The Top Cleaning Tips and Tricks to Make It Easier and Faster

Everyone has to clean; these chores never seem to be finished. Did you know that the average person spends about 16 hours a week on household chores? It doesn’t matter if it’s a man or woman, a stay-at-home parent, or a 40-hour-a-week employee. They spend roughly the same amount of time cleaning.

Therefore, it makes sense to try to make life a bit easier on yourself by learning a few tricks of the trade. When it comes time to clean up the house, you can get things done faster and have more time to spend with your family. Here are the top cleaning tips to consider:

1. Rubber Gloves for Pet Hair

Pets shed hair on furniture and carpeting, and it’s a pain to collect it all. You don’t always have to use the vacuum. Instead, just don a rubber glove. Dampen it with some water, put it on, and run that hand over the furry area. The hair sticks to the glove!

2. Rubbing Alcohol for Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are the most annoying pests and are hard to eliminate. However, rubbing alcohol can get rid of them. Pour some into a spray bottle and douse your pillows and mattress. Repeat the process multiple times to kill them all!

3. Lint Rollers for Dusting Lampshades

Lampshades easily gather dust because the lightbulb gets so hot. It’s hard to get to every nook of the shade. However, using a lint brush works wonderfully. Get them for cheap at your local Dollar Store and run it over the shade to kill the dust.

4. Microwave for Disinfecting Sponges

Kitchen sponges have tons of bacteria, so you must sanitize them to prevent germs from spreading. What’s the quickest way to do that? Dampen the sponge and put it in the microwave, running it on high for one minute to kill the bacteria.

5. Vodka for Removing Bathroom Mold

Mildew and mold are often found in the bathroom around the caulking or between tiles. Vodka can remove both. Fill your spray bottle with some vodka, spraying it on the surface to clean. Let it sit there for 15 minutes, using a toothbrush to scrub it.

6. Cream of Tartar for Stainless Steel

When stainless steel appliances look grimy or get scratched, use cream of tartar. Wet your washcloth with some warm water and sprinkle on the cream of tartar. Spot clean the appliances!

7. Dishwasher to Wash Toys

Kids love to play with bath toys, but they can get exposed to dirt and water. The best way to clean them is to disinfect them in the dishwasher! It works for your dishes, so it can do the same for plastic toys!

8. Lemon & Vinegar Ice Cubes for the Garbage Disposal

Don’t get stuck with a stinky garbage disposal. Freshen the kitchen with some homemade lemon cubes. Mix white vinegar with lemon slices in the ice cube tray. Freeze and toss them into the machine.

9. Lemons for Hard Water Build Up

Hard water stains can appear on showerheads and faucets, leaving behind pink or green stains. A natural way to remove them is to use lemon juice. Cut your lemon in half, rubbing the juicy side on the area you want to clean.

10. A Pillowcase for Ceiling Fan Blades

Ceiling fans are great for circulating the air, but they get dusty and can put out more allergens. Just grab a spray bottle and pillowcase for a quick cleaning hack. Fill your bottle with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and the rest with water, spraying the pillowcase and fan blades. Then, slip the pillowcase over them and collect that dust!

11. Tennis Balls for Pillows

When it’s time to wash your pillows, most people find they never fluff back up. Just add a few tennis balls to the dryer with them. The balls beat them and help them keep their shape with no lumps!

12. Self-cleaning Blender

Let your blender clean itself with three steps. Fill it halfway with some warm water and a drop of dish soap. Run it for 30 seconds, then dump out the water, rinsing it in clean water! It’s just that simple.

13. Frozen Dish Soap for Your Baking Tray

Cooking is fun until it’s time to clean the dishes. Instead of mixing dish soap with water, freeze it in an ice cube tray. Rub the baking dish directly with that cube and watch the gunk go away.

14. Bathtub for the Vent Covers

The air vent covers tend to get very dirty, which leads to mildew and mold growth. Getting between those slats is hard, but you can fill the bathtub with warm water, adding a few drops of your favorite dish soap. Leave those covers in the water, rub them with a washcloth, and see how clean they get!

15. Lemon and Salt for the Cutting Board

When your wooden cutting board looks a little grimy, don’t put it in the dishwasher. Instead, sprinkle it with salt and rub half a lemon over it. Let it sit for about five minutes and wipe clean with a sponge, rinse, and you’re done!

16. Socks for the Blinds

Window blinds are notorious for dustiness, and it’s hard to get between those slats. However, just put a sock on your hand, spray with a water/vinegar solution, and wipe the blinds.

17. Baking Soda for Plate Scratches

When white dishes get scuff marks, there’s an easy way to get rid of them. Baking soda removes the scratch marks! Sprinkle it onto your dish, add a bit of water, and scrub it in, watching the scuffs go away. Rinse with warm water, and you’ve got beautiful dishes again!

18. Dryer Sheets for Baseboards

Baseboards are another area that collects dirt. Don’t spend forever cleaning them. Instead, use a dryer sheet. Grab a used one from the laundry, swipe it over the baseboards, and get rid of unwanted dirt!

19. Dryer Sheet for Dirty Pans & Pots

When you have dirty pots and pans with caked-on debris, don’t soak them forever in soapy water. Instead, pour warm water into the dish and put a dryer sheet on top, letting it soak for 15 minutes. Wipe with a sponge, and rinse!

