36 Cleaning Hacks You’ll Wish You’d Known Sooner

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Whether you’re a constant cleaner or a last-minute tidy-upper, knowing a few quick and easy tricks can make the process a whole lot easier.

To help save you some time and frustration — along with a lot of wasted money on cleaning products — here’s a list of some cheap and easy hacks that will transform your cleaning routine!

36 Home Cleaning Hacks To Transform Your Routine!

1. Repurpose Dryer Sheets

Even after they’ve been used, dryer sheets can work magic around your house. Here are some things they can do:

  • Buff water spots from mirrors, bathroom/kitchen fixtures and shower doors
  • Remove the ring inside the toilet
  • Wipe baseboards clean

2. Tackle a Stinky Garbage Disposal With Lemon

Add a fresh scent to your kitchen by cutting up a lemon and running a couple of small slices through the garbage disposal. (This is also a great trick to use just before guests arrive!)

3. Clean the Blender

Fill your blender with warm water and a drop of dish soap. Turn it on and let it go for a for a few seconds. Then just rinse it out with warm water.

4. Clean Your Sponge

Sponges can pick up a lot of bacteria, especially if they’re left in the sink, so you want to make sure you clean them frequently.

Pop the wet sponge in the microwave for 30 seconds to remove any bacteria. Just wait a minute or two before pulling out since it’ll still be hot.

You can also put your sponge in the dishwasher to get it nice and clean.

5. Get Tile Floors Looking Like New Again

Once you’ve vacuumed the floor, grab a bucket of water, some light detergent and a rag. Then start scrubbing! Make sure to clean the rag and water frequently to make sure you aren’t just pushing dirt around on the floor.

If you really want to get the tough spots out, try using a toothbrush! Seriously, it will change your life.

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6. Clean the Baseboards

If it’s been a while, use a broom or dry rag to sweep off the dust and then vacuum the area. Use a wet cloth or sock to remove any remaining dust or dirt.

To clean the baseboards, you need a sponge (or soft toothbrush) and a bucket of water with a small amount of dish detergent. Once you’ve done the washing part, then use a damp rag to remove any leftover soap residue.

7. Unblock Air Vents

If you haven’t checked in a while, you will likely find that your air vents are pretty dirty. Not only does that send dust into the room, it also blocks the air from getting out.

Easy fix: First try to remove dust with a soft vacuum brush tool. If that doesn’t get the job done, then soak a rag with any cleaning agent you have and wrap it around a butter knife to clean the vents!

8. Use Vinegar To Get Rid of Hard Water Spots

Vinegar can do wonders for your faucets that have hard water spots. Check out this video to see how it works!

9. Clean the Blinds

These are also probably pretty dirty if you haven’t cleaned them in a while, so here’s an easy solution:

Combine equal parts water and vinegar in a bowl and get a sock to put over your hand. Dip the sock in the solution and then run it over each slat of the blinds to remove any dirt or dust!

10. Use Baking Soda for Brighter, Cleaner Laundry

Just pour a cup of baking soda in with the wash and your clothes will come out even brighter and cleaner!

11. Use Salt To Remove Fabric Stains

12. Clean Stainless Steel Appliances

Stainless steel appliances seem to get stained with fingerprints constantly. To give them a good, clean shine, all you need is a microfiber cloth (or just a soft cloth) and some rubbing alcohol!

If you really want to get your stainless steel super clean, you can use a few drops of olive oil! Check out this video to see how it works.

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More ways to clean stainless steal:

  • Use dish soap and water to clean the surface, dry any wet spots, and use a few drops of baby or mineral oil on a second cloth to make it shine.
  • Spray WD-40 on the appliance and then wipe away with a soft cloth.

13. Remove Shower Scum

Cleaning the bathroom is not how most people want to spend their day, but it has to be done! The good news is there’s an easy way to remove soap scum and grime that’s building up inside the shower.

Fill a dish wand with half vinegar and half dish soap, and then get to scrubbing! You can also use an old sponge or toothbrush and just dip it into a cup of the same solution.

14. Clean Your Couch With Baking Soda

Baking soda can help remove any lingering smells and break up any stains on the fabric.

First, brush off the surface of the couch, then sprinkle baking soda on the area you want to clean. Just let it sit for about 20 minutes, then vacuum it up using the brush attachment.

15. Clean Your Computer (Safely)

There are certain chemicals you should never use on or anywhere near your computer, including:

  • Acetone
  • Ethyl alcohol
  • Toluene
  • Ethyl acid
  • Ammonia
  • Methyl chloride

When cleaning your computer, avoid using paper products, don’t use harsh chemicals and never spray product directly on the screen.

Here’s a safe and easy way to clean your computer:

  • To clean the keyboard, pour some white vinegar on a microfiber cloth and scrub the keyboard thoroughly. 
  • Use a cotton swab soaked in vinegar to clean areas that need more attention.
  • To clean your screen, take a microfiber cloth and wipe gently in a circular motion.
  • Apply a mixture of light water and vinegar if necessary. 

16. Clean Cloudy Glasses With Vinegar

Just use a paper towel and a small amount of vinegar to get your glasses nice and clean again!

17. Remove Grease Stains

To clean grease stains from carpet or other surfaces, mix four parts rubbing alcohol with one part salt and rub the mixture into the stain. Let the surface dry and then vacuum up any remaining salt if necessary.

