We've gathered some of our best household cleaning tips and tricks to help you get a spotless home for a fraction of the price. Lots of natural, inexpensive, quick, useful and fun cleaning tips - using everything from tin foil to vinegar and lemon - will save you time and money when cleaning your house.
1. Use wet rubber gloves to remove pet hair
If Fido and Felix have cleaned your house and made you sneeze, it's a cheap and easy solution. A damp glove can easily be pulled over soft furniture like sofas and curtains (and even pant legs!) to remove animal hair.
2. Use flip flops to remove pet hair
Don't have any washing gloves? Using rubber slippers (clean!) on your furniture will work just as well. This is especially helpful if (like us) you constantly lose slippers and end up with weird stuff.
3. Use the coffee filter to clean the glass or mirror easily
Ah coffee - you're what got us out of bed, and now we've discovered you offer so much more. Smarten dirty windows without any chemicals - just give them a sweep with a clean coffee filter. It works like magic.
4. Use tights to prevent your vacuum cleaner from attracting coins
Don't throw away those tights! Save money and precious little things by using the legs of a pair of tights through your nozzle. It will capture any changes, hair bands and other bits and bobs before they are sucked away.
5. Clean your microwave naturally with a cup of water
If your microwave looks a bit unhygienic after a blast of too much food, don't panic - it can be cleaned for free in a jiffy. Just place a cup of heat-resistant water with half a lemon and its juice in the microwave on high for a minute or two. 1. Leave the mixture in the microwave with the door closed for 5 minutes to let the steam do its job, then easily wipe the inside of your microwave. Lemon will leave your entire kitchen smelling clean and fresh!
6. Reuse cleaning sponges - just clean the microwave
You may feel like you're constantly buying new kitchen and bathroom cleaning sponges, and it's not only the added cost, but it's also bad for the environment to keep throwing away the dirty stuff. Get more out of your cleaning sponges by giving them a quick blast for a minute or two in the microwave on high. This will kill the bacteria.
7. Make a quick natural cleaning product for your whole home
Feel like a money-saving magician with this easy-to-make recipe. Just mix four tablespoons of baking soda and a quart of warm water for an inexpensive and all-purpose cleaner. Use liberally on your surfaces, floors and anywhere else that needs scrubbing.
8. Great money-saving tip: clean limescale from your shower head with vinegar
We love it when we can make kitchen cabinet components into a germ cleaning product. If you're looking for a more natural (not to mention frugal) way to clean your home from top to bottom, Vinegar is your new best friend. Soak your shower head in a mixture of boiling water and vinegar to release any lime scale easily. More vinegar cleaning tips.
9. Use baby oil to remove fingerprints from stainless steel
Baby oil isn't just for smoothing and soothing skin - it's literally a squeak in grease lifting. If the lids of the cooker or other stainless steel appliances are dirty with finger prints, apply a small amount of baby oil to a clean microfibre cloth and wipe them.
10. Use an old toothbrush to clean your bathroom
Don't throw away your old toothbrush - it can be a really useful tool. Rinse in boiling water to get rid of germs and use it to get into the nooks and crannies your vacuum can't reach. It comes in particularly handy in bathrooms, for cleaning hard-to-reach areas around faucets or drains.
11. Top cleaning tip: use a fabric softener to prevent your bin smell
There's nothing more frustrating than emptying your bin to find it still smelling afterwards. If you have a stinky trash can, pop a sheet of fabric softener in it along with a trash bag for instant air freshener. You can experiment with different scents too.
12. Stop shoes that smell like bicarbonate of soda
Again, baking soda to the rescue! If your trainers or day shoes have seen a step that is too sweaty and becomes a little uncomfortable, it's an easy problem to fix. Sprinkle some baking soda on smelly trainers for an instant lift.
13. Remove stylus marks from wood with toothpaste
If the kids have gone crazy with markers on your bannisters, desks or anything made of wood, rub gently with a bit of toothpaste to remove stains. Then go and give them a good say and a nice set of (easy to erase) pencils instead!
14. Clean hair brush quickly by rinsing off liquid and water
We don't really think about cleaning our hairbrushes (other than waxing) but when you think about it, it makes sense that they become filthy with grease and product build-up, like our hair. Remove residue from hairspray, dry shampoo, or any other hair product by mixing rinse and warm water and soaking it.
15. Make a natural scented vinegar cleaning product to help around the house
Mix one part white vinegar with one part water to make a basic household spray (great for anyone with allergies because it's so gentle). Can't stand the smell of 'fish and chips'? Add some fresh herbs to the mix - sage has a particularly clean smell, but you can experiment with anything growing in your garden really.
