Don't Throw Out This Medicine: How One Hack Can Make Your Floors Shine Like New

Cleaning hacks are lifesavers for most homeowners. With items that typically cost a fraction of the price of store-bought cleaners, these hacks can help make your home shine on a budget. From cleaning hacks that help maintain a spotless kitchen to some that'll keep your shower squeaky clean, even the most unlikely ingredients can work like magic. Case in point, Alka Seltzer. This heartburn and pain medication isn't simply used to settle upset stomachs, but also to keep floors sparkly.

Alka-Seltzer is made of three active ingredients: Sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, and aspirin. Sodium bicarbonate is also known as baking soda, which is a well-known ingredient across cleaning hacks that are worth trying in your home. It fights odors, cleans burnt pans, makes windows sparkle, and even treats mold. Citric acid, which is present in lemon juice, is also a great cleaner. The acid cuts through grease, making cleaning easier, while leaving everything smelling fresh — unlike vinegar. Meanwhile aspirin can be used in some laundry and stain hacks. When combined, these three can be a match made in cleaning heaven.

Harnessing the hidden powers of Alka-Seltzer for your floors is pretty easy. Start by giving your floors a thorough sweep or vacuum to remove any debris. Once that's done, toss in four or five tablets of Alka-Seltzer into a bucket of warm mop water. While the tablets should start fizzing, you need to wait until the fizzing stops before grabbing your trusty mop and cleaning your floors as usual. While your water might look like nothing has changed, it has essentially transformed into a cleaning solution and you'll be surprised by the shine of your floors when you're done.

Before you head off to mop your floors with Alka-Seltzer, you might want to take note of a few things. The most important thing is that this medicine may not be great for every floor type. If you have a marble or granite floor, then an acidic cleaner like this Alka-Seltzer mix may not be the best thing for it. Similarly, baking soda can be too abrasive for wooden floors – leaving scratches that can damage your finish. However, if you have vinyl flooring, then you should be able to mop with a Alka-Seltzer mixture to your heart's content, since these floor types can generally handle baking soda and citric acid. With that said, always test this hack in an inconspicuous area first before committing to cleaning your entire space.