Vinegar – Vinegar can serve as a cheap and effective disinfectant. It’s friendly to the environment and safe for kids and pets!

Lemon – The acidity of lemon makes this product perfect for cleaning tough messes and for erasing unsavory odors.

Baking soda – Safe for use and non-toxic, baking soda is a great cleaning and deodorizing product to keep in your arsenal.

Clean your drains – Pour 1 cup of baking soda down your drain, then 1 cup of white distilled vinegar, heated. Wait about five minutes before running hot water to clear the substance away. This will clean your drain and remove unpleasant odors.

Clean your microwave – In a microwave-safe container, mix ½ cup of water and ½ cup of white distilled vinegar. Let this mixture reach a rolling boil in the microwave. This will result in deodorization and loosening of food that has stuck to the sides of the microwave. Use a cloth or sponge to clean away the substances.

Remove offensive garbage odors – Drop ½ cup baking soda at the bottom of your outdoor garbage bins to prevent mold, mildew, and bacteria.

Clean your garbage disposal – Run your garbage disposal and drop in the halves of a cut lime or lemon, one by one. Not only will this help clean your sink’s drain, it will also give it a nice smell!

Clean hard water stains – Cut a fresh lemon in half and rub the fruit against a hard water stain for a natural, safe, and good-smelling fix.

Clean teakettles / coffee pots – You rely on your teakettle or coffeemaker for your daily fix, so it’s worth taking care of! If mineral deposits have started to develop in your teapot or there are burned out areas on the bottom of your coffee pot, just add ice cubes, lemon slices, salt, and just a bit of water. Swirl the mixture and then leave it while you sleep for a natural remedy.

Remember to clean from “top to bottom” – Inexperienced housekeepers often undo their own work by vacuuming before dusting or cleaning their bookshelves before cobwebbing. Remember, clean from the “top to the bottom,” paying attention to your ceiling and ceiling fans and high book shelves before your tables, low furniture, flowers, countertops, and so on. And always clean the floors last!

Dried glue – Use WD 40 to clean away dried-on glue from just about any surface; just spray, leave it for half a minute, and wipe with a damp rag!

Dusty ceiling fans – Spray WD 40 on the tops of the blades of your ceiling fans and then wipe to prevent dust from building up.

Furniture indentations in the carpet – Moving furniture around? Just place ice cubes in the carpet indentations where your furniture used to stand. Let it sit over night. The next day, use a fork to perk up the carpet in that area.

Scuff marks – If your hardwood, vinyl, or linoleum floors have been damaged with scuff marks, all you need is a school eraser to clear those marks away! Another safe and quick remedy? Work in white toothpaste sprinkled with a touch of baking soda, then wipe the spot with a damp rag.

Dirty mirrors – Clean your mirrors like a pro with vinegar and yesterday’s newspaper!

Scratches in wooden furniture – Here’s a clever fix for wood scratches: Find a crayon that matches the wood, and draw over the scratches. Then, using a hair dryer, heat the crayon marking and use a soft rag to buff into the scratch. For scratches in cherry or mahogany furnishings, purchase iodine.

Blinds and baseboards – Snag a dryer fabric softener strip from your laundry room to clean baseboards and window blinds. Not only is this an effective dusting tool, it also leaves behind a light residue that prevents dust buildup. Plus, it gets rid of static!

Red wine stains – Red wine stains can be quite a conundrum for housekeepers—particularly if they occur on light-colored rugs or carpets. First, sprinkle salt over the stain and leave for 15 minutes. The absorbent salt will turn from white to pink. Then brush the spot or vacuum the salt. Next, add two parts water to one part white distilled vinegar and clean the spot thoroughly.

Smelly dishwasher – When was the last time you cleaned your dishwasher? Get rid of icky odors with this simple clean: Just toss some borax in the bottom of the dishwasher and let it sit overnight, then wipe all interior surfaces with a wet cloth or sponge. Then, just load the dishwasher as usual and run it.

Mineral deposits on shower fixtures – Tie a sandwich bag filled with undiluted white vinegar around your showerhead and let it sit all night. The next day, scrub away the mineral deposits with a brush—it will be shiny as new!

Pet odors / stains – Purchase a bacteria / enzyme digester at the pet store to clean away the odors and stains left by pets. Read the instructions on the label carefully so you know how long the digester needs to sit. Make sure to use enough so that it reaches all the way through your rug or carpet to the layer beneath. Mark off the area so no one walks on it before it is dry.

Dirty shower curtains – Shower curtains are some of the worst culprits in the house when it comes to mold and mildew. Plus, they are often streaked with soap residue. To clean your shower curtains, just toss them in the washing machine with a few old towels. Add 1 cup of white vinegar and ½ cup of your regular laundry detergent. Add warm water to your washing machine, then run a typical wash cycle. Take the curtain out and hang it up in the shower again right away.