Cleaning your home can be an onerous task for any homeowner, especially when different rooms present different cleaning challenges! Regardless of whether you’re a “clean-on-the-go” or “routine clean” kind of person, these quick and easy cleaning hacks will definitely make tackling each room of your home, and the dirty household items inside them, a whole lot less daunting!
IN THE KITCHEN
1. Stainless steel appliances
Stainless steel surfaces are notorious for being covered in fingerprints and grease. To tackle this head on, simply grab a microfibre cloth and some rubbing alcohol and get buffing! If you really want to up the ante and give the surface an extra level of shine, add a few drops of olive oil to your cloth.
2. Oven and stove top
Your oven and stove top often fall victim to the mess left behind from cooking. To get rid of those stubborn (and often crusty!) baked-on drips and spills, make a paste out of dishwashing liquid, baking soda, and water and apply directly to the problem areas. Leave for 30 minutes and then rub gently with a sponge to remove. If you have a gas stove, you can take things one step further by sealing your gas plates in a plastic bag filled with a little ammonia and leaving them to soak overnight.
3. Sink and taps
The kitchen sink area can be one of the hardest places to clean simply because it is often wet and exposed to water. If your taps are stained by hard water or start to develop a mineral build-up, simply wrap them in a vinegar-soaked paper towel and leave for a few minutes. To clean your stainless steel sink and give it a nice shine, wipe it dry before sprinkling with some cake flour. Grab a microfibre cloth and gently rub. This will help catch and remove the tiny bits of grime that your regular wipe-down doesn't.
4. The drain
While there are countless products on the market that promise to help you unclog your drain, there is a simple home recipe that works just as well; mix a little vinegar, baking soda and boiling water together and then pour it down the blocked drain to unclog. Depending on how clogged your drain is, you may need to repeat this process once or twice or over a day or two.
5. Cupboards and drawers
Cupboards and drawers, although kept closed, can become grimy especially in those hard to reach corners. To give them a good clean, start by vacuuming up all the dust and dirt using the smallest attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Then, mix together a bit of vegetable oil and baking soda and, using an old toothbrush, gently scrub the corners to loosen any grime. Wipe away the grime using a cloth with a few drops of lemon juice squeezed onto it. This will neutralise any odours and dissolve any leftover bits that you might have missed.
IN THE BATHROOM
1. The shower
No one enjoys cleaning the shower, especially if it isn’t done often and the build-up of soap scum is left unchecked! Luckily, there is an easy way to remove build-up without too much hard work. Simply mix together vinegar and dishwashing liquid and taking an old sponge, start scrubbing. To descale your showerhead, attach a bag filled with vinegar and leave overnight to work its magic.
2. The shower curtain
It might come as a surprise but your shower curtain can actually go in the washing machine! If there are a few spots of mildew or grime that you’re worried about, soak your shower curtain in a mixture of lemon juice and warm water before popping it into the washing machine along with a couple of towels, as these work as “scrubbers” during the wash cycle.
3. The toilet
While the toilet is often the least pleasant when it comes to cleaning, it doesn’t have to be the hardest! Hard water stains as well as other stains from rust, lime or calcium build-up are easy to remove by gently scrubbing using a pumice stone. It’s also important to give the water jets a good clean at the same time – this is easily done by soaking earbuds in vinegar and either inserting them into the jets directly (if they fit) or by squeezing the vinegar into the jets using the tip of the earbud.
4. The plug hole
There’s nothing worse than a plug that’s slow-draining due to hair or other bath time debris clogging it up! Before considering a drain cleaner or using the home recipe for unclogging drains mentioned above, try using pipe cleaners to fish out any blockages first. Often this does the trick and no drain cleaner is required!
IN THE REST OF YOUR HOME
1. Wooden furniture
If your wooden furniture still looks a little dull even after a good dusting, you can easily restore its natural shine! Simply mix equal parts lemon oil and vinegar and taking a soft cloth, gently wipe down all sides of the wood. Not only will this give your furniture a new lease on life, but the lemon oil also absorbs and acts as a lasting nourisher for the wood without drying it out.
2. The couch
Couches often bear the brunt of sticky fingers, dirty feet and accidental spills! Baking soda is a miracle worker when it comes to removing odours and treating any fresh stains on the fabric. Start by brushing off any dirt or loose debris and then sprinkle baking soda along the surface of the couch. Leave it to sit for about 20 minutes before vacuuming it up with your vacuum’s brush attachment.
3. Textured walls
While textured walls are striking to look at, they can often be tricky to keep clean particularly in those hard to reach corners. Using a paint roller is a super easy way to clean a textured wall, especially one that has an extendable or long handle. Simply dampen the roller and roll it up and down the surface of the wall to effectively remove dust and cobwebs.
4. Ceiling fans
Keeping your ceiling fan blades clean is another tricky task that often requires a lot of effort. Fortunately, there is an easy way to get the job done without causing more mess in the process! Use an old pillowcase to capture all the lingering dust that’s collected on top of the fan blades. Simply slip the pillowcase over each blade and wipe. Not only will the dust fall directly into the pillowcase, but you’re furniture and floors below won’t get dirty from the falling debris.
5. Blinds
Cleaning your blinds is often a time-consuming and therefore neglected chore, given the perceived amount of effort that goes into having to clean both sides of the slat. However, using an old sock makes things a lot easier! Start by placing an old sock over one hand and using a water-filled spray bottle, lightly spray it. Then, gripping one slat at a time, gently slide your sock-covered hand from one end to the other to collect any dust from both sides at once.
While cleaning is not how any of us like to spend our time, there are definitely ways to make things quicker and simpler so that you can focus on enjoying the more pleasant sides of life – no elbow grease required!
