How to Clean Your House Like a Pro
Even though we've settled into the new year, many of us probably still have yet to clean up around the house. We get it—it can be time-consuming, and who knows how many cleaning solutions and tools you'll need? But we've got a secret: cleaning can be easy, and you don't need special soaps and sprays to do it. Keep reading, and we'll let you in on 20 brilliant household cleaning hacks that will leave your home looking brand new.
1. Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the most versatile ingredients out there, and cleaning is just one of many it does best. If you have gunk built up around your kitchen sink, coffee pot, blender, or elsewhere, simply flush it out by mixing with equal parts water and vinegar, or soak a towel, leave on, then wipe.
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2. Salt
If you have a messy oven to clean after your latest batch or recipe bubbled over, sprinkle some salt on the spill before it dries. The sodium will help it form a crust that's easier to scrape off when cooled. You can also use salt (and lemon) to clean your cutting boards.
3. Lemon
As we just mentioned in the previous point, you can use lemon juice and salt to scrub down your cutting boards. The citrus scent of the lemon will especially help with deodorizing if you have any lingering garlic or onion smells left over.
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4. Rubber Gloves
Got a pet that won't stop shedding? Use rubber gloves to collect the fuzz; simply roll into a ball of lint then throw away. The rubber gloves create friction and static when run along fabric, making the fur stick to them. You can also wet your gloves for added effect.
5. Club Soda
Oops—spilled red wine all over your white carpet? Don't fret; grab a can of club soda and dunk it into a spray bottle, then spritz generously over the blooming stain. Blot with a microfiber cloth and repeat until the color lifts, or you can leave the area soaked overnight. The reason this works is because the carbonation helps dissolve the pigment.
6. Old Pillowcase
If you have ceiling fans, you'll know that they can be a hassle to clean without a duster. But even if you don't have one handy, you can use an old pillowcase. Slip each blade, one by one, into the pillowcase, then slide off. The dust will collect directly in the case instead of all over your floor and furniture.
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7. Baking Soda
Along with vinegar, baking soda also has various uses and can be incorporated into recipes or mixed into a paste to remove stains and grime. If you have grease and muck tracked between the grout of tiles or inside your dishwasher or casserole pan, combine baking soda with water and vinegar. Voila—they'll be back to brand new!
8. Dish Soap
If you have grease stains on your clothes or even a semi-clogged sink, add a few drops of dish soap. Let sit for a couple of minutes as it does its job, then rinse with water. Since dish soap is formulated to cut through oil and grime, use it whenever you run into these greasy problems.
9. Paint Roller
Instead of using a ladder and wiping down the ceiling, which would take forever to do, use a paint roller. First, run it along the surface to collect dust and cobwebs, then attach a dampened microfiber cloth or sponge to make your walls sparkle.
10. Tennis Balls
Tired of having your bed sheets curl into a ball in the wash and dryer? Throw some tennis balls to launder with it! Tennis balls can help speed up the drying process, make your sheets softer and fluffier, and reduce static cling. If you're not keen on potentially having yellow fuzz sticking onto clothes, then wool dryer balls work just as well.
11. Ice
If you find that your sink is starting to smell, especially if you have a garbage disposal, throw chunks of ice cubes down the drain and grind it down. Then add a bit of vinegar and lemon juice for deodorizing. For a quicker clean, you can freeze this solution into an all-in-one ice block, then chuck it down the drain whenever it needs refreshening.
12. Olive Oil
Did you know you can fight oil with oil? On stainless steel surfaces such as refrigerators, ovens, stoves, pans, and others, dab some olive oil onto a microfiber cloth or paper towel, then wipe in the direction of the grain. Ta-da—no more stains!
13. Coffee Grounds
If your refrigerator smells like it's seen better days, fill a bowl with coffee grinds and leave it on a shelf inside. The next time you open your fridge, it'll smell like a fresh cup of Joe. You can also use baking soda (yes—again) if you don't drink coffee or have it handy.
14. Toothbrushes
Toothbrushes aren't only for brushing your teeth, so don't throw them away when you need to swap one out. The bristles can be used to polish and clean tiny gaps and delicate surfaces, like built-up gunk in grout or even shoes.
15. Lemon Slices
Similarly, you can also use lemon slices to deodorize your refrigerator. Chop up the ends or leave a few cuts in a bowl, then place inside on a shelf. Alternatively, you can halve a lemon, squeeze out the juice into a bowl with water, place the halves into the liquid, and stick it in the microwave. Heat on high for three minutes and let stand for five. The steam will loosen up food gunk that you can simply wipe away.
16. Aluminum Foil
If you have any silver cutlery or jewelry lying around rusting, we have a trick to immediately make them brand new again. Cover the inside of a bowl with aluminum foil, place your silver inside, sprinkle baking soda over it, then pour hot, just-boiled water into the bowl. Watch the chemical reaction happen and your items regain their shine.
17. Potatoes
If you have an extra potato that you're planning to toss out, use it to clean your cast iron skillet instead. Sprinkle some salt over the surface, then scrub with the potato flat-side down. The oxalic acid in potatoes helps break down iron oxide (i.e. rust) into iron oxalate, a water-soluble salt that easily rinses away, which is why this vegetable is amazing at removing burned bits or rust.
18. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil also has versatile uses. Not only can you add it to recipes, or onto the scalp or skin, but you can also dab some on a cloth to polish wooden surfaces, leaving them shiny and smelling delicious—just like coconuts!
19. Dishwasher Tablet
Dishwasher tablets aren't only used for cleaning your dishwashing machine. It can also clean your washing machine, oven, refrigerator, toilet, garbage cans, and more. Even more surprising is that you can refresh your sofa, according to a hack from TikTok. Simply dissolve your tablet in hot water, soak a kitchen towel in it, then wrap the towel around a pot lid and swipe away at your couch!
20. Socks
Got any old socks? Don't toss them out just yet. Provided they're not covered in holes and dirt, wear them like gloves to wipe down the dust gathered in your blinds. This method works better than regular dusters as it helps you get into hard-to-reach crevices, and you can clean each slat one by one.
