25 Cleaning Hacks That Will Make Your Life Easier

Well, it’s that time again. Spring is here and that means it’s time to start your spring cleaning. Whether you are someone who simply goes through the closet to throw out old clothes that you don’t wear any longer or you prefer a really deep cleaning to open up your home for spring, we have a few hacks for you that will help you to get through that cleaning faster.

Nobody wants to spend all their time cleaning so we have put together a list of 30 cleaning hacks that will help you to get that cleaning done and get out into the beautiful weather. From cleaning the blinds to an easy way to get rid of clothing that you no longer wear, there is a hack here that is sure to make your life a bit easier.
Before you grab those cleaning supplies and get started, take some time to look over the list. We’re certain that there is something here that is bound to make your life a bit easier and get your cleaning done more thoroughly in a shorter period of time. That means much more time for fun in the sun!

Fighting Oil With Oil

Believe it or not, you can actually remove greasy buildup on your stove hood and stovetop with oil. That sounds weird we know, but apparently it works great. You just drop a couple of drops of mineral oil (or you can actually use vegetable oil) onto a paper towel and rub it across the greasy gunk. The oil removes the gunk without the use of harsh chemicals. Once you’re done removing the greasy mess, just go over it with an all-purpose cleaner if you want or you can leave it – the oil makes it really shiny and helps to make cleanups in the future really easy.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Onegoodthingbyjillee

Remove Stains on Microfiber With Alcohol

That’s rubbing alcohol actually, not liquor. If you have stains on your microfiber couch or chair, regular rubbing alcohol will remove those stains and leave your furniture looking new again. You will need a white sponge and a white bristle brush (note that colored brushes and sponges could transfer colors to your furniture). You simply pour the alcohol into a spray bottle, spray the area that is stained down well and then rub the stain off with your sponge. Once the alcohol dries, you will need the bristle brush to smooth the fibers back where they belong.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - 551eastdesign

Pretreat Stovetops With Wax

The wax that you use to shine up your car can also help you to shine up your stovetop. You just have to apply a thin layer of your favorite car wax and then wipe it off with a clean, soft rag or a paper towel. Not only does this help your stovetop to look shiny and new again, it helps to make cleaning up spills in the future really easy. The foods that normally cause a huge mess on your stovetop will simply wipe right up when you have a light layer of wax underneath them.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Realsimple

Clean Mini Blinds With Vinegar

There is a relatively new trick that involves the dishwasher for cleaning blinds but this little trick is much faster and you don’t have to take the blinds down first. You just mix together equal parts of water and vinegar in a bowl and then don an old sock (slip it on your hand not your feet). Just dip the sock in the vinegar and water mixture and then run it over your blinds. You can also use a second old sock to wipe away the dampness after you have cleaned each slat in the blind.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Keephomesimple

Clean Greasy Ovens With A Homemade Cleaner

No matter how badly your oven is in need of a cleaning, this mixture will do the trick. You just have to combine 5 tablespoons of baking soda, 4 tablespoons of white vinegar and 5 drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid in a bowl. The mixture should make a rather thick paste. Now take a sponge and spread the mixture over your oven. Leave it to sit for at least 15 minutes – note that you can leave it a bit longer if needed. Then just take a sponge and scrub the grease away. You can scrub with a lemon cut in half with a bit of coarse salt which will take less elbow grease.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Cleverlyinspired

Save a Fortune on Cleaning with This Amazing DIY Carpet Cleaner

This great cleaning DIY comes from Mackenzie at Cheerios and Lattes. If you have carpeting, especially on stairs then you can make your own carpet cleaner and remove stains without having to pay a pro or spend a fortune on store-bought cleaners. The cleaner is straight ammonia and you just use your iron to steam the stains away. Instead of buying products that have harmful chemicals, just make your own cleaner and you get instant results. This is a great idea for those spot stains or carpeted stairways and it’s really easy so you can keep your carpets looking great.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit -cheeriosandlattes

 

Clean Stove Burners and Grates With Ammonia

You may actually not like the smell of ammonia but you certainly can’t dislike it’s amazing cleaning power. This little trick is really neat because you don’t actually have to deal with the ammonia smell although it is the fumes that clean away greasy messes. Just pour about ¼ cup of ammonia in a large Ziploc bag and then add your burner. You will need to do this for each of your burners – they all get their own little bag. You can leave this overnight and outside is a good place just in case the bag leaks for some reason. Once you bring them in, just wipe the gunk away with a sponge.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Thevspotblog

Remove Water Rings On Furniture With A Blow Dryer

You know those nasty little water rings that your coffee table gets, right? If you (or others in your home) aren’t using coasters, condensation from glasses, bottles and cans can leave a nasty little whitened ring that can be very easy to see from clean across the room. Before you decide to replace or refinish those tables however, try this little hack for removing those water rings. Just hold a blow dryer on high close to the ring and you should see it disappearing after just a few minutes. Once it’s gone, you can add a bit of mineral or olive oil to recondition the wood.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Homemademamas

