How to Clean Your Clothes Without Spending Any Money

Buying clothes is one thing, but spending a fortune to maintain them is nothing short of depressing. While we always want to look shiny and new, there's been more than one occasion when you don't have the time or money to hit the cleaners. We're not saying that you can ditch the laundromat and your corner dry cleaners, but there's a lot of cleaning power in the products that you already have hanging around your home.

From rubbing alcohol in the first aid kit, to the corn starch your parents used to make gravy this past Thanksgiving, you can pull up juice, ink, and oil stains—without having to leave the house. We're happy to give you advice on your clothes, but don't worry: we won't tell you how to spend all that money you used to spend at the cleaners. This is How to Clean Your Clothes Without Spending Any Money.

You probably picked this up as a disinfectant for your cuts and scrapes, but it kills the competition when it comes to household stain removal. Like much the treatments on this list, its about applying a spot of the cleaner (in this case rubbing alcohol) to a towel or cloth, and dabbing it on the stain. If you're tackling anything in the ballpark of red Kool-Aid or berry juices, then your best bet is to start with rubbing alcohol before any other chemicals.

However, it's not just juice that works well with some isopropyl alcohol. Ink, gum, and marker stains will benefit with a little rubbing alcohol treatment. Wet the stains with cold water, then dab rubbing alcohol on the area. Depending on the type of stain, you should see stain removal within a couple minutes of applied pressure.

WD-40 was originally produced as a rust-deterrent and lubricant for aerospace projects, but now is one of the most versatile products you can use around your house. Sure, you're familiar with it tackling squeaking doors, and fixing stuck zippers, but it can also handle a sticky wardrobe situation as well. Spray it on stubborn sticker labels (or worse, sticky gum residue). After about 30 seconds, it should be easy to pull off and remove. You can also pretreat a stain—namely grease or cleaner residue—by spraying WD-40 on the area. As always, spray the product directly on the spot you're trying to tackle, wait 30 seconds, and then throw it in the wash if need be. Just do not use WD-40 on silk. You're going to end up with a WD-40 stain right on top of the spot you were already trying to clean.

The whitening power of toothpaste doesn't have to apply to your pearly (soon-to-be) whites. Whether you're polishing some metal details on your coat, or cleaning the white soles of your summertime Vans slip-ons, toothpaste is a pro move that will leave your shoes looking out-of-the-box fresh. It's not just for giving your shoes a good shine though, it can also buff out minor scratches—even when placed directly on leather.

When you think about what toothpaste really is (an abrasive, and a gentle detergent together as one) it's perfect for giving new shine to your formerly shiny things. In any case, rub a small amount of toothpaste onto the fabric surface (smaller than a pea depending on the size of the problem) and then wipe away with lukewarm water. Simple as that.

For oil and grease stains, particularly in the kitchen, there's nothing better (or closer at hand) than corn starch. For grease stains, dab water on the spot, then sprinkle corn starch over the top and let it rest for 10 minutes. After brushing off the residue, blot the spot with white vinegar.

If you're someone who may be a little heavy handed when it comes to the iron, don't worry. If you end up scorching your tees while you're getting out wrinkles, just wet the shirt, and dust the mark with some corn starch. Let the mixture dry, then brush it off. Problem solved.

Milk may not be the first or most obvious choice for a cleaning your gear, but a little 2% goes a long way. Ink stains can be lifted out in the wash if you presoak them in a mixture of milk and lemon juice.

Even sour milk is good to use. If your shoes need a quick shine and you're lacking a pack of polish—rub leather goods (but not suede) with a rag lightly soaked in milk. It'll give you the polish you need to carry over until you can get your hands on a kit—or pay to get them professionally shined.

White vinegar's acidity is what makes it such a powerful cleaning agent. The importance of white vinegar (not balsamic or apple cider), is that with a lack of tannins or natural plant dyes, it won't stain clothes while it's trying to clean them. It's similar to rubbing alcohol when pulling out stains, but it has a lot of power when added to a load of laundry. Add roughly a half a cup into the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine to curb odors, soften clothes, and maintain bright colors. When your clothes come out of the wash, if you don't have an iron handy, mix up a 1-to-3, vinegar to water solution and spray it over your clothes. Hang the clothes to air dry.

While most labels saying “dry clean only” should be followed to the letter and taken to the cleaners, if a label simply says “dry clean,” you should be able to give your garments the service they need right at home.

Silk, velvet, and wool should usually go to the cleaners regardless.

If your clothes are in the clear fabric-wise, then start with a spot test on the affected area. Apply detergent and warm water. If the dye on the garment begins to bleed, or the clothing becomes discolored, stop and head to the cleaners. If you're still good, then advance to a full tub/sink soak. You're hand washing for a reason, so don't go crazy when your gear is in the water; just move the clothing around gently in the detergent mixture. Finish off with an air dry. Much of your common clothing cleaning issues literally come out of the dryer. Avoid the heat, and if you simply can't hang dry, then set your machine to tumble dry with no heat.