That bottle of Clorox® bleach in the laundry room isn't just for washing white loads of laundry. There's many uses for bleach in the home and in a tough economy when families are looking for ways to save money, that bottle of Clorox® can be used in place of an array of household cleaners and chemicals. That means families can save money since they won't need to purchase all those household cleaners on that next trip to the grocery store.
Uses for Bleach in the Bathroom and Kitchen
The bathroom and kitchen are two areas of the home where there's many different ways to use bleach.
- Bleach is perfect for killing mold and mildew in the bathroom. A bit of bleach in a spray bottle can be used as a cleaner in the bathroom for grout, tile, shower walls and bathtubs. Bleach is especially good for cleaning porcelain, particularly older porcelain sinks or toilets that may be pitted due to age.
- Pouring a cup of bleach into the toilet water will remove the dirty ring in the toilet. Bleach can also be used in place of toilet cleaner by pouring a cup of bleach into the toilet tank. Then, flush the toilet and use a toilet brush to scrub the bowl as the toilet fills.
- In some regions, it's not uncommon to see flies in the sink of the bathroom or kitchen. These flies live in the drains. To kill flies living in the drain, pour a bit of bleach down the drain on a weekly basis. This will also help prevent odors.
- When washing the dishes, a spoonful of bleach can be added to the dish water when washing glassware to increase sheen and eliminate water spots on the glass.
It's important to avoid using bleach in combination with ammonia and other household chemicals; this can cause a chemical reaction that can damage surfaces.
Bleach Uses in the Home
- Bleach is a great disinfectant and it's easy to make a homemade disinfecting spray using one tablespoon of bleach for every gallon of water. The solution can then be put into a spray bottle and used to disinfect countertops, trash cans, tile floors, and anything else that could normally be cleaned using an antibacterial surface cleaner.
- A disinfecting bath for children's toys, pet toys, and other plastics can be made by adding a half cup of bleach to a gallon of warm water and a spoonful of dish soap. After allowing the items to soak for ten minutes, a scrub brush can be used to scrub the items before rinsing.
Other Ways to Use Bleach in the Garden or Yard
- Bleach makes a great weed killer, though it's important to remember that undiluted bleach can also kill grass and other non-weed plants. So when using bleach to kill weeds, it's best suited for areas where there's no other plants around. Pour undiluted bleach onto weeds in patios, driveways and walkways; after a day or two, return to remove the weed remnants.
- Diluted bleach can be beneficial to cut flowers. By adding one-quarter of a teaspoon of bleach to a vase of water, one can extend the life of cut flowers by inhibiting bacteria growth.
- Bleach also works well as a way to remove mildew and mold from concrete on walkways and patios. Mix one-half cup of bleach for each gallon of water and pour onto the walkway, patio or other concrete surface. After allowing the solution to sit for ten minutes, pour additional bleach and water solution onto the mildewy or moldy concrete patio, walkway or driveway and use a wire brush to remove any remaining mold and mildew.
- This method also works to remove stains from concrete. The solution can also be poured into a spray bottle used to clean stucco and painted house siding, though in the case of cleaning a home's siding, a stiff scrub brush should be used instead of the wire brush.
- The bleach disinfection solution (1 tablespoon of bleach per every gallon of water) can also be used to clean plastic kids' play equipment, outdoor toys, and plastic lawn furniture.
As with any cleaner, it's a wise decision to do a spot test if there's any question about whether a surface or item can tolerate the bleach solution.
Save Money With Clorox® Coupons
Using bleach as an all-purpose cleaner can help consumers save money on cleaning supplies. Frugal shoppers can take it a step further by using coupons for Clorox® bleach. Clorox® coupons and coupons for other brands of bleach are widely available on the web.
To learn more on where to find coupons for Clorox®, Tide® and an array of other brand-name household cleaners, read "How to Save Money With Tide®, Clorox® Coupons on the Web."
Readers may also enjoy reading, "How to Make Laundry Detergent -- Recipes for Laundry Soap and Homemade Stain Remover."
For additional tips on cleaning, check out "Stain Removal Methods for Laundry and Home."
Mia Carter - Mia Carter - Journalist, Producer/Editor & Web Writer. Carter's work has appeared on CBS and CNN.com.
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