6 Foods That Can Clean Your House

Lemons

You don't need lemon-scented cleaners to clean your house — you just need lemons! With their mildly acidic properties, lemons can be used to cut through grease and grime on your stove and appliances. They can also shine up brass objects so long as they are made of actual brass and not just brass plated.

Club Soda

Don't stress about spilling this drink! In fact, spill it on any of your stained carpets or fabrics and watch the cleaning power of club soda work its magic. A spot dab will do you, and just gently blot the dab away.

Vinegar

Mix vinegar with a little lemon juice, and you can clean and disinfect your countertops and bathroom surfaces. Keep it away from any stone, and it will be the best weapon in your cleaning arsenal. Another neat trick to clean your drains of funky smells from food caught in pipe grooves is with a little baking soda and vinegar — that's right, make a grade-school volcano and your pipes can get a quick, safe clean.

Onion

Give your grill a rubdown with an onion and you'll watch the caked-on grease and grime vanish from your grill grates. Turn your grill's heat up super high, and with a long grill fork, stab an onion, and with the flat side down, rub along the grill grates.

Mayo

If your coffee table has water ring damage, a spoonful of mayo will help take it away. Spoon a glob of it on the stain and let it set for a few minutes. Take a damp cloth and gently rub the mayo in. Allow it to sit, and then with a wet cloth wipe excess mayo away, followed up by a soft buffing cloth.

Cucumber

Use slices of cucumber to polish any stainless steel products for a flawless shine!

*This article was originally published August 2014