Everyday Cheapskate: Who Knew You Can Use This for That!

Mary Hunt on Oct 1, 2024

One day as I was hurriedly putting groceries away, the fruit bowl was not within reach, so I put the fruit into the colander. It worked so well that I've been using the colander in that way ever since. And when I need a colander, no problem. I turn the fruit onto the counter, drain whatever I need to drain, then replace the fruit. Giving one kitchen tool two or even three jobs is a great way to simplify.

BAMBOO STORAGE CONTAINER

Bamboo steamers are airtight by design to allow air to circulate while items are steaming. That makes a bamboo steamer an ideal storage container for onions, garlic and shallots, which need ventilation and should not be refrigerated. -- Brad, New Jersey

HANDY WASHRAGS

Worn-out socks make fantastic washrags for young children during bath time. Wash them by putting a cotton sock on your hand with a bar of soap inside. Neither the soap nor the washcloth gets lost in the water. -- Dolores, Iowa

MIRACLE CLEANING REMEDY

Use a dab of ketchup to remove tarnish from copper-bottom pots. Just wipe on with a paper towel, let stand a bit and wash. It sounds weird, but it works. -- Peggy, Nebraska

SURPRISING STAIN REMOVER

I use glycerin to remove tea, coffee and cocoa stains from fabric. I apply the glycerin to a fresh stain, then gently rub it into the stain. If the stain is old, I let the glycerin soak into the stain for a while. Glycerin is readily available in most drug stores, pharmacies and online. -- Gloria, California

BABY ORAJEL NOT JUST FOR BABIES

Our teenage daughter badly stubbed her toe, and we needed to clip the nail. Unfortunately, she wouldn't let us near it because of the pain. My wife found a tube of Baby Orajel and covered the area using a cotton swab. It was like magic. It numbed the area well enough that I was able to take care of things. I would never have thought to use Baby Orajel this way. -- Randall, Texas

SHOUT OUT THOSE STAINS

I found the best cleaner for my dirty golf shoes: Shout laundry stain remover. It works like a charm, getting down in the creases and crevices to get out the ground-in dirt. My golf shoes are leather, and it has not hurt them or the color. -- Brenda, Michigan

ERASE THE RED POLISH

Red fingernail polish accidentally spilled on my carpet, making a long red streak. A friend told me to use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. The polish had already dried, but with a little elbow grease and several erasers, it all came out of my carpet. This is a wonderful product! -- Carolyn, Tennessee

LOOK OFFICIAL TO GET ATTENTION

Take a clipboard with you when you're shopping. You'll get waited on quickly, since sales associates will think you're either a mystery shopper or you're snooping for the competition. -- LaVonne, California

PEROXIDE CLEANUP

I use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle to clean just about everything in my house. It works great on windows and freshens my wooden cutting boards. On the lip of my sink, it foamed and cleaned up what I thought was rust. And the best part: It's cheap. -- Carol, Illinois

FOAMING BUBBLES AROUND THE HOUSE

I took my foaming bath cleaner out of the bathroom and started using it on my walls, floors, patio furniture, kitchen -- basically anything and everything. It cleans it all. When we removed the carpet in the hall, the old vinyl flooring underneath had seen better days. After using the foam on the floor, the dust and carpet fibers came up, and I didn't have to replace the flooring right away. For most things, just spray, wait a few minutes and whip away the dirt. It disinfects too! -- Jennie, email

What's your favorite "this for that" item? You can add it in the comments at EverydayCheapskate.com/use-this-for-that-in-kitchen. Who knows? It just might show up here in a future "this for that" column!

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Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, "Ask Mary." This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book "Debt-Proof Living."