20. Shaving Cream for the Oven

The oven tends to get dirty from cooking and messes. However, it’s easy to clean with shaving cream. Apply it to the toughest stains and use a scouring pad. Remove the gunk with a paper towel to finish.

21. Mesh Bag in the Dishwasher

Do you get tired of your small kitchen utensils falling out of the rack during the cleaning cycle? Use a mesh bag for holding them. Plus, it’s easier to unload because you can take the bag to the cabinet with you!

22. The Pink Stuff for the Glass Cooktop

The Pink Stuff is the best product to use for cleaning anything. This pink paste has various ingredients and works well for a glass cooktop. Coat the surface with the solution, let it dry, and wipe with a wet sponge!

23. Toothpaste for Tarnished Silver

If you dislike harsh chemicals and want to polish your silver, you can use toothpaste. Make sure it’s non-gel and non-abrasive. Just use a paper towel, squeeze a bit of toothpaste on it, and rub the item in a circular motion. Let it sit for five minutes and rinse with some water.

24. Ketchup for Radiator Rust

Old radiators likely have rust. However, a bit of ketchup and aluminum foil can fix the problem. Just apply the ketchup to the rusty areas and rub with a crumpled ball of aluminum foil!

25. Toothpaste for Scratches on Stainless Steel Appliances

At some point, you’re sure to see scratches on stainless steel appliances. You can remove them with some toothpaste and a toothbrush. Just apply a small bit of whitening toothpaste to a toothbrush and rub gently with a circular motion. Wipe it down, and you’re done!

26. Make the Stainless Steel Shine

You must regularly clean your stainless appliances to preserve their beauty. If you want to restore their shine, use some flour. Once you clean it, sprinkle some flour on a dry cloth to buff the stainless steel!

27. Shaving Cream for Defogging the Bathroom Mirror

If you’re tired of having to wait for the bathroom mirror to defog, there’s a solution. Before you shower, apply a thin layer of shaving cream to the mirror. Remove the cream and clean your mirror like normal. When you finish your shower, there’s no fogging!

28. Coffee Filter for the Car

If your dashboard is a dust magnet, you can get it clean with a coffee filter and some vegetable oil. Rub the filter on leather seats, too!

29. Olive Oil for Leather Polish

Leather seats in the car can be stylish, but you must keep them oiled, or they might crack. Instead of buying expensive products, use olive oil. Add some to a cloth and polish that leather in a circular motion!

30. Baking Soda for Odors

Whether in the car or house, baking soda is a great odor remover. Sprinkle it over any stinky areas, rub it in, and let it sit for an hour or so. Vacuum it all up, and the bad smells go with it!

31. Newspaper for Clean Windows

Professionals have been using newspapers to clean windows for decades. Towels and rags might streak, and paper towels may scratch the surface. Newspaper is non-abrasive! Just spray your window cleaner onto the newspaper, and rub in a circular motion!

32. Raw Onions for Burn Stains

If you notice a burn stain in your car upholstery (or in the home), you can get rid of it with a raw onion. Cut it in half, applying it to the spot you want to erase. Leave it there for a few minutes, take it off, and blot with warm water.

33. Foam Paint Brush for Vents

The air conditioner vents in your car are sure to collect dust, which you then breathe back in. Keep them dust-free by using a small foam paintbrush. Slide it between the blades effortlessly!

34. Lysol in the Air Conditioner

If you have a stinky air conditioner, it’s probably from mold or bacteria. That gives you a bad odor from the vents. Get rid of it with Lysol spray. Turn on the car and air conditioner, roll down your windows, and spray the Lysol into the intake vent on the outside.

35. Dish Soap for Hubcaps

When the hubcaps of your car look muddy or grimy, you don’t have to spend tons of money on various products. Just mix a tablespoon of your favorite dish soap with 1/2 cup of baking soda and two cups warm water. Dip in a rag and wash them with the mixture!

36. Shaving Cream for No Streaks

When you’re defrosting the windshield of your car in winter, the glass is likely to fog up. However, if you put some shaving cream inside the windshield and wipe it away, it puts a protective film on the glass to prevent condensation from forming.

37. Sock for the Cup Holder

Cup holders in vehicles get nasty and dirty very quickly. If you don’t want to use cupcake liners, another great tip is to get a sock, Windex, and a travel cup. Put the sock over the cup, spray with Windex, and dip that into the cup holder. Twist it until you clean all the gunk!

38. Toothbrush for Detailing

A toothbrush is the perfect tool for detailing just about anything in your car or home. It gets into all sorts of small spaces and gets rid of grime and dirt anywhere!

39. Blow Dryer for Sticker Removal

Whether you put stickers on your bumper or your child put some on the walls, you can get rid of them without scraping and damaging the surface. Remove it with the heat from the blow dryer. Use a low or cool setting and point the nozzle about 6 inches from the sticker. Then, gradually peel it off as it loosens.

40. Hair Conditioner for the Car

To shine the car without paying high prices, try waxing it with some hair conditioner. It likely contains silicone and lanolin, which makes your hair and vehicle look shiny!