The kids are back to school and that means more messes and way less time to clean it all up. Between prepping lunches, toting the kids to after-school activities, and planning quick weeknight meals—chores can fall by the wayside and leave your house a wreck! But what if your kitchen could at least clean up after itself? Well, figuratively speaking of course. Although we’re still waiting for Rosie the Robot Maid to arrive Amazon Prime style, we’ve got some secrets to quicker cleaning and they all lie behind your pantry door…

In fact, at GO by greenshield organic™ we actually use a few of these ingredients in our formulas, which have been tested against leading brands by industry experts and proven to perform. Here are our 5 favorite pantry staples that can not only cook, but clean!

1. Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is a healthy fat with powerful antimicrobial properties, and it makes for a surprisingly wonderful cleaning agent. In fact, we use Coconut Oil in our Organic Laundry Detergents to remove soil and lift stains from laundry. In addition, you can use it to:

• Remove stickers and labels from glass, wood, and other hard surfaces: Rub coconut oil onto sticker and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes. Then scrub it away with scouring side of damp soapy sponge.

• Remove gum from hair: Apply coconut oil to the affected area of hair, working in and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrap away gum from hair with a fine tooth comb or slide it out with your fingers. Wash hair and dry as usual.

• Remove a ring that gets stuck on a finger: Apply affected finger with coconut oil until greasy. Slowly work ring off of the finger by twisting it side-to-side and pulling gently.

• Clean ink off plastic and vinyl: Rub coconut oil onto affected area with a damp soapy sponge. Working inward in circular motions wipe away unwanted marks. Rinse your sponge as needed until all ink is gone. Dry with clean cloth.

• Remove scuff marks from floors: Apply a small amount of coconut oil to scuff marks. Buff in circular motions with a soft and clean cloth to eliminate scuff marks. Once clean, be sure to wipe up the oil completely to prevent slipping and falls.

• Eliminate fingerprints on stainless steel appliances: Apply a small amount of coconut oil to a clean cloth and wipe down stainless steel appliances. Buff in circular motions until no oil remains.

• Prevent tomato sauce stains in Tupperware: Remove lid from container, then add a small spoonful of melted coconut oil in Tupperware. Replace lid and shake to coat the inside of the container. Fill with food and enjoy. Then clean as usual.

• Lubricate squeaky door hinges: Melt 1 tsp of coconut oil in microwave-safe container. Apply to squeaky hinges with dropper or cotton swap. Open and close hinge for even application.

• Polish furniture and rehydrate wooden cutting boards, utensils, or bowls: Apply a small amount of coconut oil to wood furniture, cutting boards, or wooden utensils using a clean soft cloth until evenly coated. Wipe down with dry cloth to remove any excess oil.

• Season cast-iron skillets: Rub coconut oil onto clean and dry cast iron cookware. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place on middle rack for two hours. Remove and allow to cool, then store away until next use. Repeat again after 3-4 uses to prevent rust and maintain non-stick cooking surface.

2. Baking Soda

We love baking soda because it has wide range of uses. Baking soda causes cakes and cookies to rise, helps whiten teeth, balance your digestive system and aid in stomach pain, and ease the pain of cleaning your house.

We use baking soda in many of our cleaners because of its ability to absorb odors and its unique chemical reactions with other powerful cleaning agents like vinegar. Here’s how you can use the baking soda you have on hand to create a home sweeter than your favorite cookies:

• Polish and deodorize your kitchen sink: Combine 1/4 cup of baking soda, 2 tbsp of rubbing alcohol and a bit of water until a thick past forms. Rub down your kitchen sink with the mixture on a damp sponge, then rinse it away!

• Clean fruits and veggies: If you can get the kids to eat them that is! Lightly dampen produce under running water and gently scrub away dirt and waxy films with a sprinkling of baking soda.

• Revive your kitchen sponges: Soak your kitchen sponges in baking soda and water for 30 minutes to an hour to keep them smelling fresh. To prolong their use further and keep them clean, be sure to wash your sponges every two to three weeks by placing them in a dishwasher along with your dirty dishes.

• Deodorize stinky furniture: Sprinkle a little baking soda on upholstered furniture and let sit for 15 minutes. Then vacuum up baking soda for a fresh, odor-free living room. You can also use this hack to remove odors from mattresses when you go to change sheets.
• De-stink smelly shoes: Fill clean socks with baking soda and secure the ends with rubber bands to avoid it from spilling out. Place a sock in each stinky shoe overnight to absorb unwanted odors.

