creative cleaning tricks

from https://za.investing.com/magazine/these-easy-cleaning-hacks-will-save-you-time-and-money/article/94654:



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Who doesn’t love a cleaning hack? We all spend countless hours keeping our homes clean, hours that could be used for any number of other, more fun activities. The job seems endless and as soon as we reach the end of our cleaning duties, the first ones we completed are ready to be cleaned again, especially with kids in the house!

In this post, we have summed up the best cleaning hacks that will save you time and money. Many of the tips and tricks are using things that you most likely have at home already, saving you that trip to Target for cleaning supplies. Read on to discover how your life can be made easier today!

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1. Clean Your Cheese Grater with Potato

Products Needed: Raw potato

What it Does: Cleans cheese from grater holes

Cost: $1*

Shredding cheese with a cheese grater is the best way to get all the cheesy goodness you want on your preferred dish. However, there’s no denying that cheese graters are nearly impossible to clean, and it can feel as though you’ve been scrubbing for ages when you clean them.

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lean Your Cheese Grater with Potato @lifehack / Pinterest.com

Put away the steel wool and dish soap, as there is another option. You can clean your grater using a potato. Shred the raw potato after you shred the cheese. It will clear the gummy cheese from the grater’s holes, and you can then use the shredded potato for all sorts of food.

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2. Use A Lint Roller on Lamps

Products Needed: Lint roller

What it Does: Traps and pulls dust and dirt off lampshades

Cost: $4*

Lampshades are a must-have, and you can find them in pretty much every home and office. Unfortunately, these lampshades are a dust and dirt magnet. They tend to trap dust, which could even lead to a fire hazard, depending on how much heat the bulb the lampshade is guarding produces. Not to mention, dust is always a huge allergen trigger.

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Use A Lint Roller on Lamps / @TheSunOnline / Pinterest.com

An effective way to clean your lampshade is to use a lint roller. Run the roller around the edges, top, bottom, inside, and outside. Chances are, you’ll be quite shocked (and pleased) with how much dust the roller pulls off the shade.
3. Put a Plastic Bag Filled with Vinegar On Your Showerhead

Products Needed: Plastic bag, white vinegar

What it Does: Cleans dirt and grime from the showerhead

Cost: $5*

Your shower is an essential part of your day or night, and it’s definitely a place that is ripe for cleaning hacks. Cleaning your showerhead might not seem as pressing to you as cleaning the tub or walls of the shower, but it is still a bacteria-prone area.

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Put a Plastic Bag Filled with Vinegar On Your Shower Head @lifehack / Pinterest.com

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To clean your showerhead, fill a plastic bag halfway with white vinegar. Don’t overfill the plastic bag, as the vinegar could overflow when you submerge the showerhead into it. Place the bag over the showerhead, fully soaking it in the vinegar. Let it soak for a few hours, and then remove the bag.
4. Remove Water Stains With a Hairdryer

Products Needed: Hairdryer, olive oil

What it Does: Removes water stains from wood and shines the surface

Cost: $40*

When it comes to wood, water stains are almost an inevitability, especially if you have kids. These stains often show up onto wood as light-colored rings, which are caused by the bottoms of hot plates or cold mugs that rest onto the wood surface.

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Remove Water Stains With a Hairdryer @kerdkanno / Stock.Adobe.com

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The condensed moisture seeps into the wood, causing a noticeable stain. If you want to fix that problem, plug in your hairdryer. Spray the water rings with a hairdryer, drying the water from the wooden surface. Then, freshen up the area with olive oil. The result will be shiny wood without a hint of annoying water stains.
5. Clean Stainless Steel with Cream of Tartar

Products Needed: Cream of tartar, cloth, water

What it Does: Cleans and shines stainless steel

Cost: $10*

Cream of tartar isn’t just something you eat; it’s also something you can clean with. A lot of food products on this list overlap into cleaning products, and cream of tartar is no exception. You can use it to clean stainless steel.

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Clean Stainless Steel with Cream of Tartar @thekitchn / Pinterest.com

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Cream of tartar works as a scrub, as it is a powdered form of tartaric acid. All you need to do is dampen a cloth with water and sprinkle cream of tartar onto it. You can use it to spot-clean all types of stainless steel surfaces, from small appliances to pots and pans. It will remove stains and replenish luster.
6. Use Toothpaste on Old Sneakers

Products Needed: Old toothbrush, toothpaste

What it Does: Removes stains from white, non-mesh shoes

Cost: $5*

White sneakers will never go out of style, but it’s a shame that they get dirty so easily. Keeping white shoes dirt-free is a Herculean task, but it doesn’t have to be an expensive one. Chances are, you’ve got the key tool right in your home.

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Use Toothpaste on Old Sneakers @lifehack / Pinterest.com

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All you need is an old toothbrush (one you don’t use anymore, obviously) and toothpaste. Squeeze the toothpaste onto the brush, and work the brush in a circular motion onto the stain. Let the paste sit for ten or fifteen minutes, and then clean it off with a clean sponge or damp towel. Repeat as necessary, until your shoes are bright white again.
7. Clean Your Toilet with Duct Tape and Vinegar

Products Needed: Duct tape, vinegar

What it Does: Strips grime from the inside of the toilet bowl

Cost: $6*

Though duct tape and vinegar might seem like unusual cleaning products, don’t let that discourage you from giving this hack a try. To clean the toilet, cover the siphons with duct tape. Then, put white vinegar into the toilet bowl.

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Clean Your Toilet with Duct Tape and Vinegar @lifehack / Pinterest.com

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Flush. Let the mix sit overnight before you remove the tape from the siphons. Allowing the vinegar to soak will let the substance get into the toilet bowl, clean it thoroughly, and strip away grime. This hack is cheaper than some of the expensive, $10-$15 toilet bowl cleaners on the market today, and you probably already have duct tape and vinegar right in your own home.
8. Clean Broken Glass with Bread

Products Needed: Bread

What it Does: Picks up tiny pieces of broken glass

Cost: $4-$6*

If you have kids or pets, then you know that the number-one most stressful thing is breaking a piece of glass around them. There’s always a risk that one of them will try and step in the area before you’ve had a chance to clean up all the glass.

