180 handy uses for 9 items you already have in your pantry.

Looking to simplify your life, save money or cut the number of chemicals you use around the house? Chances are, you’ve already got nine natural, versatile products in your pantry that can do far more than you think. There are literally hundreds of surprising and unusual alternative uses for olive oil, wine, salt, garlic, coffee, lemon juice, baking soda, vinegar and honey. Here’s a roundup of EcoSalon’s 20 Unusual Uses series.

Coffee

Even after those rich, earthy grounds have given you your must-have pot of coffee in the morning, they can do so much more. Unusual uses for coffee include nourishing your plants, massaging away your cellulite, dyeing fabric, growing mushrooms and keeping cats out of your garden.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Coffee

Lemon juice

Using lemon wedges solely as a pretty garnish on the edge of a glass is actually kind of insulting considering all that this little citrus fruit has to offer. Its acidity enables it to preserve foods, whiten fingernails, clean glass, highlight your hair and brighten your white laundry without bleach.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Lemon Juice

Olive oil

Mmm, olive oil. Besides being the most perfect bread dip ever, it’s ultra-moisturizing, making it an ideal solution for all kinds of things you never realized. Olive oil has all kinds of beauty and household uses like conditioning your hair, removing stickers, getting a smooth shave, buffing stainless steel to a shine and removing heavy eye makeup.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Olive Oil

Garlic

This broad-spectrum antibiotic is a must-have for colds, cuts, cold sores and ear infections. And, though it may sound weird at first, garlic has plenty more uses outside the kitchen. It makes a highly aromatic yet effective cleanser for your skin, mosquito repellent and hair growth tonic. If you’re lucky, it might even turn you on.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Garlic

Salt

We simply can’t live without salt. Our bodies require it, and our food tastes bland without it. But chances are, you’ve been underestimating just how much it can do for you. Salt will sanitize your sponges, heal canker sores, keep milk fresh, preserve sliced fruit and keep your clothes from freezing on the line.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Salt

Wine

So you’re not crazy about that bottle of cheap Merlot that you got as a gift. What are alternative uses for unwanted or sour wine? Well, you could add it to your bath, use it to clean your countertops, trap fruit flies, heal bruises and maybe even slow down the aging process. Filling up that wine rack has never been more of an imperative.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Wine

Baking soda

Stop buying toxic oven cleaner, expensive fruit and vegetable sprays and special face scrubs. Baking soda can do all of these things and more. This cheap household essential is usually kept in the fridge to cut odor and added to recipes to make baked goods rise, but once you learn all of these surprising uses for it, you’ll start buying it in bulk.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Baking Soda

Vinegar

Discovered thousands of years ago when wine, beer and cider was accidentally allowed to spoil, vinegar brings out the flavor in so many foods. But this acidic condiment also has some benefits that might surprise you, like dissolving rust, cleaning crusty paint brushes, soothing sore muscles and removing those ugly pit stains from your clothing.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Vinegar

Honey

Tasting sweet is just the beginning. Honey is antibacterial, anti-fungal, nourishing and moisturizing, and its many uses are pretty amazing. Make your own luscious homemade lotion, heal your sore throat, boost your athletic performance and eliminate that hangover. It even helps heal cuts and scrapes.

Read 20 Unusual Uses for Honey

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Baking soda is a lazy housekeeper’s best friend.

If I said that my home is sparkling clean thanks to my addiction to white powder, would you haul me off to rehab? No need, because the powder I’m talking about is cheap, natural and totally legal. Sit back and file your nails or lose track of time watching cute cats on YouTube while baking soda cleans and freshens your life. This list of 20 unusual uses for baking soda – most of which require virtually no effort at all – will have you stockpiling the stuff in bulk.
Dissolving baked-on drips in the oven

Get rid of those gross, blackened globs on the bottom of your oven without scrubbing yourself sore or flavoring your next meal with chemical-based cleaner. It really is as easy as sprinkling a liberal amount of baking soda all over the oven floor, spraying it with water until well dampened, and forgetting about it for a few hours. Come back, wipe it out and rinse with vinegar to prevent a white film of baking soda residue.

Carpet deodorizer

All those little fibers in carpeting really hold on to all kinds of smells that you don’t exactly want lingering in your home. Sprinkle baking soda liberally, let it sit overnight and then sweep most of it up before vacuuming what’s left. Baking soda absorbs the odors instead of trying to cover them, so you don’t end up with a disturbing melange of floral perfume and cat vomit.

