We found an article, which lead us to write our own to our fellow Austinites about pantry essentials that will help you fight the dirt battle. With cost of living so high, we are all looking for alternatives to buying expensive products; here are a few suggestions.
White Vinegar
This bleach-less disinfectant is the best way to clean but keep your kitchen food-safe. Gunky build-up on stoves, toilets, and any other heavily used surface can be sprayed down with this to dissolve easier later during wipe down.
Baking Soda
Used for the absolute best deodorant for your surfaces, appliances ( i.e. dishwashers, microwaves), cleaning supplies, garbage disposals, and even mattresses & toys. You can even de-scum your tubs and polish your silver.
Cornstarch
We all have a can/bag of this sitting around from that one time you used it for that stew or roux- go grab it. Shake mildew and dust out of beloved books, well-worn stuffed animals; for polishing windows and wood; scrubbing stains from pots and pans; detangling knots, shoelaces; unsticking rubber gloves and deodorizing smelly shoes.
Lemons
Aside from feeding lemons to your smelly garbage disposal from time to time- you can also throw those little yellow lovers in the dishwasher. Lemon juice can also un-stain plastic Tupperware, polish faucets and hardware, de-rust knives, and de-cheese graters and so much more. Also- try adding it to vinegar to help neutralize smells.
Sea Salt (Course)
Wood cutting boards, cast-iron skillets and anything else that has a layer of scum can benefit from a little sea salt rub.
Flour
Weird to put this on the list, but hear us out… brass and copper can be polished with it, spills can be quickly absorbed, oils removed from paper products (like playing cards), and you can form a pantry border that ants simply won’t cross.
