Great Uses For Common Household Items

10/13/2020

"Common, everyday household items have multiple uses, you just have to think outside the box."

I like the idea of getting more bang for my buck. I like it even more when I realize that I have a product at home that can serve multiple purposes. In this blog post I set out to find some common household items that have multiple purposes. In the process, I learned a great deal and I also discovered that this kind of knowledge could save me a lot of money in the long run. In addition to educating myself and saving money, I also became one step closer on my preparedness journey.

Toothpaste. Sure, it will keep your teeth clean and give you fresh breath but that is just the beginning in a long line of benefits found with toothpaste.

* Toothpaste works great as a scuff remover for shoes and boots
* Remove stains from countertops, walls, tables and hardwood flooring
* Fill small holes in sheet rock with toothpaste (it is more of a cosmetic fix, but at least you can paint over it or hide holes with just a small dab (just make sure it is the right color of toothpaste, you wouldn't want to use red toothpaste to fill in a hole on a white wall)
* Use toothpaste to help dry up pimples
* Great for removing odors from your hands

Colgate Whitening Toothpaste 3 Pack

Baby Powder. Aside from the fact that it smells and feels great, Baby powder is one of the most versatile products in your home.

* Get rid of Ants, or at least keep them away from certain areas, the little pests refuse to walk through it and do what they can to avoid being anywhere baby powder is found. Windowsills, closets and entrance doors are a great place to sprinkle some baby powder.
*Squeaky floor? Just sprinkle some powder in the cracks and just like that no more creaking.
* Are you a beach bum? Sprinkle your children (and yourself) with baby powder before you get in the car at the beach. The wet sand will no longer be an issue.
* Smelly sneakers/shoes? A little bit of Baby powder will keep your shoes smelling fresh.
*Like the cool side of the pillow? Put baby powder on your pillow cases and bed sheets, hot sticky summer nights will be much cooler.
*Wearing latex or rubber cleaning gloves? Dust your hands with baby powder prior to putting them on and the gloves will slide right off.

Baby Powder 3 Pack

Coffee Maker Filters. Because they are lint free, coffee filters are great for several household jobs.

* Clean windows and mirrors with a coffee filter, it prevents lint build up on the surface and it helps prevent streaking.
* Use a coffee filter to line the bottom of your flowerpots it prevents the soil from seeping into the drainage holes.
* Cover food you put in a microwave with a coffee filter and prevent those messy splatters from taking place.
* Poke a hole in the center of a coffee filter and insert food sticks from items like corndogs, popsicles and ice cream bars. It will keep those messy drips from getting on your hands while you eat.
*Insert a coffee filter into your facial mask as an extra defense against dust particles or pollen when out cutting grass or weeds.

Coffee Filters 300 PACK

Dental Floss. Besides using it on your teeth, dental floss has a wide variety of uses around the home.

* You can use dental floss to slice a block of cheese, and it works great when cutting a layer cake.
* Sewing a button or some other items onto a coat or garment is pretty simple and durable with dental floss.
* Use floss for minor repairs in items like screen doors, playpens, mesh laundry bags and more.
* Floss is great for stringing items, whether it be simple jewelry or hanging up peppers to dry, floss is as durable as most any thread.

Dental Floss Six (6) Pack

Tea Bags. Tea bags can do so much more around the house than quench our thirst.

* Cooled, wet tea bags placed on your eyelids for fifteen minutes will take away the puffiness away and relieves eye strain.
*Adding a cup or two of strong tea to your broth tenderizes meat. The tannins in the tea are natural tenderizers.
*Plants love a good cup of tea. Give your potted plants a drink of weak tea once a week to give them a boost.
* Drinking tea (hot or cold) relieves diarrhea and hydrates you. The tannins are soothing to the stomach.

Assortment Stash Tea Fruity Assortment 116 Count

Aluminum Foil. There are a ton of things that can be done with foil. Most of which involve the kitchen or cooking.

* Scrubbing Pots and Pans. When you are camping and find yourself in need of a scrubber simply clean your grill by rubbing crumpled wads of foil across the racks to remove charred on food and sauce.
*Serving Tray. You can also use foil to cover a piece of cardboard when you find that you need an impromptu serving tray.
*Sticky Pots and Pans. Cover the bottom of baking pans and use foil to layer the bottom of your oven. The foil will prevent foods from sticking to the pots and pans and when used in an oven spills become much easier to clean up if you use foil.

Reynolds Wrap 200 Sq. Foot Roll of Aluminum Foil

Rubber bands. Great for organizing, rubber bands can be used for a wide variety of things around the home.

* Wrap a rubber band around a sliced apple and it will prevent or slow down browning. No more brown apples.
* Wrap a rubber band around a water hose to help seal or cut off leaks. This works effectively, especially if the leak is just a pin hole.
*Not a necessity, but you can wrap a rubber band around a boiled egg before painting them for Easter. When the rubber band is removed it gives a great effect of striped eggs.
*Portion Control. By wrapping a rubber band around the pump of a dispenser (think, hand soap dispenser or anti-bacterial lotion) you can limit how much is pumped out of the dispenser. By wrapping the rubber band around the pump it prevents the pump from going all the way down. This could save a lot of soap or lotion in the long run.
* Reinforce Clothes Hangers. Rubber bands are great for reinforcing and strengthening old plastic clothes hangers. You can also put a couple on each end of a clothes hanger and the rubber will prevent your shirts or blouses from slipping off the hanger.

Rubber Bands 465 Multi-Colored Assortment

There are all kinds of common household items that can be used for a wide variety of purposes. We would like to hear some ideas from you. Please feel free to share in the comments section below.