A spill here and there on your favorite t-shirt, rug, or any other fabric is so common. What is not so uncommon is knowing that there are, in fact, easy and natural DIY hacks to remove stains from items. Using expensive detergents is not always the answer, so for some minor stains and spillage, you can follow some easy hacks. Check out these natural ingredients that can be turned into stain-removing products!

Baking soda
This is an inexpensive and effective stain remover you can use every time you do your laundry. Add one tablespoon of baking soda to your laundry detergent and start your load. This baking soda mixes well with the detergent and is even known to boost the detergent’s cleaning properties. Not only that, but baking soda also helps keep the fabrics soft and reduces the occurrence of suds. If you have kids at home and you’re doing their laundry, you can safely add baking soda to their clothes for cleaning, as it is not harmful to sensitive skin. It also acts as a natural odor remover, which can help keep your laundry smelling fresh.

Lemon
Due to its acidic nature, lemon can act as a great stain remover. However, due to its acidic nature, you must be careful when using lemon on colored clothes. It can fade the color quickly if the lemon stays on for too long, which is true for lemon and lime juice. So it is advised to use the lemon hack only on white clothes. It works exceptionally well if you need to remove any yellow underarm or rust stains. Not to mention, lemon can add a fresh fragrance to the laundry!

Distilled white vinegar
This inexpensive ingredient can easily boost laundry performance and help remove stains. Just add a cup of distilled vinegar to the final rinse of the clothes while doing your laundry. Some people may use chlorine bleach for stain removal; however, distilled white vinegar is a safer and cheaper alternative. In fact, it’s even better than using apple cider vinegar because it will keep the fabrics soft and gentle. This is specifically used for removing any yellow underarm sweat, mildew, or even whitening or brightening the clothes.

Hydrogen peroxide
You spilled red wine on your shirt and are now wondering what hack to use. Hydrogen peroxide is the best solution. This is an oxidizing agent that is used as a bleaching agent. If you’re wondering where to get it, look no further and just ask your local store, which sells first aid kits. Three percent hydrogen peroxide is sold as a first-aid disinfectant, and you can also use this same product for your laundry. It is usually preferred over chlorine bleach because it is environmentally safer. It contains hydrogen and oxygen, which break down into water and oxygen, making it completely natural and human-safe. You can also remove underarm yellow stains from shirts and stains from nail polish or curry.

Borax
This is a popular mineral that is a combination of sodium, boron, and oxygen, along with water. This mineral is known to boost the performance of any of the detergents it uses, so you can easily do a rinse cycle with borax and your regular detergent. Since this is a naturally occurring mineral with no toxic chemicals, it is also human and environment-safe, making it a preferred choice for many homemakers. One of the things to be careful of, though, is that if ingested, it could cause irritation to the skin, so always be careful. Because of its cleaning properties, this ingredient is used in almost all DIY natural cleaning remedies. It can also help soften hard water, remove poop stains from baby cloth diapers, and control bad odor.

Talcum powder
This ingredient is beneficial before your clothes go to the laundry room. If you’ve spilled something greasy or oily on your clothes, add lots of talcum powder, which can help absorb the oil. Of course, you must be quick with the remedy and add the powder to the stain immediately before the oil soaks in. You can even use cornstarch or chalk. Keep this on the stain for 10–15 minutes until it has absorbed the excess oil, and then you can wash the cloth; hopefully, the stain is not too big. While washing, you can even try adding some of the other ingredients mentioned above.

Table salt
Available in all households and easily accessible, table salt is another winning ingredient for natural stain removal. A red wine spill needs immediate attention, like putting lots of table salt on the stain before it sets in. Let the salt absorb the excess liquid, then leave it on for 10–15 minutes. Once that is done, you can brush off the table salt and wash your clothing. Remember that you cannot skip washing your cloth, as the table salt will leave white stains on the fabric if not washed immediately. The salt works as a gentle abrasive element and helps remove rust stains, so you can also try this remedy for rust stains.

