Are you interested in tidying up your house, but dread the tedious task and stress it brings? What if there were ways to make it faster, simpler, and more effective? In this post, we will share some incredible cleaning hacks that will leave you wondering why you didn’t think of them before. You’ll be surprised by how much time and effort you can save with these ideas. Get ready to become a cleaning master!
Mayo for the Plants
While tempting thoughts of savory foods that pair well with mayonnaise may come to mind, it’s important to consider that this versatile condiment can serve a variety of purposes beyond its typical use in dishes like salads, burgers, sandwiches, dips, and even as a facial treatment.
Your preferred topping ingredients blend flawlessly to provide a natural luster to your indoor plants. To cleanse and make them shiny, just apply a small quantity of mayo onto a cloth and wipe the leaves. Remove any remaining residue once finished.
Blind Tongs
Due to their proximity to the outside environment, window blinds are highly susceptible to accumulating dust rapidly. To efficiently clean your blinds, you can utilize cooking tongs or a hair straightener, thereby saving time.
To clean your window blinds quickly, take two pieces of cloth and cover each of the rods of the tongs with them. Secure the fabrics in place with rubber bands and proceed to clean both sides of the blind slats at the same time. This method saves time and enables you to achieve a cleaner result.
Lemon-Salt Scrub for Cutting Boards
As time goes by, food stains accumulate on your cutting board, making it appear unappealing. You may yearn for a cleaner look for your cutting board. Luckily, there is a way to bring back the life of your old discolored cutting board.
To remove stains effectively, you can apply salt on the board and cut a lemon in half. Then, scrub the surface of the cutting board with one half of the lemon as the acid in the lemon and the abrasive property of salt work hand in hand.
Extra Baking Sheets
An age-old saying, “It’s better to prevent than cure,” could come in handy next time you bake a cake or cookies. It’s not uncommon to have some spills or messes when placing your items into the oven.
If you put parchment paper and a baking sheet underneath the food you’re baking in the oven, cleaning will be much easier after you’re done since any spills will land on the sheet instead of the oven.
Machine-Wash the Shower Curtains
If the shower curtains become very dirty and you need to clean them, your first thought may be how to do so while they are still hanging on the pole.
Fortunately, vinyl shower curtains can be effectively washed using a washing machine. Simply add a few towels to the load and your shower curtains will come out clean. It’s essential to remember to use the cold wash setting.
Natural Scrub for the Tub
Do you desire to switch to natural cleaning methods for your bathroom? It’s possible that you wish to avoid using chemicals for making your bathtub sparkling clean, due to several reasons.
To achieve a thoroughly clean bathtub without using chemicals, you can utilize grapefruit and salt. Start by halving the grapefruit, and then sprinkle salt onto one of the halves before scrubbing your tub with the natural mixture.
Faucets Can Use Some Baby Oil
Faucets can appear dull due to small amounts of soap, dirt, and other substances. Instead of enduring this issue, why not adopt a tip from children and use it to maintain your faucets’ cleanliness?
Correct. Metallic faucets can be greatly improved by using baby oil. Apply some of the oil on a soft cloth and gently rub it over the surface to create a polished appearance. Not only does it add shine, but it also prevents rusting.
Window Screens and Lint
It is true that lint rollers were initially created specifically for removing lint from clothing, however, resourceful individuals have demonstrated that this basic tool has numerous other practical applications.
If your window screens get dirty, you can rely on lint rollers to effectively clean them. Lint rollers can easily remove all the small particles of dust and dirt that cause your home’s window screens to look unclean.
Baking Soda for the Dishes
Are you unsatisfied with the cleanliness of your dishes from the dishwasher? Despite various potential causes for this issue, there are ways to ensure that your dishes still come out clean.
Baking soda is remarkably effective for scrubbing filthy dishes. The next time you plan on arranging the plates in the dishwasher, ensure you sprinkle some amount of baking soda into the device and observe how the dishes emerge pristine clean.
Some Toilet Cola
There are toilet stains that cannot be removed even with extensive scrubbing, causing frustration. Fortunately, a popular cola beverage can effectively eliminate these stubborn stains.
Empty two to three glasses of any cola beverage into the toilet bowl and let it sit overnight. When you wake up the next morning, you will notice that the stains will come off quite easily and with little effort.
Keep Paintbrushes Fresh
Would you like to pause for a while during your house painting task? It’s possible that you recall the hassle of having to clean your paintbrushes every time you take a break from the project.
Instead of cleaning the paintbrush after every use, you can place it in a Ziplock bag and seal it. When you come back to use it again, the paint on the brush will still be in the same condition as when you first placed it in the bag.