Acne-curing face scrub

Just coarse enough to slough off dead skin cells, baking soda makes an ideal natural face scrub. Many acne sufferers swear by the stuff, saying that mixing it into a paste with either water or facial cleanser can help clear up breakouts and prevent them from occurring in the first place. Just be sure to moisturize afterwards to prevent excessive drying.

Treat itchy insect bites

A paste of baking soda and water will relieve itching brought on by insect bites, and soothe the pain of stings. To get relief from poison ivy, chicken pox and other widespread sources of intense itching, add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a warm bath and soak.

Fruit and vegetable wash

Pests and, worse, pesticides are common contaminants on produce, so washing our fruits and veggies is essential. Sure, you could buy a pricey spray, but you know what works even better? A few tablespoons of baking soda in a bowl of cool water. Just soak them for five to ten minutes, giving some hard-to-clean veggies like potatoes and celery a little scrub with a vegetable brush.

Scrub out the toughest dirty dishes

Baking soda makes those dreaded dishes covered in dried crud so much easier to tackle. Dunk the dishes into soapy water, then sprinkle the trouble spots with baking soda. Let them sit a little while to soften. You can also add a dash of baking soda to the dishwasher for a boost in cleaning power and a reduction in funky smells.

Deodorize sneakers

Pour a few tablespoons into a paper coffee filter or scrap of tissue paper, tie it up with a rubber band and stick it into a less-than-fresh-smelling shoe and it will absorb the odor without making a mess or damaging delicate materials like suede.

Eliminate musty smell in books

Mold growth makes old books, photographs and other stored items smell musty. Get rid of both the odor and the cause, excess moisture, by sealing the items in an airtight container with a large, open tub of baking soda. You can also sprinkle the baking soda directly onto the items and brush it off.

Spackle substitute

If you want to fill a small hole in plaster or drywall but would rather not purchase a whole tub of spackle for such a small job, try this odd tip: mix baking soda and white toothpaste into a stiff paste. Once it hardens, you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Brighten your smile

Baking soda is a common ingredient in toothpaste, but you can give your teeth a little boost by scrubbing them with a paste of baking soda and water between brushings. Baking soda is just abrasive enough to scrape off coffee, wine and other yellowing substances before they penetrate your teeth.

Clean patio furniture

Even cleansers that are specifically made for resin or plastic outdoor furniture can be too abrasive, scratching or dulling the surface. A wet sponge dipped in baking soda will dissolve dirt without causing damage.

Buff out bug splatters and clear cloudy headlights

It may be among the most unusual uses of baking soda, but a paste with water will remove most insect carnage from unpainted car surfaces like bumpers and windshields; add a little dish soap for extra cleaning power if necessary. Headlights that have lost much of their brightness due to hazy, yellowing plastic can also be cleared considerably with the same mixture.

Waterless dog bath

Just like it freshens sneakers and smelly carpets, baking soda can make even the world’s most water-phobic dog smell freshly bathed. Rub it onto your dog’s coat, leave for a few minutes and then brush it out for a quick dry bath that won’t end with the scent of wet dog all over your couch.

Cut kitty litter odor

A shake or two of baking soda is all it takes to make your cat’s litter box a far less intrusive presence in your home. This super-cheap additive works just as well as commercial litter box deodorizers, and it won’t mingle artificial perfumes with the odor of pet waste.

Chemical-free ice melt

You don’t want to break your neck on icy steps in the winter, but you don’t want people tracking chemicals into your house, either. Melt that ice naturally without substances that put animals at risk and eat away at your flooring. Just shake on a layer of baking soda, then apply a little bit of sand for traction.

Remove oil, grease and wine stains

Sometimes, scrubbing a stain just makes it worse. Let baking soda do most of the work. Sprinkle it on, let it sit and it will lift much of the offending substance from the surface. Brush it off and then rub the area with a paste of baking soda and water if necessary. This baking soda cleaning trick will remove oil stains from concrete floors, and can save carpets and couches from permanent splotches of spilled red wine.

Clarifying hair treatment

Remove the product build-up that makes your locks limp and dull. A teaspoon of baking soda mixed in with your regular shampoo can be used as a clarifier once a week or so, and a little baking soda dissolved in hot water will clean crusty hairbrushes, too.