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Clean Broken Glass with Bread @thekitchn / Pinterest.com

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The seemingly microscopic pieces of glass can cause a huge injury. You can clean up these small pieces of glass with a piece of bread. After you’ve removed the larger chunks of shattered glass, take a piece of soft bread and press it into the floor. The bread will pick up the glass that you (and maybe even your vacuum) couldn’t reach.
9. Remove Lipstick Stains with Hairspray

Products Needed: Hairspray, clean cloth, water

What it Does: Removes lipstick from fabric

Cost: $5-$7*

Lipstick stains are the worst. There’s nothing more ruinous than a bright red lipstick stain on a white blouse. They also are difficult to get off, as just throwing the shirt in the wash won’t be able to get the stain off completely.

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Remove Lipstick Stains with Hairspray @fashionladyblog / Pinterest.com

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Try using hairspray. The chemical compounds in hairspray work to remove stains like lipstick. Spray hairspray onto the stain, and allow it to sit for fifteen minutes. Then, dip a clean cloth in warm water. Using the cloth, wipe the remaining hairspray off the lipstick stain. Let dry and repeat if necessary to fully remove the pesky spot.
10. Bathtub Rings Be Gone With Cut Grapefruit

Products Needed: Grapefruit (cut in half), rock salt

What it Does: Cleans soap scum and bathroom rings from tub/tiles

Cost: $2.50*

As you can see from a lot of items on this list, citrus is a powerful cleaning agent, and it’s also not too expensive. Bathtub rings, along with soap scum, are two major cleanliness issues that you find in bathrooms. They form very easily, so even constant cleaners might find themselves at a loss to prevent stains.

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Bathtub Rings Be Gone With Cut Grapefruit @RecreoViral / Pinterest.com

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Try using a grapefruit. Cut the grapefruit in half, sprinkle rock salt onto the exposed top of the fruit, and then scrub the stain with the grapefruit. The acidic citrus will get your tub sparkling clean, and it will also make your bathroom smell really good.
11. Skip the Wood Polish

Products Needed: Microfiber cloth

What it Does: Removes dust from wood better than wood polish

Cost: $14/24-pack*

Is wood polish just a big scam? Well, we can’t say for sure, but there appears, according to cleaning pros over at Family Handyman, to be a better way to clean wood. You have to polish up wood floors and wooden furniture from time to time.

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Skip the Wood Polish @Photographee.eu / Stock.Adobe.com

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Otherwise, they’ll get dusty. Next time you clean them, skip the wood polish. Just buy a dry microfiber cloth and dust using that. Your wood furniture will actually accumulate less dust without using the furniture polish. It’s also not too expensive, as microfiber cloths cost $14 for a 24-pack on Amazon (the AmazonBasics brand).
12. Use a Tennis Ball on Scuff Marks

Products Needed: 12 oz. can of Coca-Cola, nylon scrub brush

What it Does: Cleans stains from concrete floors

Cost: $6*

When you think of Coca-Cola, you probably think of a cold glass of America’s favorite soda on a hot day (sorry, Pepsi). But, Coca-Cola can actually be used as a cleaning product, something that went viral when people realized how well it cleaned toilets.

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Use a Tennis Ball on Scuff Marks @family_handyman / Pinterest.com

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Toilets aren’t the only things you can use Coke to clean. You can also use the drink to clean concrete. Pour a twelve-ounce can of Coke onto a stained area. Work the Coca-Cola into the stain using a nylon scrub brush. Don’t use wire, as that could lead to scratches. You’ll find that the Coke cleans the stain as well as any top-dollar cleaning solution.
13. Use Chalk on Your Laundry

Products Needed: Chalk

What it Does: Absorbs the oil and grease from the stain, drying it out

Cost: $2*

Grease stains are among the most stubborn stains to get out of clothes, and they usually arise as a cooking mishap. Luckily, there’s a cheap solution to keeping your clothing stain-free. Use chalk to rid clothing of grease stains.

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Use Chalk on Your Laundry @yardandgardeng / Pintersst.com

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Rub chalk into the grease stain. Let the chalk absorb the grease from the fabric, and then brush it off. You might have to rub it for a while. If the stain is stubborn, keep at it, and then throw it in the wash as usual. Chalk will also help get rid of collar stains, as the substance is great at absorbing oil.
14. Clean Garage Floors With Cola

Products Needed: 12 oz. can of Coca-Cola, nylon scrub brush

What it Does: Cleans stains from concrete floors

Cost: $6*

When you think of Coca-Cola, you probably think of a cold glass of America’s favorite soda on a hot day (sorry, Pepsi). But, Coca-Cola can actually be used as a cleaning product, something that went viral when people realized how well it cleaned toilets.

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Clean Garage Floors With Coca Cola @alleideen / Pinterest.com

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Toilets aren’t the only things you can use Coke to clean. You can also use the drink to clean concrete. Pour a twelve-ounce can of Coke onto a stained area. Work the Coca-Cola into the stain using a nylon scrub brush. Don’t use wire, as that could lead to scratches. You’ll find that the Coke cleans the stain as well as any top-dollar cleaning solution.
15. Get the Musty Smell Out Of Clothes

Products Needed: Baking powder or bag of dried herbs

What it Does: Removes must-causing agents from drawers

Cost: $5-$10*

Must is a pretty easy-to-recognize smell. It’s always a pain, too, as it’s not easy to get out of clothing. The cause is dampness. Make sure laundry is fully, completely dry before you store it in your airless, dark drawer.

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Get the Musty Smell Out Of Clothes @bakingsoda / Pinterest.com

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To get musty smells out of clothing, try drilling neat holes into your drawer doors. This will let in air (as will leaving the drawers cracked open). This way, even if your clothes aren’t 100% dry, they won’t get musty. Also, try storing an open box of baking powder in the drawer or closet, or a bag of dried herbs.
16. Remove Carpet Stains with Vodka

Products Needed: Vodka, clean cloth, water, spray bottle (optional)

What it Does: Cleans stains from upholstery, carpet, or fabric

Cost: $25*

Vodka isn’t just for making drinks, you can also use it to clean. As anyone who has ever drunk it knows, it’s pretty potent. That potency can be used to remove stains. If you’re spot-treating an area, you can pour straight vodka onto a clean, damp white cloth. Dab the cloth onto the stain and leave the wet cloth there for a minute or two.