Lint Roll Dead Insects
Despite the widespread dislike of insects among many people, they can be found in a multitude of places. However, considering it from a different perspective, these spooky critters are essential for the proper functioning of the ecosystem.
We understand that insects can be helpful, but they should not be bothersome in our area. Removing dead insects is not a task that is enjoyed by many people. However, you can use a lint roller to make this job easier. As the insect will become attached to the paper, it is a fast and efficient method of getting rid of it.
A Little Patience Never Hurts
Have you ever thought about letting the cleaning products sit for a moment instead of immediately scrubbing the areas where you spray them?
By waiting a little bit before scrubbing, you give chemicals the chance to break down more dirt and eliminate more bacteria. As a result, when you eventually begin to clean the surfaces, the grime will come off easily, without causing any stress. This approach saves you precious time and energy when cleaning.
Baking Soda for the Grill
Everyone loves barbeque time, including you we suppose. However, it is unlikely that anyone enjoys cleaning the grill when they realize they forgot to wash it after the last BBQ session.
In order to enjoy your favorite barbequed meal, it’s necessary to clean the grill thoroughly. Don’t fret, using baking soda to clean the grill is a simple solution. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the grill must not be hot, instead it should be cool before applying baking soda for cleaning.
Toothpaste on Rings?
Even after years of marriage, it’s still important to keep the diamond on an engagement ring looking bright and shiny. However, visiting a jeweler regularly can be expensive. How can you keep your ring sparkling without breaking the bank?
Using toothpaste can be an efficient way to save money in this circumstance. The reason being, toothpaste has proven to effectively clean diamonds. It would be a good idea to utilize toothpaste on the particular diamond, gently brushing it a few times and then applying some polish. By doing so, your diamond will be restored to its former radiance in a short period of time.
Some Carpet Science
Over time, carpets can accumulate stubborn stains that will be visible even to those who are usually relaxed. These stains can be difficult to remove, but with the help of scientific methods, they can be successfully eliminated.
If you combine baking soda and vinegar together, a bubbly chemical reaction will take place. This fresh mixture can be utilized effectively to remove unsightly and tough stains from your carpet.
Get Rid of Fridge Odors
Are unpleasant odors becoming more noticeable in your refrigerator, requiring you to endure them every time you access it for a beverage? Despite the widespread recommendation of baking soda as a solution, there are alternative methods that may be just as effective or even superior.
Line the shelves of your refrigerator with old newspapers and add charcoal pieces to the two trays and freezer. Close the refrigerator door and let the charcoal absorb any odors.
Baking Soda in the Oven
It is natural for ovens to accumulate dirt and grease with constant use for baking and cooking. Therefore, maintaining the cleanliness of the oven is important for a neat cooking area, which requires periodic maintenance.
If you want to clean your oven effortlessly, simply spread some baking soda across the bottom of the appliance, moisten the powder with a small amount of water, and you are ready to begin the cleaning process.
Lemons for the Faucets
Although it may seem unexpected, lemons possess miraculous qualities for cleaning faucets. Over time, the natural accumulation of hard water on your taps can be resolved with the use of lemons.
To apply the lemon, slice it and split it open from the center using your thumb. Put the open side of the lemon onto the faucet that is impacted and cover it with a sandwich bag. Use an elastic band to secure the lemon and faucet inside the bag.
Old Socks and Blinds
Although it may sound amusing, we strongly recommend giving it a chance as it has proven to work quickly. It is essential to make sure that the sock you use to clean the blinds has been washed beforehand.
Having mentioned that, it’s now time to clean. Prepare a mixture of cleaning solution and warm water and place it in a bowl. Immerse the sock in the solution until it gets dampened. Then, wear the sock on your hand and use your fingers to clean the blinds.
Trash Can Deodorant
Unpleasant smelling garbage cans are something you cannot avoid in life, particularly if you have disposed of various kinds of waste in them. Therefore, how can you address the unpleasant odor that emanates from your garbage can since the smell persists even after you have emptied it?
Rather than frequently washing it, baking powder can be utilized as a multipurpose alternative. When you take out the trash next time, simply add some baking powder to the bag as you replace it, and it will emit a refreshing fragrance.
Newspaper for the Windows
Although the conventional choice for many individuals to wipe their windows and mirrors is paper towels, there could be an even more effective substitute readily available. Newspapers are the solution we are looking for.
Soy ink newspapers don’t only leave your glass surfaces clean and shiny, they also don’t streak the window surface or leave any traces of the material, unlike paper towels. Plus, you can also enjoy some entertaining news before you transform it into a cleaning material.