3. Vinegar

Vinegar is great for salads, craft projects—and it just so happens to be one of nature’s secret weapons when it comes to fighting tough messes. It’s inexpensive, versatile and nontoxic. Vinegar is a diluted form of Acetic Acid, which we use in a large number of our Organic Multi-Purpose Cleaners. Vinegar’s acidity makes it a very powerful cleaning agent and here are few ways you can use it:

• Clean hardwood or tile floors: Combine 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 1 gallon of warm water to mop away dirt and grime for a nontoxic kid and pet-friendly floor.

• Give your bathtub a bath: Wipe down bathtub film after spritzing with vinegar. Follow up by buffing away built-on soap scum using a damp sponge and baking soda. Then rinse your tub with water for a sparkling clean.

• Unclog shower heads: Combine 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of baking soda in a one-gallon plastic storage baggie. Submerge shower head into solution and secure the bag to the neck of shower head with a rubber band. Allow to soak 30 minutes to one hour then remove. Run shower head for 1-2 minutes to remove any excess vinegar before use.

• Soften a paint brush: Crafts are fun, but sometimes kids don’t think the clean up is. If you have paint brushes they forgot to rinse out re-soften them by soaking overnight in hot distilled vinegar. Then rise with warm soapy water the next day.

4. Ground Coffee

Parents survive on coffee (known fact). But did you know it can give you more than just an energy boost to tackle chores? Coffee grounds can actually help you complete them! *If for some reason you are lucky enough to not need help with the following, be sure to compost used coffee grounds along with their paper filters instead of throwing them in the trash. Now enjoy that Cup of Joe and give these chores a go!

• Deodorize your fridge: This cleaning hack is pretty simple. Step 1) Make coffee. Step 2) Dump the used grounds in a bowl and place in your fridge. Allow them to sit overnight.

• Scour away cooked on grime from pots and pans: Coffee grounds are fairly abrasive which make them great for exfoliating everything from dirty hands to dirty pans. Scoop a handful of used coffee grounds into your dirty pot or pan and scrub with soap, a little water, and a cleaning brush to help scrap away baked-on, caked-on grease and grime.

• Exfoliate your hands: Make a pot of joe, and then combine your used coffee grounds with 1/4 cup of coconut oil in a decorative dish. Place the mixture nearby sinks to enjoy a fragrant exfoliation before washing your hands. Good for 1-3 days.

• Minimize scratches on dark wood furniture: While still damp, apply used coffee grounds to unsightly scratches on wood surface with a cotton swab. Allow the grounds to sit for 5-10 minutes. Next, buff them in with a dry cloth then wipe them away to clean. Voila, instant coffee and instant furniture fix!

• Contain the mess when sweeping up ashes from your wood burning fireplace: Sprinkle wet coffee grounds among ashes in fireplace to weigh down soot for an easier clean-up and prevent dust from entering your indoor air. Scoop up ash using a dust pan and place in sealable bag or garbage can. Mop up any remaining dust until clean.

5. Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits like lemon have long been regarding as great cleaning agents because of their acidity and pleasant aroma (like our NEW Citrus Grove Multi-Surface Cleaner). They are great at removing stains, neutralizing odors, and are regarded for their antibacterial properties. Lemons, limes, oranges and other citrus can work wonders around the house. So if the kids won’t eat their fruit, use it for these chores instead!

• Clean cutting boards: Cut one lemon in half and dip in kosher salt fruit-side down. Rub on dirty cutting boards until clean and then toss in your compost. Wipe off cutting board with clean, slightly damp sponge and dry. Note: Cleaning cutting boards with hot soapy water should still be used when preparing meats and other animal products.

• Keep your microwave grime free: Place 1 cup of water in microwave safe container for 30-60 seconds. Carefully remove with oven mitt. Cut half a lemon and rub down the inside of your microwave. Then simply toss your used lemon in the compost. Next, use a damp sponge or cloth wipe to away leftover grime.

• Polish shower and sink faucets: Cut half a lemon and rub down faucets in your bathtub, showers and sinks to remove water and soap stains. Next, rinse with warm water and dry with a clean cloth.