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Remove Carpet Stains with Vodka @BluegrassCleaningCompany / Pinterest.com

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Or, you can spray the stain with vodka. After you’ve sprayed the area, blot it with a dry cloth. Follow that by a blot with a clean, wet cloth. Let the area dry, and repeat the process if necessary.
17. Protect Baseboards with Dryer Sheets

Products Needed: Clean cloth, warm water, dryer sheets

What it Does: Creates a dust/dirt barrier that keeps baseboards clean for longer

Cost: $8*

Dryer sheets are great at making laundry smell amazing, but they can be used for more than just laundry-related cleaning needs. As everyone who lives in a home or apartment knows, cleaning baseboards isn’t exactly a fun task.

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Protect Baseboards with Dryer Sheets @buzzfeed / Pinterest.com

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Dryer sheets might make that cleaning process quicker and easier. To clean baseboards effectively, use a clean microfiber cloth that has been dampened by warm water. Wipe down the baseboards, removing any dirt or grime. Then, rub down the baseboards with a fresh dryer sheet. This will create a barrier, which will repel dirt and dust, keeping your home’s baseboards fresher for longer.
18. Fix Burnt Pans with Vinegar

Products Needed: White vinegar

What it Does: Cleans scorch marks from the bottom of saucepans

Cost: $2*

Burnt saucepans are every chef’s nightmare. Scrubbing them with steel wool is an option, but that’s not always super effective. And, if the pan remains burnt, there’s a chance that that burnt residue will end up tainting other dishes made in the pan.

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Fix Burnt Pans with Vinegar @wormzoo / Pinterest.com

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Use vinegar to clean a burnt saucepan. Pour equal parts of white vinegar and water onto the bottom of the pan, forming a small layer. Heat the mixture on the stovetop, letting it come to a boil. Boil it for a minute before removing the pan from the heat and draining the vinegar into the sink. What should be left is a clean, unburnt pan after you scrub it with a clean sponge.
19. Bring Old Candles Back to Life With a Sock

Products Needed: Sock or nylon, knife to break candle wax, old candle

What it Does: Takes old candle wax and turns it into a hanging air freshener for your closet

Cost: $10-$15*

We’ve all had a favorite candle or two (or three). Favorite candles burn out, but that doesn’t have to be the end of their story. If your favorite candle is all used up, chances are there is some wax left.

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Bring Old Candles Back to Life With a Sock @lifehack / Pinterest.com

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Cut or break the remaining candle wax from the bottom of the candle jar. Be careful, as the jar is likely glass and will shatter if you’re too rough. Take the broken wax and place it into a sock or nylon. Hang the sock or nylon in your closet. Every time you open the door, you’ll be greeted by the scent of your favorite candle.
20. Use a Floor Swiffer for Walls

Products Needed: Swiffer Sweeper, dry cloth (optional)

What it Does: Cleans hard-to-reach walls and ceilings

Cost: $22.99*

Homeowners with hardwood floors love Swiffer Sweepers, and they swear by them as their go-to cleaning tools. And, they have good reason to be so enthused. These Sweepers get all the dirt and dust off the floors, leaving a sparkling, shining surface.

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Use a Floor Swiffer for Walls @family_handyman / Pinterest.com

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You don’t have to just use Swiffer Sweepers for the floors. Get the most out of this cleaning tool by using it on your walls and trim, as well as any other high, hard-to-reach places. If you attach a clean, dry cloth to the rectangular end of the Sweeper, you can pick up dust and cobwebs lurking high in the corners of your ceilings.
21. Remove Buildup with a Lemon

Products Needed: Lemon (cut in half), plastic bag, rubber band

What it Does: Removes hard-water buildup from faucets

Cost: $6*

Hard-water buildup is a common, easy-to-fix ailment that plagues faucets and other, similar surfaces. If you’re looking for a natural solution to remove hard-water buildup, try using a lemon. You’ll need a fresh lemon, cut in half.

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Remove Buildup with a Lemon @family_handyman / Pinterest.com

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Take one of the lemon halves and use your thumb to gently open up the center of the lemon. Make sure you don’t have any cuts on your thumb, or else you’ll be in for quite a sting from the acidic lemon juice. Then, press the lemon half on the end of the faucet. Place a plastic bag around the lemon and secure it with a rubber band. Leave it on for a few hours so the citric acid eats away at the buildup.
22. Tin Foil and Salt for Your Iron

Products Needed: Tin foil, rock salt

What it Does: Removes stains and stuck dirt from the iron’s surface

Cost: $9*

If your iron is beginning to get sticky, it’s probably because you have been ironing a lot of clothes with starch. This doesn’t mean you have to get rid of the starch or the iron, for that matter. Instead, you can use two household items, tin foil, and salt, to clean it.

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Tin Foil and Salt for Your Iron @lifehack / Pinterest.com

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For tough stains, pour one tablespoon of rock salt onto a piece of tin foil. Then iron over the salted tin foil, keeping the iron on its highest settings. This will help clean starch stains from the iron, and it will also loosen any dirt that could be stuck to the iron’s surface.
23. Clean Your Oven in Your Sleep

Products Needed: Bicarbonate of soda, fairy liquid, water, vinegar

What it Does: Cleans your oven and microwave overnigh

Cost: $15*

TikTok has proven itself to be a wealth of random information, tips, songs, and dancing videos. As a result, we’ve been able to find some pretty interesting and helpful cleaning tips from the website, including one that will let you clean your oven and microwave in your sleep.