Razor Paint Removal Technique
If you do some DIY painting in the house, you most likely have a cloth you have set aside for carrying out your paint projects. But what if paint gets on to some fabric that you still love to wear? How do you get rid of the paint stains?
A razor can come in handy for this task. Using the razor blade, gently scrape over the surface of the stain and the paint will become incredibly easy to remove.
Rice in Coffee Grinders
There are many ways coffee lovers drink their precious beverage, but a good number of them make use of coffee grinders while making the caffeinated drink. This equipment can begin to develop odors in no time, especially if it is not properly maintained.
Rice can help eliminate these bad smells. Just add some uncooked rice into the grinder and grind it like its coffee. Allow the rice to remain in the grinder for some hours and dispose of it. That’s it – the odor should have disappeared!
Bread for Broken Glasses
Nothing makes a dread zone in the home like an area with broken pieces of glass scattered around. How do you ensure all the glass shards are removed without hurting yourself in the process?
Take it or leave it, you can use a slice of bread to take care of your worries. All you need to do is slice some bread, and press the sliced loaf on the area where the broken glass pieces are. Don’t ever use your hands – bread is safer and more effective.
A Clean Range Hood
Having range hoods above the stove can be like two sides of a coin. On one side, they come with their immense benefits of removing airborne grease, among other perks. On the flip side, they can be a problem when they get dirty.
You need to clean them once in a while, but there’s an easy and effective way. Get a large pot that can fit the kitchen hood and place the hood in it. Fill the pot with water, add some baking soda, and let it boil.
Salt for Stains
Salt definitely has a whole lot of other uses aside from making food taste better. It is surprising how a good number of people are not making use of the versatile properties of table salt. For one, it can help to remove stains from clothing materials and other surfaces.
If you’re looking for a non-toxic way to get rid of stains, just put some salt on the stain, take a clean wet cloth, and thoroughly rub the salt over the stained area.
For a Cleaner Laptop
You can save money by cleaning your laptop yourself instead of going to a professional to get that polished look for your Mac or PC. There are a number of hacks that can give you a pretty clean laptop but avoid certain chemicals entirely.
Never use ammonia, acetone, or alcohol to clean your system – it will end in tears! Instead, you can use white vinegar to scrub your keyboard and a microfiber cloth to clean your screen. Your laptop will come out looking pristine!
Top Anti-Mildew Agent
Bathroom walls are quite prone to mildew buildup over time due to high humidity in that area of the house. Baking soda can be the solution to deal with these fungal creatures on the walls of the bathroom.
Just take some baking soda and add some water. Next, create a paste with the mixture. When you’re done, simply pick up the paste with a brush and start scrubbing along the walls to get rid of the mildew easily.
Toothbrush for the Keyboard
Keyboards get pretty dirty so fast, and they also harbor a number of germs. So how do you disinfect your keyboard and keep it looking clean? There’s an unusual hack you can use to do just that.
An old toothbrush can help you clean the keys of your laptop, just like your teeth. Now instead of using toothpaste, dip the toothbrush in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water, then gently brush your keyboard clean.
Potato-Clean Your Cast-Iron Skillet
Scared of ruining your cast-iron pan by washing it with soap? Potatoes can serve as heroes! As weird as this cleaning hack might sound to you, it works like magic.
What you need to do is to cut a spud in half, then add some salt on the skillet. Use the half potato to scrub the salt into the pan to lift any stuck-on gunk. Afterward, simply rinse the whole thing off, and your cast-iron skillet will be perfectly clean.
Rhubarb for Burnt-On Gunk
If you run out of dish soap and there seem to be some stubborn stains caused by burnt food, don’t get worried. As long as there is rhubarb in your garden or fridge, then that’s all you need to get rid of the burnt-on mess.
Put some water inside the pan, add a few rhubarb sticks and boil – allowing for a five-minute simmer time. Allow them to cool down, then use a sponge to wipe down the pan, and all the caked-on gunk will lift easily.
Your Blender Can Clean Itself
Every time you try to clean your blender by sticking your hand into the bowl of blades, you’re doing a task that can end up really perilous. You can easily remove the sticky food remnants on the blender knives without endangering yourself.
Just add some dish soap, baking soda, and warm water into the blender, then switch it on for some seconds. Afterward, rinse out the blender with water, and it will look spotless.
A Shot of Vodka for Mildew
If you’ve got mildew on your bathroom walls, you can gift them a drink of vodka, and they’ll leave. Okay, not exactly that way – but vodka can really help you get rid of any mildew.
