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From using toothpaste to take crayon off the wall to cleaning your floors with a dishwasher tablet, there are so many creative and innovative tricks to cleaning that most people have never thought to try. Here are some of our favorites.
Not everything stays contained in the trash bag, and you should stay on top of cleaning the bin after taking the trash out to keep odors away. The easiest approach is to put some hot water and dish soap in the bottom of your empty trash can and use a Clorox toilet wand (or something similar) to scrub the inside of the bin. Don't forget to get all the little nooks and crannies near the lid. Once you're done scrubbing, take the bin outside for a rinse, and dry it thoroughly before putting a new bag in.
While we're on the topic of keeping your trash can clean and stink-free, after you clean your can, you can pop an air freshener (we like to use Febreze Small Spaces) in the bottom before putting a fresh bag in. You can buy scented bags too, but this trick really makes a difference.
Dryer sheets are not exclusive to laundry chores. You can use them to dust your baseboards too, and the scent they leave is a nice bonus. If you want to avoid getting on your hands and knees to do this, you can also fasten the dryer sheets to a Swiffer Sweeper.
Some people call this "seasoning" your carpet. You just grab a bowl and put about 1/2 cup of baking soda in it and 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix it up, and you can sprinkle some on your carpet before you vacuum, filling the air inside your home with the scent of the oil.
If you pour some ice into your sink and nudge it down the garbage disposal, when you flip the disposal switch, the ice will clean out debris as it gets crushed up.
Stainless steel appliances beg to be permanently tainted with fingerprints and smudges. Rather than searching for the perfect cleaning spray to remedy that, you can put a little bit of cooking oil on a microfiber cloth and polish your stainless steel. All the smudges will vanish and you won't need to buff any streaks out because of the sheen the oil leaves behind.
Lampshades are dust magnets and the best way to clean them isn't with a duster. Instead, rub your dusty shade down with a lint roller. Works like a charm.
If you have calcium build-up on your faucet or showerhead, look to vinegar. Fill a plastic bag halfway with equal parts white vinegar and water. The bag should be big enough to submerge the faucet head or showerhead fully. Secure the bag with a rubber band or zip tie, ensuring the seal is secure so no vinegar leaks out. Let that sit for a minimum of 30 minutes, or overnight if you're working with a showerhead that doesn't have a sensitive vinish like brass, gold, or nickel. After you remove the bag, you can scrub with an old toothbrush, rinse everything off, and wipe it down.
Vodka can kill odor-causing bacteria on your mattress, so if you spritz a little on your bed when you take the sheets off, it goes a long way.
Mayonnaise can be used to remove water stains from wood because the oil in it displaces moisture. Just put a bit of mayo on a microfiber cloth and dab it onto the stain, wiping the space clean as you go. You might have to work with it a bit, especially if you're dealing with a tougher stain.
Instead of battling with the blades of your ceiling fan every time you go to dust them, and creating a dusty mess on the floor beneath, try the pillowcase trick. Spray the inside of an old pillowcase with an all purpose cleaner and use a step stool to reach the fan. Slide the pillowcase over the dusty blade and slowly pull it back to remove it (and the dust!).
To polish silverware with foil, line a pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up, and fill it with hot water and a few tablespoons of baking soda. Submerge the silverware in the solution for a few minutes, then rinse and dry. Keep in mind: This trick is for silver silverware.
Take a little dab of white toothpaste and put it on an old toothbrush. Use it to scrub stains off your wall, wiping with a cloth when you're done. Remember to keep this toothbrush somewhere far away from the one you brush your teeth with every morning and night.
Wrap a moist rag around a butter knife and use it to get between the slots of your dusty air vents.
Cut a lemon in half and use the flesh side to scrub the odors out of your cutting board. For an extra touch, you can use coarse salt to get into the pores thoroughly.
Grout can be tough to clean, but an electric toothbrush is just the right size to get between those narrow nooks.
Butter knives are multi-purpose cleaning tools. If you have a gap between your oven and counter, you can use a butter knife to chip away at the crumbs that congregate there.
Don't waste space in your dishwasher by putting your dirty blender in there with the rest of your dishes. Instead, fill the inside of the blender with soapy water and turn it on. Rinse it out, and there you have it.
Before vacuuming your couch to rid it of pet hair, try taking a squeegee to it to scrape as much of the hair off as you can.
If you want to give your stainless steel sink a nice shine, buff it out with a little bit of flour. You'll want to do this with your sink dry or you'll create a bigger mess.
Before filling your mop bucket with hot water, toss a dishwasher tablet in it. It will dissolve as you add the water, creating the perfect cleaning solution for your floors.
Put some lemon in a bowl with water and steam it in the microwave to easily wipe out the grime inside andleave it smelling lemony fresh.
If you want to make dusting the tops of your cabinets as low effort as possible, top them with sheets of wax paper, arranging them so you can't see them from down below. The dust will accumulate on the paper instead of your cabinets.
If you're dealing with tough soap scum messes, try spraying them with cooking spray. The oil will loosen the scum, making it easier to wipe clean.
If you're looking for some fizz to clean your toilets with, Alka-Seltzer tablets are a handy hack to take advantage of.
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