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Clean Your Oven in Your Sleep @heartofficial / Pinterest.com

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Yes, that’s right. You don’t have to wake up and clean it; just let a certain mixture soak overnight. Mix together fairy liquid, bicarbonate of soda, and water, forming a paste. Line the inside of your oven and microwave with the paste, and then leave it to soak overnight. Rub the paste off with vinegar for a shiny, clean surface.
24. Use Shaving Cream to Clean Your Shower Glass

Products Needed: Shaving cream, dry cloth

What it Does: Cleans water stains from shower glass

Cost: $5*

When you’re staring at a streaky piece of glass, the last thing you’re probably thinking of doing to remedy the situation is spraying shaving cream onto it. However, that might be just what the glass needs to return to its shiny state.

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Use Shaving Cream to Clean Your Shower Glass @bathfitter / Pinterest.com

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Apply shaving cream to the water stains, and then let the mixture sit for fifteen minutes. After the time’s up, wipe it off with a clean cloth or paper towel. The result will be a water-stain-free shower glass that is remarkably clean. If you’re short on Windex and guests are coming over, try this last-second hack.
25. Roll Your Towels For Space

Products Needed: Just an extra moment of your time

What it Does: Neatens the space and creates extra room

Cost: $0*

We’ve seen it done in salons and spas, so why not do it at home? Keeping our towel drawers or closets neat and tidy is a constant battle, inevitably all the towels end up in a big mess which makes it impossible to find what you need and also takes up twice if not three times as much space.

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Roll Your Towels For Space @bhg / Pinterest.com

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Rolling your towels will keep them compact, you won’t believe how many you are able to fit into a small space. It also makes it much easier to see all of the towels, meaning you can simply grab the one you want without having to go through piles of towels. You can either stack them horizontally or vertically, depending on your space.
26. Use an Iron on your Carpet

Products Needed: Red wine and an iron

What it Does: Removes stains

Cost: $20 -$30*

We’ve all heard that red wine removes carpet stains, but in practice experienced varying degrees of success and failure. Perhaps it’s because we have been leaving out one crucial part of the process, your iron! More specifically, the steam function on your iron.

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Use an Iron on your Carpet @cleanthatup / TikTok.com

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What you’ll need to do is spray a little red wine on the stain and place a towel over the area. Use the steam function on your iron to steam through the towel onto the carpet. This might need to be repeated a few times, depending on the severity of the stain, but you will find the stain comes right out, leaving your carpet clean and fresh.
27. Soak Pans Overnight With a Dryer Sheet

Products Needed: Dryer sheet

What it Does: Lifts dirt off a pan

Cost: $1.99*

There are certain things in life that once learned one can only look back on the amount of time wasted in the past doing it the wrong way, this is one of those things. Scrubbing burned food off of a pan must be one of the most annoying and tricky things to do in the kitchen. After all the hard work we end up just ruining the pan rather than cleaning it.

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Soak Pans Overnight With a Dryer Sheet @family_handyman / Pinterest.com

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The trick is to pour warm water into the dirty pan and place a dryer sheet on top of the water. The burnt bits will lift like some kind of wizardry and you won’t have to scrub at all. Think of all the things we can do with all the extra time we will have from now on!
28. Vacuum Your Dog

Products Needed: Vacuum

What it Does: Cleans dog hair

Cost: $50 – $200*

We all know how much work pets are. We need to take them for walks, feed them, give them loads of love and attention. Probably one of the biggest challenges pet owners face is keeping the house clean and free of pet hair. We all know the feeling of walking out of the house with a black top on, only to find it covered in our pooches’ hair.

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Vacuum Your Dog @thegoodypet / Pinterest.com

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There is a better way, rather than brushing and then vacuuming up the fur, try vacuuming the dog with an upholstery attachment instead! Your dog will love the attention and full body scratch, and you save loads of time and effort!
29. Put Charcoal In Your Fridge

Products Needed: Charcoal and newspapers

What it Does: Removes odors

Cost: $7*

The nightmare of all nightmares, you go on vacation only to arrive home to a fridge containing totally rotten food that has been sitting there the whole time you’ve been soaking up the sun in Italy. After removing the food and spraying the fridge down with disinfectant, the smell is still overwhelming. Aside from throwing your fridge out into the trash, what can be done to remove the odor?

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Put Charcoal In Your Fridge @hgtv / Pinterest.com

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Coal and newspapers are the answer. Put charcoal into the freezer and the fridge drawer, then fill the shelves with crumpled newspaper. Repeat this process every day for a week (don’t skip this!) and your fridge will be good as new after.
30. Use Vegetable Oil For Permanent Marker

Products Needed: Vegetable oil

What it Does: Remove permanent marker

Cost: $1*

Anyone with small children knows the risks of markers getting on the walls (or the carpets or the tables or just about anywhere). That’s why we purchase non-stain markers for our kids, right? Well, that works out for a certain percentage of the time, for the rest of the time, the toddler will inevitably get hold of a permanent marker and draw on your favorite wooden side table.

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Use Vegetable Oil For Permanent Marker @chuck0275 / Pinterst.com

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Before you panic, don’t fear, there is actually a way to remove permanent markers from surfaces. The answer is vegetable oil. Grab some vegetable oil on a cloth or cotton wool and put some elbow grease into it. The stain will come right off, you can then give it a wipe to remove the oil and your surface will be good as new.
31. Clean Grout The Smart Way

Products Needed: Electric toothbrush

What it Does: Cleans small corners such as grout

Cost: $9.99*

Remember when our parents used to keep our old toothbrushes for cleaning around the house? Not only are electric toothbrushes more effective in cleaning our teeth, they are also more effective in cleaning household dirt and grime! So don’t go throwing your old electric toothbrush away.

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Clean Grout The Smart Way @southernliving / Pinterest.com

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Rather re-use the electric toothbrush with a bit of baking soda for all kinds of household cleaning tasks, especially the hard-to-reach places like cleaning grout between tiles. Door handles, corners, and the inside of the sink are just a handful of other places which are so much easier to clean with an electric toothbrush!
32. Put Lemons in Your Garbage Disposal

Products Needed: Lemon(s)

What it Does: Sanitizes and removes odors from garbage disposals

Cost: $1-$2 per lemon*

Garbage disposals aren’t exactly the cleanest locations in the house. These disposals can accumulate bacteria and, as every cleanliness fan (a term that sounds nicer than “clean freak”) knows, bacteria leads to odor.

