steel appliance with a clean cloth dipped in hot water should do the trick. But for more stubborn stains, add a drop of dish soap to the water and use the sudsy solution to wipe the surface. Rinse with water and dry thoroughly.

4. The steam clean: To sterilize stainless steel, you can also use a steam cleaner with a nozzle attachment. The steam will disinfect the surface, which can then be wiped dry with a soft cloth. Because stainless steel can scratch easily, avoid using a brush attachment or any stiff cleaning tools.

5. Try vinegar: For stubborn grease spots or water scaling, wet a soft cloth with a diluted solution of 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Wipe the entire surface from top to bottom, but never let vinegar sit on the surface. Follow with a complete rinse and dry.

6. Baking soda scrub: Burned or caked-on messes on stainless steel pots and pans or countertops typically need a bit more attention. Make a soft paste out of baking soda and water and apply to the stain, allowing it to sit for about 20 minutes. Then, scrub the area with a cloth dampened in a solution of water and dish soap. It's important to use a soft cloth and work parallel with the grain to avoid scratches. Be sure to fully rinse and dry.

Chopsticks as Lint Remover

Pluck the lint buildup from a clothes dryer's trap.

Lint Roller as Handbag Cleaner

Quickly clean the interior of your purse by running a lint roller over the lining.

Baby Oil as Chrome Polish

Forget keeping skin soft, baby oil also polishes chrome. Apply a dab to a cotton cloth and use it to shine everything from faucets to hubcaps. You'll end up with shiny, happy surfaces from a medicine-cabinet staple. (Who actually owns chrome cleaner, anyway?)

Hair Spray as Lipstick Stain Remover

Kiss that smudge of Really Red good-bye. If the fabric is machine washable, saturate the spot with hair spray, let it sit for 10 minutes, then dab with a damp cloth or sponge to remove. Launder as usual to wash out any residual stain and spray.

Aluminum Foil as Glassware Scrubber

To get baked-on food off a glass pan or an oven rack, use dishwashing liquid and a ball of foil in place of a steel-wool soap pad, says Mary Findley, president of the cleaning-products developer Mary Moppins. It's one way to recycle those used but perfectly good pieces of foil you hate to throw out.

Baking Soda as Silver Polish

To polish silver: Wash items, then place on aluminum foil in the bottom of a pot. Add a baking-soda solution (¼ cup soda, a few teaspoons salt, 1 quart boiling water) and cover for a few seconds. The result? A chemical reaction that gets the black off the gravy boat.

Broom as Long Distance Duster

To dust crown moldings, place a microfiber rag over the broom's bristles and secure with a rubber band. Then use the long handle to dust areas that your arms can't reach. No more circus acts (starring you, on a rickety, wobbly stool).

Car Wax as Sink Polish

Polish faucets, sinks, tile, even shower doors with Turtle Wax, which leaves behind a protective barrier against water and soap buildup, so your hard-earned sparkle will last past the next tooth-brushing.

Car Wax as Garden Shear Lubricant

For cleaner cuts with less elbow grease, rub a little paste on the hinge of a pair of garden shears so they don't get jammed.

Chalk as Tarnish Prevention

Slow the tarnish on your good silver by tying up a few moisture-absorbing pieces in cheesecloth and store them with your cutlery for shinier flatware that reflects well on you in no time flat.

Coaster as Drip Catcher

Catch the sticky stuff from bottles and jars in cupboards. No more shelves that require a full wipe-down after every spoonful of honey, slather of jam, or glug of olive oil.

Cooking Spray as Candlestick Cleaner

Celebrating by candlelight? Spray the inside of a votive holder with a thin coating before dropping in a tea light. After the candle has burned down, the remaining wax will slip out.

Use Cooking Spray as an Ice Repellent

Before clearing snow off a driveway, liberally spray both sides of a plastic or metal shovel with cooking spray. The ice will slide right off the oily surface. It's the easiest trick for smoother snow removal.

Cotton Ball as Rubber Glove Protector

For leak-resistant gloves at your fingertips, push one cotton ball into the end of each finger of a dishwashing glove to keep sharp nails from splitting the rubber.

