Owning a home can seem like a never-ending exercise in repair and maintenance. Luckily for everyone, you don’t need specialized equipment or dangerous chemicals for most repairs—there are plenty of things around your household that will work instead. Check out these DIY home hacks with items you (probably!) already have.

1. Vinegar can do it all

Showerheads tend to become less effective after several years due to mineral buildup within the unit. This will happen faster in areas with higher mineral content in the water. Rather than dropping $20 or more on a new showerhead, just fill a bowl with vinegar and immerse the showerhead in the liquid. Let it sit for about an hour, then rinse it out. Make sure to rinse it well; the last thing you want is mineral deposit gook falling on your head while showering. 

The vinegar should break down the build-up and restore your showerhead to its original state. You can also put vinegar into a spritzer bottle and spray it on furniture, flooring, or clothes. It might smell bad at first, but it will dry odourless and remove any scent from where it was sprayed. 

2. Use baking soda to put out fires

A grease fire is terrifying, especially if you don’t know how to handle it. Water will only make the situation worse. A quick Google search will reveal dozens of videos of massive fireballs made because someone tried to pour water on grease. Instead, baking soda is the solution. Baking soda will smother the fire and put it out safely without worsening the situation or putting you in harm’s way. 

You can also put baking soda on an old toothbrush and use it to clean buildup out of sinks, to remove crayons from walls, or even to get rid of odour. If you have a smelly refrigerator, place an opened box of baking soda inside. The powder will absorb the liquid and help reduce the scent. 

3. Clean your garage with Coca-Cola

If you like to work on your car in the garage, you likely have oil stains on the floor. Oil is one of the toughest substances to get out of flooring, but you already have something that will take care of it—Coke. Just pour the soft drink on the floor and let it sit for a few minutes before using a mop to brush away the stain. Keep in mind that Coke is corrosive to materials like iron, tin, and steel, so you’re in danger of damaging anything made out of those materials if you aren’t careful. 

You can also apply Coke to chrome and then use a piece of foil to scrub it. It works as a buffer and brings out the natural shine of the metal. 

4. Olive oil doubles as a furniture polish

The strong, almost choking odours of furniture polish isn’t something anyone wants to expose themselves to. All you need to do is take a small amount of olive oil and put it on a soft rag, then wipe down your furniture. Not only does the oil clean the wood, but it works as a protective layer and gives it a gleam you’d expect from high-priced polish.

These four tricks are incredibly useful, but they’re just scratching the surface of what you can do with household items. You have plenty of materials in your home that can serve double- or even triple-duty without the need to spend money on expensive and potentially dangerous chemicals.

If you liked this article, check out our 5 Life Hacks You Won’t Want to Live Without.

Photo credits: olive oil, coke, baking soda

Author: Jeff S.

Proud father and husband. Loves music, Nine Inch Nails, UFC and inbound marketing.