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Put Lemons in Your Garbage Disposal @amanda5254 / Pinterest.com

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When disposals get stinky, the smell overpowers the entire kitchen and, if you’re unlucky, other rooms in your house. To prevent this, chop up lemons and put them down the garbage disposal. Lemon juice has long been used to sanitize pretty much any surface, and the garbage disposal won’t just be cleaner; it will also smell better, too. It’s a cheap hack, as lemons cost only $1-$2 at most grocery stores.
33. Make Your Own Long-Reach Vacuum

Products Needed: PVC pipe and rubber reducer

What it Does: Extend the length of the vacuum

Cost: $2 – $5*

Cleaning the ceiling or above cupboards and closets is always tricky. It ends up being us on a chair, dangerously holding the vacuum at the only angle it will reach the corner, risking breaking the machine or even worse, a fall. There is a safer way to do this with just a little bit of creativity.

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Make Your Own Long-Reach Vacuum @family_handyman / Pinterest.com

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It just so happens that PVC pipes can actually fit right over your vacuum hose. Purchasing PVC piping is very inexpensive and all you will need is around 10ft to help reach all the cobwebs in the corners. Don’t forget to purchase a rubber reducer coupling which will allow you to connect the vacuum hose to the pipe.
34. Put Toothpaste in the Toilet Bowl

Products Needed: Tube of toothpaste

What it Does: Freshens toilet

Cost: $3*

The toilet is an area in the home which requires constant cleaning and freshening. For obvious reasons, there are all kinds of odors floating around, and anything we can do to remove the odors, we should do. While this may not replace conventional cleaning, it can certainly top up the cleaning regime and add a spot of extra freshness to the loo.

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Put Toothpaste in the Toilet Bowl ©mojoworkin / ©gomolach / Shutterstock.com

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Take a tube of toothpaste and poke holes all along the sides. The intention is that once you drop the tube into the drain tank, every time you flush, a tiny bit of toothpaste will spray out of the holes. This will get rid of unpleasant odors, clean the surface of the toilet and save you on air freshener!
35. Unclog Your Toilet Without a Plunger

Products Needed: Plastic wrap

What it Does: Acts like a plunger

Cost: $2.99*

That dreadful feeling when you flush and the water doesn’t go down. The horror we feel in the moment, panicking and praying it all goes down and doesn’t overflow. Once the panic subsides, the next step is to grab the plunger. Enter panic part two as you realize you don’t have a plunger at hand.

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Unclog Your Toilet Without a Plunger / Pinterest.com

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The answer is probably not what you’d expect, plastic wrap! Lift the toilet seat and wrap the top of the toilet with plastic wrap. Repeat about four or five times until it feels firm. When you flush the toilet, the air pressure from the plastic wrap will act as a plunger.
36. Doormats Are A Must

Products Needed: An extra doormat

What it Does: Keeps our floors clean from shoe dirt

Cost: $5 – $25*

There are two types of homes, shoes on homes and shoes off homes. Many of us opt for asking guests to remove their shoes when they arrive, saving us time later on when we would need to clean up all the mess brought from the outside.

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Doormats Are A Must @CaptPatio / Pinterest.com

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The other option is to add a second doormat to your entrance. One doormat outside which we all have, for an initial wipe. The second inside, which will make sure that all the dirt is removed before the shoes get walked around your beautiful, clean home.
37. Line Your Litter Pan

Products Needed: A plastic garbage bag

What it Does: Lines the base

Cost: $1*

This is another hack which once seen, can never be unseen. Cat litter boxes are a bacteria hotspot and keeping them clean is so important and also quite a disgusting job, no matter how much we love our furry felines.

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Line Your Litter Pan ©Peyton Robinson/foter

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To make the clean-up operation so much easier, all you need to do is line the base of the litter box with a plastic garbage bag. The right size bag will cover the base well enough that cleaning the box is as easy as removing the plastic and throwing it away. A quick disinfectant and you’re good to go!
38. Make Your Own Air Freshener

Products Needed: Essential oils, spray bottle, rubbing alcohol

What it Does: Air freshener

Cost: $10*

Finding an air freshener that smells soothing and natural is not so easy. Often they tend to be an overwhelming chemical smell, full of artificial fragrances. While this might be better than a bad odor, it is not necessarily the way we want our homes to smell. Making your own natural air freshener is not only easy and fast, but your home will smell like a natural forest in no time.

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Make Your Own Air Freshener @ThePrairieHome / Pinterest.com

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All you will need is a spray bottle, some rubbing alcohol (this helps the oils and water to mix), and the essential oils of your choice. Our favorite recipe is the citrus mint air freshener spray. For this recipe, you will need 10 drops of wild orange essential oil and 8 drops of peppermint. Mix with water and 2 tablespoons of alcohol and your house will be as fresh as can be.
39. Remove Hard Water Stains

Products Needed: Lemon

What it Does: Cleans hard water stains

Cost: $1*

Many of us struggle with hard water, this affects our hair and skin as well as creating more work when cleaning the bathroom and kitchen. The magnesium and calcium in the water create stains that look like dirty drops which are a constant hassle to clean up.

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Remove Hard Water Stains @shopify / Pinterest.com

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The simplest solution can be found in your kitchen, and that’s lemon! Use lemon directly on the surface or wrap it in a paper towel to clean the stains and then give it a rinse after. The acidity in the lemon will cut right through the hard water leaving your sink shinier than ever.
40. Cut Grease With a Hot Rag

Products Needed: Orange oil cleaner and hot rag

What it Does: Cleans greasy build-up

Cost: $5*

There are two components to this hack that will help to remove oil stains and grease build-up on kitchen cabinets. The first is an all-purpose cleaner which contains orange oil. Spray the infected areas with the orange spray, in more extreme cases you can let it soak for a few minutes.

