Want a clean house but don’t want to spend a lot of money doing it? Look no further than your kitchen for all you’ll need to keep your home smelling good and looking great, according to (ironically) The Maids Home Service, a nationwide cleaning franchise. In fact, here are their 9 pantry-approved notions for keeping your house clean on the cheap:

1. Reach for the vinegar instead of the bleach. You can concoct a simple yet effective surface cleaner by pouring equal parts water and white vinegar into a spray bottle.
2. Vinegar can make your home smell fresh. Remove odors from your home by simmering vinegar on the stove for 30 minutes.
3. Use vinegar in place of fabric softener. Add 1/2 a cup of vinegar to your laundry’s rinse cycle; it naturally softens your clothes.
4. Run a cut lemon half over chrome faucets. Buff it immediately, and you’ll have an instant shine.
5. Use lemon and baking soda to remove countertop stains. Sprinkle baking soda on the surface and use half of the lemon to scrub away
6. Grind a lemon half through the garbage disposal to freshen. Note: Any citrus fruit will do the trick. I’ve ground limes and orange peels–a few at a time, please, to avoid clogs–and everything always smells way better when I’m done.
7. Baking soda is a wonder cleaner. It is non-toxic, multi-purpose and inexpensive. Use baking soda as a safe, natural scrubber rather than bleach-based abrasive cleansers.
8. Use baking soda to absorb odors. Place a box, just like those Arm & Hammer advertisements suggest you should do, in the refrigerator and freezer.
9. Avoid clogged drains. When you pour 1/4 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by one full cup of white vinegar, you’ll get a bubbly froth that would make the Mythbusters guys proud and it will help to keep your drains clog free. Try to do this baking soda-and-vinegar combination weekly for best results.

I had no idea I could use a lemon as a cleaning implement. I’ll have to give that a try.