Use Vinegar

• Clean counters and stovetops with vinegar to remove grease.Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  Avoid harsh chemicals by cleaning with vinegar -- a safe, natural and earth-friendly alternative. Vinegar can be used in multiple ways around the home, like cleaning out a grimy drain. Mix one cup of vinegar with one cup of baking soda, as suggested by the Vinegar Tips website, and pour down the drain. Let it sit for five minutes before running water and the sink will smell fresh and clean. Soak a dirty shower head in the same mixture to remove build-up and soap scum.
  
  

Get Rid of Gum

• Salad oil can also be rubbed on gum to remove it from clothes.Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
  
  Banish chewing gum stains on clothing with a tip from the Mrs. Clean website. Put the garment in the freezer or place a bag of ice over the gum and allow it to freeze. When it's solid, use a butter knife to chip away at the gum, removing as much of it as possible. Squirt lighter fluid onto the remaining gum and rub it out, but test a small section of fabric first to ensure it won't stain. Launder normally.
  
  

Toilet Cleaning Alternatives

• Pour some vinegar into the toilet to keep it fresh and clean.Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Clean the toilet using natural alternatives and avoid resorting to caustic commercial products. Throw a cup of baking soda in the commode each week to keep it odor free, according to the Handyman PainterClick website, which also suggests using a couple of teaspoons of orange juice in the toilet, as citric acid removes stains. Cola from the grocery store can also be used as a natural cleaner, as the carbonic acid in soda removes grime. Simply pour, let it sit for an hour and brush.
  
  

Make Glassware Shine

• Use a piece of lemon to clean stubborn residue off drinking glasses.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Get glassware squeaky clean with a tip from ServiceMaster's All About Home.com. Pour hot water into one half of the sink and warm water into the other half, or use a basin if the sink isn't divided. Add soap to the hot water and a splash of vinegar to the warm water. Grasping the base of the glass, plunge it in and out of the water several times before dunking it in the warm water, where the vinegar will make it shiny and streak-free.