Ask the Readers: What is Your Favorite Cleaning Hack?
Spring is here! For many households big and small, that means it's time to clean the nest inside and out. Spring cleaning can be a lot of work...unless you have a few clever cleaning hacks up your sleeve to save you time, energy, and money!
What is your favorite cleaning hack? Where do you splurge when it comes to cleaning? For example, do you buy brand-name cleaners or hire professional help?
Tell us about your favorite cleaning hack and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
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Take your pets for a good grooming. There's no point in cleaning the house house if your dog comes in and blows out his winter coat all over your floors and furniture.
I splurge on containers to store clothes. Also certain cleaners that work well and microfiber cloths.
Just invested in some Norwex cloths... they disinfect using only water.
I don't really have one! I loathe cleaning but have to do it, of course. I just try to buy the most natural, least toxic cleaning products I can find since that saves the environment and my allergies!
My favorite is a spray bottle with water, white vinegar, and a little Dawn dish soap. It's the best cleaner ever!
I use baking soda for cleaning
We hired a housekeeper that comes every other week, and it's been a great way to get the cleaning done and saving us a bunch of time and effort. I was concerned it would be too expensive at first, but the amount of time and stress that we save completely outweighs the cost of the housekeeper!
My current fave cleaning hack is doing a little bit of housework every day. Never leave all of the housework for a single day, especially on a weekend. Who wants to spend a Saturday or Sunday doing housework? Stay on top of it so it doesn't become a time suck.
Growing up my parents both worked so I learned the "trick" of doing a serious power clean on legal holidays! Both parents and kids are generally off work/school and if everyone kicks in, a power clean can be accomplished in a few hours without hindering the usual weekend and evening commitments. Additionally, the legal holidays are scattered fairly evenly throughout the year so the house never gets truly bad.
For handwash clothes or new clothes with chemical odors... Soak in white vinegar and water solution prior to washing.
My favorite cleaning hack is having my 11 year old son do the vacuuming!
I find cleaning as I go helps lighten the load. I take an extra 10 minutes in the morning or evening to do a quick clean up with the vacuum or Swiffer. Those Swiffer cloths work wonders on walls and windows too.
We have a product called Goo Gone and it's amazing in wiping up anything sticky from wax, grease, sap and much more on any surface. It saves a lot of time and the goo comes off super quickly!
I use old tshirts as dust rags
I like vinegar, baking soda or Simple Green for general cleaning. Occasionally, I have to use harsher cleaning products if something is not responding.
I like to clean my stainless steel faucets with Lemons-it makes them sparkle!
baking soda - works on everything
I never skimp on a vacuum cleaner, because you really need one that "sucks" :) For most other cleaning, I have found baking soda and/or vinegar will get any clean with a scrub brush or sponge and some elbow grease. It is rewarding to see a job well done, even if it takes a little work!
A little water + vinegar in the microwave makes all those splatters wipe away so easily.
I love using baking soda as a cleaning agent!
Make cleaning a family affair. You can accomplish a lot with more people.
I use white vinegar for a lot of cleaning. It's cheaper and I prefer to avoid chemicals when I can. I did splurge on a swiffer - one wet one dry - I love those things.
I clean a little bit a day so it doesn't pile up and get over whelming.
My favorite cleaning hack: baking soda. It's mildly abrasive but never scratches and it's very safe for people and pets. Also -- put it in the washing machine with your regular detergent and it will get rid of tough odors.
I just buy everything at the dollar store. I figure when it comes to that sort of stuff, it's all the same anyway.
Clean as you go. If you take the time to clean up a little every day as you go, it's not a huge mess when the weekend rolls around and you want to have fun!
I try to do a few things everyday, then I don't feel overwhelmed.
We haven't worn shoes in the house for twenty years. It makes a HUGE difference as far as keeping the house cleaner, reducing major wear and tear on our hardwood floors which are the only flooring material in our house, and in our feeling a wonderful, tangible feeling of leaving the world at our door.
Norwex is an awesome hack for me. Just their cloth and water cleans 90% of my home. No chemicals needed.
I splurge on "green" cleaners, if I don't make it myself. I just can't take the smell of regular cleaners anymore.
Using white vinegar, baking soda & dawn dish soap mixture to clean... it works for lots of things. If the tile floor isn't too dirty, I just mop with a spritz of vinegar & water, then it doesn't need rinsing. Wipe the kitchen & bath counters whenever you use them, and they'll never get too dirty.
Definitely keep the front & back porch swept near the door... so much easier to keep the floors clean if everyone doesn't track the outdoors in!
My favorite cleaning hack is using Dryer sheets to help remove buildup on glass doors.
My "must" do is to always carry an armful of something up or down the stairs. There is always laundry and other stuff that needs to go up or down, so don't waste your trip with empty arms.
Baking soda & dish soap to clean showers & sinks and vinegar for almost everything else.
Instead of buying fancy cleaners for stainless steel, we use olive or baby oil! Gets the job done way better.
I don't clean as often as I should! This list has inspired me. :). I'm going to make some of the tips my own.
My favorite "hack" is to scrub the shower tile & grout while I'm deep conditioning my hair. Love to multi-task!
Don't wait until Spring to do Spring cleaning. ;)
Use magic erasers for cleaning grout lines in tile floors. Works a charm!
You want me to get "favorite" and "cleaning" in the same sentence? I guess I just did!
That will have to do!
Clean as I go and Windex, I use it on many so many things.
After I clean my glasses I use the same glasses wipe to clean my bathroom mirror. No streaks!
I like to use natural cleaners, vinegar and water, and baking soda scrubs around the kitchen and bathroom, and did splurge on a really nice, lightweight cordless vacuum for my multilevel home-- makes vacuuming faster and more efficient!
clean as you go!
Baking soda and vinegar work wonders!
I use baking soda as a cleaner.
A couple of times per week, I'll grab a wad of toilet paper and wipe around the sink and counter to get up dirt, make up, and hair. That keeps the sink and counter clean longer.
I like to clean a little every day. If there is too much of a mess, then it is overwhelming.
An old toothbrush works great for cleaing tight areas, lik around faucets. also, after I use a face wipe to remove my makeup, I use it to swipe away toothpaste and stray hairs from the sink.
I use old shirts as dust rags.
I like to use my steam cleaner to get things clean.
I like using vinegar to clean countertops