15 ways to clean your home with products you already have in your pantry

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Matthew WilsonMay 4, 2020, 22:14 IST
15 ways to clean your home with products you already have in your pantry

Cleaning hardwood floor.T3 Magazine/Getty Images

  • Some supermarket shelves across the US are still empty, so you might have to keep your home clean with products you already have.
  • An all-purpose cleaner can be made from rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.
  • Baking soda and vinegar can be used to unclog drains.
  • Hand sanitizer can be made by combining rubbing alcohol and aloe vera.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

With much of the country still at home and some supermarket shelves still empty, you might be looking for alternative ways to keep your house clean. These cleaning product recipes use common household items that many people already have in their pantry.

Here are 15 home remedies to keep your house — and yourself — clean.

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Out of laundry detergent? Make your own using Borax and washing soda.

Out of laundry detergent? Make your own using Borax and washing soda.
Laundry detergent. Saroj Khuendee/Shutterstock

According to The Spruce, to make the detergent, mix together two parts Borax, two parts washing soda, and one part grated Fels-Naptha soap into a container.

Clean your floor with various home remedies.

Clean your floor with various home remedies.
Cleaning hardwood floor. T3 Magazine/Getty Images

One hardwood floor cleaning recipe from the DIY Network involves one gallon of hot water, 3/4 cup olive oil, and 1/2 cup lemon juice mixed together. To clean bathroom tile, mix one gallon of hot water with 1/4 cup of Borax.

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To clean stainless steel appliances, just add a few drops of olive oil.

To clean stainless steel appliances, just add a few drops of olive oil.
Cleaning stainless steel. Daniel Krylov/Shutterstock

According to Today.com, olive oil leaves behind a protective film that stops blemishes and scratches from forming on surfaces.

Use rubbing alcohol to sterilize your sink and other surfaces.

Use rubbing alcohol to sterilize your sink and other surfaces.
Kitchen sink. Pop Paul-Catalin/Shutterstock

Rubbing alcohol is an easy way to kill germs and other bacteria in your kitchen and other areas of your house.

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Unclog a kitchen drain with baking soda and vinegar.

Unclog a kitchen drain with baking soda and vinegar.
Kitchen sink. Renan Teuman/Shutterstock

According to the TipJunkie, to unclog the drain, pour 3/4 cup of dry baking soda down the sink, followed by 1/2 cup of vinegar. Clog the drain completely with a rag or plug. The two will have a chemical reaction and will want to spew up but the plugged drain will force it down the pipe. Leave it for 30 minutes while you boil about a gallon of water then unplug the sink and pour the hot water down the drain.

Using rubbing alcohol or liquors like vodka and aloe vera, create your own hand sanitizer.

Using rubbing alcohol or liquors like vodka and aloe vera, create your own hand sanitizer.
Hand sanitizer. Rachel Askinasi/Insider

As long as the liquid is over 60% alcohol, it will sanitize effectively. Adding aloe vera helps with dryness. One recipe involves mixing two-thirds of a cup of 91% isopropyl alcohol with one-third of a cup of aloe vera. You can also add a couple of drops of scented oil for a better aroma.

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In a saucepan, simmer water with ingredients such as lemon and rosemary to create a natural air freshener.

In a saucepan, simmer water with ingredients such as lemon and rosemary to create a natural air freshener.
Air freshener. Newscast/Getty Images

In a medium saucepan, let the ingredients simmer without allowing the water to evaporate. Some combinations of smells include 1 sliced lemon with 2 tablespoons of rosemary and a dash of vanilla, or 1 sliced lime and a piece of chopped ginger root, according to Wellness Mama.

To clean windows or mop floors, use citrus-infused vinegar.

To clean windows or mop floors, use citrus-infused vinegar.
Cleaning a window. Tiko Aramyan/Shutterstock

Fill a jar with citrus peels and white vinegar and leave the jar for a few days. Drain out the vinegar to be used as the cleaning solution.

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Lemon thyme can be used to clean porcelain in the bathroom.

Lemon thyme can be used to clean porcelain in the bathroom.
Bathroom sink. Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images

According to Reader's Digest, place four to five bunches of fresh lemon thyme into a metal bucket and fill it with boiling water. Let the mixture sit for five to six hours before draining it. Plug your sink and pour the mixture in, allowing it to sit in your sink bowl overnight. Drain it in the morning for a white, sparkling sink.

Or combine vinegar and baking soda to clean your toilet.

Or combine vinegar and baking soda to clean your toilet.
Cleaning the toilet. rawf8/Shutterstock

According to Wellness Mama, you can sprinkle baking soda inside the bowl of the toilet, and then pour in a cup of white vinegar. Use the mixture as a cleaning solution to scrub away stains and remove any lingering smells.

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Using another baking soda recipe, you can create a scouring powder to clean your bathroom.

Using another baking soda recipe, you can create a scouring powder to clean your bathroom.
Bathroom. Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images

To make the powder, you need to mix together 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup non-iodized salt, 1/2 cup washing soda, and an optional 5 drops of lemon essential oil for smell, if you have it. To clean, lightly wet the surface with water, pour on the powder, scrub with a brush until clean, and rinse away the powder with water.

Baking soda mixed with water can also clean grease from the inside of an oven.

Baking soda mixed with water can also clean grease from the inside of an oven.
An oven. stock_photo_world/Shutterstock

According to instructions from parenting resource Wellness Mama, damp the inside of the oven with a spray bottle of water. Pour 1/4 inch of baking soda into the oven, allowing it to mix with the water and form a paste. Let it sit for a few hours in the oven and wipe away the baking soda with a cloth or towel.

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Clean your mattress using baking soda, a kitchen strainer, and a vacuum.

Clean your mattress using baking soda, a kitchen strainer, and a vacuum.
Messy bedroom. Justin Paget/Getty Images

Cleaning expert and author of "Clean My Space" Melissa Maker told Business Insider that after removing the sheets and comforter, you should sprinkle baking soda onto the mattress using a strainer. Let the baking soda sit for an hour or so and then vacuum it up. The baking soda will draw out any moisture, dust mites, and dirt from the mattress.

To remove stains, apply lemon juice and baking soda.

To remove stains, apply lemon juice and baking soda.
Lemons. Tom Kelley/Getty Images

To remove a stain, wet it with lemon juice and let it sit for 30 minutes. Apply baking soda and scrub until the stain is gone.

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Make an all-purpose cleaner by combining rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.

Make an all-purpose cleaner by combining rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.
Cleaning solution. Dragon Images/ Shutterstock

Combine 1 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a spray bottle. The solution can kill germs and clean counters, according to Reader's Digest.

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