Cleaning Hacks To Make Dirt Disappear

Published

3 years ago

February 10, 2022

Money + Investing Staff

In a period of time in our lives where we find ourselves spending more time at home than ever, we realize that being inside more often means a lot more mess, which means more cleaning. But when you need to be efficient, it pays to know some tricks to get the job done faster.

Thanks to some creative and inventive people, cleaning your house has never been easier. And believe it or not, those difficult and dirty jobs are much easier than you think. Click “Start Slideshow” to begin your cleaning hack journey.

Use Dryer Sheets To Get Rid Of Rust

If you have pans with rust or any hardened grime, simply add dryer sheets and soak them in hot water. You’ll be surprised to know that the material will help erode and make your cookware sparkly again.

Clean Your Couch With Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of those all-purpose products, and it is very useful in cleaning your fabric couch. Simply pour it on and scrub with a brush or damp towel and see the dirt disappear.

Clean HoodFilters With Boiling Water

To clean the greasy and smelly filter in the hood of your oven, simply boil some water in a pan, add some dish soap and baking soda, and place the filter inside. After some additional scrubbing, it will be good as new.

Get Paint Off The Carpet With Alcohol

Spilled some paint on your carpet while painting a room? No problem, just use denatured alcohol and a cloth with the closest color to the carpet, and watch the mistake disapper.

Put Borax In Your Dishwasher

If your dishwasher needs a little TLC, sprinkle in some borax and run it on the hottest setting. This will help clean out both racks and any gunk that may be hiding in the undercarriage.

Clean AC Coils With Spray

While there are store sprays that help remove debris from your AC coils, you can also make your own with warm water and some detergent, allowing the evaporator coils to breathe easier, and help your AC run more efficiently. Simply apply, then wipe them down.

Pour Vinegar Down Your Drain

Vinegar is another one of those solutions that can be used all over the house, and one of the best tricks is to pour it down your drain. This will help drainage efficiency, as well as keep the disposal from rusting.

Monitor Your Washer’s Debris Filter

Washing machines may clean clothes, but all that dirt has to go somewhere. Make sure you’re keeping up with your debris filter, as you’ll be surprised at how quickly lint turns into mold and mildew.

Clean Rubber Lining In Washing Machine

Much like the filter, the washing machine’s rubber lining that protects water from escaping can quickly build up with all sorts of grime. This can mix with the water and affect the cleanliness of your clothes, so run a cycle with bleach or lemon juice, then wipe it down with a rag.

Soak Your Shower Head In Vinegar

Another good usage of vinegar is to pour some in a ziploc bag, then attach it to your shower head and let it soak. This will help rid it of mildew, and restore any clogs to improve water pressure.

Scrub Wall Markings With Baking Soda

Another use of baking soda is to apply some to a damp towel to get rid of any accidental markings or smudges on the wall. Works excellent, and it won’t mess up your paint.

Pour Salt Down Your Drain

Salt is quite an effective substance for any drain, as it helps break down any substances left sitting beneath. Doing this routinely will keep it from clogging and erase any unwanted odors.

Glue A Wood Comb To The Top Of Your Dustbin

Most of the time when you’re sweeping, those annoying dust balls collect other hairs and crumbs, then get stuck in the broom. Well, by supergluing a sturdy comb to the dustbin, you can use it to easily scrape it off!

Use Drain-O To Clean Concrete Stains

Whether it’s oil in your garage or grease under the barbeque, stains on concrete feel detrimental on a permanent surface. But luckily Drain-O is a great option to get these tough stains out, by just scrubbing it out with a little muscle.

Store Cleaning Supplies On Shower Rod

Whether it’s your store-bought cleaners or your homemade ones, storing them can be an issue. If you have limited space, put a contracted shower rod under your sink and hang the spray bottles.

Microwave A Bowl Of Vinegar

Microwaves are always heating up a variety of foods, and over time the spills and smells add up. But to freshen it up or remove any lingering stench, just heat up a bowl of vinegar and watch it do magic.

Use Household Supplies For Oven Cleaning Too

Your oven is probably something you tend to neglect cleaning, but guess what? These reliable products – vinegar, baking soda, and salt – are the perfect solution to scrub the entire area down with, removing all the old grease and food stains.

Pour Dawn In Your Toilet

Most people don’t realize that using dish soap to unclog any backups in your toilet is a useful hack! Simply squirt about a cup in, and the density will allow it to slither its way down the drain.

Use Drain Zips To Clean Under The Fridge

Though these are commonly known for unclogging back-ups in the toilet, their thin nature and long extension makes them useful for getting to hard-to-reach places. Perfect for getting dust and food under the fridge that the vacuum can’t reach.

Band Lemon To Kitchen Faucet

If you place a lemon in a bag and then fasten it to the faucet with a rubber band, you can then run the tap to help get rid of any hard water run-off that may be plaguing your output.

