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  1. Real Simple
  2. New Uses for Old Things
  3. Surprising Cleaning New Uses

Surprising Cleaning New Uses

By Real Simple
Updated January 27, 2014
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Baking soda used to clean tub stains
Credit: Hallie Burton
More hidden tricks to get your house sparkling in record time.
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Baking Soda as Tub Scrubber

Baking soda used to clean tub stains
Credit: Hallie Burton

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.

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White Bread as Glass Magnet

White Bread as Glass Magnet
Credit: Philip Friedman; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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Collapsible Laundry Bins as Garbage Bins

Collapsible laundry bins as garbage bins
Credit: John Lawton; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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Coffee Filter as Screen Cleaner

Coffee filter TV screen cleaner
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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

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Salt as Homemade Drain Cleaner

Salt as Drain Cleaner
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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.

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Baking Soda as Stain Remover

Baking soda used as stain remover
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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

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Bleach Bottle as Cat Litter Scoop

Bleach Bottle as Scooper
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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.

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Tennis Ball as Light Bulb Remover

Tennis Ball as Light Bulb Remover
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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Socks as Floor Protector

Socks as Floor Protector
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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).

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Binder Clip as Sponge Stand

Sponge being held by a binder clip
Credit: Levi Brown

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

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Panty Hose as Candle Cleaner

Panty Hose as Candle Cleaner
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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Baby Oil as Paint Remover

Baby Oil as Paint Remover
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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Colander as Toy Scoop

Colander as Toy Scoop
Credit: Erica McCartney; Styling: Kristine Trevino

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.

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Clothespin as Cord Holder

Clothespin as Cord Holder
Credit: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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.

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Salt as Iron Cleaner

Salt as Iron Cleaner
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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Olive Oil as Sap Remover

Olive Oil as Sap Remover
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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.

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Newspaper as Refrigerator Odor Absorber

Newspaper as Odor Absorber
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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How to Clean Stainless Steel Without Any Chemicals At All

How to Clean Stainless Steel, stainless steel slow cooker
Credit: Getty Images

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.

RELATED: Cleaning Kitchen Appliances Checklist

What You'll Need:

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

Follow These Steps:

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.

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Chopsticks as Lint Remover

Chopsticks as Lint Remover
Credit: Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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Lint Roller as Handbag Cleaner

Lint roller as handbag cleaner
Credit: John Lawton; Styling: Linden Elstran

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

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Baby Oil as Chrome Polish

Baby oil, a cloth and faucet
Credit: Kana Okada

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?)

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Hair Spray as Lipstick Stain Remover

Ironed dress shirt with lipstick on collar and hairspray
Credit: James Wojcik

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.

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Aluminum Foil as Glassware Scrubber

Ball of aluminum foil used to scrub glass pan
Credit: Quentin Bacon

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.

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Baking Soda as Silver Polish

Baking soda and silver bowls
Credit: Beatriz da Costa

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.

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Broom as Long Distance Duster

Broom dusting crown molding
Credit: Kana Okada

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).

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Car Wax as Sink Polish

Car wax at a sink
Credit: Frances Janisch

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.

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Car Wax as Garden Shear Lubricant

Car wax and garden shears
Credit: Aya Brackett

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.

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Chalk as Tarnish Prevention

Dinner set on a table.
Credit: Monica Buck

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.

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Coaster as Drip Catcher

Coasters and condiments in a cupboard
Credit: Monica Buck

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.

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Cooking Spray as Candlestick Cleaner

cooking-spray-votives
Credit: James Baigrie

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.

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Use Cooking Spray as an Ice Repellent

Can of cooking spray and a shovel
Credit: Mark Lund

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.

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Cotton Ball as Rubber Glove Protector

Cotton balls, rubber gloves and soap on a sink
Credit: James Baigrie

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.

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Dryer Sheet as Iron Cleaner

Dryer sheets with an iron
Credit: Sang An

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.

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Dustpan as Toy Herder

Toys gathered in a dustpan
Credit: France Ruffenach

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.

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Eggshells as Bottle and Vase Cleaners

Egg shells and vase
Credit: Yunhee Kim

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.

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Emery Board as Stain Remover

Emery Board as Stain Remover
Credit: Monica Buck

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.

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Fork as Carpet Fluffer

Carpet dent and fork
Credit: Monica Buck

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.

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Baking Soda as Linen Freshener

Baking soda used as linen freshener
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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

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Baking Soda as Drain Unclogger

Baking soda used to clean drain
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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.

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Baking Soda as Carpet Freshener

Baking soda used to freshen carpet
Credit: James Baigrie

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.

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Bath Mat as Car Seat Protector

Bath mat used to protect car seats
Credit: Sang An

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.

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Car Wax as Stovetop Polish

Car wax used to preserve stovetop
Credit: Lucas Allen

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

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Citrus Peel as Coffee Mug Cleaner

Citrus peel used to remove coffee and tea stains
Credit: Lucas Allen

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

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Citrus Peel as Garbage Disposal Deodorizer

Citrus peel used to deodorize garbage pail
Credit: James Baigrie

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

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Clothespin as Cord Keeper

Clothespin used to corral retractable power cord
Credit: James Baigrie

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

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Cornmeal as Grease Absorber

Cornmeal used to absorb grease stains
Credit: Kate Sears

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.

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Cotton Swab as Computer Detailer

Cotton swab computer detailer
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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.

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Denture Tablet as Vase Cleaner

Denture tablet used to clean vases
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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.

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Dryer Sheet as Sawdust Clearer

dryer sheet used to wipe sawdust
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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.

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Dryer Sheet as Scum Buster

Dryer sheet used to remove soap scum
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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

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Emery Board as Eraser Saver

Emery board used to revitalise an eraser
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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.

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Hair Dryer as Sticker Remover

Hair dryer used to remove price stickers
Credit: Christopher Coppola

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

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Lemon as Laundry Brightener

Lemon used to brighten whites
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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

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Lint Roller as Glitter Pick-Up

Lint roller used to clean glitter
Credit: James Wojick

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

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Magnet as Trash Bag Holder

Magnets used to hold garbage bag in palce
Credit: Sang An

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.

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Mustard Powder as Jar Deodorizer

Mustard powder used to deodorize glasses
Credit: James Baigrie

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

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Newspaper as Window Washer

Newspaper used to clean mirror
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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

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Onion as Basement Deodorizer

Onoin used as deodorizer
Credit: James Baigrie

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.

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