The $4 Dollar Store Find I Use To Make My Kitchen Sparkle

When it comes to laundry, pods are a popular choice. But don’t pass over that old school box of powdered Tide you still see on store shelves. In addition to being great for clothes, it's my secret weapon for a sparkling kitchen, too! 

Several years ago, I saw an instagram story from the creator, Go Clean Co, touting Tide powdered laundry detergent as a floor cleaner. My second grade science lesson flooded back as I visualized the detergent molecules pulling grease and dirt away from the floor the way they do on clothing. Why hadn’t I thought of this before?! 

I picked up a 2.37-pound box of powdered Tide at my local dollar store for about $4. Go Clean Co suggested adding one teaspoon of detergent to a gallon of the hottest tap water. The way this miracle solution erased dirt and stains from my floor was like some sort of wizardry. It’s so effective that I now use it throughout my kitchen. Here are three places it really shines.

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Floors

After mopping with this solution, my tile floors gleam. And when I say it’s easy, that couldn’t be more of an understatement. The detergent literally lifts off the dirt as you mop. To avoid streaks, Go Clean Co recommends using a spin mop and pumping it about 10 times so that it’s just damp. I use this method once a week when I do a proper clean of my kitchen. But for everyday clean-ups, I keep the mixture in my spray mop. With zero effort, I can quickly spray and wipe up any impromptu messes as needed.

Range

Since laundry detergent contains ingredients that dissolve grease and oil, I figured it could also be used to clean a grimy stove. And I was right! I regularly mix up a batch of this solution in my sink and wipe down the stove top, control panel, hood, and the outside of my oven. For a deeper clean, I let the oven racks soak for a few hours in the detergent mixture in a bin set inside my tub (easy for dumping). Then I use a hard-bristle brush to scrub away any stuck-on bits. With this method, burnt food and grease disappear with ease.

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Walls, Baseboards, and More

No matter how often I wipe down surfaces, with two small kids around there are always splashes, splatters, and stains in every area of my kitchen. Armed with my powdered detergent mix, I can easily tackle the walls, backsplash, cabinets, baseboards, and more. We’ve had a learning tower for the past six years. It’s painted white and over time it has developed seemingly impenetrable stains, with food cemented into its corners. This solution, a brush, and a cloth not only removed the old stains and caked-on food really well, but it also made the tower look close to brand new again! 

For literal pennies per batch, powdered laundry detergent cuts through grease and eliminates stains better than any store-bought cleaner I’ve tried. I’ve had my $4 mini box of Tide for over a year and I’ve barely made a dent in it. Using a teaspoon of detergent per wash, it works out to about 350 washes for the box, or $0.01 per wash. 

Keep an eye out next time you’re shopping at the dollar store and try this hack for yourself. In the meantime, if you want to avoid investing in a large box, you can find smaller quantities online. This one in particular will give you 14 washes at $0.28 per wash. It’s no dollar store find, but for $0.28 a wash (still a good deal), it will have your kitchen sparkling with ease. And that’s worth paying for!