During regular bathroom cleanings, most people focus on the tub, sink, and toilet. One task — cleaning the shower curtain liner — is often overlooked, but fortunately for all of us, it’s as easy as doing a load of laundry.

Since shower curtain liners are among the more budget-friendly home essentials, you may be tempted to toss them at the first sight of any mildew or grime. However, cleaning them is easier than you think — all you need is a few supplies.

Before You Clean

This home hack is an easy one, but always check the care instructions before cleaning any item. Most plastic, vinyl, and fabric shower curtain liners are machine washable, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

How To Clean Shower Curtain Liners

First, remove your shower curtain liner and throw it in your washing machine. Next, add a clean bath towel. A bath towel not only prevents the liner from bunching but also acts as a mild abrasive to help clean it.

Add a small amount of laundry detergent and ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar, which helps remove soap scum and kills most mold species. Wash the liner on a delicate cycle using warm water. 

Avoid putting the shower curtain liner in the dryer after washing — you don’t want it to melt or get damaged. Simply shake off any water droplets and hang it back on the shower curtain rod to air dry.

But did you know they’re just as effective at scrubbing away built-up grease and food residue inside an oven? When you can’t let that baked-on clump of who-knows-what sit for one more day, break out a pumice stone. They’re affordable and eco-friendly, too, making them a must-have tool for any cleaning kit.

Read on for tips on cleaning your oven with a pumice stone, plus other uses for this natural scrubber. 

How To Clean a Grimy Oven With a Pumice Stone

Cleaning the interior of your oven can feel like a daunting task — and it is — but this simple tool can remove years’ worth of burnt-on food from ovens, stovetops, and barbecue grill grates.

To start, simply wet your pumice stone, then get to work loosening the crusty spots. Keep a cup of warm water nearby and continually dunk the stone to ensure it won’t scratch the oven’s enamel. To put a little less elbow grease into scrubbing, create a cleaning solution using a ratio of 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of dish soap. Spray that mixture on greasy, gunky spots and let it soak for five minutes. Then use a pumice stone to scrub off the now-loosened buildup.

Tip: Depending on how vigorously you use it, a pumice stone could last anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. Replace it once it becomes smooth, or at least every two or three months. 

Other Pumice Stone Uses

Stubborn Toilet Stains

Hard-water stains, rust, and mineral buildup, oh my! For a nontoxic cleaning solution for everyone’s least favorite chore — cleaning the toilet — grab a pumice stone and scrub away. (There are ones made specifically for toilet cleaning, with an attached handle.) Your toilet will be sparkling again in mere minutes.

Pet Hair-Covered Upholstery

While you may adore your four-legged friend, the hair they leave behind? Not so much. Good news: A pumice stone is an easy way to gently remove pet hair from upholstered items, such as a couch, car interior, or the armchair that serves as Whiskers’ preferred sunbathing spot. 

With a damp pumice stone, use short strokes, working in the same direction to gather the hair. Keep a vacuum handy too, and use that to suck up the piles of pet hair.

1. Get Pesky Oil Stains Out of Clothes

Accidents happen, but when it comes to stains on clothes, we all know it’s best to move quickly. To treat fresh oil and grease stains, reach for a box of cornstarch. Add a generous amount of cornstarch to the stains, making sure they’re completely covered, and let it sit for at least 15 minutes, if not a few hours. Once the cornstarch has had enough time to absorb the oil or grease, brush it off and toss the garment in the washing machine. After a wash cycle, your clothes should be stain-free.

2. Polish Silver and Make It Shine

When you’re dealing with silver — whether it’s jewelry, utensils, or decor — a good polish will help it sparkle. There are products meant specifically for polishing silver, of course, but you also can use cornstarch. Cornstarch acts as a gentle abrasive, removing tarnish from silver without scratching it. Mix cornstarch with water to form a paste, then apply it to the silver. Let it sit until the paste is dry. Then, buff it out using a soft cloth.

3. Remove Grease and Grime on Cookware

Grease and grime can be a pain to get rid of, especially on cookware. But cornstarch effectively removes stains and burnt food residue without damaging your pots and pans. Similar to how you would use it as a homemade silver polish, you simply create a paste mixing cornstarch and water, apply the paste to tougher stains and spots, and scrub until they’re gone.

The next time you cook an aromatic meal, there’s a trick that will get the funk out without masking the smell with air fresheners or scented candles.

The trick couldn’t be simpler; you’re going to kick yourself for not knowing it sooner and dealing with the odors until they dissipated on their own. The solution? Simmering white distilled vinegar.

Banish Cooking Odors From Your Kitchen

To cover up lingering odors from cooking or other sources, simmer a pot of vinegar on the stove. Grab a small saucepan and pour a cup of water and half a cup of white distilled vinegar into the pan. Bring it to a boil before lowering the heat to a simmer, letting it work its magic for about 10 to 15 minutes. For particularly stubborn odors, you can simmer the solution even longer, or until it has nearly evaporated.

When vinegar is heated on the stovetop, its acetic acid is released as a vapor, which works to neutralize smells by attaching to the odor-causing molecules and changing their chemical makeup. If the stench has penetrated other rooms, such as your walk-in pantry or living room, you can take the simmering saucepan from room to room (wearing an oven mitt, of course) to counteract those odors, too.

As you probably know, vinegar itself doesn’t smell great — it’s actually pretty terrible. But the vinegar scent will be temporary and won’t linger, and that makes it a better option than smelling the fish you had for dinner two nights ago.