If you don’t feel like heading to the store to pick up some cleaning products, fear not, you may have what you need already lying around the house. Here’s a list of some foods you can use to clean your house:
1. Lemons
Whilst many everyday cleaning products might be lemon scented, nothing beats the real thing. The acidity of lemons make them a great de-greaser and deodorizer. From leaving a few wedges in the sink after you finish the dishes, to microwaving half a lemon to clean a microwave, these sour citrus fruits are good for a multitude of cleaning tasks.
2. White vinegar
White vinegar is not just a great addition to your salad dressing – it’s also a natural disinfectant, de-scaler, and stain remover. Next time you have a dirty mirror, dilute some vinegar in water and spray it on, wipe it down and you’re done. Also, a cap-full of this stuff in the washing machine will take out any smells on clothes and make your towels fluffy.
3. Baking soda
Baking soda isn’t just good for baking. It works as an abrasive cleaner and deodoriszer to clean almost anything in your house. Use it in the shower, in the oven and on any tough carpet stains as a natural one-stop-shop for keeping your house looking beautiful!
4. Salt
With salt’s grittiness, it’s no surprise that it’s a great household cleaner. Got a pan that’s seen better days? Pour some coarse salt in there and get going with a scouring sponge, this is one of the easiest ways to remove any nasty residue lingering at the bottom of frying pans and skillets.
5. Olive oil
That’s right, olive oil isn’t just good for cooking, it actually makes a great furniture polish. Not only is olive oil a much cheaper option than actual furniture polish, but it’s also more eco-friendly. So now, you can save the environment and keep your coffee table looking polished.
6. Cornstarch
Not just good for thickening sauces. Cornstarch is actually a great carpet and window cleaner. Mix the stuff with warm water into a thick paste and spread it on any tough carpet stains, once it has dried, simply hoover it up. Or, dilute it down even further and simply spray onto to windows and wipe away for an effortless clean.
7. Club soda
Club soda isn’t just good in your cocktails, it’s actually a natural stain remover and glass cleaner. Pour club soda directly onto stainless steel countertops and sinks, then just wipe with a soft cloth, rinse with warm water and wipe dry. That’s it. Plenty of time for a lime soda afterwards.
8. Lavender
With its calming scent, it’s no surprise that lavender has many more uses than in your herbal teabags. Just get some dried lavender and distribute it between small drawstring bags and place them in any drawers where you want the calming smell to linger.
9. Tea bags
Who doesn’t love a hot tea on a cold night? Well, you’ll love it even more when you find out that tea bags are natural deoderizers. Got some gym shoes that have been stinking up you house? Place a tea bag in each of the shoes and leave them overnight; the tea bags will absorb the smell and leave your shoes smelling fresh as a daisy.
10. Citrus peel
Any citrus fruit will work for this one so don’t throw away that peel next time! Place your citrus peels in a spray bottle and cover with a solution of half warm water, half white vinegar. Leave the mixture to infuse for a few days and there you have it, a citrusy scented multi-purpose cleaner.
11. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a great insect repellant because it has lots of eugenol, which can be found in most store-bought bug sprays. Its strong aroma can also disrupt insect pheromones and interrupt communication between ants. To make your own cinnamon bug spray, dilute 10 teaspoons of cinnamon in warm water and place in a spray bottle. The perfect way to keep your house bug-free.
12. Coffee grounds
Due to their coarseness, coffee grounds are great for getting tough stains out of hard surfaces. They also act as a natural deodorizer and, due to their anti-viral properties, are great as an antibacterial cleaner too. So, next time you brew a coffee – don’t waste the grounds!
13. Baking powder
Although it looks the same as baking soda, baking powder has different properties and can therefore be used for different cleaning purposes. It’s another natural deodorizer, so sprinkling it at the bottom of your trash can or in your cat’s litter tray will make sure no nasty smells linger around your home.
14. Grapefruit seed extract
When we tuck into a grapefruit we might spit out the seeds; but grapefruit seed extract is a great solution for any mold you may find around your house. Dilute 10 drops of the extract in a spray bottle with warm water and spray the surface affected by mold, then simply wipe it down with a cloth. Repeat this everyday until the mold is gone.
15. Cucumber slices
Simply rub cucumber slices on stainless steel surfaces and wipe away with warm water for a gleaming shine. Many parents also swear by cucumber as a way to remove crayon from walls. Rub an unpeeled cucumber on the scribbles and it should act an eraser until your walls look good as new.
16. Rice
Yes, instant coffee is definitely quicker, but once you get a coffee grinder for fresh espresso you won’t go back. However, if your coffee grinder gets clogged up with old coffee, it can affect the quality of your brew. If you notice your coffee grinder getting a bit of build-up, simply run some rice through it to give it a bit of a refresh.
17. Potatoes
As odd as it sounds, potatoes are actually a great way to remove rust from metal surfaces. Potatoes contain oxalic acid which is a powerful rust-remover. To try this technique, cut a potato in half and sprinkle dish soap and baking soda on the cut piece, then simply rub it on the rust.
18. Mayonnaise
Forgot to put a coaster down on your coffee table? Have no fear, mayonnaise will take those water rings right out. Just rub some mayo on the surface and scrub with a soft cloth, then just rinse with a damp cloth until the table is clean and you’re good to go.
19. Toothpaste (non-gel)
Not only will it leave your house smelling minty fresh, but toothpaste is great for removing any scuff marks off of metal surfaces and polishing silver. So, whether it’s your taps or your favorite piece of jewelry, give it a shine with some toothpaste.