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Cut Grease With a Hot Rag @bigcommerce / Pinterest.com

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The next step is to microwave your slightly damp sponge or cloth for about 20-30 seconds while you put on your kitchen gloves. Scrub the greasy areas with the hot rag and the combination of the heat and orange oil should make the grease slide right off. This can work on wood or metal surfaces too.
41. Toilet Cleaner Can Be Multi-Purpose

Products Needed: Toilet cleaner

What it Does: Cleans the trash can

Cost: $7*

There are several areas in our homes that are a minefield of dirt and germs. Our trash cans are certainly one of those areas and are quite simply, a nightmare to clean up. It’s one of those jobs which we would like to have as little contact with the area as possible, and that’s why toilet cleaner is the perfect tool for the job.

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Toilet Cleaner Can Be Multi-Purpose @GiandreRivera / Pinterest.com

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Take the trash can outside and spray the toilet cleaner inside the can all around the sides and bottom. The texture of the cleaner is firmer so it will stick to the sides better. You can use a toilet brush to clean right down to the bottom of the can without having to put your arms right in too. Rinse off with a hose and your trash can will be as clean as new!
42. Make Homemade Shower Cleaner

Products Needed: White vinegar, dish soap, and a squirt bottle

What it Does: Homemade shower cleaner

Cost: $6*

There is a balance between keeping our homes clean and not wanting to expose ourselves to unnecessary chemicals. Store-bought cleaner, while often effective, is also full of chemicals and not particularly healthy to breathe in. This homemade shower cleaner will clean like any store-bought product, with none of the smells and chemicals.

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Make Homemade Shower Cleaner @gmcallen / Pinterest.com

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All you need is white vinegar, dish soap, and a squirt bottle. You can use a wand scrubber if you prefer. The dimensions should be two cuts of vinegar to 3 tablespoons of dish soap. Shake vigorously before use and let the mixture sit on the surface for a few minutes before wiping away.
43. Clean A Sink With WD-40

Products Needed: WD-40

What it Does: Cleans stainless steel

Cost: $5.99*

Just as we discovered that permanent markers aren’t necessarily permanent, nor is stainless steel actually stainless. In fact, they are often dirty and stained, and cleaning them is constant work. Everyone has a theory on the very best way to clean stainless steel, and ours is with WD-40.

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Clean A Sink With WD-40 @clausencameron1972 / Pinterest.com

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Yes, the same product that is used to fix squeaky doors can be used to clean your sink. All you need to do is spray some WD-40 onto a rag and wipe away. Do your best to wipe along the grain, not against it. This will make your sink look so shiny you won’t believe your eyes. You can also purchase a low odor version if you plan on using this product for indoor cleaning regularly.
44. Make Old Cookie Sheets Look New

Products Needed: Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide

What it Does: Cleans baking sheets

Cost: $7*

If you love cooking and often use baking sheets, you will know how easily they get stained and how hard it is to get them clean. Aluminum baking sheets can look 10 years old when you’ve only used them a handful of times, but we have a trick for you to keep them clean and looking new.

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Make Old Cookie Sheets Look New @byjillee / Pinterest.com

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The trick is baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Sprinkling these two products onto your baking sheet will clean them thoroughly if you let it sit for a couple of hours. Once you’ve gotten all the grease off, make sure to clean the mixture off the baking sheet. There’s a reason this combination is known as a miracle cleaner!
45. Fill Your Countertop Void

Products Needed: Nearly invisible tubing

What it Does: Blocks gap between countertop and fridge

Cost: $4.99*

Do you know that gap between the countertop and the fridge? The void where crumbs and lone grapes disappear, never to be found again? The amount of dirt that accumulates below our stove and fridge because of this gap is unbelievable at times, but what can be done about it?

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Fill Your Countertop Void @pantshanger10 / Pinterest.com

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The answer is simpler than you might think! Pop into any home center and ask for ‘nearly invisible plastic tubing’. The secret is in the name, the nearly invisible tubing will fit into the gap, blocking any crumbs or dirt from falling down the side of the countertop.
46. Make Some Natural Toilet Bombs

Products Needed: Baking soda, citric acid, lemon juice, essential oil, hydrogen peroxide

What it Does: Cleans the toilet

Cost: $15*

We are all for finding natural and effective ways of cleaning our home, and especially the bathroom which for obvious reasons needs to be kept extra clean. This recipe for a natural, fizzy toilet bomb will keep the toilet fresh and smelling great.

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Make Some Natural Toilet Bombs @shopify / Pinterest.com

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You need baking soda, citric acid, lemon juice, essential oil of your choice and hydrogen peroxide all mixed into a large bowl. You can then add the mixture to a silicone tray or ice tray and leave it to dry for about 12 hours. Each cube is one toilet bomb and should be kept in a cool, dry place.
47. Add Floor Wash to Your Toilet Brush Holder

Products Needed: Floor cleaner

What it Does: Keeps toilet cleaner and brush clean

Cost: $6*

The toilet brush and holder are arguably the most bacteria ladened areas in the whole house. Aside from rinsing the brush off when you flush the toilet, there is another way to keep it clean. After all, cleaning with something dirty doesn’t clean at all, does it?

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Add Floor Wash to Your Toilet Brush Holder @lanowallace / Pinterest.com

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All you need to do is add a few drops of floor cleaner to the brush holder each time you use it. This will give the area a lovely aroma, as well as disinfect the brush and holder. The excess floor cleaner will also give an extra cleaning boost next time you use the brush to clean the toilet.
48. Put Baking Soda in Your Wash

Products Needed: Baking soda

What it Does: Freshen towels

Cost: $3*

Towels accumulate odor and humidity from the bathroom and eventually end up smelling rather stale, even if they aren’t dirty. A common fix is to throw them in the tumble dryer, and this does actually work in the short term, but not all of us have dryers and we would also like a more long-term solution.

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Put Baking Soda in Your Wash ©Elena Loginova / Shutterstock.com

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What you need to do is run the towels through the washer on a hot cycle. Remove the towels and sprinkle about a cup of baking soda over the towels, then give another hot water cycle. This is a deep cleaning technique that will remove the source of the odors for longer-lasting freshness.
49. Quick Clean Chandeliers With Spray

Products Needed: Chandelier cleaning spray

What it Does: Sprays clean chandeliers

Cost: $14.99*

Chandeliers are classically beautiful and are much more than just light fittings. They elevate the room to another standard of beauty and elegance. However, this elegance comes at a price as cleaning them is so tricky, some people choose to simply replace them rather than make the effort to get up on a ladder and clean the delicate glass.

