15 Cleaning Tips You Wouldn't Think Of That You Need To Start NOW

Dec 05, 2018

Cleaning can seem like an endless effort, especially for perfectionists. Anything you can do to simplify the process or make it more efficient helps. But you don't need to drop lots of money on single-purpose cleaning products when there are so many home remedies that are just as effective. Here are a few of the best out there.

1. One part alcohol to two parts water makes a great solution for cleaning your mattress. Just vacuum around your mattress and spray some of the solution onto it. This will disinfect the mattress and remove any odors.

2. Keep kitty litter in the refrigerator to absorb smells. This applies even if you have a clean fridge full of fresh food. Sometimes the different odors clash, and kitty litter can help lessen that effect. Make sure you use a silica-based litter rather than sand or wood (which will make your fridge smell even worse).

3. The easiest way to wash a blender is to fill it about three-quarters of the way with water and add a couple drops of dish soap. Then, simply turn the blender on. Throw out the water and rinse the blender thoroughly.

4. You can cut a grapefruit in half and salt it to remove the calcium deposits around your sink and bathtub. The acidity of the grapefruit combined with the abrasion of the salt makes quick work of that hard buildup.

5. Use a dishwashing detergent pill in your laundry machine with your regular detergent and bleach to make your clothes sparkling white every time.

6. If you want to brighten the colors in your clothes, add a cup of salt to every load. This will remove any dullness or fading. Do this every time you wash bright colors to keep them looking their best.

7. If you want to clean baseboards as quickly as possible, simply cover a rough broom with a microfiber cloth soaked in a cleaning solution. Then, run the broom along your baseboards. You can also apply this to ceilings, high spots on walls, corners, and anyplace else that you can't reach in your house.

8. Don't wash your frying pans right after you've finished using them. If you run them under water while they're hot, food and grease will burn onto them. This makes them harder to clean, and it also will reduce their lifespan. Cleaning frying pans after they've cooled down is best.

9. Gradually soak imprints on your carpet with cubes of ice. This will bring it back to its normal shape. The key ingredient is the slow melting of the ice; a cup of water poured in the same spot won't have the right effect.

10. Clean a knife block that's getting stuck with a thin wire. Then, vacuum all of the debris out of it as best you can. Finally, take a hairdryer to the slots of your knife block to remove any dust that might still be clogging it. Make sure you do all of this over a sink!

11. Take half of an onion to your grill to clean and polish it. Make sure the grill is still hot, then skewer the onion on a fork and rub it. This also removes any burnt or ashy flavors left over on your grill.

12. Grease stains can be removed from clothes, walls, sheets, or just about anything with chalk. Rub chalk into the grease stain and let it sit for five minutes. Come back and wipe the chalk off with a wet cloth. Rinse and repeat.

13. Beer is a good solution to clean gold with. The purer the gold, the better it will respond to a cloth full of light beer. Warning: don't do this with diamonds.

14. You can remove sticker residue with a hairdryer very easily. All it takes is a couple of minutes of hot air to get it right off.

15. Break up egg shells and mix them with a little detergent to clean bottles with narrow necks. Shake them around and then just rinse them out.

Don't hesitate to send us your opinions on these tips. Do you have any cleaning secrets? Tell us about them in the comments! Pass these tips along to your friends and family to save them loads of time and effort!