Keeping our house clean is something our parents taught most of us (much to our disgust). Hoovering, cleaning, polishing, there are so many jobs that need doing frequently as a homeowner.
Do you remember back in the ‘good ole’ days when we were kids, and our mum would be frantically cleaning the house because someone was coming to visit? You would be sent on various missions to clean corners of the house you never knew existed!
Whether you are an avid cleaner, or a “throw everything into a cupboard” kind of cleaner, we have some money, and time-saving hacks ready for you! We’ve also included some jobs that get forgotten about during our cleaning process, maybe you don’t need a reminder, but most of us do...
1) White Wine Vinegar Goes a Long Way
Ok, so you’ve probably heard this one before but thought that must be something from the Victorian times...well you are almost right! In fact, cleaning with vinegar is almost as old as time itself.
It was in fact first used by Babylonians, but in the 1860s alcohol was added to make this home cleaning product even better. White wine vinegar can be used to clean your windows, dishwashers, carpet stains and even the limescale from your kettle.
It may not smell the best at times but it is a hardy cleaning agent and it is very cheap to buy. Get white wine vinegar on your next order from a store like Ocado and try it on your windows, you will not be disappointed!
2) Disinfect Your Cloths
This is something some of us rarely do, we are all too eager to throw things away, but in reality, our dishcloths have a long life if we just care to pay them a little attention every now and then.
If your cloths are really dirty, then we would recommend pre-soaking them in a bucket of hot water with bleach. If your cloths aren’t too grubby, you can skip that step and simply rinse them out to remove any debris and loose dirt and then soak them in warm water with your favourite disinfectant. We absolutely love Zoflora with so many different scents around and quickly available online at marketplaces such as eBay, you are sure to find one you like.
Now you have clean cloths soaked in disinfectant which can be used to clean almost anything, and best of all - you don't have to start buying more to replace them!
3) Use Bicarbonate of Soda to Remove Odours and Stains
Bicarbonate of soda is something you most likely have sat in your cupboards, and if you didn’t put it there then your mother certainly did!
You have probably wondered what you can actually use this for other than cooking. Well, how about those tough ground-in stains in your oven, or microwave, or even the grout in your tiles? Bicarbonate of soda is also an absolute dream when it comes to smelly plastic food containers.
We are all trying to do our bit for the environment so throwing away perfectly good plastic containers should not be an option when there are ways to clean them. All you need is a sponge, warm water and a couple of tablespoons of bicarb from Robert Dyas and you are good to go!
4) Pop Your Fridge Drawers In the Dishwasher
Something we all don’t give enough attention to is the shelves in our fridge, how is it months can go by before you even think about cleaning the fridge?! The one place where we store all our fresh food can sometimes be one of the dirtiest and most neglected!
If you want to save yourself some time, why not pop your fridge drawers and shelves in your dishwasher with your dishwasher tabs from Smol? They are pretty hardwearing and will manage a rinse through the dishwasher.
Not only is it one less job for you to do but it also saves that age old struggle of fighting with them and the tap in the sink!
5) Get a Toothbrush On Limescale
Is it time for a new toothbrush from Boots? Yes? Don’t throw your old one out!
Yes, normally we would be telling you not to be a hoarder and to throw things out when their purpose has expired. However, your trusty toothbrush may not be great for your teeth anymore but it doesn’t mean its purpose is over.
An old toothbrush can become a very helpful tool. Limescale is an absolute pain, it doesn’t matter who you are, or how often you clean, you will get limescale. Not only does it look unsightly but it can also cause damage to your appliances/surfaces. Here comes the white vinegar again...only this time we are getting our old toothbrush out to help scrub away that pesky limescale.
6) Clean Your Washing Machine Regularly
Clean your washing machine? We hear you, why would you clean a machine that cleans things….surely it cleans itself?! Absolutely not!
If you don’t clean your washing machine, then your clothes are not the freshest that they could be. When you open the detergent drawer, be honest, is it white and clean, or does it have stains and vivid colours from your fabric conditioner?
It’s a simple fix to clean this, if your drawer can be removed then pull it out and get it in the sink, get out the trusty bicarb and old toothbrush and give it a scrub. If it doesn’t pull out, simply get your toothbrush in there. It won’t take you long and you will definitely notice the difference in your next wash cycle.
Another long-forgotten part of the washing machine which should receive some attention is the rubber seals, rubber seals are a haven for mould. Grab a clean damp cloth, you can pick these up at Morrisons cheaply, add some soapy water and give them a gentle wipe. You shouldn’t be too heavy-handed as you don’t want to accidentally unseal, or rip them from the metal frame. But keeping your washing machine clean will make washes more efficient and will make your machine last much longer.
7) Make the Most of Tumble Dryer Sheets
Not only do dryer sheets keep your laundry smelling extra fresh and eliminate static but they can actually be used in numerous other ways around the house.