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Quick Clean Chandeliers With Spray @rdavidson516 / Pinterest.com

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One way to get this job done with (relative) ease is with a cleaning spray. The hardest part will be protecting your floors and carpets as you will need to put a tarp down. Then you need to climb a ladder and spray the chandelier generously until the liquid starts to drip down. This will take all the dirt along with it and the solution will evaporate quickly after.
50. Polish with a Microfiber Cloth

Products Needed: Microfiber towel

What it Does: Cleans

Cost: $4.99*

How many times have you cleaned windows or mirrors, only to leave them looking worse than when you started? The residue of the cleaning products leaves streaky marks which arguably look even dirtier than the actual dirt.

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Polish with a Microfiber Cloth ©FotoDuets / Shutterstock.com

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The secret is to polish with a microfibre towel after using cleaning products. This can be done with all surfaces and will leave them looking shiny and clean. The reason is that microfiber won’t shed any fibers and is extra absorbent so will remove any residue left from cleaning products.
51. Use Tongs to Clean Blinds

Products Needed: Tongs

What it Does: Cleans the dust from window blinds

Cost: $5*

It would amaze you how dusty the blinds in your home get. Though the blinds of your windows don’t get as much attention as the tables and other flat surfaces, there’s a good chance that they’re in need of a deep clean right now.

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Use Tongs to Clean Blinds @jessazeqiwexi668 / Pinterest.com

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Here’s a hack to help you clean hard-to-reach areas. First, take a rag and cut it into two pieces. Secure each rag around each tong using twist ties. Then, clamp each blind between the tongs and dust. The rags will whisk away dirt and grime, leaving your window blinds clean and pristine.
52. Use Your Dryer for Dusting

Products Needed: Hairdryer

What it Does: Blows dust off flat surfaces so you can vacuum it up off the floor

Cost: $20-$30*

When you think of a hairdryer, you probably only picture it for cosmetic uses. However, it’s much, much more. You can actually use it as a cleaning implement. Put your hairdryer on its cool setting and blow the dust off flat surfaces and items that are in need of a good clean.

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Use Your Dryer for Dusting @family_handyman / Pinterest.com

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When the dust falls onto the floor, vacuum it up after giving it a chance to settle. This hack goes along with what you can do with your hairdryer when it’s on a hot setting—dry out and get rid of water rings from wooden furniture.
53. Pantyhose to Clean Your Car

Products Needed: Pantyhose

What it Does: Cleans windshield and hard to reach areas in the car

Cost: $10*

When you’re cleaning your car, consider using something that you might not have expected before: pantyhose. Wrap the pantyhose around the arm of the windshield wiper and tie a knot. Do the same for the other wiper.

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Pantyhose to Clean Your Car @mllysyj / Pinterest.com

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When you turn the wipers on, the pantyhose will clean the glass. You can also use the clingy fabric to get into hard-to-reach places in your car, removing dirt and grime. If you’re looking for a cleaning mixture, you can’t go wrong with dish soap, vinegar, or baking soda, all diluted with water. Though not expensive, they’ll get your car clean quickly.
54. Use a Soap Dispenser Dish Brush

Products Needed: Soap dispensing dish brush

What it Does: Dispenses soap while you brush dishes

Cost: $10-$15*

If you want to save time while you’re doing the dishes, consider purchasing a soap-dispensing dish brush. Though a little more expensive than your average dish brush, ones that dispense soap give a way better clean.

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Use a Soap Dispenser Dish Brush ©Switlana Sonyashna / Shutterstock.com

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Options include the OXO Soap Dispensing Brush, which has a 4.5/5-star rating at Target. Pretty much every grocery or big box store sells them and, of course, there is always Amazon if you’re in need of a quick delivery. Soap dispensing dish brushes are able to place the soap directly on the dish with the push of a button, saving you an extra step.
55. Add a Plant to Every Room

Products Needed: Plants

What it Does: Purifies the air and removes toxins like benzene and formaldehyde

Cost: $10-$15/each for most houseplants*

When you think of plants, you might think of messy soil and dirt. However, adding a plant to every room in your house is actually a viable hack. Plants naturally purify the air, so, if you’re trying to improve air quality, adding plants is a natural way to achieve that.

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Add a Plant to Every Room @countryliving / Pinterest.com

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Plants absorb common indoor pollutants such as formaldehyde and benzene, two chemicals commonly found in cleaning supplies. Don’t take our word for it—studies from NASA have shown that plants, especially ferns, palms, and aloes, can absorb up to 80% of formaldehyde from a room in just twenty-four hours.
56. Prevent Mess With Tin Foil

Products Needed: Tin foil

What it Does: Keeps food from sticking to the grill and can be used to clean the grill

Cost: $6-$7*

You can use tin foil at pretty much every stage of the grilling process. Foil tends to distribute heat evenly, and cooking on tin foil isn’t a bad idea if you’re trying to avoid a mess. If your grill does get messy anyway, you can actually clean it using tin foil.

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Prevent Mess With Tin Foil @blogviva50 / Pinterest.com

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Turn on the grill, placing a sheet of aluminum foil right over the grates. Close the lid of the grill, and let it run for several minutes until the grates heat up. When they heat up, residue will loosen. You can then remove the sheets of foil and scrub off the loosened food particles using a crumpled-up ball of tin foil.
57. Clean Burners Without Scrubbing

Products Needed: Ammonia, clear sealable bag

What it Does: Cleans burners overnight

Cost: $8*

Cleaning stove burners is a drag. It often involves tons of scrubbing and elbow grease, and even that doesn’t take off all the grime if the burners are really dirty. One hack is to loosen up the dirt so much that you don’t have to scrub.

