Fashion and beauty require a lot of maintenance. From dry cleaning and alterations to frizz and pimples, we are constantly striving to look our best.

However, all that maintenance can come with a hefty price tag. Dry cleaning alone can cost well over $100 for one modest trip.

Lucky for us, there are a lot of common household items that double as fashion and beauty lifesavers. Here are some insider secrets on the second function you didn’t know your household items had…

1. Masking Tape: This sticky household item is perfect for removing lint and dog hair without ruining your clothes. Simply take a longer piece and run it across the areas that need care, lifting every so often so as not to stretch fabric.

2. Dryer Sheet: These are your lifesaver in winter. Simply run it over your hair to eliminate static and minimize frizz. Need another use for those dry sheets? Stick them in smelly shoes to eliminate odor.

3. Bar Soap: Find a bar soap with a fragrance good enough to eat, wrap it in cheesecloth, and stick it in your drawers. It will give your clothes a just-out-of-the-dryer smell everyday.

4. Toothpaste: The best blemish fighter you will ever own. Cover an incoming zit at night with mint toothpaste. Overnight your zit should become a white head. Compress with a hot towel until it’s no longer warm, clean a small needle with rubbing alcohol, gently prick the whitehead, and lightly squeeze the pus out. Stop as soon as you see clear ooze or blood. Dab with your daytime spot treatment.

5. White Vinegar: Your dark denim’s best friend. Vinegar is a great way to set the dye on your favorite pair of dark jeans (an Easter egg project for adults!). Simply wash your new denim inside out in ¼ cup of white vinegar, separate from the rest of your clothes. This process eliminates the color running and fading. Need another use? Add some white vinegar to a paper towel and remove salt stains on boots during the winter.

6. Index Cards: Organize your intimate drawers by stapling large, sturdy index cards together to make rows. Fold your undergarments and neatly place them one behind the other in a neat, single layer row. If you appreciate super organization like us, put another labeled index card in front of each new lingerie type to keep garments separate (i.e. thongs, boy shorts, briefs, etc.).

7. Thick Rubber Bands: Cut thick rubber bands to make single strips. Carefully wrap the bands around the ends of hangers, making sure there is one single layer (no overlapping sections of band) and secure with glue gun, making sure no glue seeps out of sides. Dry thoroughly. You now have stoppers on the end of your hangers so delicate tops won’t slip.

8. Clear Nail Polish: Perfect for stopping panty hose runs and securing buttons. For runs, lightly paint clear nail polish both on and around the edges of the run. Let dry before wearing. For buttons, lightly paint nail polish on the threads behind the button to prevent the button from coming loose.

9. Colored Nail Polish: Liven up costume jewelry by painting multiple coats over gems to create a one-of-a-kind piece. This works best on clear gems.

10. Lemons: Add ½ cup of lemon juice to a normal-sized white load to liven the color.

11. Olive Oil: The nutrients in olive oil makes it a natural moisturizer. Use it on dry cuticles or skin to soften skin. Tip: Use cheaper olive oil and save your expensive stock for cooking.

12. Toilet Paper Rolls: Weave necklaces through a toilet paper roll and clasp the ends together. You’re ready to pack for a road trip or vacation.

13. ChapStick: This popular lip balm isn’t just for the mouth. Use it to lubricate pesky zippers and moisturize dry patches of skin on the face, such as the nose in the winter or after a cold. You can even use it to groom your eye brows and keep them in place.

14. Crisco: Remove lipstick from clothing by dabbing a mixture of Crisco and club soda on the affected area (use the dry soda alone for other types of stains).

15. Vaseline: This is one of my all-time favorite household products (I carry it everywhere I go!). Besides being a wonderful moisturizer for your lips and skin, it doubles as the perfect solution for removing gum from your hair. It can also:

– Revive old, dry leather.
– Remove makeup.
– Prevent hair color from dying your scalp (simply rub it on your hairline before dying).
– Shine shoes.
– Remove a ring stuck on your finger.

Adria Saracino is the owner of Seattle fashion blog The Emerald Closet. You can find her tweeting about fashion @Emerald_Closet. Looking for more from Adria? Check out her personal website at www.adriasaracino.com.