For most of us, cleaning the home might be the most stressful and boring task in the world. After all, no one would like to go through those hard-to-reach areas, dirty sinks, stained toilets, stinky bathrooms, and large dirty floors. Many of us start doing the cleaning only at that moment when we realize that there is little to no clean spot in the whole house, each room portraying the picture of a battlefield covered in grime and dirt.
However, keeping your home neat and clean has become important more than ever. With the pandemic still posing a threat to our well-being and many people staying at home than ever before—giving your sweet home a deep clean has never been a pressing priority as it is now.
But cleaning your home shouldn’t be that stressful.
Here I have shared some tips that will save you time, money, and sanity down the road when it comes to cleaning your home. Let’s get started.
Lemon for Those Stubborn Water Spots
Stubborn water spots on faucet handles and faucet are some of the culprits that often go unnoticed. Top of that, they don’t go away easily with frequent cleaning.
The remedy is super simple—cut a lemon wedge and rub it all over the faucets, shower handles, and shower heads. Let the solution sit for nearly 20 minutes, then wipe it with a damp cloth. Don’t throw away the remaining lemon. Place it in your trash can to get rid of bad smells.
Thank me later for your sparkling faucets and bath fixtures.
Tap into the Power of Baking Soda
Baking soda is a super cleaning agent and can be found easily at every home. From removing stains, driving away foul smell to cleaning your sinks, this “fizzy” solution works superbly to clean your home.
- It can be used to remove stains from plastic food containers. All you need to do is wipe them with a clean sponge sprinkled with baking soda. Or, you can soak them in a solution of baking soda (4 tbsp of baking soda plus a quart of warm water.)
- Put it in the fridge to remove strong food odors.
- Put store-bought fruits and veggies in baking soda solution to remove waxy coating.
- Combine it with water to clean stainless steel sinks, countertops, range hoods, cooking utensils, and microwaves.
Hydrogen Peroxide or Citric Acid for a Sparkling Bathtub
Want to make your bathtub look new again?
Enter hydrogen peroxide. It is an effective cleaning agent for lime scale, yellow spots, and calcium stains. Just put it into a spray bottle and spray it on the bathtub’s surface. Leave it for 30 minutes, and then rinse it off with warm water.
You can also use a solution made with citric acid to remove yellow stains. Just mix one package of citric acid with a cup of water. Apply the mixture with a sponge onto the bathtub and leave it for 20 minutes. Wash it off with warm water.
Mildew Spots in the Bathroom? Try Vodka
The bottle of vodka in your fridge is great for more than just accentuating the celebrations. It can also be used to remove mildew in the bathroom, too.
Just fill a spray with a 50-50 mix of vodka and water, spray it on the affected areas, and wait for nearly 10 minutes. Use a clean cloth to wipe it away. The alcohol in vodka will not only remove the mess, but will also kill the mildew.
Clean Left to Right, Top to Bottom
Don’t start a room by wiping the dining table, then clean the fan, and seeing the dust from the fan cover your newly clean dining table. Therefore, get started at the top of the room, such as cleaning the ceiling fan, and go down to the floor to remove redundant work.
Similarly, cleaning left to right helps you cover the entire area instead of rushing from place to place. This way, you work once instead of cleaning the things you have just cleaned, saving you time and hassles.
Learn the Art of Cleaning the Windows
Cleaning the windows can be tricky as it leaves residues and streaks behind.
You can use a window squeegee that can cost you around $12. Mix a drop of dish soap in a gallon of water. Wipe it liberally on the window with a cloth, then squeegee it off. Make sure to clean from top to bottom and wipe the blade each time you are done with the bottom. This way, you get sparkling and streak-free windows. If you don’t want a squeegee, you can use a glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth instead.
Make sure to wash the window in horizontal strokes and get from top to bottom when wiping with the cloth. Avoid rubbing the window in circles as it can leave streaks. Don’t use paper towels and newspaper as they leave a residue.
Use Feather Dusters for Cleaning Blinds and Pictures
Feather dusters are effective for cleaning blinds, nooks, pictures, and other areas. They tackle the dust and the large quills don’t get out of their handle.
Keep Your Cleaning Tools Handy
Having all the tools and cleaning products you require at arm’s reach means you won’t waste time going back and forth to the ceiling fan or the cabinet under the sink. Otherwise, this just adds to the stress of the cleaning. You can also put your cleaning tools in a bucket or a caddy to stay organized.
So these are some amazing tips to make your home sparkle while keeping hassles and complications at bay. What do you think?