16. Unblock clogged drains for free with baking soda
Bicarbonate of soda to the rescue again! This time it's a miracle for unblocking hair or food clogged drains. Pour one part baking soda, followed by one part vinegar, down it, then cover with a wet cloth as the two react together to naturally clean the drain. Wait five minutes and then run some hot water to clean it.
17. Clean white trainer with toothpaste
Tennis shoes a bit dirty? Coach doesn't look like new after a few muddy rides? No one will know they're not fresh from the box with this easy trick. Scratched white sneakers can be brought back to life by scrubbing with toothpaste. Slightly minty smell, a bonus.
18. Clean the kitchen cabinets with washing water
Greasy, dirty cabinets can be given a new lease of life when you mix a washcloth with a little warm water - it's amazing how much dirt will come off your sponge . Once you've watched it, you'll be sure this becomes a regular on your to-do list!
19. Clean your cutting board with lemon
Our cutting boards get a lot of use, from joints of meat and fish fillets, to cutting fruits and vegetables most evenings - so it's no wonder they end up looking a little tired. Lemons are great for lifting stains from cutting boards, as well as removing any odors. Still not moving? Sprinkle with baking soda and repeat.
20. Polish silver quickly with toothpaste
If you're lucky enough to own some adorable bits and bobs, keeping them in top condition couldn't be simpler. Polish wedding gifts and silver jewelry with a little water and some toothpaste. Rinse and dry with a cloth and it will look like new. One of the most satisfying cleaning jobs around, we think.
21. Clean garden furniture with washing water
If your patio furniture is looking down after a busy summer, you need to remove any rain stains, lichens, and poo asap birds. Add a splash of wash water to a bucket of warm water and scrub down your garden furniture. Then have them rinse with a hose.
22. Quick tip: stop rusting on garden furniture with ketchup
If your patio furniture is also rusted, dip some ketchup before rubbing it with a cloth - the rust will lift right off. Then use the rest of the bottle into a delicious summer baking!
23. Get rid of stains on clothes cheaply with laundry detergent
It's annoying to get clothes dirty with food or drink - and why does it always seem to be our favorite? Fear not - all is not lost. Rub the cleaning liquid directly into the stain and then rinse with water - it works on most fabrics including delicate wool or silk, as long as you do it right away.
24. Use ketchup to shine your copper pan
Copper is having a moment in fashion right now, and copper pans are a beautiful way to modernize your kitchen. If they get dirty after use, there's an inexpensive solution tucked away in your cupboard. The humble ketchup is really great for cleaning, and will make the copper pan shiny after a quick scrub.
25. Remove scratches from walnut wood furniture
Did you dredge your bannisters with the laundry basket, or knock your skirt board removing your shoes? It may sound strange, but a walnut (without the shell) rubbed against scratched or scuffed wooden furniture, floors or bannisters will work.
26. Clean your bathroom with vodka
Got a bottle of unloved vodka left over from a gathering? If you don't like making cocktails, you can always use it to make your porcelain fixtures shine! Apply some on a soft cloth and rub them in.
27. Stop Your Refrigerator From Smelling With Baking Soda
Do you find that bed sheets and towels smell a bit old while in storage? Take out the bicarbonate of soda again to prevent your refrigerator from smelling musty. Leaving an open box of baking soda inside it will hide any odors.
28. Remove carpet stains with detergent
If you've just spilled a glass of wine - or anything stained - on your carpet, take action by dissolving a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid in two cups of warm water and blotting the stain until it's gone. Then, sponge the carpet with cold water and blot dry.
29. Stop flooring with baby powder
If you keep waking your husband up by stepping on rickety floorboards during the night, he'll thank you for trying this simple trick. Use talcum powder or baby powder to silence noisy wooden floors. Drop some on the floor and sweep into the cracks, sweeping away excess.
30. Remove coffee stains with toothpaste
Grubby Cups? Just like coffee stains on your teeth, the answer to your problem is in the bathroom cabinet. Remove tea or coffee stains from your favorite mugs by scrubbing with toothpaste. Then give it a good rinse to make sure your next drink doesn't taste minty.
31. Use bicarbonate of soda to clean your dishwasher
Keeping your dishwasher in good working order will save you a lot of money in the long run, and that's easy. To start, shake the baking soda onto a damp sponge and wipe around the edges of your dishwasher to remove any food residue.
32. Great cleaning tip: get grease stains off clothes with cola
If you have oil stains on your beloved shirt, it can be saved by an unlikely ally. Add a simple coke to the washing machine along with your detergent and run it on a regular cycle. The acids in the drink will help dissolve tough stains.
33. Clean Your Toilet Stains With Coke
And that's not all that this humble soft drink can offer in terms of cleaning. Get a looby loo back to sparkling white by pouring it into a cola can. Let it sit in the bowl overnight, scrub it quickly with a brush and then rinse the next morning for great effect.