Remove Carpet Stains With An Iron

Whether your carpet stains come from messy kids, pets or husbands, you can remove them easily with this little trick involving vinegar, an iron, a little water and a spray bottle. You will also need a clean rag. You just mix 2 parts water with 1 part vinegar in a spray bottle and then spray on the stain. Dampen the rag and lay it over the spot after you have saturated it with the vinegar solution. Iron the rag on the steam setting for about half a minute and if you have a really stubborn stain, leave the iron for a few seconds longer. When you pull up the rag, you should pull up the stain as well plus the vinegar is great for removing odors.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Homemakerchic

Remove Oils From Carpet With Baking Soda

If you have had a nasty oil spill on your carpet, there is a hack to remove that and one that won’t cost you a fortune for professional cleaning. You just have to ensure that you get all of the liquid off the carpet before you begin. Start by sprinkling baking soda (or you could use cornstarch) on the stain and leave it for about 10 minutes. After that, vacuum it up. Next, mix a tablespoon of vinegar, two cups of warm water and a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid (note it needs to be a clear liquid) and apply to the stain with a sponge. Leave it for just a few minutes and then remove with a clean sponge dampened with cold water.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Diyncrafts

Easily Clean Your Own Air Conditioning Unit

When it comes to spring cleaning, nothing should be left out – not even that air conditioning unit. Cleaning your condenser regularly can actually help you to save money on maintenance and repairs over the years. Make sure that you shut off the unit before you begin and take a shop vac to the unit to remove dust and debris that may have settled in during the winter months. Remember to also replace your filter inside so that your unit blows out nice clean air during the hot summer months.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Familyhandyman

Clean Stainless Steel Faucets With Lemons

Cleaning the bathroom is probably one of your least favorite jobs. Well, what if cleaning it was easier and you get a nice, lemony spell afterward? This little hack uses lemons to beautifully clean and shine those stainless steel faucets and make the entire room smell wonderful. You just cut a lemon in half and begin rubbing those stains away. This works perfectly for hard water stains and will also remove rust from metals in the bathroom or kitchen. Instead of harsh chemicals for those hard water stains, simply buy a couple of lemons and remove them naturally.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Broccolicupcake

Clean The Tub Naturally

If you want a natural cleaner for bathtubs and showers and one that will leave the bathroom smelling heavenly, just mix a teaspoon of any liquid soap with a few drops of essential oils. Antibacterial oils work best so choose rosemary, tea tree oils, eucalyptus or peppermint. You will also need to add a cup of baking soda which works as a scrubbing agent to remove hard stains. Mix these ingredients together along with enough water to forma thick paste and then add it to the tub with a sponge. Wipe clean and then rinse with cool water.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Marthastewart

Clean Up Under The Sink With Shower Rods

If you don’t really have enough space under the kitchen sink to hold all of those spray bottles and cleaners, you can create a bit more space with a tension rod. Tension rods are really cheap at Dollar Stores and will allow you to make them whatever length you need. Just add the rod to the underneath of your sink cabinet and then hang those bottles up on the rod to save space. You’ll be able to get twice as many bottles under the sink which will help you to keep your cleaning supplies organized and easier to access during spring cleaning.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Ms-notsoperfect

Clean Cast Iron With Salt

Spring cleaning is normally the time most people decide to go through those kitchen cabinets and clean everything. If your everything includes a few cast iron skillets and pots, you can clean them easily with coarse salt. Just add coarse salt (like sea salt) to dampened cast iron and then scrub with a soft sponge. The salt will work as an abrasive, removing oils, food residue and even rust. When you have finished, just rinse the salt away and dry thoroughly to prevent rusting in the future.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Marthastewart

Clean A Microwave With Vinegar And Steam

Now’s the time to clean up that microwave and make it look new again. Unfortunately, for some this means removing food splatters from top to bottom and some of these food splatters can be really difficult to get off. Instead of wearing yourself out by scrubbing, simply fill a bowl (one that is microwave safe) with 1 to 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Place the bowl in the microwave and run for 5 minutes. If you have a really messy microwave, leave it sitting in there for a few extra minutes after the timer goes off. Then just wipe clean with a damp towel.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Practicallyfunctional

Clean Coffee Pots With Vinegar

Vinegar really is a great product for spring cleaning. You can thoroughly clean your coffee maker with vinegar and take away those nasty dark stains and odors, making your coffee taste perfect every single time you make it. You basically just run a mixture of water and vinegar through as you would if you were brewing coffee. The vinegar will remove mineral buildup as it goes through. It is recommended that you stop the cycle halfway through and allow it to sit for about an hour. Then finish the cycle, discard the vinegar solution and run a pot or two of clean, fresh water through.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Thekitchn

Clean Toasters With Cream Of Tartar

If you have a stainless steel toaster (or any other small appliance for that matter) you can clean and shine it up with cream of tartar. Who knew you could use cream of tartar for cleaning? You just mix 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar with enough water to form a milky substance. Rub the substance onto your stainless steel appliances and then simply wipe away and it will remove stains, dirt and other buildup. It works great and gives your appliances a really nice shine.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Areal-lifehousewife

