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If you have a very specific cleaning need and wonder if there's something you could buy for it, you're not alone. There's an entire market for specialty cleaning items, a product for every problem, and the choices can be overwhelming, expensive, and ineffective. We here at Golden Shine want to give you a tried-and-true, readily available option that won't break the bank. Your own home is full of items that have a second purpose for cleaning, and with the right touch, you may never have to buy a specialty scrubber again.

Cotton Swabs: They're inexpensive, double-sided, and perfect for wiping those hard-to-reach areas, such as around faucet handles and detailed woodwork. Keep them dry for dusting or dip them in cleaning product for scrubbing.

Hair Dryer: For dusting delicate or intricate objects, a hair dryer cannot be beat. The heat from hair dryers can also loosen glue or price tags from dishes and other items.

Toothbrush: A retired toothbrush can have a long, useful afterlife. The bristles make an excellent scrubber for de-rusting, loosening grime or film, or for detailed cleaning. Its length and size also makes it great for getting at those hard-to-reach angles.

Newspaper: They're free of lint and soak up window cleaner, leaving your windows streak-free and shining. Lay them down for drippy home projects, wrap glass items in them for dust protection in storage, use them as a changeable floor in cupboards that collect dirt or spills, the list goes on and on. Any of these uses is a great way to repurpose your newspaper before recycling, and saves dozens of one-use paper towels.

Socks: An old sock can be the perfect duster. Wear on your hand for quick dusting of blinds, shelves, decorative items, tables, or anything that needs dusting. Add a wood soap or other cleaner and you have an instant polishing sponge. Your old socks never need outlive their usefulness with these quick cleaning tips.

These items may well be lying around your home in a state of disuse, but with little effort, you can turn your old toothbrush, newspaper, or hair dryer into a cleaning machine. And these are only the top of the list-perhaps you can find cleaning uses for other household objects. With just a little innovation, you can save time, money, and effort, and still have a clean and lovely home.

Happy Innovative Cleaning!