Using Cooking Ingredients to Clean Your House

By Maid Brigade of Northern Connecticut

Need to clean the house but are out of cleaners? Look no farther than your pantry!

There are several common cooking items that can be used to make your home look and smell better.

Lemons, because of the citrus, can get grime off the microwave, remove stains from linens, and shine brass.

You could take a scoop of uncooked rice, add it to warm water and a little dish detergent, and swish it around the inside of a vase to get the hard-to-reach spots.

Ketchup can be used to shine copper – or your car!

The course texture of table salt can erase stains from butcherblock countertop and can get stuck-on food off your cast-iron skillet.

If you have a scratch or scuff on your wood furniture, rub it with a walnut (with no shell).

Powdered lemon or orange drink, due to the citric acid, can be used to get rid of rust and stains in your dishwasher.

Have some cream of tartar laying around? You can use it to remove the gray residue on aluminum utensils after they come out of the dishwasher.

Baking soda can be used to clean almost anything. If you mix it with warm water, you can use it as an all-purpose cleaner and can even shine your jewelry with it.

Vinegar is another great cleaning tool. You can use it to freshen laundry, lift stains from carpet, brighten windows, and much more.

Vodka can also be used to clean your home. Use it to deodorize clothes and shine chrome and porcelain fixtures.

Vegetable and plant-based oils, such as olive and sunflower, dislodge dirt, diminish scratches and imperfections, and hydrate wood that has aged or dried out from exposure to the sun. You can use it on cast-iron pans, your hands, leather shoes, rattan and wicker furniture, wood furniture, and stainless steel surfaces.

Who knew that these ingredients were so helpful for things other than cooking?

Need a little help around the house, give Maid Brigade of Central Connecticut a call at 860-645-6243 and we’ll help you out.