If you have a glass stovetop, you will no doubt have scratched this at some point because you have used something which is far too abrasive to clean it down, for example, a green top sponge. Well, why not use your dryer sheets? It's not as strange as you think, simply place a sheet on that dried in bit of food, dampen it with dishwater and use the damp cloth to remove the ground in food. You can pick up dryer sheets from Amazon in bulk so you have them handy for all your dusting and scrubbing chores at home.
You can also use them on your pots and pans. They are great for polishing stainless steel on your appliances, taps, door handles etc. Another great hack is to use dryer sheets to clean down your blinds. A dry tumble dryer sheet works perfectly to remove dust and grime from your blinds, it will leave them clean without causing any damage, which leads us nicely onto our next hack.
8) Clean Blind Slats With Old Socks
If you don’t have an abundance of old odd socks in your house then please let the rest of us into your secret! It doesn’t matter how careful you are, you can guarantee that in at least 1 out of every 5 washes you are ending up with odd socks. But don’t throw them out!
They are so handy to have around as a cleaning aide, especially when it comes to Venetian blinds. They are often forgotten or left because we don’t know what to use to make sure they are clean but without causing them damage.
This is where your odd socks get a second chance at life! Simply put your head in them and use them to wipe down slats on blinds, they will grab all the muck and dust and won’t cause any damage to your blinds!
9) Sparkle Your Windows With Just Soapy Water
So, your window cleaner has been and your windows still look grimy...well, have you cleaned the inside? There is only so much a window cleaner can do for you and if the inside of your windows are dusty and dirty then they will never sparkle!
If you don’t have white vinegar to hand and your windows are definitely not looking their best, just use soapy water! All you need is a clean cloth, soapy water and a microfibre cloth which you can pick up even at stores such as Halfords, so there really is no excuse not to!
Give your windows a wash down with your clean cloth and the soapy water, then use your microfibre cloth to wipe down the windows to remove any smears and make your windows sparkle!
10) Remove Red Wine Stains With White Wine
You may think this is an old wives tale but it’s actually a well-known cleaning hack.
Here comes the science (don’t worry it’s only brief!)...white wine basically has an enzyme that can neutralise stains caused by red wine.
If you are in the unfortunate position where either you or a friend has had a mishap with red wine, grab a bottle of white (try not to drink it just yet), dampen a cloth with the white wine and simply dab the stain. It is important that you only dab the stain to lift the red wine stain out, do not rub as you will be pushing the stain further into the fabrics. Now you can drink the remainder of the white wine, and it’s also a good excuse to keep a bottle of white wine from Cellar Wine Shop in the house at all times!
11) Wipe Your Shower Screen After Every Use
A dirty shower screen can give the impression that all of your bathroom must be dirty when in fact that isn’t the case.
Washing your shower screen down after every use will not only keep your bathroom looking clean but will also reduce the build-up of limescale and mould around the frame.
Keep a cloth, or even a small window squeegee from Victorian Plumbing in the bathroom so that after you have had your final rinse you can give the screen a quick wipe down to keep it sparkling! It will literally take you less than a minute.
12) Clean Your Bath With A Grapefruit and Salt
Ok, this sounds weird we know, but is it really, if you think about the different ways we use lemon and vinegar to clean?
Well, this pairing of grapefruit and salt is honestly the way forward to remove rust and stains in your bath. Simply sprinkle half a grapefruit with a quarter of a cup of salt and scrub away.
After you have given the bath a good scrub, rinse with warm water and you’re done...you can treat yourself to the other half for breakfast!
13) Shine Cutlery With Toothpaste
Is your cutlery looking like it has seen better days, but you don't want to fork out on a new set?
Water spots and stains are pretty normal but if you want to get your cutlery shining again then all you need is a good toothpaste. We recommend using a solid coloured toothpaste from a store such as Holland and Barraett with no whitening agent or baking soda (this can cause damage!) to give your cutlery a good scrub.
Pop the toothpaste onto a damp cloth and gently rub your cutlery in circular motions until they start to shine!
14) Make a DIY Descaler With Vinegar and Bicarb
Mixing potions in your kitchen probably isn’t what you had in mind when you first started reading this article. However, if you are really struggling with limescale in your shower, sink, taps etc there is an easy solution.
You can make your own descaling solution at home. Grab your white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda and mix 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts bicarb together. This will make a paste-like solution. If yours is really runny then you have used too much vinegar and just need to add a little more bicarb. Now you’re ready to go!
15) Use a Squeegee to Remove Pet Hair
Squeegees aren’t just for windows and shower screens, they are great for removing pet hair, too!
If you have a lovely fluffy cat or a long-haired dog, you probably spend a lot of your time hoovering, or on your hands and knees with a lint roller trying to lift all that pet hair from your surfaces.
Why not give a squeegee from Viking Direct a try? The rubber blade on a squeegee attracts the hair and easily pulls it up and out of your carpet, rug, or even sofa. They're also really cheap to buy, too!
