8 Essential Household Items for Quick Fixes
Do you find yourself constantly running to the grocery store to pick up a can of Lysol because your kids have poured Kool-Aid on the floor again? There are tons of items in our homes that are practical tools for any quick fix when combined with just a little knowledge. The key is being able to identify these items and knowing how to use them.
Below is a list of 8 items that may be in your home and could potentially help you with a quick fix:
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda can serve as an all-purpose cleaner, deodorizer, and stain remover. Just make sure to mix it with water or an organic soap to form a paste if you plan on using it as a deodorant (it will not serve its purpose above ground). It works great on removing odors like cigarette smoke if left overnight in sealed jars or bowls near the smelly area.
Not only can baking soda remove odors, but it also absorbs moisture very well–like when we’ve had spills in our kitchens! If you’re looking to clean up kool-aid spilled on the floor, mix baking soda and water to make a paste and apply it to the affected area.
Please wait for it to dry out and then use a scrubber to remove what’s left behind. This same technique can be used on carpets or couches that have been damaged by pets too!
2. Lemons/Lemon Juice
If you’re looking for something with a little more bite than just baking soda, lemons, and lemon juice work well in the battle against smells–especially when combined with vinegar.
Just like baking soda can absorb moisture, so too does lemon juice! If you’ve got some mold in your refrigerator, pour some lemon juice in a jar and let sit overnight. In the morning, grab an old toothbrush and scrub away!
3. Vinegar
Vinegar serves as an all-in-one cleaner, deodorizer, and stain remover. It’s great for removing smells like smoke or cutting grease because it breaks down the fat, making it easy to wipe up with a cloth.
Mix vinegar with water to make a solution of about 10% vinegar and spray on fabric stained by coffee, tea, ink, grass stains, etc. Let sit for 20 minutes before washing as normal–voila!
4. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an all-purpose cleaner and works great for getting rid of mold and mildew. It’s also a good ingredient for making your carpet cleaner and a cleaning solution that can be used with vinegar to remove stains on fabric or car upholstery.
Just mix hydrogen peroxide, water, and dish soap with equal parts together to form a solution!
5. Salt
Table salt has many uses, such as deodorizing garbage disposals, scrubbing pots and pans, removing tough stains from clothing (like oil spills), polishing silverware, eliminating the buildup of hard water deposits in faucets & sinks, etc.
Salts high in magnesium are also great for purifying and cleaning your pool.
6. Aluminum Foil
Have you ever noticed how we often cover our dishes with aluminum foil when we’re cooking things in the oven to prevent them from getting overcooked or burned?
Well, little did you know that if you place fresh fruits or vegetables into airtight containers covered by tin foil overnight, they’ll be nice and crisp by morning!
The aluminum foil absorbs excess moisture, which makes for a crisper texture when eating your produce.
6. Toothpaste
Toothpaste is excellent for removing scratches in DVDs, CDs, and the clear plastic cases of video games. Just place a dab of toothpaste on the disc or game cover and scrub away with water!
You can also use toothpaste in your garden to keep slugs, snails, and beetles away.
7. Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol can clean just about anything in your house–from countertops to sinks, metals, glass & ceramics, even wood floors. It’s also great for removing ink stains from fabric or clothes if left overnight. But be careful when using it indoors because its fumes are flammable!
8 Tape
Tape is useful for so many things, like taping shut holes in buckets or other types of containers. It can even be used to weed the garden! Tape over any weeds you wish gone, wait a few days, and then remove–the roots will still be intact within the ground!
Also, the strongest double sided tape can be used in quick fixes for things like broken lamps or any DIY projects at home.
In conclusion, these are just a sampling of all the things that can be used around your house to fix issues quickly, but there are even more tools you should have at home for fixing minor problems that need attention.
For example, knowing how to change an electrical outlet or install new lighting fixtures will save you time & money in the long run!
