Quirky Cleaning Tips

Don't Go Insane – Use These Odd Things to Treat Stains!

Here's a list of stain makers and things that always seem to be in need of a clean. Bet you didn't realize some of these quick remedies are in your house and aren't even located in the cleaning cabinet!

Chewing gum
In carpet: A hairdryer and Bengay. Put the hairdryer close to the gum on a high heat setting and let the gum melt a bit. Pick out the gum with a paper towel. After you have pulled all that you can from the carpet, rub in some Bengay or other muscle rub that contains methyl salicylate using an unwanted hand towel.

In hair: Creamy peanut butter or salad oil. Just remember to wash your hair immediately after the gum comes out because they don't smell as good as they taste.

Baby food
What? Your baby would rather fling his dinner across the table and into your shirt than eat it? Get out of town! If this actually happens, the first thing you should reach for is hot water, but some baby foods are made out of fruits and veggies that have some powerful natural dyes (think blueberries or strawberries) and they will resist mere water. What's the second line of defense? Shaving cream. Apply directly and gently rub it into the fabric, then when the cream is dissolved, toss it into the washer.

Red wine
It's important to act immediately and begin diluting the wine with cold water dabbed directly on the stain area. After that's been done, you may have luck soaking the article of clothing in a diluted solution of Lestoil (yes, the floor cleaner) and warm water. If the article of clothing is delicate, try to limit the soak time to less than 20 minutes.

Stainless steel
Yes, it may sound funny that something regarded as "stainless" will eventually become stained and worn. Let's move on. Since many things that used to be made of silver in the past are now made using stainless steel (as in, silverware, for one), you don't want really harsh or toxic cleaners to come into contact with it. The best alternative? Extra virgin olive oil. Just dip a soft cloth into it, and put a little forearm muscle into getting that silverware to shine like new.

Suede fabric
Oddly enough, you don't need the latest and greatest stain remover pitched on late-night infomercials – all you need is a good pink eraser. The eraser you choose needs to be especially soft because many lower-end erasers on the backs of pencils are very stiff and will basically scrape right through some types of suede.