6 Reasons You Should Keep Laundry Detergent in Your Kitchen
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times: You should store stuff near where you use it. Storing your kitchen cleaning supplies under the sink makes sense. As does keeping your dishes in a cabinet right above the dishwasher. Which makes our suggestion for keeping laundry detergent in the kitchen a bit confusing. (Unless you have a washer/dryer in your kitchen.)
It turns out laundry detergent can be pretty useful outside of the laundry room. Here are six compelling reasons to keep some laundry detergent in your kitchen.
1. You can use it as hand soap.
A mixture of half laundry detergent, half water can be used instead of hand soap if you run out. Just fill up an empty bottle, and you won’t have to worry about adding hand soap to your shopping list any time soon.
2. Or an extra-strength hand cleaner.
If you need to clean car grease or paint off your hands, a mixture of one teaspoon of laundry detergent and one teaspoon of vegetable oil will help the mess slide right off.
3. You can make an all-purpose cleaner with it.
Mix five tablespoons of laundry detergent per gallon of water, and use the solution to cut through grease and grime anywhere in your kitchen.
4. You can use it as a DIY mopping solution.
Pour half a capful of laundry detergent into a bucket filled with warm water, and use the solution to mop your kitchen floors.
5. You can pretreat stains with it.
Having a small bottle of laundry detergent on-hand in the kitchen will help you remember to pretreat stains right after they happen. Whether it’s marinara sauce on your apron or grease splatters on your shirt, dabbing liquid detergent straight on the stain helps ensure it’ll come all the way out when you launder as usual.
6. You can use some to clear a blocked drain.
Laundry detergent can help clear up a clogged drain, and it’s worth trying before using a commercial drain cleaner or calling the plumber. To use laundry detergent to clear a clogged drain, just pour a quarter cup of liquid down the drain, let it sit for a few minutes, and then follow with boiling water.
Do you have any other smart ways to use laundry detergent in the kitchen? Share them in the comments below!