Bath oil, vodka and toothpaste used to clean? These hacks might surprise you

I had to see it to believe it. I was tasked with an assignment to find some easy ways to clean your kitchen and your home. I discovered some pretty surprising hacks.

Myths about vinegar and bleach

I had always heard that vinegar and bleach clean everything. Well, that is not exactly true.

Vinegar is not a disinfectant, regardless of what you might have heard. Most white distilled vinegar you buy at the grocery store is not strong enough to kill every germ since it only contains 5% acetic acid, a compound that can dissolve dirt, debris and grime. It is not strong enough to kill the virus that causes COVID-19, according to Healthline magazine.

However, vinegar can reduce certain types of pathogens such as E. Coli, Salmonella and Listeria. These germs are known to cause common foodborne diseases. Experts recommend using vinegar as a cleaner, not a disinfectant.

Bleach, on the other hand, is a disinfectant but doesn’t actually clean. It does not remove soil. Using bleach in your kitchen can kill bacteria, viruses and fungi, according to Healthline magazine.

Recipe for an all-natural cleaner

I did find a recipe for an all-natural cleaner that contains ingredients that both clean and disinfect. According to Real Simple magazine, you can mix together a solution of:

  • 1½ half cups water
  • 3 tablespoons rubbing alcohol
  • 1 teaspoon of dish soap

Rubbing alcohol is an approved EPA disinfectant and dish soap is a cleaner. Since this all-natural solution does not contain vinegar, it can be used on stone surfaces, too. Vinegar’s acidity can damage these kinds of surfaces.

Bath oil can degrease your kitchen

I would never have imagined applying bath oil as a technique to reduce grease on your stovetop or backsplash. But it works.

According to Real Simple magazine, a small amount of bath oil rubbed onto either surface with a micro-fiber cloth can degrease both and leave them looking polished.

I tried it on my backsplash at home and was amazed by how it removed the grease spots. The magazine suggests Avon Skin So Soft original bath oil, but I wasn’t able to find that at the store in my neighborhood. I bought the only bath oil I could find, made by Burt’s Bees, and it worked great. I only added about 5-6 drops.

Another suggestion to removing food build-up on an electric stovetop is rubbing it with vodka. Yep, that worked too. I poured a teaspoon on a micro-fiber cloth and it was just the right amount.

Streak-free windows

While newspaper has long been considered the best option to wipe off solution used to clean your windows, Real Simple magazine suggests a better option is coffee filters.

Newspaper is less likely to be a common item found in homes, given the increase in online newspaper readership, which makes coffee filters a more available alternative. Coffee filters also don’t contain ink that can stain your hand and window casings, like newspaper, when it gets wet.

If you’re tired of paying for window cleaner, you can make your own cleaner that helps decrease streaking. Here’s the recipe:

  • Half a gallon of water
  • 4 tablespoons of dish soap
  • 4 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol

The rubbing alcohol helps the solution dry quickly, reducing the chances of streaking.

Remove wall marks

I stumbled upon a fantastic solution to removing marks from your wall. I used toothpaste and an old toothbrush to apply it to a mark caused by my kids’ backpacks.

I wet the brush and rubbed the toothpaste for about 1-2 minutes. I used a wet paper towel to remove the residue and the mark was gone.

You can’t use gel, since the color could stain the wall. I used basic white toothpaste.

I liked this option since in the past I’ve tried bleach wipes and magic erasers, but both left the spot where I rubbed smooth and made the spot more noticeable after it was washed away.


About the Author:

Jennifer, who anchors The Morning Shows and is part of the I-TEAM, loves working in her hometown of Jacksonville.