Polish silver, chrome and stainless steel

You don’t need a special polish for every surface in your home. A damp cloth dipped in baking soda makes chrome and stainless steel shine; add a little lemon juice to brighten brass. Real Simple notes that baking soda will even take the tarnish off silver: place the items on a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom of a pot and add a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda, 3 teaspoons of salt and a quart of boiling water. Cover the pot for a few seconds, and the ensuing chemical reaction will do all the work.

Neutralize battery acid corrosion

The ability of baking soda to neutralize acid can save even the most corroded battery terminals. Mix six heaping tablespoons of baking soda into four cups of water and pour the mixture over the corrosion, allowing it to sit for about five minutes. Scrub with a toothbrush, then rinse.

Extinguish fires and control flames

Toss a little baking soda onto the coals if your cookout flames get too high for your liking. In an emergency, baking soda can also be used to extinguish small fires like stove top grease fires.

ALSO CHECK OUT:

20 Unusual Uses for Salt

20 Unusual Uses for Garlic

20 Unusual Uses for Honey

20 Unusual Uses for Olive Oil

Photos: , [casey], Pink Sherbet Photography, Mr. T in DC, Katerha

From baking soda to table salt, get the sparkle without the toxins.

Contrary to what Proctor & Gamble would have you believe, you don’t need a complex chemical compound to get your house “fresh,” “sparkling” or clean. Nor do you need particularly advanced compounds for cleaning toilets or scrubbing away grime. That’s just big companies tapping into old anxieties picked up in chemistry class. As in, “I really don’t get what this teacher is going on about, but that thing exploded so I must be doing something right.”

When it comes to cleaning the space in which you live, love and breathe, Professor SC Johnson doesn’t know his carbon from his footprint. Stock your house with these eleven staples and your home will dazzle with cleanliness instead of the toxic stuff that makes you cough.

1. Olive Oil
Consider it a cure-all. It can be used for polishing wood, getting a zipper unstuck, preventing hairballs (add a teaspoon to your cat’s food), shining stainless steel and brass, polishing shoes, and making your leather (or pleather) sofa look like new.

and,

2. Vinegar
Vinegar is acidic, meaning it will kill mold and mildew. It’s also great for removing stains and curbing rust. Use it on your windows and mirrors, too, as well as toilets.

3. Baking Soda
Because baking soda is alkaline, it works well with acidic messes – like grease, proteins and animal poop. It also removes odor from said pets and other stinks. Add a little water to make a paste and scour your tub with it.

4. Salt
Dissolve salt in white vinegar to make a subtle abrasive for cleaning tiles, glass and sinks. Here’s another tip: if you drop an egg, clean it up with a handful of salt.

5. Castile Soap
Castile soap is vegetable-based and cleans by attaching itself to dirt at the molecular level. That’s way more hardcore than Scrubbing Bubbles®.

6. Lemon Juice
Lemons can be used as a natural disinfectant and alternative to bleach. They will obliterate germs and microbes, and still look all cheery and yellow.

7. Tea Tree Oil
In our household, we relish in cleaning with essential oils, mainly because they smell pretty. Tea Tree Oil has that hyper-minty scent associated with so many commercial cleaning products, though it comes by it’s smell naturally. It’s extracted from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia and can be used to remove mildew and mold, as well as eradicating bacteria, germs and microbes.

8. Old newspapers
Mix some warm water with a drop or two of vinegar to wash your windows, then dry with bunched up newspaper to get your windows sparking.

9. Orange Oil
Another essential oil, this one is great for removing gummy grime.

10. Borax
The name bears a cautionary resemblance to Clorax and Lorax, but borax is a naturally occurring evaporate deposit found in seasonal lakes. It’s alkaline, thus effective at killing mold and fungus, and softens water. Try adding it to laundry, or use it to clean countertops, walls, pots and pans. You can even clean fine, hand-painted china with it.

11. Toothpaste
Because a tube of it consists of a mild abrasive, a detergent and an antibacterial agent, toothpaste is a born stain-fighter. Stay away from tartar control or whitening brands for a breadth of reasons, the main one here being that it can inflict damage on surfaces like silver.

