20 Genius Household Cleaning Tips That’ll Make Martha Stewart Jealous
Every room needs a deep cleaning sometimes. No judgment here! There are just some little corners that we all forget about.
Here’s how to get your whole house sparkling clean.
1. Use a seam ripper to clean out your vacuum.
Slide the seam ripper over all of the strings, hair and gunk wrapped around the brush of your vacuum. It will pick up so much more debris!
2. Clean your window tracks with baking soda and vinegar.
When’s the last time your window tracks were clean? Were they ever?
Sprinkle baking soda throughout, more heavily if you have a build-up of gunk. Spray vinegar over it, and let it sit for a few minutes. Wipe with a damp cloth.
3. Use baby wipes to clean up carpet spills.
This only works with fresh stains, but it’s effective and easy! A baby wipe already has the perfect saturation of liquid, and it won’t come apart like a paper towel.
It works particularly well on pet stains!
4. Clean your baseboards without breaking your back.
Baseboards get overlooked, but they’re an easy way to make a huge impact. Now you can clean them without having to be on your hands and knees!
Attach a microfiber cloth to a broom with twine or a large rubber band. Dampen the cloth with warm soapy water, and drag it along your baseboards.
5. Use olive oil to clean your leather furniture.
Rub a rag with olive oil on it over any scratched-up spots on your leather furniture. Let sit for about an hour, then wipe down with a damp cloth. Your leather will be clean and shiny again.
6. Clean your remote controls once a week.
These often go overlooked in the cleaning schedule, but just think of how often they get touched!
Simply wipe them down with an antibacterial wipe once a week (or daily if you’ve been sick).
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7. Clean your range hood filter twice a year.
Its entire job is to collect grease, so it’s no wonder it gets disgusting. Twice a year you should remove it and soak it in boiling, soapy water with baking soda. Let it soak for about 30 minutes, then scrub with a dish brush.
Rinse, let dry, then reattach.
8. Clean your stainless steel with cream of tartar.
Wet a sponge and add a small amount of cream of tartar before you wipe down your stainless steel. Rinse to reveal the shine.
9. Clean the underside of your furniture every six months.
No, not underneath your furniture (though you should be doing that, too) but the underside. Dust, mites and spider eggs all collect in those cool, dark spaces.
Make sure to use the hose attachment of your vacuum to clean the bottoms of your furniture at least twice a year.
10. Clean any knobs and handles in your kitchen daily.
The handles and drawer pulls on your cabinets and the buttons on your microwave are the most touched spots in your kitchen. Use an antibacterial spray or wipe to keep the germs at bay at least once a day— especially during the dreaded cold and flu season.
11. Keep your kitchen sink smelling fresh.
Pour a cup of baking soda down your drain, then follow with two cups of vinegar. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, then rinse with boiling water.
Do this at least once a week to keep everything smelling fresh.
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12. Use a soap-dispensing sponge to clean your bathtub.
Fill your sponge with dish soap, warm water and baking soda. Make sure to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (peppermint is the best!).
Scour your wet bathtub and fill your bathroom with the scent of essential oils at the same time.
13. Don’t ruin your grout with bleach — use baking soda instead.
Make a paste with baking soda and warm water, and apply it to your grout. Soak a microfiber cloth in warm water and a few drops of mild soap then wipe off the baking soda mixture.
14. Clean in between the toilet seat and tank.
Put a disinfectant wipe on the tip of a flat-head screwdriver, then push it between the edge of the toilet seat and the base of your toilet tank.
You’ll get rid of so many germs and built-up grime.
We’ve got even more bathroom cleaning hacks over here!
15. Replace your contact lens case monthly.
The solution alone isn’t enough to clean out your case. Wipe it down daily before refilling it with solution, then replace once a month.
16. Clean the walls of your closet.
Sure, you wash your clothes, but what about your closet? Remove everything from your closet, wipe down the walls with a mixture of mild soap, water, and essential oil.
Make sure not to forget the clothes rod!
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17. Deep clean your mattress then keep it fresh with baking soda.
Vacuum your mattress with a hose to get rid of any loose debris. Then mix together 8 oz of hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons baking soda and a drop of dish soap in a spray bottle (you’ll need to use this immediately!).
Spray your mattress completely, then simply let sit. Once it’s completely dry, vacuum with the hose again.
Periodically sprinkle with baking soda, then vacuum to keep your mattress smelling fresh.
18. Wash your pillows at least twice a year.
Don’t let dust mites in your pillow get the best of you. Wash two at a time with bleach, then dry them with a couple of tennis balls to keep them fluffy.
19. Make your towels more absorbent with vinegar and baking soda.
This will actually take two washes, but I promise it’s worth it.
Run your towels through one wash with 1 cup of vinegar and hot water. Then wash them AGAIN with 1/2 cup of baking soda and hot water.
They’ll be fluffy and fresh.
20. Clean your clothes washer once a month.
Rinse your washer with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water regularly. It will help get rid of that mildewy smell that can build up in there.