Cleaning your home is usually viewed as a frustrating chore by many of us. Did you know, however, scientists have found that tidying is also a source of therapy, which reduces the symptoms of depression and gives you a sense of control over your life.
One of the biggest complaint that reluctant cleaners have is that it can take a long time, and a week later the place is dirty again.
Here’s 42 amazingly simple tips will not only save you time but keep your home cleaner for longer. Turn your weekly chores into your very own therapy.
42 Cleaning Tips
1. Fill the bathtub with a couple inches of boiling water when cleaning the bathroom. The water will serve to heat up the bathroom, which is proven to increase the effectiveness of alkaline cleaners.
2. Keep your brooms and mops hung up in storage, not on the floor. Hanging them prevents dust and mildew buildup.
3. Save time cleaning your oven hood filter by using boiling water and baking soda.
4. Get all the hair out of your vacuum bristles with a seam ripper.
5. Most people don’t realize that they can clean their vacuum filters in the dishwasher. Doing so maintains the effectiveness of the vacuum.
6. Microwaving your cleaning sponge has been shown to kill up to 99% of germs.
7. Magic Erasers can be used to clean your keyboards, meaning no more crumbs between the keys!
8. To blow dust and debris out of your exhaust fans use canned air.
9. Kool-Aid for cleaning might sound ridiculous, but it’s actually really effective. Pour a packet into your dishwasher as a detergent to remove iron stains and lime deposits.
10. Scuffs and scrapes on a tile floor can be removed with WD-40.
11. To freshen up the smell of your home, use vanilla extract in your oven. The sweet smell will fill the room when you cook.
12. Don’t risk breaking your light bulbs when dusting them, use a paintbrush.
13. Sprinkle baking soda and stain remover on a mattress to effectively clean it.
14. Old fabric softener sheets can be reused as the perfect wipes for cleaning your baseboards.
15. To clean stains from carpet all you need is an iron, white vinegar, water, and a rag. Mix water and white vinegar together at a ratio of 2:1 and place on the stain. Then use the steam setting on your iron for 30 seconds. Repeat until the stain is gone.
16. Create a paste from baking soda and vegetable oil to clean the front of your cabinets.
17. Lampshades can easily be cleaned using a lint roller.
18. Get rid of sticky residue on door handles or surfaces with a mixture of baking soda and coconut oil.
19. To ensure that every inch of your toilet is cleaned, unscrew the toilet lid and clean the nooks and crannies with a cleaning wipe on the end of a screwdriver.
20. Wipe down your windows with newspaper to get streak free results.
21. Use a hair catcher in your shower drain to stop your drains from clogging.
22. Attach a cleaning wipe to a wire hanger with a rubber band to clean glass on the inside of your oven door.
23. A few drops of water and tartar sauce are perfect for cleaning metallic appliances such as kettles and toasters.
24. The inside of a toaster can be effectively cleaned with an old toothbrush. Make sure you unplug it first!
25. Clean the inside of your washing machine with white vinegar, hot water, and bleach. Put the solution into the machine and put it on the longest spin cycle.
26. When it comes to cleaning your washing machine, don’t forget to clean the plastic inside the front. Bleach, water, and a towel are all you will need to keep that area mold free.
27. Spray water and white vinegar on an orphan sock to clean blinds.
28. Keeping a dish wand in the shower is a straightforward and practical way to keep the walls clean whilst you shower. Wiping down every time you exit the shower will save you a great deal of future effort.
29. Clean sweat stains off your pillows by using laundry detergent and bleach in your washing machine.
30. Pour antibacterial soap into your toilet brush holder to ensure that germs don’t multiply on it. That way when you use it, the brush is cleaning your toilet rather than pushing around more germs.
31. Use waxed paper to remove water spots and fingerprints from items and appliances with a chrome finish.
32. Keep your sponge upright using a binder clip. Keeping it upright will prevent the sponge from sitting in the water that leaks from it.
33. To get cooked on food off cast-iron, use salt. The salt will provide the necessary friction to lift off old food without damaging the pan.
34. An old toothbrush should be used to thoroughly clean out drain holes. Once you’ve done this place lemon slices in the hole to freshen your sink.
35. Failing to clean out your dryer vents can ultimately lead to house fires. You can clean the vent by removing any lint from the lint trap and vacuuming any other debris from the vent.
36. Run the bottom of your iron over salt whilst using its steam setting to clean.
37. Clean your window tracks with a cotton swab dipped in white vinegar.
38. To remove dust and debris from the surface of candles use a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol.
39. Attach a baggie, filled with hot water and white vinegar, to your shower head with a rubber band to get it looking brand new.
40. Clean the dust off your fan blades with an old pillowcase.
41. Cleaning porcelain sinks and bathtubs can be a frustrating process. To make your life easier, use Bar Keeper’s Friend for quick results.
42. Bagels aren’t a regular fixture in a cleaning kit, but they are effective at safely cleaning paintings.
These tips can help turn a house into a home, a pigsty into a palace and a chore into therapy. So strap on the cleaning gloves and give them a try.
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