Keeping a home cleaned and maintained can be a full-time job. Not only does it take time and patience to keep your home clean, but it can require an arsenal of cleaning products and tools to do the job. This list can help you use household items and products to achieve similar resultsâEUR"and guess whatâEUR"they really work! Here are some of the quick fixes you can try:

Use a golf ball as a bathtub plug. It may not be ideal, but the drain creates a suction, holding the golfball in place, and if it gets knocked off, it will roll back into place quite easily.

If your shower curtain sticks, rub some conditioner on the rod.

Use a candle as a pincushion. The wax holds pins and needles in place and leaves a small, slippery layer of wax on the needles, helping them to slide more easily through fabric.

Speed up slow-moving or stuck ketchup by inserting a plastic straw into the bottle. The straw will loosen the ketchup and disrupt the suction hold thatâEUR(TM)s keeping it in.

If your car paint has chipped, find a clear nail polish and dab it over the spot until you can get it repainted. The nail polish will keep the chipped paint from chipping or cracking any further.

Ripen green tomatoes by storing them with a ripe apple in a paper bag. Check daily, and donâEUR(TM)t put more than five or six tomatoes in each bag. Your tomatoes should be ripe in a few days!

Remove dirty fingerprints or scuff marks from your painted walls by using a piece of white bread. ThatâEUR(TM)s right, harsh chemicals, and even water can create problems for painted walls, but a piece of white bread will do the trick.

You have probably heard of the toothpick in the cake trickâEUR"to determine if the cake batter is completely baked. Well, it also works with uncooked spaghettiâEUR"if it comes out clean, your cake is done, but if there is batter still on it, the cake needs to continue baking.

Get animal hair off your sofa or car seats by running a rubber glove over the area.

Make your plants shine by rubbing the leaves with a bit of mayonnaise and a paper towel.

Run out of windshield washer fluid and donâEUR(TM)t have time to run to the store? Mix one quart of rubbing alcohol, one cup of water and two tablespoons of liquid dish soap to make your own!

For more information on household fixes and repairs or to view our Denver real estate for sale, please visit us at PorchLight.