Images: Jaymie Koroluk; Alfonso Silóniz; Rakka; Krissen; Max Edmands; Sarah Cady; .angels; just.Luc; SheKnows; Instructables; Stéfan

I love marinara sauce. But without fail, 24 hours later, my lip-glossed mouth could make a small child cry and have the family pet running for cover. The culprit in my case is garlic. Sure, I’m not alone, but halitosis is a real turn off. Research has proven that among some culprits are:

• Garlic – is absorbed into the bloodstream and secreted by the lungs. While not everyone is affected, I certainly am
• Bacteria – volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), such as hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan,  harbors on the teeth, gums and tongue
• Food particles – become lodged between teeth
• Plaque – on or below the gum line
• Dieting – to excess may cause ketoacidosis, the breakdown of chemicals during fasting, which smells awful
• Smoking – dries out the mouth and contributes to periodontal disease
• Diseases – such as lung infections, kidney failure and chronic reflux of stomach acids produce odors
• Milk Intolerance

20 Natural Ways to Keep Your Breath Fresh

If you’re not ready to drop $2,000 on a Halimeter, which will analyze the VSC’s in your mouth and let you know if your breath is offensive, here are natural ways to clean up your act.

1. Brush – after every meal, and be sure that your toothbrush is in good shape. A chewed-up, disfigured brush will miss those hard-to-reach areas.
2. Herb Pharm Breath Tonic – is my all time favorite. The non-aerosol spray is made from a sugar-free blend of certified organic peppermint, cinnamon, ginger, and clove extracts that leave my mouth feeling fabulous and clean.
3. Tongue Scraper – This smooth plastic or metal tool glides over the tongue and removes dead cells and bacteria
4. Floss – removes plaque and food that you may not even realize was stuck. I keep a container in my office desk
5. Water – According to the Mayo Clinic, drink water – not coffee, soft drinks or alcohol. Chewing gum or sucking on candy (preferably natural) also stimulates saliva, washing away food particles and bacteria.
6. Fenugreek – put one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in four cups of cold water, boil, then simmer for fifteen minutes over a low flame. Strain and drink like tea.
7. Guava – unripe guava has been said to aid bad breath as it contains tannic and phosphoric acids.

According to health 911, there are a few off-the-beaten-path remedies, including:

8. Apple cider vinegar – swallow a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar just before each meal (you may want to add it to a glass of water)
9. Alfalfa – alfalfa tablets have been said to aid bad breath
10. Anise – the licorice-flavored seed, may aid in reducing bacteria
11. Chlorophyll – Try liquid or chlorophyll tablets. Chlorophyll has a deodorizing effect
12. Clove Tea/Mouthwash – Cloves are a powerful antiseptic. Make a tea by putting three whole or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves in two cups of hot water and steep for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour through a fine strainer and use as a mouthwash or gargle twice a day.
13. Fennel – Slowly chew the leaves and allow the saliva to build up in your mouth. Or, mix the contents of a fennel capsule with baking soda, make into a paste, and brush your teeth, gums and tongue with it.
14. Lemon – If you can stand it, a lemon wedge sprinkled with salt will help stop onion or garlic breath.
15. Parsley & Mint – Chewing parsley or mint leaves has been a remedy used for thousands of years. These herbs are especially good if garlic and onions are the source of your bad breath. Parsley is very high in chlorophyll. Chew a few parsley sprigs dipped in vinegar for immediate relief. If you swallow the leaves after chewing them they will be digested and continue to provide breath freshness for quite a while. These plants seem to reduce the production of intestinal gas by promoting better digestion.
16. Natural gum – such as glee, is made with spearmint or peppermint essential oils. These oils kill odor-causing bacteria, and the chewing action stimulates the production of saliva which helps combat bad breath.
17. Sage – contains essential oils with antibacterial properties that help neutralize one of the causes of bad breath. Chew raw leaves.
18. Spirulina – is a very good source of chlorophyll and can be purchased either in capsule or loose form. It’s suggested to start with 500 mg three times a day, but please check with your medical professional first!
19. Tea tree oil – derived from the leaves of the native Australian Melaleuca alternifolia tree, tea tree oil contains antiseptic compounds, which make it a powerful disinfectant. Try using a toothpaste containing tea tree oil, or put a few drops of tea tree oil on your toothbrush alone, or with your regular toothpaste. It has a strong aromatic flavor.
20. Baking Soda – Brushing your teeth with baking soda will help reduce the acidity in your mouth, which is less inviting for bacteria. Combine two tablespoons of dried lemon or orange rind, 1/4 cup of  baking soda, and two teaspoons of salt.

Please report back to us in the comments below on what worked for you!

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We all know that baking soda can be used to clean everything from your counter tops to your teeth. But did you know that there are plenty of other eco-friendly cleaners that you can whip up with a few common kitchen ingredients? Here are five of our favorites.

