1. Vacuum Up Crumbs and Debris From Electronics With A Shop-Vac and Ketchup Bottle Cap
There's nothing like a home that's just been cleaned! Unfortunately, as much as we like having a clean home, there doesn't seem like enough hours in the day to do it.
We're here to help! Here's some clever cleaning hacks that will cut your time in half when it comes to scrubbing, dusting, and wiping down surfaces.
Do you have a shop-vac? Use it to clean out dust and particles in small spaces on electronics. You just need a plastic ketchup or mustard bottle, the kinds that you see at diners!
2. Use Simple Household Products For A Clean Smelling House
These kinds of bottles are usually sold at discount stores, and just remove the cap of it for this trick. Take the cap and put it on top of the Shop-Vac hose, and then use the vacuum as needed.
If you don't have a lot of time to clean everything in your home, the least you can do is make it smell clean! While your box fan is on, stick a dryer sheet onto the back of it.
3. Scrub Soap Scum Away With Grapefruit and Salt
The static cling of the dryer sheet will attach itself to the fan while the scent will be pushed along the room with the airflow. If you have an extra car air freshener, just clip it to an air vent in your home for the same effect.
Soap scum is ridiculously hard to remove, especially if it's been lingering there for a while. Luckily, there's an easy fix for that! Take one half of a grapefruit and sprinkle liberally with table salt, then rub the fruit on the soap scum.
4. Clean Your Toilet With Kool Aid
If you want to really kick it up a notch, mix some baking soda in the mix as well. Afterwards, just rinse the area with warm water, and you should have a shiny shower and tub.
You remember Kool-Aid! Head to the drugstore or grocery store and pick up a package of it. There's no need for toxic cleaners in your toilet anymore!
5. Cut Through Grease and Grime on a Glass Stove with Baking Soda
You should probably go with lemon or orange, since you want a flavor with citric acid. Just sprinkle the package into the bowl and then scrub it lightly with a toilet brush. Once you let it sit overnight, all you have to do is flush the next morning and you'll have a clean toilet!
It can be extremely tedious to clean a glass stovetop, especially if you cook on the surface often. Put some baking soda on the top and then set a damp towel on top.
6. Wash Dusty and Dirty Vent Covers In The Dishwasher
After letting it sit, the baking soda becomes a gentle scrubbing agent.
Why put yourself in danger by standing on a ladder and scrubbing the vent cover with a cleaner? Just remove them with a screwdriver, and then toss them in the dishwasher for a deep clean on the sanitize setting.
7. Clear Grimy Faucets and Shower Heads with White Vinegar
This is safe for both plastic and metal vents provided they can be washed. You should just make sure you don't run the heat cycle or else you'll end up with melted vents.
Mineral deposits and water stains can make your fixtures look dirty. All you need is a small bit of vinegar to make them shiny again. If it's your shower head that needs it, tie a plastic baggie filled with white vinegar, and let it soak overnight.
8. Scrub Your Trash Cans With Toilet Cleaner Or Baking Soda and Vinegar
Then, just wipe the shower head clean of vinegar and run the shower to push out any excess. For the faucets and handles, just soak some paper towels in fresh white vinegar, then lay over your fixtures and let it sit for an hour. When the hour is up, just wipe down clean with a damp rag.
Do you remember the last time you cleaned your trash cans? Just because they hold the dirty stuff, doesn't mean you can skip cleaning them.
9. Clean Your Microwave In Minutes Without Chemicals
Toilet cleaner and a clean toilet brush are a great solution, as is baking soda and vinegar. Just put down the cleaner of your choice, scrub, and then rinse well.
Take a half of a cup of water, a half of a cup of vinegar, and mix the two in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the bowl until it steams, and then let the steam break down the stains and caked-on food.Then, just wipe it clean! If you don't have vinegar, a lemon works well too! Just cut it in half and place it inside a bowl of 1¼ water, microwave for a few minutes, and then wipe it clean.
10. Use Tongs and a Microfiber Cloth To Clean Blinds
If your microwave is smelly AND dirty, put a cup of baking soda, then add a cup of water. Microwave the cup for several minutes, then wipe it clean. The baking soda with neutralize odors.
Blinds are tough and annoying to clean, especially when there's dust in between them. Shorten your time by taking a microfiber cloth and a pair of kitchen tongs to them.
11. Dust Electronics and Other Areas With Dryer Sheets
Spray a cleaning solution or vinegar on the cloth, then attach it to the tongs with rubber bands. Now, just slide your tongs through the blinds to pick up all the dirt.
Dryer sheets attract dust, and they're gentle enough to be used on electronics. They can be used for screens and other components.
12. Get a Fresh, Clean Mattress With Vodka Or Baking Soda and Essential oils
They're also handy to repel dust off these items duet the anti-cling property.
Mattresses are pretty gross. They trap dust, sweat, smells and dead skin. Even if you change the sheets, the mattress still needs to be cleaned to have a healthy bedroom. You can use a spray battle of vodka mixed with your favorite essential oil.
13.Let Magic Eraser Clean Your Toilet For You
Just spray it on the mattress, and once it dries it will smell of the oil. Mix a jar full of baking soda with a few drops of essential oil (such as lavender), shake the jar and then strain it on the mattress. Let it sit for an hour, then vacuum.
Dirty toilet's worst enemy is a Mr.Clean Magic Eraser. You don't have to scrub it by hand, it does all the work on it's own.
14. Freshen Up Your Garbage Disposal With Ice and Citrus Fruits
Cut a piece of the eraser off, then place it in the bowl and let it sit overnight.
Has it been a while since you've cleaned your garbage disposal? Make frozen cleaning tablets with vinegar and citrus fruits. Place your fruit inside an ice cube, or muffin pan, then fill them up with vinegar and freeze it for 24 hours.
15. Press a Button and Scrub Your Blender
Run hot water in the sink for 60 seconds, and then take a half of a cup of baking soda, and drop it in the disposal. Add one of the tablets, and let the cleaning begin when you turn the water on again.
You don't have to take apart the blender to clean it. Just squirt some soap in it, add water, and then hit the "blend" button.
16. Make Grill Cleaning Easy With A Cut Onion
The blending action will clean the blades and the inside clean. Then just dump the water, and do the same process with clean water.
If you spent the summer season grilling up hot dogs and hamburgers, you probably have greasy buildup on your grates. Just turn on your grill, and let it get hot.
17.Use Your Drill To Scrub Away At Stubborn Stains Easier
Take an onion, cut it in half, and then rub it on the grates with a BBQ fork. The acid in the onion will break down all the debris to clean the grill.
Buy a small brush for tub scrubbing, or anything you want power cleaned. Drill a hole in the brush and insert the bit of the drill into the brush.
18. Remove Water Rings From Furniture With Mayonnaise
Just power up the drill and scrub extremely fast!
Wooden furniture easily gets nasty water rings. Remove these unsightly rings with some mayonnaise.
19. Shine Up Faucets and Remove Fingerprints From Surfaces With Wax Paper
Take a scoop of mayo and then spread it on top of the ring, and leave it overnight. In the morning, wipe the spot clean, and voila!
Rub a piece of wax paper on the steel surface to wipe away fingerprints.
This method also works on most metals, plastics, and other surfaces.