10 Surprising Spring Cleaning Hacks
Use these to make your cleaning chores a little easier. Remember to pick one room to start with – and finish that room before moving onto the next. And, don’t try to do it all in one day. Take your time and the tasks will seem less daunting.
1. Clean your toilet with Coke.
Yes – really! The chemicals in the carbonation do the trick, not the flavoring (so you can use diet or regular). Pour in a cup or two. Let it soak for an hour to overnight. Flush – and use a scrubber if necessary. Then rinse and repeat as necessary.
2. Dust with fabric softeners.
They work like the more expensive electrostatic cloths. Just remember to work from top to bottom.
3. Use your dishwasher to clean lots of things.
It’s not just for dishes and silverware. Here are just a few of the things you can clean in your dishwasher:
• Range fan grills
• Keys
• Contact case
• Makeup brushes
• Hairbrushes (remove all hair)
• Nail clippers
• Tweezers
• Plastic child’s toys
• Cabinet knobs
• Dog toys
• Razor
• Hair ties
• Removable cup holders from the car
• Toothbrushes and toothbrush holders
• Baseball caps – top rack
• Flip flops
• Mouth guards
• Light switch plates
• Small window screens
4. Use a window squeegee to remove pet hair from carpet
5. Clean your microwave – remove stains and smells.
Fill a bowl with 1-2 cups of water and a few tablespoons of vinegar. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove bowl and wipe down the inside of your microwave with a soft cloth or sponge.
6. Clean your garbage disposal.
Put a cut up lemon, some salt and a few ice cubes in it. Turn on and bam! Odors gone.
7. Clean window and door tracks with vinegar.
8. Wash your windows on a cloudy day.
Sunlight causes them to dry too quickly, leaving streaks. Here’s a homemade cleaning solution: mix equal parts of white vinegar and water. Add a few drops of dishwashing detergent.
9. Clean your showerhead.
If it’s removable – put it in the dishwasher. If not, fill a plastic sandwich bag with vinegar and secure it around the showerhead with a rubber band or hair tie. Make sure it is completely submerged. Leave on overnight. Remove – and you should be good to go.
10. Use vodka to clean your mattress.
This one raised our eyebrows, too. But apparently, it works. Put some vodka (not the good stuff) in a spritzer bottle and lightly spray your mattress. Let it air dry. Should kill any odor causing bacteria and disinfect it, too.