Just in case you've been wondering how on earth you could make your own scrubbing bubbles to both clean and disinfect the grout in your home, wonder no more. Today's first tipster has a quick, effective -- and cheap! -- grout cleaner.

GROUT CLEANER. To clean grout, I pour a little baking soda on the grout line, add enough hydrogen peroxide to make a thin paste, scrub a few times with an old toothbrush, and wipe clean. It's cheap and much more effective than commercial grout cleaners. Be sure to test it in a small area first. -- Deena R., e-mail

FRESH LEMON JUICE. Whenever I find lemons on sale in the produce department, I stock up on them. When I get home, I immediately squeeze them and freeze the juice in ice-cube trays. Then I transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. I always have fresh lemon juice available for that special recipe. -- Jeannette R., Georgia

BOWL COVERS. I use cheap shower caps to cover food in the fridge. They are easily washed and reuseable, plus you can see through the top and know what is in the container. I get the shower caps 10 to a package at the dollar store (or even free in some hotels). -- Lynn H., Florida

FLOOR MOP. Instead of buying those dry floor-cleaning cloths that can be used only once -- such as Swiffer -- and are both costly and end up in landfills, I use a microfiber cloth.

I fold it in half and strap it to the plastic mop head using rubber bands. I then spray the floor with a spray bottle filled with floor cleaner. I just throw the microfiber cloth in the laundry when I'm done. It works better for me than the refills, and it's very cost-effective. I also save money buying the cloths at a warehouse store in bulk. -- Susie S., New Jersey

BANANA TIP. Separate bananas from the stalk as soon as you bring them home from the grocery to keep them from ripening too quickly. They will last a little longer that way. -- Glenda F., e-mail

SOCK SAVER. Baby socks are lost easily in the laundry. To solve this problem, I keep a small round lingerie bag at my daughter's changing table for her dirty socks. Every time I change her clothes, I pop the dirty socks into the bag. When it's time to do the laundry, I close the bag and throw it in with the rest of the clothes. -- Christina F., e-mail

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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