Seven Uses for Leftover Shampoo

If your bathroom looks anything like mine, there are probably several half-used bottles of shampoo that no one ever uses sitting around. You know, the ones that sounded so great, but just didn't work with your hair - or those that were simply too good a bargain to pass up. The good news is leftover shampoo is great for cleaning and keeping your home running smoothly.

1. Clean the bathtub. Yep. You heard me. Use left over shampoo to the clean the bathroom. Soap scum is a combination of soap residue and body oils. Shampoo is designed to break down oils from your hair and scalp making it ideal for loosening up and removing the buildup in your tub. So, pour some shampoo on a damp sponge and scrub away the grime.
2. Remove hairspray residue on counters, floors or mirrors. Surprised? You shouldn't be. After all, you use shampoo everyday to remove hair product residue from your hair. So, put that left over shampoo to good use to clean hairspray residue from your counters. Rinse with cool water and dry with a soft cloth to leave your counters shining clean.
3. Remove Band-Aids. This works well for little ones afraid to pull off that stuck Band-Aid. Dab shampoo on the outside of the Band-Aid and let it sink into the holes. The shampoo softens the adhesive underneath and the Band-Aid pulls off painlessly.
4. Stuck zippers. When little Sally gets her zipper stuck, don't tug and pull in aggravation. Moisten a Q-tip with shampoo and rub it onto the zipper to lubricate the teeth.
5. Handwash. Shampoo is ideal for washing away oils and grime and works wonders for removing oil based paint from the hands. Lather up with shampoo, rub it into the oily residue and let it do it's magic. Rinse your hands with warm water and dry as usual.
6. Bubbles. Don't fuss with dish detergent trying to make the perfect bubble solution. Mix a shampoo with water and fill that bubble container. Not only does shampoo make zillions of bubbles, it smells good too.
7. Wash sweaters. A mild shampoo works wonders fro cleaning natural fiber sweaters, like wool. Add a few drops to the wash water and swish the sweater to clean surface soils and body oils from the fabric. Rinse with cool water and dry as usual.

So the next you are tempted to trash that partially used bottle of shampoo, think again. Use leftover shampoo for your cleaning needs to keep your home sparkling clean.

Other work by this author:
Green Cleaning: Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe
5 Ways to Clean and Freshen Your Kitchen Appliances with Vinegar
Cornstarch: Natural Remedy for Common Household Problems