What it is: Some automotive-care products have found an alternate life outside the garage as home-cleaning tools. Additionally, some kitchen items can help keep grime off cars.

How to Get It: According to a number of home-cleaning Web blogs and forums, car wax has multiple household uses. Turtle Wax has taken notice and has begun marketing their ICE Total Interior Care to women. When applied to bathroom walls, stovetop surfaces and brass fixtures, the multi-surface cleaner provides a barrier to keep mold, grease and dirt from clinging to surfaces. Stains can be easily wiped off between cleanings, according to the company.

Microfiber cloths, usually found in the automotive aisle, are marketed for wiping down vehicles after car washes. These cloths are absorbent, washable and durable, which make them ideal to double as kitchen rags and even mops. For streak-free windows, consider using microfiber cloths and a car-window solution. If you're replacing your old car mats, instead of throwing them out, consider using them as doormats near entrances with a lot of kid traffic like the back door.

Experts suggest wiping headlights with ordinary cooking oil to keep bugs and grime off. When tackling the problem of scrapping off old bumper stickers, try mayonnaise and a nonmetal scraper to break down glue and residue.

Upside: Finding extra uses for products saves money and cuts down on the number of cleaning products in the house.

Downside: You might miss the lemony or clean-kitchen scents of traditional home cleaning products. And you might find it annoying to have to search for the cooking oil in the garage or the car wax under the bathroom sink.

Cost: Turtle Wax products are found at national retail stores as well as Amazon.com and WaxDepot.com. Microfiber cloths, which vary in price, can be found in the automotive aisle of retail stores.