26 Alternative Household Cleaners A-Z

October 28, 2014

26 Alternative Household Cleaners A-Z. Here are some common household items that double as unexpected cleaners:

Apple Cider Vinegar – All-purpose household cleaner that can be used for most of the same uses as white vinegar. When mixed with water, apple cider vinegar also works as a flea repellent for your pets. Just make a solution with 50% cider vinegar and 50% water, spray on your pet’s fur, and let it dry.
Baking Soda – Baking soda is the powerhouse of odor removers! We all know about keeping an open box of baking soda in the fridge and freezer. Other less known uses include sprinkling some baking soda in the bottom of your kitchen trash can, using it to freshen up re-usable food containers, and also in the laundry (just substitute baking soda for half of the laundry detergent). To freshen up and deodorize your garbage disposal, grind some ice cubes sprinkled with baking soda through it.
Cola – Cleans grease or oil stains from a garage floor or driveway; it can also be used as a floor tile grout cleaner
Distilled White Vinegar – Has truly endless uses as an all-purpose household cleaner! In addition to being a great cleaner on its own, white vinegar can also be mixed with other substances to clean certain surfaces, for instance, with ammonia to clean glass, or with baking soda to clean a dirty BBQ grill.
Eucalyptus Oil – This is a natural anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and deodorizing agent. Mix a few drops of eucalyptus oil into a spray bottle of white vinegar and water, to create a natural anti-bacterial spray. It is also a great pest deterrent!
Fabric Softener – Surprisingly good no-effort cleaner for baked-on gunk. Just mix some fabric softener into the water that you use to soak that dirty baking dish, and the gunk should wipe right off later on. Fabric softener is also good for cleaning soap scum from shower doors, and for keeping your paint brushes soft and pliable; just put a few drops in with the final rinse when you are cleaning your brushes.
Gatorade – Not just a sports drink anymore, Gatorade cleans stains from your toilet bowl! Pour in 2 cups of Gatorade, and let it sit for an hour before brushing and flushing.
Hydrogen Peroxide – A cheap and effective cleaner, hydrogen peroxide should always be stored in an opaque spray bottle, rather than a clear one, because light exposure makes it less effective. Because hydrogen peroxide is non-toxic, it is a fine cleaner to use around food, such as to clean cutting boards, countertops and the refrigerator and dishwasher.
Isopropyl (Rubbing) Alcohol – Good for cleaning and disinfecting your phone, isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol also makes a great defroster for your car windows on cold winter mornings. Just put some in a spray bottle and spray it on, and you won’t need to bother with scraping!
Just Water – H2O, the substance of life, is also a great cleaner, and the base of many great cleaners. Need we say more?
Ketchup – Ketchup, you say? Really? Well, ketchup is a surprisingly good cleaner for copper and brass. Try it to remove tarnish from copper cookware!
Lime – Lime juice can be used for all the same purposes as lemon juice for cleaning, plus, it makes an excellent rust remover! Just sprinkle some salt on the rusty surface, squeeze a lime over it, and then scrub the rust off (you can even use the lime rind as your scrubber, and then toss it when you are done)
Malt Vinegar – Same uses as apple cider vinegar and white vinegar
Newspaper – A good choice for cleaning windows
Onion – Can be used to clean a BBQ grill (cut it in half and then use it as a final surface cleaner after scrubbing the grate with a wire brush). You can also use an onion to clean a rusty knife. Just stick the knife into a large whole onion, and pull it out.
Peppermint Oil – Peppermint oil is a good anti-bacterial agent when you add it to a spray bottle of another natural cleaner, such as vinegar and water. It also gives your cleaning solutions a bright, refreshing, clean scent!
Quinine (tonic water) – a good stain-lifter, particularly if it is used when the stain is fresh. Quinine also makes a great freshener liquid for vases of cut flowers!
Rice Vinegar – Same uses as other vinegars
Shaving Cream – Cleans mirrors, removes (fresh) carpet stains, and even serves as a handy hand cleaner for camping trips! Be sure to use plain white foam shaving cream, NOT the gel type.
Toothpaste – As with shaving cream, avoid the gel type for cleaning jobs. Just use plain white toothpaste to: clean car headlight covers, piano keys, chrome faucets, and your clothes iron.
UV Light – Effectively disinfects still water, such as that found in aquariums and backyard ponds.
Vanilla Extract – Effective deodorizer for refrigerators and microwaves. Wipe down refrigerator shelves with a cotton ball dipped in vanilla extract and water. To freshen up the smell of your microwave, just microwave a small amount of vanilla in a bowl for 15 seconds.
Witch Hazel – Makes a good jewelry cleaner. Also makes a good bathroom cleaner when mixed with lemon juice and baking soda.
Xylene – Is a paint thinner
Yellow Lemon – A natural disinfectant, lemon works especially well as a kitchen surface cleaner and deodorizer in combination with baking soda. It also dissolves soap scum.
Zero Coke (cola) – Has the same uses as regular cola.