Autumn Cleaning Challenge: 17 Cleaning Hacks To Make Your Life Easier
Get your lemons and white vinegar at the ready! In this post there are 17 simple hacks to help you clean everything from your oven to your trainers with as little effort as possible.
In my last post we looked at items around the house that need cleaning and when you need to clean them. In this post we’ll look at some handy hacks that will make you’re cleaning life easier.
So, check out the list below and if you have any tips you’d like to add let us know in the comments
Wooden Chopping Boards
Using antibacterial spray can leave a taste on the board, but using water and detergent can ruin the surface of the board over time. Two simple ways to make sure that your board stays clean are:
White Vinegar and Baking Soda: Sprinkle some baking soda over your board and then spray with neat white vinegar. This will help kill bacteria and remove any odours that are hanging around.
Lemon and Kosher (or sea) salt: As with the solution above, sprinkle the salt over the board and then rub with the lemon, this kill bugs and deodorises at the same time.
Kitchen Cabinets
Despite your best efforts your cabinets will end up picking up dirt and grease when you cook. You can use a simple solution of vegetable oil and baking soda to clean off the gunk. Yes, you read that right, use oil to get rid of grease! See One Good Thing By Jillee for the mixture and instructions.
Pots and Pans
You can use vinegar and baking powder to clean any burnt on residue on your pans, see the post over at Apartment Therapy for the full ingredient list.
Grout
Grout can get grey over time, or even with the best will in the world can pick up some mould in your bathroom. Use the tips from Clean My Space to get your grout shiny and white. The Shower Remedy website also has some great ideas on how to get rid of mold and mildew naturally using items you’re bound to have around the house.
Sneakers
Do you have a pair of sneakers that have gone a but grey? Use toothpaste and the instructions over at Instructables to get them looking almost like new.
Toilet Bowl
Instead of using expensive toilet cleaners, pour some flat cola down the toilet and leave it to sit overnight. In the morning give it a quick scrub before flushing and it should be nice and shiny (which is a bit worrying as we drink the stuff usually!)
Shower Head
Use a plastic bag and white vinegar to clean out a gunked up shower head. More information at A Real Life Housewife. You can also use lemon juice in place of white vinegar.
Coffee Machine
Use white vinegar (again!) to clean your coffee maker and get great tasting coffee. Watch a video at the Martha Stewart website.
Microwave
Clean your microwave with some water and a couple of lemons. Simply cut the lemons in half, place in a jug of water and heat in the microwave for a few minutes until the water starts to boil. Leave it to sit and steam for a while the wipe down the surfaces with a cloth and your microwave will be nice and clean and fresh smelling.
Mattress
Vacuum your mattress then put some vodka in a spray bottle, lightly spray the surface and leave it to air dry. The alcohol will kill any bugs lurking in the mattress. If you just want to kill odours and don’t have any Febreeze to hand, sprinkle some baking soda over your mattress, leave for 15 minutes and then hoover it up.
Water Rings On Wood
If someone puts a glass down and leaves a ring on your coffee table, you can get this out using mayonnaise – yes, you read that right! Check out eHow for full instructions.
Blender
You don’t have to worry about cutting your fingers on the blade with this simple trick from the Ask Sarah website – only water and ice cubes are needed.
Dishwasher
Clean you dishwasher with white vinegar, baking soda and a little detergent using this tip from The Pin Junkie.
Slow running drains
Simply drop a dissolved alka-seltzer down the drain followed by some white vinegar and the blockage should start to clear.
Oven
Some oven cleaners can leave a chemical smell lying around which can taint your food. To avoid this your can clean your oven with some baking soda,washing up liquid and a lemon for a naturally clean and fresh smelling oven. See more at Cleverly Inspired and please don’t let your oven get that messy – if you can’t clean it that often get yourself an oven liner or put a baking tray at the bottom to catch spills.
Keyboard
Clean your messy keyboard with a toothbrush and a make-up brush see How To Geek for more instructions.
Spill proof your fridge
Cover your fridge shelves in plastic wrap or cling film. That way if anything spills you can just pull the plastic off and re-cover without having to worry about the spill too much.
Over To You
Do you have any tips that you could share with us? Perhaps you have a secret cleaning tool that isn’t white vinegar, baking soda or lemon? Let us know in the comments!
Other Articles In This Series
- October Autumn Cleaning Challenge: Introduction
- Autumn Cleaning Challenge: What Needs Cleaning When [Infographic]
- Autumn Cleaning Challenge: 17 Cleaning Hacks To Make Your Life Easier
- Autumn Cleaning Challenge: Challenge 1 – Office & Desk Organisation
- Autumn Cleaning Challenge : Challenge 2 – Cleaning And Organising Your Kitchen
- Autumn Cleaning Challenge : Challenge 3 – Bedroom Organisation
- Autumn Cleaning Challenge : Challenge 4 – Bathroom Cleaning & Organisation
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