In light of Earth Day, following are five great cleaning supplies that you may already have around your house that are safe and effective for removing most stains. If you don't have them, you should, since they have a multitude of uses and go a long way to save you money. 

 Do you have Baking Soda? Just about everyone knows that keeping a small box in their refrigerator helps eliminate odors. Baking soda deodorizes not only your fridge, but your drains, carpeting and upholstery as well. It also cleans, scours, polishes and of course, removes stains.

White Vinegar is great undiluted as a spot remover. Combined with lemon juice, the solution will remove hard water scales, remove gummy buildup and remove dirt from wood surfaces. It is also common knowledge that straight vinegar is a great antibacterial product used to kill bacteria, mold and germs.

Lemon Juice is an all natural bleach and disinfectant. Lemon juice and sunshine removes many stains. Great for baby formula stains and more, it can be applied just before laundering. 

Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) works for removing stains on white clothing. Combine ½ cup with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle and spray on mold and mildew prone areas of your bathroom. In both cases, laundry and bathroom, make sure that you are using the peroxide on surfaces and materials that will tolerate its bleaching effect (you shouldn't use it on brightly colored towels, for example).

Borax has such a wide range of uses around your home, that it deserves a page all its own! Borax has been used for ages, as a laundry booster. Keeping to the subject of stains (for now), it will remove tea stains from cottons and linens by soaking the item in a solution of borax and water (1 tablespoon of borax per cup of warm water). For tougher stains, a paste of borax and warm water, worked into the stain before laundering may do the trick.

The items mentioned are just the basics. Keep in mind that when it comes to stains, there are too many variables to use just one solution successfully. Different fabrics or surfaces require different treatments, depending on the type of stain. You need to apply the right chemicals to get the reaction you want, without any damaging effects. Be sure to check back for more detailed information, tips and solutions for your staining problems!