Today, mobile phones have become an integral part of life. These devices help us stay connected to loved ones. However, that does not mean they cannot be a cause to worry. Sometimes, when one uses a phone to access the internet, one can become susceptible to online fraud without them knowing. Furthermore, scammers are now formulating new ways to fool people. Hence, some phone mistakes must be prevented to avoid online fraud. Some of them are:

Not updating the phone’s software
One of the worst phone mistakes that attract online fraud is the inability to update your cellphone. When one updates the phone, one can have the latest web browser, operating system, bug fixes, and security software at one’s fingertips. These can act as the best defenses against potential problems such as malware, viruses, and other types of online fraud.
So, to ensure the phone and its software work effectively, one must turn on automatic updates. This way, one can receive the latest updates and utilize them to keep safe at all times.

Keeping weak passwords
Some individuals use similar passwords everywhere. While this can make remembering the code or pin relatively easier, it can also make them more vulnerable to online fraud. Hence, using different or random characters as passwords are considered best. Such passwords can include symbols, alphabets – uppercase or lowercase, and numbers. Further, if one wishes to make things easier, one can adopt the alphabets and numbers that can be easily remembered.
Besides, one must use 6-digit pins instead of 4-digit ones for the lock screen. This is because the former can give one access to more possible combinations, making it difficult for hackers or fraudsters to sign in to your phone and other accounts.

Using public Wi-Fi that is not password protected
Although public Wi-Fi systems are advantageous, unfortunately, they are potentially dangerous. A study has concluded that 40% of people who use public Wi-Fi on the go had their data and personal information compromised. In such cases, it’s best to employ virtual private networks (VPNs) outside the house.
Typically these VPN services anonymize one’s data, thus keeping it untraceable through mediums like IP addresses, further aiding in keeping one’s data and personal information safe and even avoiding online fraud.

Clicking on malicious links from unknown sources
Modern-day fraudsters have become immensely capable of fooling scores of people. These wrongdoers track all the current affairs to take advantage of an individual’s financial situation. For example, some use fraudulent websites that can be used to trick certain users into disclosing personal information or login details in exchange for money.
Therefore, one must avoid opening unfamiliar attachments or clicking on unknown links. Then, one must forward such messages or emails to the Federal Trade Commission for further action.

Following unknown social media posts
Sometimes, during peak travel seasons such as summer, one can see seemingly innocent social media ads for flight ticket deals to well-known destinations where these deals come with an expiration date – before which interested candidates must make their choice.
While such posts seem similar to travel company campaigns, most may have extra fees hidden in the fine print. In such cases, when one uses a credit or debit card to pay for the fees, the card details eventually fall into the hands of the fraudster, thus making one prey to online fraud and losing a lot of money.

Using unsafe shopping websites or apps
When shopping online, it’s common to search for the best deals. While these deals can save you money, they can also be risky. Fraudsters often target online retailers that offer irresistible offers. They create fake websites or apps to trick people into making purchases. Unfortunately, after making a purchase, you may receive a delivery date that’s 3-4 weeks away. Worse, the scammer may take your money and never send the goods. It’s essential to be cautious when shopping online to avoid falling victim to these scams.

Hence, as a precaution, always check if the web address starts with “https.” Then, look out for the padlock symbol on the left side of the address bar. This guarantees that the opened website is secure for use.

In addition to the phone mistakes mentioned above, one must steer clear of strangers to avoid potential online fraud. This includes picking up calls from unknown numbers, not reading through the website or app’s privacy policies, and not using cybersecurity on phones.

At first, these mistakes can seem harmless, but they can cost a large sum of money in the long run. Further, one must never disclose personal information such as date of birth, passwords, and credit card details to anyone. If one has made their date of birth public on social media websites, one must change the setting to private. Additionally, avoid posting information like the mother’s maiden name, which can also be used to gain access to your bank or any other important accounts.

Scammers usually imply authority and instill fear to get prompt responses. So, asking yourself if an authoritative entity would ask you for personal information over the phone is important. Rely on your intuition to avoid making a hasty decision out of anxiety.