Like it or loathe it, cleaning your home is something everyone must do. When you’re juggling work and family commitments, it’s easy to let those counters get a little more cluttered, or that pile of clothes becomes a mountain in your laundry room. Since no one really has the time in their day to do a deep cleaning session, you’ll need to learn some cleaning strategies to make your house more inhabitable. These seven cleaning hacks every clean freak should know can help you keep your house tidy with minimal time commitment.
Clean Your Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals can build up a stinky odor from time to time. If you have guests over who like to gather in the kitchen, this can get a little embarrassing. It’s an easy fix, though. Simply slice up a lemon and run it through the garbage disposal. This will leave a fresh scent and take away any offensive odors.
Clean Your Sponge
If you thought your bathroom was the dirtiest thing in your home, think again. Sponges contain 54 billion bacteria per cubic centimeter, which means that it needs to be disinfected daily. While they should be replaced frequently, you can keep your sponge clean by running it in the microwave for 30 seconds to kill the bacteria. You’ll want to wait a few minutes before removing the sponge because it will be hot.
Cleaning Stainless Steel
Stainless steel appliances are constantly getting stained with food and fingerprints, especially if you have little ones around. To give your stainless-steel appliances a good clean, wipe them down using a microfiber cloth and some rubbing alcohol. If you want to go the extra mile, about once a month wipe them down with a few drops of olive oil as well.
Cleaning Your Shower
Cleaning your shower is a hassle, but it’s got to be done. To eliminate that soap scum and leave your shower looking shiny, you’ll need a dish wand, dish soap and distilled white vinegar. Add half of the dish soap and half of the vinegar to the dish wand and get to scrubbing! Be sure to use a toothbrush to clean those little corners.
Cleaning Your Sofa
If you wait too long to clean your sofa, it can leave behind a lingering smell. To clean your sofa and eliminate odor, sprinkle a layer of baking soda over it and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then, vacuum up the baking soda using the brush attachment on your vacuum.
Cleaning Your Microwave
Microwaves can get nasty quickly. To keep your microwave looking clean add equal amounts of water and vinegar to a microwave safe bowl. Add a wooden toothpick to the bowl to prevent boiling. Microwave the bowl for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, remove the bowl and wipe down the microwave. For a fresher scent, add sliced lemons to the bowl.
Clean Your Ceilings
When going through your deep cleaning routine, the last thing you probably think about is your ceiling. However, ceilings can get super dusty and should be cleaned every now and then. Instead of using a broom, (which can take off little pieces of the ceiling), use a damp paint roller. This is an easy and efficient way to remove the dust and cobwebs from your ceiling–and keep your paint intact.
Cleaning your home is just another part of daily life. So, try to find ways to minimize the time spent on dusting and sweeping by incorporating some of these cleaning hacks into your everyday routine. Soon, your home will be picture perfect and completely clean, too.