Mix vodka and water in a 50-50 proportion and fill up a spray bottle with the alcoholic mixture. Then spray the affected areas and allow it to sit for about 10 minutes. Afterward, wipe it off with a clean cloth or brush, and all the debris and mildew on your bathroom walls will be gone for good!
Vinegar and Showerheads
That gross looking showerhead is actually a breeding ground for germs, and it is really as dirty as it looks. Luckily, someone came up with an idea to make shower heads free of germs and dirt.
Simply fill a plastic bag with some vinegar, and wrap the bag around the showerhead. Then use a rubber band to hold everything and leave it to soak for some hours or overnight. By morning, you can easily rinse off the dirt, then you can take a clean and refreshing shower!
Wax Treatment for Sink Fixtures
With each use of our sinks, they begin to look less and less clean even after a really rigorous wash. So how can you restore your sink to its former glory? You can give your sink fixtures some wax treatment to restore life to them.
First, clean your faucets and handles with an antibacterial cleaning agent, then give them a polish with wax paper. The wax in the paper will also prevent stains caused by water from developing on the sink.
Baking Soda on the Mattress?
While your pillows, pillowcases, and bedsheets get some washing regularly, the same can’t be easily said for the mattress. After all, you can’t take the mattress for a quick washing as easily as you would the other materials.
There’s actually an easy way to make your mattress feel fresh again. Vacuum your mattress, then sprinkle baking soda on it. Allow it to sit for a few hours so that any odors can be absorbed by the baking soda, then vacuum one more time. Sleep fresh!
Vinegar + Steam Iron = Clean Carpet
Are your rugs looking really stained, and you are desperate to have them cleaned? There’s a way you can get rid of stubborn rug stains without spending money to rent a carpet cleaner. Get your vinegar and steam iron out and watch as you give your carpet a fantastic facelift.
Mix three parts vinegar and one part water in a spray bottle, then apply it to the stained area. Grab a wet cloth, use it to cover the stain, and steam it for about 30 seconds.
For a Fresh-Smelling Washing Machine
Although we mostly tend to think that our washing machines clean themselves, it’s not a correct assumption. Some germs just won’t go away with a typical detergent wash-and-rinse. How can you then ensure the machine is perfectly clean?
Bleach has a strong antibacterial property that you can employ for this purpose. Simply run your washing machine on a clean setting and add a combination of hot water and a little bleach. This will eliminate any lingering germs in the machine.
Not Just for the Teeth
Don’t you wish your toilet could remain as sparkly as it looks immediately after scrubbing it thoroughly? Wish no further, because denture tablets can make your dreams come true. Those tablets can do more than just what the dentist recommends them for!
Just drop one denture tablet in the toilet bowl every week, and it will help reduce the calcium deposits that are mostly responsible for the stains. Thus, your toilet can stay cleaner for longer.
Clean Your Iron With Foil
Tinfoil — or aluminum foil — can go a long when it comes to maintaining or cleaning household items. Believe it or not but you can even use it to clean your iron.
All you have to do is simply place a piece of foil on the ironing board and sprinkle it with salt. From there, you just run the iron over the salt and foil to help loosen the gunk buildup. The iron should be set to hot, without any steam coming out.
Repurpose Dryer Sheets
Something you may have not known is even after they’ve been used, dryer sheets can work magic around the house. In fact, you can use these sheets to buff water spots from mirrors, or even remove soap residue from clear or transparent shower doors.
With that in mind, gone are the days that you chuck dryer sheets straight to the trash from the dryer. Now, this is what we call getting the best bang for your buck. Don’t you guys think?
Clean Your Sponge
It’s no secret that sponges can pick up a lot of bacteria, especially if they’re left in the sink. With that being said, it’s important to clean them frequently. Luckily, this is a pretty easy task.
Simply pop the wet sponge in the microwave for about 30 seconds to remove any bacteria! Of course, you might want to wait a minute or two before pulling it out of the microwave considering that it’ll be a bit hot. If you’re not really in the mood to do this, you can always stick the sponge in the dishwasher for a spin.
Hair Dryer for Water Rings
Well, folks, we just learned that you can use your hair dryer — or blow dryer — for more than we actually thought. While it may have once only been an apparatus for styling hair, it turns out that you can also use it to remove water rings from wooden surfaces.
Once you do that, you can polish that spot or surface with some olive oil to give it an extra shine. We don’t know about you guys but we think that’s pretty awesome.