1. Vodka laundry freshener

   The smarties over at Webecoist say a spritz or two of vodka on your clothes will freshen them up between washes. They swear that the booze scent evaporates quickly, along with the noxious odors you’re trying to kill. This isn’t technically a “recipe” since you’re not combining any ingredients with the vodka, but it’s too clever an idea to pass up. And, no, we don’t recommend mixing orange juice into your vodka-filled spray bottle.

2. Creamy soft scrubber

   Sure, those goopy white creamy cleansers do a great job of removing gunk from sinks and showers, but we can do without the fumes and chemicals. Care2 has a terrific idea for making a similar cleanser that won’t leave you gasping for air every time you use it. Put about 1/2 a cup of baking soda in a bowl, then add a little liquid detergent until the mixture resembles cake frosting. Scrub to your heart’s content without unleashing a cadre of chemicals into your home.

3. Glass cleaner

   To make your widows and mirrors sparkle, try the approach recommended by Green Homes. Add two tablespoons of white vinegar to a gallon of water, put some in a spray bottle and go nuts. If the smell of vinegar bothers you or evokes memories of that bad egg-dyeing session you’re trying to forget, use club soda or lemon juice instead.

4. Drain cleaner

   Oh, this one is fun! Eco-Friendly Cleaning says forget the caustic drain cleaner from the hardware store, grab a box of baking soda, a cup of vinegar, lemon juice and a gallon of hot water instead. Call the kids in to watch while you create your own little homemade volcano. First pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it up with the vinegar, then about 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Let it foam and fizz for a while, then rinse the drain with the bucket of hot water.

5. Furniture polish

   Lighter Footstep nails down a great homemade recipe for making your wood furniture glow. Fill a spray bottle with a cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Your furniture (and lungs) will thank you for not rubbing chemical-laden spray all over the place. As an added bonus, if all that house cleaning leaves you famished, spritz a plate of pasta with your new furniture polish, toss in a handful of basil, and there’s lunch!

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The sad truth is the carpets that hold up best to traffic are the ones coated with toxins. And we don’t want those in a place where humans dwell.

If you do have a healthy wool carpet in your home, you can still clean it without harsh chemicals like perchloroethylene – which the EPA has linked to kidney and liver damage. Naphthalene, made from coal tar, is also considered a carcinogen that can harm the central nervous system.

Ask cleaning services if they simply steam to lift dirt or apply shampoos to loosen those hard-to-clean coffee and wine stains. Treatments like Oxi Fresh use an oxygenated method by applying less water and natural ingredients. Some cleaners also use citrus-based products that smell much better than standard chemicals. Just check and see if their products are plant-based chemicals (Biokleen, NatureClean and Seventh Generation’s Natural Citrus Carpet Cleaner) or made with synthetics.

Here are some natural ways to go for maintaining cleaner carpet:

1. For daily maintenance, have guests and family members remove shoes when entering the house if you have carpet on the first floor. Otherwise, remove shoes before heading upstairs. Obviously there can be exceptions, such as when you are entertaining. Guests often complain about taking off shoes for a more formal event. They may have holy socks or need the height so their pants won’t droop.

2. ehow tells us to spot clean with vinegar and water by mixing equal parts into a spray bottle and applying to the stain, then blotting with a clean, dry towel. For tougher stains, you can make a paste of baking soda and water and coat the stain. Let the paste sit for about 30 minutes, then wipe away with a damp cloth. For deeper cleaning, they suggest going with biodegradable cleaners like AFM Safecoat added to a rented carpet cleaner.

3. Do It Yourself recommends regular vacuuming to prevent dirt and pet dander from settling into your carpet fibers, and to sprinkle on some baking soda before your sweep to eliminate potential orders. You can even add spice, such as cinnamon or cloves, in the baking soda before you spread it. Also, let the baking soda sit on the carpet to lift stains and dirt at least 10 minutes before you vacuum.

4. For spot removal, use a clean dry cloth or paper towel to soak up the spill and blot the stain rather than rubbing it. Once you blot it, apply club soda or soda water to dissolve and lift, then blot up the liquid. You also can use hydrogen peroxide and vinegar mixed with water or rubbing alcohol to lift the stains. You might also try making your own spot cleaner with a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent and one to two cups of water.

In terms of cleaning fiber rugs, such as sisal, it is best to just use water or soda water. These can be the hardest rugs to maintain because many products don’t work very well to get out the stains.

Let us know if you have some other tried and true green methods of carpet cleaning!

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