Finding out things we have in our house can be used for multiple things is the best thing I have ever discovered. I love little hacks I find to use the things I already have in my cupboard for completely different uses than what they're made for. It is awesome not having to go out and buy a new product when you have one that gets the job done right at home.
Luckily, everyone has laundry detergent at home and there's a lot more you can do with it other than just washing your clothes. Here seven ways you can use your laundry detergent outside of the washing machine.
1. Kills weeds and moss.
Sprinkle a cup or two of powdered laundry detergent liberally over moss or weeds you want to get rid of. Within the next three to four days, you should see the weeds or moss go from green to brown. Once they have died, brush them away and then thoroughly rinse the area.
2. Cleans oil spills off the driveway.
Sprinkle powdered laundry detergent onto the fresh oil spill and make sure it's covered. Leave it over night, and the powder will soak up the stain. Rinse it off the next day, and the stain should be completely gone or almost invisible.
3. Carpet and furniture stain remover.
Apply powdered detergent to the newly stained area. Let it sit for five minutes and then work the detergent into the stain. Then brush or vacuum away what is left. The stain should be completely gone.
4. Removes clogs from the drain.
Pour 1/4 cup of liquid laundry detergent down your sink. Wait a couple minutes and then pour a gallon of boiling water down the drain. It should flush the clog out, and save you from having to buy a drain de-clogger.
5. Repels bugs.
Bugs tend to dislike any sort of soap, so laundry detergent works great as a natural and safe bug repellent. You'll probably want to either user powder, or put liquid in little dishes so it doesn't get gross and sticky. Put the detergent anywhere around your house where you usually have a lot of bugs.
6. De-greases stoves.
In a spray bottle, mix together liquid laundry detergent with bleach and water. This works as a great stove cleaner and even removes grease splatters. Don't be worried about mixing bleach with laundry detergent. The American Chemical Society says it is perfectly safe to mix laundry detergent and bleach. You shouldn't usually mix bleach with any household products, unless assured otherwise, as it can be very dangerous.
7. Remove soap scum.
Use powdered laundry detergent and water to perfectly and safely remove soap scum in your bathroom. Apply it to the soap scum using firm pressure, either in circles or back and forth, then sit back and let it go to work. Then, 20 minutes later, rinse it away with hot water. The scum should be gone when you rinse it.