34. Put a lemon in your fridge to keep it smelling good
Why do so many of our favorite foods leave the fridge stinking? Cut a lemon in half and place one on the top shelf, one on the bottom shelf, to mask any strong odors in your fridge.
35. Remove the smell of burning with salt
Your dinner? If the house smells like burning now, just sprinkle some salt on the burnt pan or any other mess to reduce it. Then cut your losses and order a take away!
36. Clean your pans for free with aluminum foil
Tin foil has many uses - for one thing you can use it in place of a scanner. Just rub it into a ball and put it in pots and pans. It's a great way to recycle your sandwich wrap, as well as save your money.
37. Sharpen your scissors with tin foil
Scissors are easy to blunt, especially if you use them to cut paper or wrap gifts. But you don't need to replace them. Just use your scissors to cut a piece of aluminum foil to sharpen them instantly.
38. Remove limescale from your iron with vinegar
Keep your iron in good working order by removing excess limescale. Simply heat it up, unplug it and let it cool a bit. Fill the reservoir with one part white vinegar to one part water. Leave it on for an hour, then empty and rinse.
39. Seal an envelope with nail polish
If you've got a duff envelope that isn't stamped, or you want to reseal an open letter, use a blob of nail polish to seal it back. Opt for clear nail polish if you don't want it to look weird! We also love using clear nail polish to prevent ladders from spreading in our pants, so it's worth investing in a bottle to keep around the house.
40. Protect parquet or parquet with a tennis ball
Prevent your parquet or parquet from being scratched by chairs or other furniture by cutting tennis balls in half and placing them on the ends of chairs, table legs, and sofas as floor protectors.
41. Polish furniture with olive oil
As well as having great health benefits, olive oil can be handy around the house. Put a few drops on a duster and use it to polish your wooden furniture - much nicer than chemical polish, and it won't cause any strong odors.
42. Cheap tip: use old pants as dust
Is there a hole in your pants? Don't throw them away - give them a bath and then use them as a duster. The same goes for weird socks (which we always seem to end up with, no matter how carefully we wash them).
43. Use a pastry brush to clean your toast crumbs
Get hard-to-reach debris and burnt crumbs out of your toaster by unplugging and sweeping with a pastry brush. This will help your toaster last longer as well as make crumbs less likely to catch and smell.
44. Remove greasy fingerprints from the wall with white bread
It sounds strange, but marking your finger with a slice of white bread will give your walls a new life! We're not sure who discovered this, but we're grateful they did...
45. Stop your washing machine from smelling of vinegar
The washing machine smells? Run it empty in a hot wash with a cup of white vinegar inside. This will also help remove limescale and mold, making the machine last longer and cleaning more efficiently.
46. Clean your iron with salt and foil
If you have a dirty iron, remove accumulated dirt from the bottom with salt and tin foil. Turn on the iron and run it on a piece of aluminum foil sprinkled with salt.
47. Clean your bathtub with a grapefruit
Get rid of water stains or stains in your tub by slicing a grapefruit in half, sprinkling some rock salt, and scrubbing it clean. Have the other half for a nutritious breakfast!
48. Kitchen cleaning tip: clean the kettle with vinegar
Remove limescale from your kettle by filling it with half white vinegar, half water and soaking overnight. In the morning, give it a wash and the limescale will be gone. Not only will your kettle last longer, but your drinks will taste better too (assuming you've rinsed the vinegar off!)
49. Remove moth clothes naturally with herbs
Clothing moths make us very angry, and once you have them, they can be difficult to remove. Make a natural repellent for clothing moths by packing some dried herbs including lavender, cloves, bay, rosemary or thyme and stuffing it in your closet and drawers. .
50. Use Vaseline to polish shoes
Missing shoe polish? Use some trusty petroleum jelly to shine them in a flash. It's also cheap.
51. Remove water stains and cup rings from the table with a hair dryer
If someone hasn't used a glider and has marked your coffee table, use a hair dryer on it before wiping the area with a small amount of olive oil. Hey-uyo - as good as new.
52. Clean your window blinds with vinegar
Curtains can be a magnet for dust, dead insects, and floating pet hair. Make them look as good as new with an old sock. Mix one part white vinegar to one part warm water and scrub your blinds with an old sock to remove dust and dirt.
53. Clean and disinfect your dishwasher with vinegar
Put two cups of undiluted vinegar in a dishwasher-safe bowl on the top shelf of an empty dishwasher and run it on a hot cycle. It will help clean the pipe and make it smell better.
54. Make a natural bleach with lemon
If your whites and sheets have turned yellow or are marked by an orange background stain, squeeze the juice of one lemon into 4.5 liters of hot water, and soak your clothes in it for a while. hours. Then rinse in the washing machine or by hand and dry.
