17 Foods You Can Actually Clean Your House With

For most of us, it’s a priority to keep a clean house. But the sad part about cleaning is that it never lasts long. Even if it feels like you just scrubbed your kitchen floors yesterday, dirt and grime may very well appear today. And since cleaning products can often cost a ton of money, it’s ridiculous how expensive the whole ritual can be.

That’s why it’s important to look out for budget cleaning supplies. But, I’m not just talking about things you’d find in the dollar store — I’m talking about food you probably already have in your pantry. It’s miraculous how well certain foods can clean household items. And even better, they can clean without all the harsh chemicals that some products contain.

Plus, it’s always great to get the most use out of things you already have, right? It’s a good way to be an environmentalist and try to reduce waste.

Some of these methods may seem a little bonkers at first, but there’s no harm in trying them out. Who knows? You may even find they clean better than what you were using before. Here are some of the best everyday foods that’ll help make your living space shine even brighter.

1. Walnuts

Walnuts are a pretty healthy addition to your diet, but they’re also good for your wood furniture.

The oil contained in walnuts can actually help remove scratches from wood furniture. Unfortunately, it works best with scratches that are light — they can’t fully repair deeper damage. But they’ll still help make your wooden pieces look a little like new. All you need to do is rub the walnut over the area a few times, and then buff with a soft cloth.

2. Mayonnaise

You may think that mayonnaise is only good for egg salad (which is delicious), but did you know it can help remove water stains?

Today’s Homeowner states that mayonnaise can help lift water stains on wooden furniture. But, it’s important to catch it early and make sure the mayo covers the stain throughout the whole night. Even better, once the stain is gone, it’ll also serve as an excellent polish that won’t hurt your furniture.

3. Table Salt

It flavors your food and also helps you clean your house.

A combination of salt and hot water will help deodorize and clean your sink drain. It can also help to cut grease in pans and cast-iron skillets. But most importantly, salt can help conquer a wine stain on linen. Just pour salt directly on the stain, and it’ll help make sure the wine doesn’t attach itself permanently to the fabric.

4. Rice

You probably already know that placing your phone in a bowl of rice will help soak up water after an accident.

But you might not have realized that rice can serve other useful purposes. If you have a hard-to-clean vase, rice can serve as a scrubbing agent to make sure it’s perfectly clean before your next bouquet. All you need to do is add dry rice and a bit of soapy water, and swirl it around.

5. Banana Peels

When you finish that banana, don’t immediately toss away the peel.

The peels are almost more valuable than the banana itself. Not only can they be used to help reduce acne and wrinkles, but they can polish silver, shine up the leaves of a houseplant, and can even polish leather. You may feel a little ridiculous shining up a shoe with a banana peel, but hey, it works.

6. Vodka

If you don’t like to drink it, you can find a way to clean with it.

Vodka reportedly helps handle mold and mildew. It’s also really good at helping to remove sticky adhesives. It might be more expensive than a standard container of Windex, but vodka in a spray bottle can also help keep windows shiny. It’s the perfect way to use the rest of your bottle if you’re planning on having some sober months ahead.

7. Potato Peels

If you’re peeling a ton of potatoes this Thanksgiving, you might not want to throw the leftovers in the trash.

According to SFGate, potato peels can be used to clean your fireplace. And since that’s a part of your home that you should really take seriously (because hello, fire), you may not have initially realized that upkeep could be so easy. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should cancel professional cleanings, because those are important too.

8. Lemons

This one shouldn’t be surprising. After all, how many cleansers are lemon-scented?

Lemons often remind people of cleanliness. One of the reasons why they work so well is due to their citric acid content. Lemons can shine faucets, clean countertops, get the gunk out of grills, and can even help degrease your dishes. Is your garbage disposal a little smelly? Throwing some lemon down there will help freshen it up.

9. Grapefruit

Speaking of citric acid…

Apartment Therapy believes that all you need to clean your tub is a grapefruit and some kosher salt. One large grapefruit is all you need to tackle the tub. They can also help out with sinks, just in case your tub is already in good shape (and you’re looking for a way to use that extra grapefruit that’s been hanging around).

10. Powdered Orange Drink

I’d like to meet the person who figured this hack out and shake their hand. This one just seems weird.

Dishwasher technicians supposedly spilled the tea that Tang, once known as the favorite orange drink of astronauts, is a great way to clean your dishwasher. All you need to do is put it in the detergent container, and also sprinkle it near the bottom rack after the dishwasher has started its cycle.

11. Ketchup

If you have kids, you might just assume that ketchup leads to stains. But, it does serve a cleaning purpose.

According to Taste of Home, you can use ketchup to help clean things from cast iron to stainless steel. If you have brass doorknobs, ketchup can help make them shiny again. It’s also good for breaking down stuck-on food if you apply it overnight. Who knew Heinz made something that was more than just a great dip for fries?

12. Onions

Have a dirty grill? Try scrubbing it with an onion.

All you need to do is cut an onion in half and use it to scrub your grill the way you’d use a Brillo pad. For safety, Southern Living suggests that the onion should be placed on a grilling fork prior to using it for cleaning purposes. As an added bonus, it’ll add a ton of flavor to your meat. You’ll never want to use anything else.

13. Vinegar

If you haven’t cleaned with vinegar, you simply don’t know what you’re missing.

Not only does vinegar cost a fraction of what a standard cleaner typically does, but it’s incredibly versatile. You can clean the gunk from your shower head while also spritzing down your countertops and microwave. Just wiping down a shower door with some white vinegar will prevent a bunch of soap build-up in the future.

14. Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar is probably known best in the world of baking. Until now.

Stockpiling Moms swears by cream of tartar for its cleansing capabilities. It can clean laundry stains, coffee pots, and even ink stains, with a little help from lemon juice. As a bonus, it also helps repel ants. And since nobody wants ants in their kitchen, cream of tartar is more or less a must-have.

15. Olive Oil

Olive oil is way more versatile than you think.

Aside from being a stovetop essential, it’s also great for removing paint off your hands and rehydrating wicker furniture if it gets weak. It’s also very good for cast-iron pans, which every kitchen should have at least one of. Olive oil can get a little expensive, so remember that a little often goes a long way.

16. Tea

If you’re tired of reusing tea bags by putting them on your eyes, there’s another way they can be reused.

The Daily Tea, a site which is obviously well acquainted with the subject, claims that tea is actually excellent when matched with wood. Tea can clean a wooden floor when it’s freshly brewed. It can also reportedly help deodorize and clean your toilet. If you’re going to flush a cleanser down a toilet, might as well be one that already serves another purpose.

17. Baking Soda

You probably know about this hack already, but it still deserves a spot on the list.

If you’ve ever seen an open box of baking soda in someone’s fridge, it’s because they’re using it to help deodorize. But, baking soda is way more than that. It can lift food stains from plastic travel containers and can even freshen up and clean the fruit you buy at the grocery store. But the best news? It’s inexpensive.