Dryer Sheet as Iron Cleaner

Remove gunk from the soleplate of an iron. With the setting on low, rub the iron over the dryer sheet until the residue disappears, and you're left with a pristine press.

Dustpan as Toy Herder

Scoop up small toys―Lego blocks, jacks, Barbie shoes, plastic soldiers—with your dustpan and brush, so you can reclaim your living room for grown-ups.

Eggshells as Bottle and Vase Cleaners

Here's an idea for all those eggs you hard-boiled: Use their broken eggshells to clean the hard-to-reach places in bottles and vases. Drop some crushed shells in the bottle, add warm water and a drop of dishwashing liquid, and give it a good swirl. The shells will scrape off the gunk you can't get to, so you can save your elbow grease for the dinner dishes.

Emery Board as Stain Remover

Remove small stains from suede by gently rubbing the file (either side) across the problem area a few times to get rid of the splotch and refresh the nap.

Fork as Carpet Fluffer

Use the tines to gently fluff plush carpet fibers back to their original height, removing dents left by heavy furniture. Now, that's a real fork lift.

Baking Soda as Linen Freshener

Place an open box of baking soda alongside your stacks of sheets and towels to stave off mustiness.

Baking Soda as Drain Unclogger

To get your drain running again (without resorting to chemicals worthy of a hazmat suit) pour ½ cup soda, then ½ cup vinegar, down a clogged drain. Cover it with a wet cloth, wait 5 minutes, uncover, and flush with steaming-hot water.

Baking Soda as Carpet Freshener

To absorb stale odors from carpet (and to generally freshen up a room), scatter soda on it, wait a few hours, then vacuum up the powder.

Bath Mat as Car Seat Protector

Protect your car seats from muddy paws by covering them with a bath mat or two before packing Lilly the Lab in the backseat. The rubber bottom will help the mat stay in place. Between trips, stow the mat in the trunk.

Car Wax as Stovetop Polish

Preserve a pristine stovetop by applying a thin layer of car wax, then wiping it off. Future spills will lift off easily.

Citrus Peel as Coffee Mug Cleaner

Remove coffee or tea stains from a mug by rubbing them with a lightly salted citrus peel.

Citrus Peel as Garbage Disposal Deodorizer

Keep your disposal smelling fresh by dropping a few peels down the drain and flipping the switch.

Clothespin as Cord Keeper

The secret to keeping a retractable cord from rewinding too soon is to clip the cord near the opening.

Cornmeal as Grease Absorber

Add this to the grocery shopping list for new reasons. Cornmeal absorbs grease on light colored fabric or upholstery. Pour enough on to cover the soiled area and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Vacuum to remove the grains.

Cotton Swab as Computer Detailer

With the machine turned off, disconnect the keyboard and trace between the keys with a cotton swab lightly dipped in isopropyl alcohol. If your mouse is the kind that rolls on a ball, unscrew the bottom and go over the ball and the interior with a cotton swab, too.

Denture Tablet as Vase Cleaner

When residue clings to unreachable spots inside a vase or a decanter, fill the container with warm water and drop in one or two denture-cleaning tablets for every eight ounces of warm water. Let the fizzy solution sit for the time specified on the product's box, then rinse.

Dryer Sheet as Sawdust Clearer

An easy way to keep the work area clean. Saw dust at a work station sweeps up so fast with one pass of a used fabric softener sheet.

Dryer Sheet as Scum Buster

Remove obstinate soap buildup from glass shower doors by sprinkling a few drops of water onto a used fabric-softener sheet and scrubbing.

Emery Board as Eraser Saver

To revive a dried-out eraser or clean a smudged one, lightly rub it over an emery board. The board's fine grain will shave off the eraser's old top layer, leaving you with a good-as-new mistake-removing surface.

Hair Dryer as Sticker Remover

A little hot air quickly loosens price labels—with zero fingernail-chipping frustration.

Lemon as Laundry Brightener

Skip the bleach—add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle to brighter up those fading whites.

