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Yes, if you’re strapped for supplies, boiling hot water can be a great alternative for getting rid of soap scum. However, as this method calls for a bit of soaking, it’s best used when cleaning your bathroom sink or bath basin (or on small objects you can submerge). All you have to do is plug your sink or bathtub drain and pour in enough boiling water to cover the soap scum. Allow it to soak for five minutes, drain, and follow up with an additional hot water rinse to remove any lingering residue.

Distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work well to clean faucet heads; simply soak the end of the fixture in a 50/50 mix with tap water for 30 minutes. Baking soda and dish soap used in conjunction with vinegar can also help the cleaning process. A commercially available calcium, lime, and rust remover is a good solution for stubborn buildup or stains.

You can use dish soap mixed with warm water to clean just about any type of flooring, and while vinegar is a great addition to some floor cleaners, it’s not a good idea to use it on wood flooring or engineered wood flooring. Vinegar is very acidic, and it can gradually eat away at the protective finish on wood floors. If you’re cleaning laminate, tile, concrete, or vinyl floors, feel free to use vinegar and water in a 1-to-1 ratio with a few drops of dish soap. For wood floors, substitute the vinegar for olive oil.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using an EPA-registered disinfectant product to disinfect a house properly. If such a product isn't handy, a strong bleach solution can disinfect high-touch surfaces. Before hiring a professional, be sure to discuss the type of chemicals and disinfectants they plan to use to ensure they’re safe for household use.