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Clean Burners Without Scrubbing @casaegiardino / Pinterest.com

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Place grimy burners into large bags filled with one-quarter cup ammonia. Close the bags and leave the burners to soak overnight. This process will loosen up the dirt and burnt-on grease, and you’ll find that the messy burners wipe away clean with just a regular old dish sponge—no harsh steel wool required.
58. Clean Hairbrush with Dryer Sheet

Products Needed: Warm water, bowl, two dryer sheets

What it Does: Cleans bacteria and buildup from your hairbrush

Cost: $10-$12*

As any hairstylist will tell you, there can be a lot of build-up on a hairbrush, and they don’t just mean hair. Bacteria and other gross particles can amass on a hairbrush, turning your head into a germ-fest whenever you brush your hair.

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Clean Hairbrush with Dryer Sheet @rchemima / Pinterest.com

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Not to worry, as you can easily clean your hairbrush with just a few household items. First, place warm water into a bowl and add two dryer sheets. Place your hairbrush (or comb) into the mixture, and let it soak for three hours. Rinse the hairbrush thoroughly, and pat it dry before leaving it to air dry.
59. Use Foam Brush For Car vents

Products Needed: Foam paintbrush

What it Does: Cleans gunk and other pollutants from your car’s vents

Cost: $1-$3*

Another surprisingly dirty area in your car is your car vents. Though you might not think they’d be that bad, you’d be stunned. If dust and particulates amass in your car’s vents, they could end up filling your car with pollutants and other irritants that could be harmful to breathe.

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Use Foam Brush For Car vents @bellessort / Pinterest.com

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Use a foam paintbrush to clean your car’s vents. If you don’t have one, you can find one on Amazon or from car suppliers like Autogeek. Run the foam paintbrush through each vent slot, getting as deep as you can go. It’ll dig out all the gunk in there. When you’re done, rinse the brush out and let it air-dry.
60. Toothpaste to Clean Your Headlights

Products Needed: Toothpaste with baking soda in it, rag

What it Does: Cleans oxidized headlights with its mild abrasive agent

Cost: $4*

YourMechanic.com revealed this surprising hack about how to make your headlights gleaming and shiny. Toothpaste isn’t just good for removing plaque from your tooth enamel; it can also get rid of stains from car headlights.

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Toothpaste to Clean Your Headlights @jiraya012015 / Pinterest.com

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Toothpaste, even the gel and whitening kinds, contains a very mild abrasive agent. This agent will buff out surfaces, making them smooth and clean without scratching them. Though Windex or soap and water is also an option, try toothpaste if you need extra scrubbing power. Note: this hack works for oxidized headlights, and you still might want to try Windex or soap and water before you break out the Arm & Hammer.
61. Polish Chrome with Baby Oil

Products Needed: Damp rag, dry rag, baby oil

What it Does: Cleans chrome and makes it shine

Cost: $3*

Baby oil has tons of uses, but you might be surprised to find out that one of its uses is cleaning-related. You can use baby oil to clean chrome, which is found on kitchen appliances, cars, and pretty much any shiny, metallic surface.

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Polish Crome with Baby Oil © Yoharsi / Shutterstock.com

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Chrome surfaces in need of an extra boost can get fingerprint-free when you use baby oil. Just apply a little bit of the oil to the damp cloth and scrub the grubby surface until it shines. Finish the scrubbing with a clean, dry cloth, and you’ll have a mirror-like chrome surface in no time.
62. Clean Your Shower Curtain in the Washer

Products Needed: Warm water, vinegar, and baking soda OR gentle detergent

What it Does: Cleans bacteria and buildup from your shower curtains

Cost: $5-$10*

According to Healthline, shower curtains are the dirtiest surfaces in your bathroom. A culture analysis done on shower curtains found that there was sixty times more bacteria on the curtains than there was on the toilet seat.

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Clean Your Shower Curtain in the Washer @zetaphibetastum / Pinterest.com

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Luckily, you can fix this gross fact, all by putting your shower curtain in the wash every now and then. Yes, this hack even works for plastic shower curtains, too. Using a combination of warm water and vinegar and baking soda or warm water and gentle laundry detergent, you can wash your curtain in the washing machine. Just hang it up to dry when you’re done (don’t put it in the dryer).
63. Make Homemade Kitchen Spray

Products Needed: Empty spray bottle, water, white vinegar

What it Does: Cleans oil and dirt from kitchen surfaces

Cost: $5*

The longer that dirt and oil stay on surfaces, the harder it is to get them out. When you see these bacteria-ridden agents, you need to get them out of your kitchen as soon as you can. If you’re short on Lysol or Clorox, try making your own kitchen cleaner.

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Make Homemade Kitchen Spray © Stock-Asso / Shutterstock.com

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All you need is water and white vinegar. Combine them in a 1:1 ratio in a spray bottle. Or, you can just dump them in a bowl and dip a rag into them, if you don’t have an empty spray bottle on hand. This hack works especially well on cook-tops and counters.
64. Clean the Bottom of a Pan

Products Needed: Steel wool, salt, baking soda, dish soap, white vinegar, paper towels

What it Does: Cleans grime and food from the bottom of a saucepan

Cost: $15*

Very few kitchen chores are more of a drag than cleaning the outside bottom of a pan. This greasy, grimy surface has to be cleaned; otherwise, you risk starting a fire on your burners. This hack will hopefully make things much easier for you to get the pan clean.

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Clean the Bottom of a Pan @RAMDEEP_OSAHAN / TikTok.com

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First, run some steel wool up and down the bottom of the pan a few times. Then, add a few pinches of salt and baking soda onto the pan. Squirt enough dish soap to cover the pan, and then rub the entire mix with steel wool. Lay paper towels soaked in white vinegar onto the pan, allowing the mix to sit for a few minutes. After, remove the paper towels, wipe up the mixture and gunk, and reveal a shiny, clean surface.
65. Use a Hanger to Clean the Toilet

Products Needed: Metal coat hanger, rag, duct tape

What it Does: Unclogs a toilet when you don’t have a plunger on-hand

Cost: $8*

We’ve all been there. When a toilet won’t flush, it’s an alarmingly stressful experience. This goes double if there’s no plunger in sight. Though this hack might be a little gross, it will work. You will need a metal coat hanger, rag, and duct tape.