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18. Clean Up Dust, Dirt and Crumbs Using Tape and/or a Lint Roller

Use a strong adhesive tape or a lint roller to pick up dust, dirt and crumbs pretty much anywhere around the house — lamp shades, drawers, fabrics — anything!

19. Use Toothpaste To Clean Sneakers

All you need is an old toothbrush and a little white toothpaste to get the white parts of your sneakers looking like new again!

20. Remove Cabinet Gunk

Mix a solution of vegetable oil and baking soda, and then use an old toothbrush to scrub all that gunky stuff out of the corners of cabinet surfaces.

21. Clean a Burnt Pan With Vinegar, Water and Baking Soda

Fill the pan with water and then add a cup of white vinegar. Bring it to a boil, take it off the stove and then add two tablespoons of baking soda. Let it sit for a few seconds so it can cool and then wipe the mixture out of the pan.

22. Pick Up Small Pieces of Glass

Don’t try to use your hands to pick up tiny shards of glass. Instead, grab a piece of bread and press it down over the area. It should pick up those little pieces you don’t want stuck in your fingers or the bottom of your feet!

23. Clean Up Spilled Glitter

If you like to keep things tidy, glitter is probably one of your nightmares. The good news is that there is actually a solution to your problem.

If you have glitter around, you probably also have Play-Doh. Just use a ball of Play-Doh to pick up all those little glitter pieces! (If you don’t have Play-Doh, just use something sticky like tape!)

24. Get Your Rings Shining Again

First of all, don’t use household cleaners that may contain harsh chemicals on your rings. The easiest and safest way to clean an engagement ring or other type of ring with precious metals is to use warm water, a small amount of dish washing soap and a soft toothbrush.

Mix the solution of water and soap and let the ring soak for 10-20 minutes. Then use a soft toothbrush to clean off any excess dirt, makeup or anything else still lingering.

25. Remove Common Household Stains

Most of these will work on both furniture and carpet:

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  • Juice: Blot with solution of one teaspoon dishwashing liquid (like Ivory) in one cup warm water.
  • Gravy: Pretreat with a paste of Fels-Naptha soap, then wash. Repeat if necessary. Don’t put item in the dryer until the stain is gone.
  • Mustard: Apply repeated applications of detergent solution to remove solids. When stain is reduced, rinse and dry in bright sunlight.
  • Lipstick: Blot with acetone-based nail-polish remover, followed by the detergent solution, and rinse.
  • Wine: Blot with water. If stain remains, try the detergent solution. Three-percent hydrogen peroxide is effective on red wine.

26. Unclog a Drain

Forget buying those expensive cleaning products. All you need is vinegar, baking soda and boiling water to unclog a drain\. Watch the video below to see how it works.

27. Freshen Up Smelly Sneakers

Just sprinkle some baking soda in your sneakers to keep them smelling fresh, and then when you’re ready to wear them again, just tap it out outside.

28. Clean the Bottom of Dirty Cleats and Sneakers With a Toothbrush

Run hot water on the bottom of the shoes and use a toothbrush to scrub off any remaining mud or dirt that won’t wash off with water.

29. Clean the Microwave

Microwaves can get pretty messy, but there’s an easy way to make yours shine again.

Put equal amounts of water and vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl, along with a small wooden object, such as a toothpick, to prevent boiling. Then set it on high for 5 to 10 minutes. Wait a couple minutes to let it cool, then when you open it up, all you have to do is wipe down the inside of the microwave with a sponge or paper towel. Voila! Clean microwave without the hassle of expensive (and often non-effective) cleaners.

You can also add lemon to the mixture for a fresh, clean scent!

30. Clean Your Dishwasher

If your dishwasher isn’t clean, it can’t do its job of cleaning your dishes. Keeping the appliance in tip-top shape will also make it last longer.

There’s an easy way to get rid of all that nasty built-up food debris, grease and soap scum.

Gather some white vinegar, baking soda and a dishwasher-safe container — and follow these three steps to make your dishwasher sparkle again!

31. Clean Stove Knobs, Grates and Drip Pans

Throw them in the dishwasher! They’ll come out looking like brand new!

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32. Clean a Cast Iron Skillet (and Make It Last Longer!)

33. Use Magic Erasers on Pretty Much Anything …

Magic Erasers can clean pretty much any and everything in your house, including:

  • Converse shoes (white tip & sides)
  • Faucets
  • Shower curtain liners
  • Sinks
  • Toilets
  • Bathtubs
  • Toothbrush holders

You can get the brand name Mr. Clean sponges at the dollar stores as well as the off-brand cheaper versions that most often work just as well.

34. … Even To Remove Red Wine Stains From a Wall

Yes, every once in a while, red wine may end up on a white wall. Magic Erasers work for that, too!

35. Speed Up the Clothes-Drying Process

In a hurry and put your clothes in the dryer a little late? Throw a dry towel in there and it’ll help soak up some of the excess moisture. And if you’re worried about towel fuzz, just turn your clothing inside out while it dries.

36. Use Your Vacuum Attachments!

Use vacuum attachments to dust and clean the blinds, vents, cabinets and pretty much anything else you notice is dusty as you make your way through the house. This is great for a quick clean before guests come over. Grab those attachments and they’ll get the work done in a hurry!

What are your favorite home cleaning hacks? Tell us in the comments!

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