Lint Roller as Glitter Pick-Up

Clean up glitter (and tiny pieces of construction paper) after craft time.

Magnet as Trash Bag Holder

Minimize garbage-day malaise. Hold the top of a trash bag in place with magnets so bits don't find their way to the bottom of the bin.

Mustard Powder as Jar Deodorizer

Deodorize smelly glass jars by washing them with a mixture of one teaspoon powdered mustard and one quart warm water.

Newspaper as Window Washer

Newspapers deposit less lint than paper towels do and don't leave any streaks. Just spray on a glass cleaner and wipe.

Onion as Basement Deodorizer

Clear the air in a dank basement. Cut an onion in half, place it on a plate, and leave it out overnight. Once the initial salad-bar aroma dissipates, you'll have a fresh (non-oniony) atmosphere.

Pant Hanger as Drying Rack

Use a pant hanger to air-dry a bath mat after showering. Simply hang it over the shower curtain rod.

Panty Hose as Candle Duster

Remove dust from candles by running it through the leg of an old pair of panty hose.

Rice as Vase Scrubber

Prepare a stained vase for a new batch of blooms. If you can't reach the residue at the bottom, add a tablespoon of rice and a lot of soapy water, shake, and rinse until clean.

Rubber Band as Stemware Securer

Secure wayward stemware in the dishwasher by tethering it to the machine's prongs with rubber bands.

Rubber Glove as Pet Hair Remover

Put on a damp rubber dishwashing glove and run your hand over hair-covered upholstery—the hair will cling to the glove, not the sofa. Rinse off the glove in the sink (with the drain catcher in place, of course).

Rubbing Alcohol as Hairspray Remover

Lift off hair-spray residue from bathroom walls. Spray a mixture of one part rubbing alcohol, two parts water, and a dash of dishwashing liquid onto vinyl wallpaper or semigloss (not flat) paint. Wipe clean.

Rubbing Alcohol as Permanent Marker Remover

Remove permanent marker from countertops and walls. Pour a bit of alcohol onto a cotton ball and rub on the stain. (Spot test on a hidden area first.)

Salt as Wreath Duster

Place a wreath of pinecones or faux evergreen in a paper bag with a 1/4 cup of salt. Fold the top of the bag over and gently shake.

Salt as Salad Wash

Clean dirt from leafy vegetables by washing them in a bath of salt water.

Seam Ripper as Vacuum Roller Cleaner

Restore a vacuum to maximum power by cutting the lint and hair from its roller brush.

Shoe Polish as Furniture Polish

Spruce up wood furniture by filling in scratches with shoe polish in a similar shade.

Shower Curtain as Picnic Blanket Liner

Do dew diligence and layer a liner underneath a picnic blanket to avoid soggy bottoms and grass or mud stains.

Sugar as Hand Degreaser

Cut grease on hands by rubbing them with a mixture of sugar and water.

Electric Toothbrush as Grout Scrubber

Scour bathroom crevices with a battery-powered toothbrush.

Toothpaste as Linoleum Cleaner

Use white toothpaste to buff scuffs out of linoleum tiles.

Tape as Keyboard Cleaner

Make cleaning your computer keys simple: Slide a 2½-inch strip of tape between the rows of your keyboard. The adhesive side will remove dust and crumbs.

Vanilla as Freezer Freshener

Trade frostbite funk for a more pleasing freezer scent and wipe the inside of the icebox with an extract-dampened cotton pad.

Vinegar as Odor Remover

After chopping onions, scrub your hands with salt and a splash of vinegar to eliminate the smell.

Vinegar as Coffeemaker Cleaner

Clean a coffeemaker or a tea kettle by making a pot using a mixture of water and vinegar. Follow with several cycles of water to rinse.

Vinegar as Sticker Remover

Dislodge a stubborn price sticker. Paint with several coats of vinegar, let it sit for five minutes, then wipe away.

Vinegar as Garbage Disposal Deodorizer

Deodorize a garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through the drain.

Walnut as Scratch Filler

Repair hardwood floors by rubbing shelled nuts into shallow scratches. Their natural oils help hide the flaws.