55. Remove rust from cutlery with onions
There's no need to cry over rusted cutlery - unless cutting onions makes you cry. If your knives and forks are rusty, stick their ends into the onion a few times and the rust will lift straight out.
56. Freshen Tupperware with Baking Soda
If your plastic food tubs have seen too many leftover lunches or dinners and are smelly or stained, you don't need to replace them. Simply treat them to a night at the spa! Soak them in the sink overnight in warm water with a tablespoon of baking soda and the next day, after rinsing, they will look and smell new again.
57. Remove stains with vinegar
If your grandkids go free with their sticker book and stick them on walls, doors, furniture or basically anywhere you don't want them, you'll know that peeling them off can leave marks. patch. To solve this problem, soak them repeatedly with vinegar and let it soak for 15 minutes. Then come back with a sponge and rub off the mark.
58. Keep shoes shiny with hairspray
If you've just given your shoes a good polish, and want them to look soft and last as long as possible, give them a quick hairspray and you'll see them shine for longer.
59. Use toothpaste to dim the mirror
If you're annoyed when, after a hot shower or bath, you can't see yourself in the frosted mirror, toothpaste could be the answer! Just scrub your bathroom mirror with toothpaste and wipe it off with a clean, dry cloth before showering and hey-belo - an easy-to-use mirror that's fog-free.
60. Fill the nail hole in the wall with toothpaste
It sounds crazy, but toothpaste is actually a pretty good alternative to Polyfilla, especially if you're in a hurry. Dab holes in the wall or ceiling with toothpaste, and use food coloring in the stickers you apply if you need to match the wall color.
61. Use a lint roller to dust
As well as lifting pet hairs out of your clothes (why do they always love your smartest outfit?!) The lint roller is a handy tool for removing dust from lampshades, gowns and coats. even shelves. Just scroll it and hey there!
62. Use a cleaning solution to clean your blender
Grubby blender? These little tools see some serious use in the winter, from making hearty soups to cranberry sauce or even mashed potatoes. All that work can make them look dirty, so for easy cleaning, squeeze in some washing-up and a little warm water and run your blender as usual - make sure to turn on the lid first! Then just let it wash off.
63. Cleaning tips from Aggie Mackenzie
How Clean House star Aggie Mackenzie emphasizes the importance of keeping your iron in tip-top shape. To remove any excess lime on an old iron (which will block the steam holes) heat the iron, then unplug it and let it cool. Fill the reservoir with a solution of one part clean vinegar to one part water, leave for an hour or so, then empty and rinse a few times with clean water.
64. Polish leather with toothpaste
If you've got a leather sofa, coat, or shoes that are slightly scratched, you can polish them easily with toothpaste. Just make sure you use unbleached or non-whitening powders to prevent stains. Scrub it with a soft cloth then rinse with a damp cloth.
65. Use Vaseline to Stop Uncomfortable Drawers
If you have an annoyingly sticky cabinet door or a drawer that makes a noise every time you open it, get things running smoothly again with a piece of Vaseline. It also works to loosen hinges easily.
66. Clean brushed stainless steel with baby oil
Remove fingerprints, stale food and stains from your stainless steel pans and appliances with just a drop of baby oil, rubbed into a square of kitchen roll. It's worth noting that this only works for brushed stainless steel.
67. Remove chewing gum from clothes using the freezer
If you've sat chewing gum, or managed to get it on any of your clothes, you know what pain to remove. But this is where your kitchen comes in! Put your clothes in the freezer for a few hours - frozen gum is easier to remove or chisel out.
68. Remove dirty rings around shirt collars with shampoo
It's easy for sweat, oil, and dirt to get on your shirt collar and ruin your smartest outfit. If it won't budge the washing machine, don't get rid of it! Just gently rub some of your normal shampoo around it, give it some scrub and then pop it back in the washing machine.
69. Remove sofa stains with shaving foam
If your sofa is looking worse, try dipping some shaving foam on any stains, let it settle, then wipe it off to remove the shaving foam - and the stain!
70. Odor blocking ball
Block unpleasant odors from drawers, shoes or bags by filling a coffee filter with baking soda and adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Secure it with an elastic band and place it wherever it needs a refresh!
71. Easy keyboard hack
Easily clean small nooks and crannies in keyboards or other small electronics by placing the pointed cap of a ketchup bottle over the top of the vacuum. It will quickly get rid of any dust or crumbs.
72. Use a squeegee to clean the hair
If the vacuum doesn't remove unwanted animal hair, try using the squeegee as an effective solution on sofas, carpets or other delicate upholstery!
73. Clean your remote control
If you're worried about your remote collecting dirt and bacteria from everyday use, try cleaning it with a small amount of hand sanitizer and paper towels. For greater efficiency, use a cotton bud to get the hard-to-reach bits between the buttons!
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