If you’ve been watching those cleaning hacks on TikTok, be careful. You shouldn’t always take advice from random strangers on the Internet. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of tried and trusted life-changing cleaning hacks that have stood the test of time, and not just for virality on social media. Keep reading to learn about all the useful tips and tricks, from how to remove clumps of pet hair from your furniture to how to make your sponges clean again.
#1 How to Clean Mirrors — Because using cloths on mirrors can leave streaks and lint, try cleaning your mirrors with vinegar, water and a newspaper instead. The soft fibers of the dense newspaper make it a non-abrasive cleaning tool, perfect for cleaning glass. You’ll need an empty spray bottle to fill with half white vinegar and half water. Shake the mixture well, and then spray it on your mirror. Use newspaper to wipe down the surface.
#2 How to Clean Faucets — Who knew that all you needed to clean a faucet was vinegar and a plastic bag? When you’re seeing grime and other nasty buildups on your kitchen or bathroom faucets, use this cleaning hack. Fill a sandwich bag with vinegar and baking soda. Put the faucet handle into the sandwich bag, making sure the handle is fully submerged in the liquid mixture. Secure the bag in place with a hair tie or rubber band. Allow it to soak for about two hours. Remove the sandwich bag and then allow the water to run through. Your faucet will look brand new!
#3 How to Clean Old Cloths and Sponges — You don’t want to use a dirty sponge to wash your dishes. You don’t want to use a smelly, old washcloth to wipe down your kitchen counter. To clean both old cloths and sponges, wet the sponge or cloth with water. Put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Allow it to cool for about a minute before you take it out of the microwave. You can also wash your cloths and sponges in the dishwasher, but if you’re in a hurry, the microwave cleaning hack works just as well when you’re in a time pinch.
#4 How to Remove Pet Hair from Furniture — When removing pet hair from furniture, you’re going to need the best pet hair remover. The struggle is real when you have to remove pet hair and human hair from upholstered furniture, blankets and carpets. A great pet hair remover can also double as a lint remover to remove lint from clothes. When vacuuming is not enough, use your pet hair or lint remover to scrape over carpets, rugs and furniture to remove hair and dust that gets pushed down by the vacuum cleaner.
#5 How to Remove Steel Stains — If you have any residue left on your steel faucets, such as from water that was left to air dry, you’ll see leftover stains. Clean these stains with lemon and salt. Here’s how: Slice lemons in half. Sprinkle salt on the steel faucet. Rub the faucet with the lemon halves. Rinse with warm water and you’ll have a streak-free, shiny finish.
#6 How to Remove Bathtub Stains — Here’s another fruit you can use to clean: grapefruit! Slice a grapefruit in half and then sprinkle salt onto the grapefruit halves. Sprinkle salt on your bathtub as well. Use the grapefruit halves to scrub away any bathtub stains. When you’re done, rinse away the salt and pulp with water. Your bathtub will smell as fresh as a grapefruit.
#7 Using Baking Soda — You can use baking soda to clean your couch. The super absorbent nature of baking soda helps remove unwanted odors from your home and your couch. First, brush your couch to remove any excess debris. Then, sprinkle baking soda on the parts of the couch you want to clean. Let it sit for about half an hour. Then, vacuum up the baking soda with a hand vacuum. This same method works on curtains, carpets and pet beds.
#8 Using Soda — Coca-Cola is more than a tasty drink on a hot day. It can also be used as an effective cleaning solution. Use it to get your toilet clean. With a toilet brush and a can of Coke, you can remove toilet stains. Just pour it around the rim of your toilet bowl, let it sit for about an hour, scrub the stains and then flush. That’s all there is to it.
#9 What Else Can the Dishwasher Do? — Your dishwasher can do more than washing and drying dishes. Use it to clean ceramics or other glassware in your home. Think ceramic toothbrush holders, soap holders or even toy Legos. For the most part, you’ll want to stay away from plastics that would melt or won’t be dishwasher safe. Small items should go in a dishwasher-safe container so they don’t fall to the bottom of the dishwasher or get stuck in any parts that could damage the machine.
It’s actually a myth that bleach is one of the best cleaners out there. That’s because while it’s helpful for disinfecting and killing germs, it’s not that useful for removing dirt from surfaces. If you want to remove dirt, sometimes the simple DIY cleaners and cleaning hacks we shared are the best way to tackle debris in your home. Sometimes, you don’t need to vacuum and shampoo your carpet to remove pet hair. Sometimes, all you need is a portable lint remover.
