Think that a coffee stain or crayon is now a permanent fixture in your house? Don’t want to resort to harsh chemicals to make those trouble spots budge? Here are some homemade cleaning tips for home trouble spots (with stuff you probably already have in your pantry).

Homemade Cleaning Tips For Home Trouble Spots

Crayon On The Wall. Don’t fear (and don’t break out a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser either…it can can do some major damage). For wood, slather on real mayonnaise on the offending area and let sit for 10 minutes. The combination of oil and egg dissolve crayon wax, and you should be able to wipe clean with warm sudsy water and clean cloth. For painted walls, squeeze non-gel toothpaste on to a soft microfiber cloth and scrub until the crayon is gone. Also, a paste of baking soda and water works well too.

Dirty Washing Machine. Yes, even something that cleans clothes for a living, gets dirty. If neglected, your washer can start sprouting mold, which is unhealthy for you and your family. Luckily, it is super easy to clean. Fill washer completely full with hot water and no laundry. Add 2 – 4 cups of white vinegar. Let agitate for 2 minutes. Open and add 1/2 cup baking soda and let sit for 1 – 2 hours. Let cycle finish. If you have a front loader, just add your vinegar and baking soda at the beginning and let it cycle as normal. Bonus – clean out your fabric softener and bleach dispensers too.

Discolored Mugs or Coffee Pots. Is your favorite cup looking a little dingy? Coffee pot have some permanent brown at the bottom. For tea or coffee stains, squeeze half a lemon into the mug or coffee pot. Let sit for five minutes. Place 1 – 2 cups of ice cubes and a full spoonful of table salt. Swish around till stain is gone.

Adhesive on glass or plastic. Ever take the price tag or label of something and it leaves that sticky residue that is almost impossible to take off? Here is a quick way to get it off. Cover the offending area in vegetable oil or baby oil and let sit for 15 minutes. Scrape goo with plastic or metal spatula and then wash with soap and water and dry with a microfiber towel.

Rusty metal, pots, tools, toilet bowl. If you have some rust that is hard to deal with, submerge the item in a coca-cola bath. The soft drink’s powerful combination of phosphoric and carbonic acids eat away at the rust. Need a little more power, cut a potato in half and dip in baking soda and scrub the offending area. The oxalic acid in the potato is a great rust buster.

Stains on microfiber. Stains on microfiber are tough because the fabric is 80% polyester. If you happen to get a stain, coat the area in foaming shave cream (not gel). Let sit for 10 minutes. Dab the area and then remove with a dry cloth. You may need to repeat two or three times, but the stain will eventually disappear.

Oven grime. Oven grime is hard to get rid of…period. You can use some heavy-duty cleaner, but those can be SO toxic. One of the best non-toxic methods is a baking soda paste. Just mix baking soda and water together until you create a paste and then slather the offending areas. Let set for 15 minutes and then take a damp microfiber towel and buff till clean. It may take a couple of applications, but your oven will be super clean and toxin free.

Dust on blinds. To remove dust and grime, wrap a microfiber towel around a plastic spatula with a rubber band and dip in four parts water and one part rubbing alcohol. Close the blinds downward and run spatula down. Open blinds upward, repeat. And then swipe left to right.

Stains on leather. You paid HOW much for that leather {insert purse, couch, jacket}? Rub out smudges and spots on leather with artist’s gum (which can be found at art-supply stores). If you are looking to restore luster, you can either use leather conditioner or egg whites. If you stain patent leather, dab the bag or shoe use cheesecloth with a little white vinegar and rub gently. The stain should disappear immediately.

Wax drippings on clothes or tablecloth. Scrape off as much wax as you can with a dull knife or plastic scraper. Then place a paper towel under and on top of the wax. With a iron on low heat, press lightly. The wax will be absorbed by paper.

Red wine on fabric. We’ve all that party that was AWESOME, but left a stain on your good tablecloth. To get rid of red wine on fabric, douse fabric in club soda. The bubbly beverage’s carbon dioxide will draw out red wine’s staining agent, tannic acid. Blot with a towel, flush with water until you see no more red, then launder or dry-clean as usual.

Scum in your dishwasher. In an empty dishwasher, substitute lemonade kool-aid packet for your detergent. The citric acid removes mineral deposits and iron stains that accumulate on the machine’s interior. For a double cleaning, run a second cycle and substitute vinegar for your detergent.

Goop on your carpet. 

• Pet Urine: Pour club soda on the stain and blot with towel. Follow up with baking soda and a spritz of vinegar and vacuum when dry.
• Gum: Apply Bengay to the gummed area and then heat with a hair dryer on low. Press a plastic sandwich bag on the gum and pull it away.
• Clay: Fill a ziplock bag halfway with water and freeze. Place on top of clay for five minutes until frozen, then use a plastic spatula to scrape it up.
• Coffee: Beat an egg yolk and work it into the stain with a washcloth for one minute. Leave for five minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Plus here is a list of cheap natural cleaning supplies that are great for all-purpose everyday cleaning.

Do you have any homemade cleaning tips? Leave them in the comments.