Have you ever considered the high price of cleaning supplies and thought, “I bet I already have what I need at home.” The answer is, yes, you most likely do have exactly what you need to pull off successful cleaning hacks for your home.
DIY house cleaning hacks
Here are some of the most creative and unexpected DIY house cleaning hacks you can achieve with common household items.
Remove crayon marks with toothpaste
This simple trick could be a lifesaver when you’ve got company coming and your little rascal decided to go full Monet on your dining room wall. Rub a small dab of non-gel toothpaste over the mark with a cloth and rinse with warm water. Ta-da!
Clean your copper with ketchup
Get your copper pots and utensils to shine by squirting a glob of ketchup onto a scouring pad and scrubbing until all the discoloration disappears. Why does this work so well? There’s just enough vinegar in the ketchup to get the job done.
Line your flowerpots with coffee filters
Indoor plants can give your space fresh energy and a pop of green, but those flecks of soil that spill out the bottom every time you water them are just plain annoying. Avoid this spillage by lining the bottom of the flowerpot with a coffee filter before planting, which will catch any bits of soil that try to seep through the drainage holes (but still allow for water to get through). Less mess, less stress.
DIY home improvement hacks
Reduce, reuse, and upcycle! Our favorite DIY house hacks take items you already have and put them to good use. Consider the following:
Upcycle your own fire-starters
No matter if you live alone or have a family of 12, empty toilet paper rolls and dryer lint happen all the time. Instead of throwing them away, put them to use by turning them into handy fire-starters. Stuff the toilet paper rolls with the dryer lint and wrap them in wax paper like a candy cracker. Bonus Tip: take these on camping trips for easy campfire kindling.
Restore leather with olive oil
Whether your dog has damaged the couch or your favorite belt looks worn, olive oil is a natural, inexpensive way to recondition faded and scratched leather surfaces. Take a rag and a liberal amount of olive oil, rub it in evenly and watch as the leather quickly absorbs all the moisture to look like new. Just be sure to remove any excess oil to avoid staining your clothes afterward!
Prevent weeds with newspaper or cardboard
Newspaper and cardboard do wonders for hacking home improvement projects in the garden! It works comparably well to pricey landscaping fabric when used at the bottom of a garden bed or around new plantings. Be sure to wet the newspaper to prevent it from blowing away before putting mulch on top!
Keeping your household running as smoothly as possible requires year-round home maintenance, from winterizing your home to freshening up with spring home maintenance.
