Many household items we buy are affordable and surprisingly versatile. They can serve multiple purposes, providing us with a range of solutions. Here are a few items that demonstrate this versatility.
Irish Spring Soap
Yes, you can use it to wash your hands or body, but did you know that Irish Spring soap repels unwelcome critters that belong outside? Irish Spring Soap has a strong scent that many animals do not enjoy. Use a cheese grater and sprinkle outside your home to repel rabbits or deer.
Another use for Irish Spring soap is to take extra shavings or whole or half bars and put them under your sink to repel pest-prone spots. Remember that if you put soap where you keep food, you want to keep how you store the item so your food doesn’t absorb the scent of the soap. The same soap can repair a sticky door if you rub it on the frame. The last use of Irish Spring soap is to prevent your mirror from fogging up. How? Run a bar over the entire surface, then clean it with a dry, soft cloth. This small action will prevent mirrors from fogging up in the first place!
White Vinegar
Another versatile item is white vinegar. It can remove rust, descale coffee machines, and enhance laundry by making towels soft, fluffy, and odor-free while brightening whites and colors. To deter mice, place a vinegar-soaked paper towel where they are active, like under the stove.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has many uses. It can be used to whiten teeth and put in your fridge to keep it smelling great. Another great use for baking soda is to make your air freshener. Fill a small jar with 1/3 cup of 10-15 drops of essential oil, a small patch of a paper towel, and string or ribbon; shake it, and the scent will fill the room. If you use baking soda and white Vinegar, it can help unclog a drain.
Baby Oil
Photo Credit: Anshu A
Did you know Baby oil can remove your makeup versus buying more expensive makeup removal? Baby oil can remove both makeup and mascara, even a waterproof base. It is often cheaper to buy than makeup removal. Just put on the area where you want to remove makeup and wash your face with soap; the makeup will disappear. Another use for baby oil is to make your reed defusers. All you need to do is find a nice container, Reed sticks, Some Essential oil scent 15-20 drops you like, Baby Oil or coconut oil that should fill a 1/4 of the container and one tablespoon of rubbing alcohol or vodka, and you have a reed defuser at a fraction of the price.
Vaseline
Yes, Vaseline is great when your lips are chapped or you have redness under your nose during cold and flu season, but it also has some great uses in your home.
Vaseline can help solve a lock turnover problem when you don’t have WD40 handy. I use a little Vaseline on the lock, which glides in and turns over easier. Another use for Vaseline is when your leather goods are looking dull. Rub a little Vaseline on your leather goods, bags, and shoes to keep the leather soft and give them a nice sheen.
If you have a squeaky door or cabinet, take a Q-tip and some Vaseline and dab it on the hinge. If you are trying to remove leftover wax from a candle container, take some Vaseline and coat it around the candle. Light the candle and let it burn down. Take a cloth and wipe out the remaining wax with oil. The last great use for Vaseline is to use it on your dog’s paws during the winter season.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee drinkers, there is a use for your coffee grounds once you have consumed your coffee. Here are some uses for coffee grounds.
Pest Management: Bugs, including flies, cockroaches, and fruit flies, don’t like coffee. Leave some coffee grounds or sprinkle them outside the area you want them to stay out of. Another use for coffee grounds
is coffee, which is an excellent exfoliant. You can take a tablespoon of grounds with half a teaspoon of oil and put it on your skin as an exfoliant to eliminate dead skin. Also, caffeine helps eliminate dark circles and puffiness under your eyes if you use it on your face in the morning. Another great use of coffee is putting it in your plants’ soil. Coffee grounds are an excellent fertilizer for house plants. House plants love coffee grounds due to their high nitrogen and micronutrient content.
These are just a few household items most people have in their homes that can be used to solve more than one problem. If you want more ways to save money in and around your home, please get in touch with me.
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