Cream of Tartar to Clean Stainless Steel
And you thought cream of tartar was only useful for making meringue fluffy! Think again, people. It turns out that cream of tartar is actually an acid and so, when applied to stainless steel, the steel gleams!
All you have to do is mix a bit of water with it and add a little elbow grease. While you can substitute lemon juice or vinegar for the water, it’s not really necessary as the tartar powder abrades the surface to clean off any grit.
Use Chalk to Remove Grease Stains
Let’s be real here — grease stains are the absolute worse, especially when it comes to getting them out of clothes. The minute you see that drop of oil hit your blouse after taking a big bite of pizza, you know you’re doomed. Well, at least you thought you were.
Luckily, we have just the trick for you. Rather than dousing that blouse in extra detergent or bringing it to the dry cleaner, you can simply rub some chalk over the stain before throwing your clothes in the wash. The chalk will absorb the grease!
How to Remove Nail Polish From Carpets
There are few things worse than spilling a bottle of nail polish on a white carpet. Whether you have kids that weren’t careful enough or you accidentally spilled it yourself, there’s still hope. Rather than immediately freaking out, grab a microfiber cloth and some non-oily nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol.
Poor the remover on the cloth and blot the stain. Repeat the process until no more nail polish comes off on your towel. If you decided to go with nail polish remover, remember to use it sparingly as it can ruin the latex backing of your carpet.
Clean Grater With Raw Chunks of Potatoes
If we’re being totally honest, cheese is one of the greatest things about life. Do you know what’s not, though? A grater covered in sticky cheese that, no matter how hard you scrub, will just not seem to go away. Lucky for you, there’s an easy way to clean it and all you need is a raw potato.
Yes — we’re being serious. The next time you find your grater covered in cheese residue, simply grate each side with a chunk of raw potato before rinsing.
A Squeegee for Hair
There’s no denying that carpets can be a great thing to have in your house. After all, if you live somewhere cold, then this is a sure way to keep your feet warm. Still, with carpets can also come with various issues, like allergies, especially if you have pets.
And although that’s not much of a surprise — considering how much dust and hair can get caught in the bristles — there are still ways to work with it. If your vacuum doesn’t seem to be doing the job, you can always use a squeegee to collect hair, whether that be your own or your pet’s.
Cleaning Dishes With Foil
People live by their pyrex dishware and casserole dishes, and we can totally understand why. There, in those dishes, is where some of the best meals are made.
Still, what happens when you can’t seem to get that baked-on brown stuff to budge? No matter how much elbow grease and soap you use, that dish just isn’t getting any cleaner — until now. Simply use a ball of aluminum foil and a bit of dish soap to scrub the baked-on grime off the glass.
Stockings for the Vacuum
If your house is littered with relatively large objects that can break your vacuum cleaner, you might want to take extra caution while cleaning the house. Instead of being paranoid when you’re vacuuming, you can simply wear pantyhose or a stocking over the top of the vacuum’s hose.
This will stop any object that is larger than dust from entering the vacuum and potentially damaging it. It doubles as a way to find small objects around the house, too!
Tea Bag in a Shoe
Having smelly shoes can be as annoying as it is embarrassing. You don’t want to be in a situation where you will need to pull off your shoes where others are – you will cause a lot of stinking havoc for the poor folks.
Just place a tea bag inside each of the shoes and leave it for a few hours or overnight. All the dampness and smells in the shoes should be absorbed by the time you wake up.
Play-Doh and Glitters
If you’ve got kids in the house who happen to be glitter lovers, then expect to meet with sparkles here and there around the home. And you obviously don’t want to vacuum them so that the machine won’t be stuck with glitters.
Play-doh is the perfect material for picking up glitter, no matter where the shiny stuff might be. And indeed, any other sticky substance (such as tape) will do a good job as well.
Unclog Your Drain Cheaply
Yet another inevitable part of existence – clogged drains. No matter how careful we seem to be in keeping our drains clear, they will sooner or later get blocked. Of course, you can always purchase products to free your drains, but more inexpensive alternatives are available for you.
One of them is making a thick mixture of baking powder and vinegar. Pour it slowly down the drain, and you’ll be free of water hanging in your sink every time you do the dishes.
Toothpaste, Toothbrush… and Shoes
Grab some toothpaste, put it on a toothbrush, and start brushing. Only this time, you’re cleaning your shoes and not your teeth. You think that’s weird? It actually works wonders, especially for sneakers with white soles, which get dirty really quickly.
Brush all dirty spots on the sneakers with the toothpaste, but try to leave the paste on for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off. Your footwear will become glisteningly clean!