20. Coconut oil
Coconut oil has many uses, from skincare to cooking, it really is a wonder product. But, did you know it’s good for cleaning too? Simply rub some of the oil on your leather furniture to give it a nice sheen and also to remove any lingering odors.
21. Orange oil
Not only does orange oil smell amazing and make a good addition to any cookie recipe, but it can be used as a natural furniture polish. Much like olive oil, just rub some of this stuff on your wooden furniture and you’ll have it looking good as new and with a nice citrusy smell.
22. Eggshells
Eggshells are the perfect texture for cleaning tough dirt and grime off of pots and skillets. Just add the shells to some soapy water and get scrubbing. Just remember to wear gloves in case of any sharp edges. Next time you make scrambled eggs, keep the shells to clean the pot.
23. Beeswax
Everyone knows honey is a delicious addition to almost any meal, but did you know that you can use beeswax as a natural furniture polish? Not only that, soaking some parchment paper in melted down beeswax is a great alternative to saran wrap and keeps your food fresher for longer.
24. Oatmeal
Oatmeal isn’t just a good choice for breakfast, it’s actually great for cleaning surfaces without leaving any marks. The oats’ texture act as a gentle abrasive if you mix them with some soapy water and wipe down your stainless steel worktops, leaving your surfaces shiny and new.
25. Alka-Seltzer tablets
Alka-Seltzer tablets’ fizzy reaction with water make them a great toilet cleaner. Just drop a few in your bowl along with some nice smelling toilet cleaner to create a fun fizzy effect and an effective clean in no time. Then, once you’re done scrubbing, just flush it away.
26. Rosewater
Not only is rose water a delicate addition to a cupcake recipe, but it makes a great spray for linen. When your sheets are fresh out of the dryer, just spray the linen with some rose water to lock in long-lasting freshness for a restful night’s sleep. Simply gorgeous!
27. Walnut shells
Walnuts are great for filling in any small holes in hardwood floors. If you notice a big scratch on your floor, just rub a walnut shell over the area until the scratch is gone. The woody texture of the shell will grind down and create a seamless filler, leaving your floor looking as good as new.
28. Ketchup
Although ketchup might make anyone who’s ever been around kids only think of stains, it’s actually a great brass cleaner. It’s acidic properties gently clean brass leaving it shiny and new. Just rub ketchup on your brass object, wipe with a gentle scourer and then rinse.
29. Worcestershire sauce
Similar to ketchup, this rich brown sauce is great for cleaning your silverware. If you have some silver cutlery that’s seen better days, just soak it in a tub of Worcestershire sauce for a few hours. Then just remove the cutlery and rinse for a shiny new lease of life.
30. Molasses
Yes, this thick, syrupy stuff is actually a great way to remove rust from tools and iron objects. If your toolkit is looking like it needs a bit of a clean, just rub some Molasses on the tools, give them a good wipe and then rinse well until no sticky residue remains.
31. Chopped onions
Chopped onions act as a good insect repellent. This may come as no surprise, given the reaction humans have to the smell that comes from chopping onions. However, if you notice that your vegetable patch is looking a little lacklustre, fill a spray bottle with some chopped onions and hot water and spray this mixture over the leaves.
32. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar’s acidic properties make it a great natural copper cleaner. Just leave any copper items that need a good clean soaking in some apple cider vinegar and then when you rinse it a few hours later, the copper will look shiny and new.
33. Banana peels
Next time you have a banana as a snack, don’t throw away the peel. Just rub the banana peel over your shoes and buff clean with a soft cloth so that no residue is left. Once you’re done, your shoes will have a new lease on life.
33. Cabbage leaves
Cabbage leaves are actually a great food for bringing dull brassware back to life. Simply rub a few clean leaves (rinse them first to get rid of any soil/dirt) on your brassware to make sure they come up nice and shiny. The residue from leaves acts as a nice natural polish that’s cost-effective.
34. Red wine
Red wine is full of antioxidants, which is why many people use it to clean their fruits and veggies. If you open a bottle of red wine that’s not to your exact taste, or you have one that you didn’t quite finish before it went bad, use it to get any nasty toxins off of your fruit and vegetables. Just remember to rinse them with water afterwards.
35. White wine
This is a cleaning hack that many people swear by; using white wine to neutralize red wine stains. Although it sounds counterproductive, pouring enough white wine to cover the red wine stain will help the red pigment come out of your carpet or tablecloth.
36. Vodka
Vodka’s high alcohol content makes it a great disinfectant. Just wipe down any surfaces you want to be super clean and then rinse with warm water. It also works well for removing permanent marker off of desks and countertops.
37. Cola
Cola’s high acidity may not be so good for your teeth, but it’s great for cleaning toilets. Pour a can of any brand cola down your toilet and let it do it’s things for around two hours, then just scrub with a toilet brush and flush away. Your toilet will be sparkly clean.
38. Beer
Beer may smell bad if spilt on a carpet in some dirty downtown bar, but it can clean everything from battered pots to your favorite coins. Soak your copper items in some beer for 5-10 minutes and then wipe clean to remove any build-up of dirt. It really is that easy.
39. Powdered orange drink
Ever thought that powdered orange drinks like Tang would be useful around the house? Pour some of the powder into the detergent slot of your empty dishwasher and run the dishwasher through a cycle. The powder will clean the dishwasher’s drains and leave it smelling citrusy fresh.
40. Bread
Good old reliable bread, always a savior when you have a hunger pang and surprisingly great for cleaning up glass. Use the soft texture of the bread to cover your hand whilst you lift up any shards so you don’t end up hurting yourself.