Chores are the bane of everyone’s existence. Some people find cleaning therapeutic, but for the other 99%? It’s the worst. Thankfully, in a world of Reddit, blogs, and podcasts, people have shared their ingenious ideas to help make the daunting task of cleaning your house just a little bit easier.
These 20 life-changing cleaning hacks will have you wondering how you ever survived before.
Scroll through these incredible ideas and embed them into your brain. Now, that weekend cleaning project you had planned doesn’t seem so terrible.
1. Clean a cutting board with lemon and salt
Remove stains and yucky smells from your cutting board with half a lemon and some coarse salt. Sprinkle the salt on the cutting board and give it a good scrub with the fleshy side of half a lemon.
2. Get rid of rust on a cast iron skillet
A seasoned cast iron skillet is great, but a rusty one? Not so much. Get rid of rust by soaking it in vinegar until the rust starts to peel. Then, rub with some oil and bake at 350 degrees for an hour. Voila!
3. Buff out wood scratches
Your wooden table isn’t ruined if it has a few scratches and watermarks, in fact, it’s really easy to fix! Mix 1/4 parts white vinegar with 3/4 parts olive or vegetable oil. Place the mixture on a soft cloth and buff out the scuffs and scratches.
4. Sanitize toys in the dishwasher
Kids toys can become dirty, grimy, and covered with germs. Did you know you can quickly sanitize and clean them in the dishwasher? Just avoid placing any thin plastic pieces in because they could potentially melt.
5. Remove pet hair from furniture in a flash
Pet hair on furniture can be annoying and embarrassing, but you don’t need to invest in gimmick hair pick-up products. Instead, just dampen a pair of rubber dish gloves and run your hand over the upholstery. Rinse the glove off in the sink and you’re good to go!
6. Whiten your sneakers with nail polish remover
White sneakers can get real dirty, real fast. Even though they can be tossed in the washing machine, they can take a while to dry. If you need to clean up your shoes in a jiffy, just dab some nail polish remover on a cotton ball and wipe down your white kicks for an instant facelift.
7. Vacuum hard-to-reach spots with a toilet paper tube
Places like window sills or door tracks can collect lots of dust and bugs, but they are so difficult to vacuum unless you have the right extension. If you don’t – improvise! Just use an empty toilet paper roll to attach to the vacuum hose and bend it in any shape you need.
8. Deodorize your microwave
Microwaves are amazing. They cook food at lightning fast speed, which is wonderful, but if you accidentally burn something, the smell can linger around for days. Quickly deodorize your microwave by placing lemon slices with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and water in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes or until it starts to steam. Leave the steaming bowl in the microwave for 10 minutes without opening the door. After, just wipe down with a damp cloth.
9. Dust your ceiling fan with a pillowcase
Ceiling fans are a major culprit when it comes to collecting dust, and when cleaning them, it can create even more of a mess! Dust your fan mess-free by placing a pillowcase over the entire blade and pulling the case toward you. The dust comes right off the fan and into the pillowcase instead of on your floor.
10. Easily clean up liquid messes with flour
Sprinkle flour over a spill and let the flour absorb into the liquid. Once it has congealed, scoop it up with a spatula, dough knife, or a plastic card like shown here. Wipe up any excess flour with a damp cloth.
11. Quickly clean your exhaust fan
If your bathroom fan is clogged with dust and doesn’t seem to be circulating air anymore, use canned air to clean and unclog it. Purchase canned air at your local hardware or office supply store, turn on the fan, and blast it with the canned air – the fan will blow out the dust and all you’ll need to do is sweep.
12. Newspaper is great for streak-free windows and mirrors
This is a trick as old as time, but it works like an absolute charm. For completely streak-free windows and mirrors just spray the surface with glass cleaner and wipe away with a crumpled piece of newspaper. Seriously, it’s amazing.
13. Sanitize your dish sponge in the microwave
Bacteria loves growing in damp places, and a dish sponge is a perfect location for a bacteria breeding fest. Keep your sponges bacteria free by zapping them in the microwave for about a minute.
14. Keep your iron shiny and new
Irons can get dirty and grimy over time, leaving a streak of yuckiness on your clothing. Clean your iron by sprinkling salt on your ironing board and going over it with the iron on the highest setting (and no steam!). The dirt sticks to the salt and can be easily dusted away once the iron has cooled.
15. Remove soap scum from your shower head
Soap scum and build-up can cause blockage in your shower head, and no one likes a shower without proper water pressure. Remove scum from your shower by tying a plastic bag filled with white vinegar around the shower head and letting it soak overnight.
16. Restore foggy headlights with toothpaste
Are your car’s headlights looking a little dim or foggy? Brighten them up by scrubbing them with toothpaste. This method works even better when using a toothpaste with baking soda and whitening agents.
17. Turn socks into Swiffer wipes
Swiffer sweepers are an awesome time saver, but the refills can be expensive, and sometimes you just don’t have time to run to the store to buy them. Save time and money by using a soft, thick sock and pull it over the base.
18. Shine your silverware
Rusty or dingy cutlery isn’t good – but it’s an easy problem to fix! Mix equal parts lemon juice and water in a tall glass and let your silverware or cutlery soak for ten minutes. Afterward, simply wipe down with a soft cloth.
19. Make your cookie sheets shine like new
Make a paste out of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, rub on your cookie sheet, and wait for the magic to happen. Time equals results with this one, so make sure to let the mixture sit for a bit to really eat away at the rust and grime. After sitting for an hour or two, wipe away with a sponge and water.
20. Remove hard water stains with citrus
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Lemons are a miracle fruit. Not only do they have a ton of health benefits, but they have a lot of cleaning and sanitizing properties as well. Just slice a lemon in half and scrub away any hard water that has been left on your bathroom fixtures.
