Unless you’ve been living on a mountain in Tibet for the last couple of weeks, you should have come across at least one video of household appliances being fixed with noodles.

Yeah, that’s right. Noodles!

As it turns out, noodles come in pretty handy for fixing holes and cracks in a number of items including sinks, tables and believe it or not, cars! I find it amazing that such a common food item could be used in so many versatile ways. Just read this Reddit thread if you don’t believe me.

My love for fixes and DIY prompted me to take a deeper look into the possibility of using common food items for repairs around the house. Now, these repairs may not be as grand as the ones by Xiubandrng — our noodle guy — however, they will change your dynamic when going about common household repairs such as stain removals and unclogging sinks.

You’ll be amazed what your pantry has in store for you. Just take a look:

Coca-Cola

A sweet carbonated beverage which provides nothing but satisfaction, Coca-Cola is an amazing tool for all manner of household fixes.

Coke, for one, is an excellent cleaning agent. It can be used to remove a number of stains including oil, rust and grease.

To use Coke to remove oil, rust or grease, soak or pour Coke over stained item and let sit for at least 30 minutes — greasier stains like oil may require longer periods of time to breakdown. The Citric Acid in Coke helps break down stains on dozens of materials including marble and concrete. Once soaked for a period of time, rinse the item off with soap and water and you’re good to go.

Milk

A dietary staple home and abroad, milk does a lot more than provide necessary vitamins and minerals.

Milk can be used for a plethora of household fixes including stain removals, refreshing scuffed shoes and fixing broken China!

Milk can be also be used for a number of cosmetic hacks — which I may write about in another article *winks*.

To remove stains — particularly ink — soak stained material in milk overnight and wash accordingly. To add a little extra power, squeeze a bit of lime into the milk while soaking.

Fixing broken China is requires you arranging the broken pieces of china in a pot and soaking them in milk. Boil the milk over low heat for at least an hour. The China should be good as new once you’re through.

Baking Soda

For any individual looking for quick and cost effective repairs and hacks, baking soda may as well be the holy grail you’ve been searching for. Baking soda is an effective cleaner and odour combatant. It can remove almost every stain in the book! Common household items such as sponges and upholstery can be cleaned and deodorised by sprinkling baking soda on them.

Car batteries, garage floors and other high grime/oil areas can be effectively cleaned with the substance. Asides cleaning, baking soda can be used to put out grease fires when cooking.

Vinegar

Vinegar is an effective, multifaceted and inexpensive household item. The substance can be used for a wide array of DIY/household fixes including cleaning drains — particularly for drainages — neutralising odours and cleaning windows.

White vinegar is especially effective at cleaning things and drainages.

Lime

A nutritional powerhouse as well as cocktail necessity, lime is excellent for common household repairs and DIY. Lime can be used for several fixes including preserving fresh flowers, deodorising strong scents such as seafood and microwaves. Just squeeze a bit of lime juice on stinky counters and watch that smell become history