Cleaning your home can be a time-consuming and exhausting chore. Fortunately, there are several cleaning hacks that can make the process easier and faster.
By using these ingenious hacks from the pros, you can clean your house more quickly and efficiently. These tips include: storing Clorox wipes behind toilets, implementing a daily shower spray, and minimizing clutter.
1. Use Lemon Juice to Remove Hard to Remove Stains
Lemons and lemon juice are natural cleaning products that can effectively remove many types of stains. If a fresh ink spot or ketchup stain has blemished your favorite white shirt, soak the stain in lemon juice and hang it out to dry under the sun, so the lemon’s natural whitening action can help to lift the mark.
Similarly, to remove rust from copper or brass cookware and table-ware, use lemon juice in combination with coarse salt, and scrub until the metal becomes gleaming. This also works well on rust stains in grout and on tiled floors.
The same technique can be used to remove wine stains from clothing and other fabrics. Soak the fabric in club soda and then blot it with a microfiber cloth, repeating as needed until the stain is removed. A little bit of lemon can also make a tough shoe stain fade away. To brighten and freshen up your suede shoes, dip the end of a rag in lemon juice and rub into the fabric until it’s clean and shiny.
2. Use Baking Soda to Brighten Your Laundry
If you have a musty or sweaty odor on your clothes, instead of having to get them dry-cleaned, sprinkle them with baking soda. It will absorb the smell and make them fresh and clean again. It will also eliminate the need for scented fabric softeners and is safe for all fabrics and babies.
Adding baking soda to your laundry will also brighten your whites and help lift rough dirt and grime. It is a mild alkali that will raise the pH balance of the water in your washer and help break up soap scum and odors.
It will also reduce the amount of detergent you use and make your laundry more efficient. It is a great way to tackle tough stains, especially on sweat-soaked clothes. To use it, mix a quarter cup of baking soda with water to create a paste. Apply the paste to a stain, then let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes before washing your clothes as normal. This hack will also work for removing stubborn deodorant stains on dark clothing.
3. Use Vinegar to Clean Glasses
When your glasses come out of the dishwasher with a milky film, it’s usually caused by hard water, mineral deposits, or etching. It is suggested that you try a vinegar soak to help remove that haze and get your glassware sparkling again.
Fill a sink or container with cleaning vinegar and cover your glasses to soak. Soak for an hour, then drain and rinse well to remove all of the vinegar. Hand wash and dry your glasses immediately afterward to prevent the haze from starting again.
The acetic acid in vinegar cuts through dirt and grease, leaving your glass surfaces free from streaks and smudges. This trick is especially effective on mirrors, glass shower doors, crystal dishes that haven’t been used in awhile and picture frames.
To keep your glasses from becoming cloudy in the first place, Candy suggests hand washing them regularly with a mild dishwashing liquid and warm water. She also recommends using a rinse aid to protect your dishes from water stains and making sure to dry your glasses with a clean, lint-free cloth to avoid water droplets drying on the surface again.
4. Use Clorox Wipes to Clean Toilets and Bathroom Surfaces
Clorox wipes are an easy and quick way to clean the toilet and other surfaces without damaging the integrity of those surfaces. As a disinfectant, these wipes can kill many germs including cold and flu, E. coli, MRSA, strep, salmonella and whooping cough.*
Keep Clorox wipes handy in a bucket or caddy near the toilet to quickly and easily clean it. They can also be used on bathroom surfaces like showers, bathtubs, sinks and mirrors.
Use a cloth or sponge with warm water to wipe down the surface of the toilet and then with a clean Clorox wipe, clean off any remaining grime around the base and on the sides. To prevent bacteria buildup, be sure to wipe the inside and outside of the toilet tank as well. Be sure to dispose of the used wipes properly as flushing them down the toilet can lead to clogs and can affect the plumbing system.* Also, be sure to not reuse the same wipe on different surfaces as cross contamination can transfer viruses and bacteria.
5. Use a Timer to Speed Up Your Cleaning
When you’re feeling overwhelmed by housework, try using a timer to speed up your cleaning. This will help you stay focused and motivated to get the job done quickly. Plus, it’ll give you a sense of accomplishment when the timer goes off! Always remember, a clean space is a clear mind!
This cleaning hack works particularly well for chores you tend to procrastinate on. For example, if you’re always putting off emptying the dishwasher or folding clothes, use a timer to help make the task less intimidating. Set it for 20 minutes and challenge yourself to complete the task in that amount of time. Repeat this process each day, and you’ll find these common household chores become much less of a burden.
One of the best things about this cleaning hack is that it can be applied to any area of your home. Simply allocate specific timeframes to each of your cleaning tasks and focus on high-impact areas like the kitchen or bathroom. This ensures that your efforts are having an immediate impact and leaves you more time for other, less important chores.
6. Keep a Clutter-Free Space
Clutter can take up a lot of space and make it difficult to keep things organized. But it doesn’t have to be a constant battle! In fact, a few simple changes can be all it takes to stop clutter from taking over your life.
To start, it’s important to identify your common sources of clutter. This will help you figure out what items are worth hanging onto and which ones you can simply let go of. Once you have a clearer picture of what you own, it’s time to declutter! Start with storage containers and furniture first, then move on to other areas of your home.
The key is to tackle one area at a time and follow the “one in, one out” rule. For example, if you have a pile of papers on your kitchen counter, set aside a few minutes each day to clear it. By doing this regularly, it will be easier to avoid accumulating clutter in the future! This is especially true for flat surfaces, which seem to attract clutter more than any other surface.
7. Use Multi-Purpose Cleaning Products
Maintaining a pristine home can feel like a never-ending chore. But, it doesn’t have to be. Using simple hacks from the pros, you can cut down your cleaning time and save on cleaning products.
For example, Leslie Reichert from Green Cleaning Coach recommends using a pillowcase to dust ceiling fans quickly and easily. Simply slip the pillowcase over each fan blade, wipe, and repeat—that way, dust falls inside the pillowcase and doesn’t get sucked into your furniture and floors.
Another helpful hack is to keep a multipurpose cleaner on hand. These versatile cleaning products can be used to clean a wide variety of surfaces and materials, including countertops, bathroom and kitchen tiles, and carpets. Choosing a multipurpose cleaner with a disinfectant capability will help to make the cleaning process even faster and simpler. But, if you’re not sure which product to choose, we recommend checking the label. Most multi-purpose cleaners will have a list of surface types that they can be safely and effectively used on. But, you should always spot test any cleaner before using it on a new surface to ensure that it won’t damage or stain it.
8. Use a Scheduled Routine Check
Cleaning the house is a chore that many people put off, which can lead to a buildup of dust and grime. By implementing some of the genius hacks below, you can simplify your cleaning routine to keep your home looking fresh and sanitary. From using lemon juice to remove hard to remove stains to sanitizing toys in the dishwasher, these savvy tips will make cleaning your home a breeze. Plus, they’re all cost-effective and environmentally friendly!
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