Zippered Plastic Bag as Wax Remover

To freeze wax so you can remove it from a tablecloth, fill a plastic bag with ice cubes and cover the wax with it for about 20 minutes.

Antacid Tablet as Vase Cleaner

Lift bouquet residue from the bottom of a vase. Fill the vase with water, add two tablets, let sit for a few minutes, wipe, and rinse.

Baking Soda as Pan Scrubber

Sprinkle soda on crusted casseroles and roasting pans and let sit for five minutes. Lightly scrub and rinse.

Baking Soda as Crayon Eraser

Sprinkle it on a damp sponge to erase crayon, pencil, and ink from painted surfaces.

Olive Oil as Measuring Spoon Primer

Rub olive oil on measuring cups and spoons coated with sticky substances (like honey) to ease cleaning.

Lemon as Cutting Board Cleaner

To remove tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards, slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing. The best part? You'll have a house that smells like a lemon grove rather than chemicals.

Lemonade Kool-Aid as Dishwasher Cleaner

Clean lime deposits and iron stains inside the dishwasher by pouring a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid (the only flavor that works) into the detergent cup and running the (empty) dishwasher. The citric acid in the mix wipes out stains; you don't have to.

Laundry Bag as Dishwashing Aid

Keep mini Tupperware lids, baby-bottle caps, and other small items from falling through the dishwasher rack. You'll save time by no longer diving for treasure on the floor of the dishwasher.

Lint Roller as Lamp Shade Duster

Run the roller up and down the outside of the lamp shade to get rid of small particles that shouldn't be there. Ah, the satisfaction of knowing that every surface in your living room will pass the white-glove test.

Masking Tape as Scuff Preventor

Keep baseboards free of skid marks when you vacuum. Cover the edges of the vacuum head with masking tape so they won't leave dark smudges when you inevitably bump into the walls. There will be no more black marks on your cleaning record.

Mayonnaise as Adhesive Remover

Banish stickers from mirrors, glass, and bumpers by applying a generous helping of mayo to persistent adhesives. Use a flexible putty knife to help coax them off.

Nail Polish as Rust Preventer

Coat the bottom of a shaving-cream can to fend off rust rings on the ledge of the tub.

Newspaper as Food-Container Deodorizer

Stuff a balled-up piece of newspaper into a plastic container that has developed a funk, and let it sit overnight. By morning the paper will have absorbed the offending smell.

Cooking Oil as Adhesive Remover

Apply cooking oil to the sticker using a paper towel or a soft cloth, rub firmly, then rinse with warm soapy water. (If the adhesive is stubborn, use a dab of toothpaste along with the oil.)

Pillowcase as Ceiling Fan Duster

Slide an old case over a fan's blade then pull the fabric back, keeping all the dust and dirt contained.

Plastic Bag as Kitchen-Cleanup Aid

For no-fuss cleanup, instead of peeling fruits and vegetables over a cutting board or into the sink, do it over a plastic bag. When you're done, flip the peelings into the garbage and rinse the bag to reuse another day, or simply toss the whole shebang into the trash.

Plastic Bags as Hand Protectors

Fact: There are some things you'd just as soon not touch with your bare hands. Use bags as gloves to handle what's messy (say, chicken carcasses) or just plain gross (like the little "presents" the dog leaves in the front yard), then turn them inside out to trap the offending matter within for easy disposal.

Plastic Bag as Shoe Protector

It will never be a fashion trend, but tying bags over your shoes can keep you from tracking mud into the house when you come in, or protect slippers from dirt, snow, or rain when you run out to fetch the paper from the front lawn. (Be careful when walking on smooth surfaces, as the plastic won't give you any traction.)

Rice as Coffee Grinder Cleaner

Mill a handful of grains in your grinder and the fine particles will absorb stale odors and clean out residual grounds and oil. Discard the rice and wipe clean.

Salt as Polishing Agent

Shine brass and copper with a paste made from a few tablespoons of white vinegar and equal parts salt and flour. Apply with a soft cloth, rinse, and dry.