Thoroughly Clean Toilets With Vinegar and Duct Tape

Here we have that vinegar again. That stuff is great for cleaning just about anything. In fact, you can thoroughly clean your toilet with vinegar and use duct tape to help keep jets from clogging. You will need to turn off the water to your toilets before doing this so it’s best done at night when the toilet is not in use as much. The vinegar will clean out gunk that could cause your toilet to clog and could cause you to have to replace smaller parts sooner. This is a great maintenance trick to keep your toilets from needing serviced and repaired as frequently.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Homespothq

Clean Window Sills With Q-Tips

If you are going to clean your windows, wouldn’t it simply make sense to clean the sills as well? You wouldn’t believe the gunk and dirt that can get trapped in window wills and sliding glass door tracks. Luckily, there is a hack for that. You simply need some white vinegar and a few Q-Tips. Just dip the cotton swab into pure vinegar and wipe away the grime and dirt that is built up on your window sills. You might want to have a damp rag or paper towels handy to help get up the grime as you pull it out.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Askannamoseley

Clean Keyboards With Old Toothbrushes

Your computer may not be the first thing that you think about when spring cleaning but you might be surprised just how much dirt and dust can accumulate in your keyboard. Cleaning it is really easy. Unplug the keyboard before beginning and then take an old toothbrush and dust on top of and in between those keys. For really dirty keyboards, you may want to pop the keys off and brush them thoroughly. Just make sure that they can come off without harming the keyboard.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Howtogeek

Clean Tight Spaces With A Ketchup Bottle

Whether you have a keyboard that you need to vacuum or another really tight space that your vacuum will not reach, you can create a little tip for the vacuum with an old ketchup bottle lid. Note that this calls for a plastic lid like the ones you get at the Dollar Store in a condiment set, not your regular ketchup bottle lid. You just have to affix the lid to the vacuum hose and you can reach even the tiniest places with the little hole in the lid. You can keep the lid in place with duct tape and use this to clean those tiny crevices that would normally be left.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Fooyoh

Remove Stains On Clothing With Chalk

Really, chalk? You actually can remove greasy stains on clothing with a piece of plain white chalk. Just rub the chalk over your greasy stains and then wash as usual. The chalk will actually absorb grease so your regular laundry detergent will have no trouble completely removing that stain. This is a much less expensive alternative to laundry pre-soaks and scrubs and one that is natural as well. Note that you will want to use white chalk so that there is no danger of colors blending and causing additional stains.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Apartmenttherapy

Clean Showerheads Overnight Without Scrubbing

Instead of scrubbing relentlessly to remove soap and scum buildup on showerheads, there is a trick that will allow you to clean it while you sleep. You just have to pour plain white vinegar into a plastic bag and tie it around the shower head. You can use bread ties to hold the vinegar in place. Just leave this sitting overnight and when you wake up, run cool water through the shower and all the buildup and gunk will drain away. If you do see residue left on, you can remove it with a toothbrush dipped in vinegar. Just run the toothbrush over the showerhead to remove those stubborn deposits.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Mollymaid

Keep Baseboards Clean With Dryer Sheets

Imagine not having to clean your baseboards as often. You can actually help to keep those boards cleaner with regular dryer sheets. You simply dust the baseboards with the dryer sheets which will help to repel dust much like it repels static in the dryer. It will also help to keep pet hair from gathering at your baseboards, meaning that you won’t have to clean the boards as often. It keeps dust and dirt on the floor instead of the baseboards so you remove it whenever you sweep.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Apartmenttherapy

Easily Know Which Clothes Go

Oprah Winfrey has a neat little trick for knowing which clothes you should get rid of. Instead of hanging your clothes in your closet the usual way, reverse the hangers. When you remove an item, replace it by turning the hanger the right way. after a few months (Oprah actually says a year) you will know which items you never wear because their hangers will still be reversed and you can get rid of those items knowing that you really won’t miss them at all.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Tomterrific1

How To Clean Your Microwave With A Lemon

Kitchen appliances tend to pick up stains and smells. The refrigerator, dishwasher and especially the microwave can end up smelling like whatever has been in it. If you are cooking something with onions in your microwave, you may wonder how in the world to eliminate that smell so that it doesn’t linger around for other foods.

You can actually use a lemon to clean the inside of your microwave and leave it smelling fresh and looking new. The best part is that you don’t actually have to scrub it to get it clean. You just leave the lemon sitting in there and building up steam – you have to turn the microwave on for a bit – and then it just wipes clean. This is a great cleaning method for removing spaghetti and pizza sauce stains or anything else that may be stuck to the walls or ceiling of your microwave.

So, the next time you need to microwave fish, onions or anything that may cause a stench or you have drippings that are stuck to the inside of your microwave, just grab a lemon and let the microwave virtually clean itself. This is a great time saver and a good way to eliminate kitchen odors that tend to hang around for a few days.