Household Foodstuffs That Double as Cleaners

Photo courtesy: Real Simple

There are quite a few foods that can double as dirt-busting crime fighters. Here are 10 of them, what they clean and how to use them.

Use white bread to: Dust an oil painting. Gently dab a slice of white bread over the surface to pick up dirt and grime. (When finished throw used slice and rest of loaf in garbage. IMHO, the only thing white bread is good for is constipation.)

Use ketchup to: Remove tarnish from copper and brass cookware. Squeeze ketchup onto a cloth and rub it on pots and pans. They should go back to their coppery color in minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel. This works equally well on brass bedsteads; or, anything else made of brass or copper.

Use oatmeal to: Scrub very dirty hands. Make a thick paste of oatmeal and water; rinse well. If you have a skin condition or an itchy rash, take a cup of oatmeal and wrap it in cheesecloth. Hold under the tap while bath is running - oatmeal starch is extremely soothing.

Use rice to: Clean the inside of a vase or a thin-necked bottle. Fill three quarters of the vessel with warm water and add a tablespoon of uncooked rice. Cup your hand over the opening, shake vigorously, and rinse. Add a few grains of rice to your salt cellar to keep salt dry and free-flowing.

Use tea to: Scour rusty garden tools. Brew a few pots of strong black tea. When cool, pour into a bucket. Soak the tools for a few hours. Wipe each one with a cloth. Wear rubber gloves or your hands will be stained. Your houseplants will benefit from a semi-yearly drink of tea - it helps the soil.

Use glycerin to: Remove dried wax drippings from candlesticks. Peel off as much wax as possible, then moisten a cotton ball with glycerin and rub until clean. Add a few drops of glycerin to your bath for smooth skin.

Use club soda to: Shine up a scuffed stainless-steel sink. Buff with a cloth dampened with club soda, then wipe dry with another clean cloth.

Use hydrogen peroxide to: Disinfect a keyboard. Dip a cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide to get into those nooks and crannies. Rinse your teeth after brushing with it for whiter teeth and a more sanitary mouth. Do NOT swallow the peroxide. It works well as a wound treatment also. Clean with hydrogen peroxide for a sterile wound before bandaging. Be prepared, hydrogen peroxide foams when it touches open skin. P.S. Check the label of your mouthwash bottle. It's the hydrogen peroxide in the mouthwash that whitens your breath. Buy a bottle, it's cheaper.

Use cornstarch to: Clean grease spills on carpets. Pour cornstarch onto spots and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes before vacuuming. Cornstarch is also cheaper and healthier than talcum powder. Got a bottom or other body part that needs some powder - use cornstarch.

Use rubbing alcohol to: Erase permanent-marker stains from finished wood floors or solid-surface countertops. Pour rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and apply.

Via Real Simple