Use Holders To Clean Under Stove Top

Many people don’t realize that their stove has two rods that are specifically meant for propping up so that you can clean underneath. This is definitely necessary to get rid of any food or spills that may have found their way through the cracks.

Clean Your Dryer Vent Regularly

It’s easy to forget to clean your dryer vent, because many times it’s in a weird place like outside or in the garage. But doing so regularly will not only help the dryer last longer, but also help you save on electricity.

Sanitize Your Trash Can With Vinegar

Another great use for vinegar is to clean your outside trash can with it. This way, you can can detox it from all the grime and rancid smells, all while deterring any critters thanks to the strongly alcoholic smell.

Attach A Brush To A Drill Head For Efficiency

One of the easiest ways to scrub down any sink, surface or even appliance is to fasten a small brush to the end of the drill, and watch the machine do all the work. This is a great method for getting anything that’s really stuck off without extra time or energy.

Dust Everything With A Lint Roller

While dusting tools and rags with sprays can do the job, you’ll be fascinated with how efficient dusting anything with a lint roller is. From furniture to the blinds and every surface in between, nothing picks up, and gets fuzz to stick like a lint roller. Also great for pets!

Use Garage Hooks Everywhere

People often struggle to organize their garages, and many times it becomes a place that feels cluttered even when you don’t have many things. However, using hooks on the walls is an amazing way to both organize and create space, especially if you park inside.

Clean Stainless Steel With Baby Oil

One of the best solutions for making your stainless steel appliances sparkling again is baby oil. With just a small amount, you can see the difference right away, and best part is it’s cheap!

Use A Toothbrush To Clean Your Toaster’s Grill

Toasters may be a simple appliance, but a lot of times people will forget to get in there and clean out all the gunk that’s built up over time. It’s easy enough though – just use a toothbrush and a simple cleaning solution to scrub the grates and reduce any built up any food or dust.

Clean Mattress Stains With Vodka

Mattress stains are frustrating for a number of reasons, but mainly because they look terrible. However, vodka can easily help you take care of these, as it’s a strong cleaner on tough fabrics like mattresses. You’ll be surprised how good it works!

Create Your Own Trap For Unwanted Bugs

Any time you find unwanted fruit flies or pesky ants around your house, try this simple solution: Milk, honey and a bit of borax. Combine these in a container of some kind, set it near the problem source, and watch them come! They’ll be smart enough to learn they’re unwelcome.

Clean Windows With Coffee Filters

Most people wouldn’t think to clean their windows with anything other than paper towels, but coffee filters are actually way more effective. Not only do they hold more dirt, but they leave a lot less streaks behind, giving you full transparency every time.

Use WD-40 On Tough Carpet Stains

WD-40 is another one of those products that’s much more versatile than you think, and we bet you didn’t think it could remove tough carpet stains. Well, it’s true, and oddly enough, it can get out bad ones like wine, blood and coffee, which aren’t always easy with just normal alcohol.

Clean The Aerator On Your Faucet

This is a biggie, because most people don’t realize you can even clean the faucet aerator, but it could help your water quality and pressure immensely. Simply put some electrical tape on the edge of a wrench and screw it off. There should be a filter like net under, which you can clean!

Pour Pine Sol In Your Toilet Bowl Brush

Toilet bowl brush holders are easily some of the most neglected household items, and it’s a shame because they’re arguably the most filthy. However, it doesn’t take much effort to clean instead of buying new – just pour in Pine Sol and let it sit – It’ll be sure to give it new life.

Clean Your Bathroom Fan’s Grill

It’s easy to forget your bathroom fan, but knowing that it’s constantly trying to combat the moisture and humidity from showers, it definitely needs a routine cleaning. Just unclip one side, and pull down the cover and proceed to dust and wipe it down, ensuring ventilation.

Use Compressed Air To Clear Soffit Vents

Soffit vents are another random part of the house you can dismiss, but believe us – the effort outweighs the hassle a clog would cause. An easy way to free up the flow is to use compressed air to blow from under the vent, hopefully freeing up the pathway and allowing it to breathe.

Use Tongs & Towels To Cleans Blinds

Blinds can accumulate more dust than almost anywhere in the house mainly due to sunlight, and oftentimes dust floating around the room can be traced back to the blinds. But, an easy way to clean them thoroughly is to apply two cloths to some tongs, and watch the dust disappear.

Use Petroleum Jelly To Fasten Fridge Liners

One of the biggest frustrations with refrigerators is when the lining on the doors begins to come undone, either making it hard for the door to close or allowing warm air to seep in. However, if you apply some petroleum jelly to the back side, you should be able to get it to stick again!

Put Your Tape In The Microwave

Masking tape is a product that relies on the temperature it’s stored in. But if it ever gets too hard and flimsy, you can heat it in your microwave to soften it and help it bend and stick better.

Add Foil To Your Iron

If you’re looking to eliminate wrinkles quickly, putting some aluminum foil on your iron can help you smooth out clothes in way fewer motions. The added surface area applies better heat and flattens instead of bunching up.

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