15 Essential Cleaning Hacks for Your Home

Secret Cleaning Hacks That Will Transform Your Home

1. Remember to Include the Doormats

Don't overlook the importance of doormats in keeping your home clean. Having two doormats, one outside and one inside, is how it should be. They play a vital role in trapping dirt and debris, and this becomes even more crucial during the winter. That’s when you're dealing with salty and snowy boots constantly entering and leaving the house.

However, it's essential to stay on top of maintaining these mats. Regularly cleaning the doormats is key because if they get too dirty, they can actually add to the mess rather than prevent it.

2. Multi-Tasking for Productivity

Further, boost your efficiency by combining related tasks, saving time and effort. When you're vacuuming or washing the floors, take a moment to clean the baseboards as well. Similarly, when you're working on cleaning the windows, go ahead and tackle the blinds simultaneously. This simple strategy allows you to accomplish more in less time, making your cleaning routine smoother and more productive. Also, it’s one of the best house-cleaning hacks.

3. Effective Vacuuming Techniques

To achieve a thorough clean, vacuum the right way!

Professionals often advise a two-step approach: first, vacuum horizontally across the room and then follow up in a vertical direction. It means you capture all the trapped dirt, leaving your floors spotless. While we are on the topic of cleaning hacks and tips, know that you should vacuum slowly. Rushing through the process can cause the vacuum to miss dirt particles. So, take your time as you move the device across the floor!

4. Defining "Clean" and Finding Your Cleaning Style

The concept of "clean" can vary widely from person to person. For some, it might mean a spotless floor, while others feel accomplished after tackling a load of laundry. To determine your own definition of clean and organized, ask yourself a few questions. Also, consider:

●     How much stuff you have

●     The type of home you live in

These factors play a role in shaping your idea of cleanliness. If you struggle with decluttering and organization, it might be worth exploring the Swedish death cleaning method. Don't let the intimidating name deter you; this approach can be surprisingly enjoyable and transformative. Besides, it offers a fresh perspective on cleaning and decluttering the house that can make a significant difference in your life.

5. Make a Cleaning Strategy

It's common to experience sudden bursts of cleaning motivation. Having a well-thought-out plan in place can significantly streamline your process. Think of cleaning as a choreographed dance. Besides, begin by:

●     Addressing high-up areas and working your way downward.

●     Paying attention to every detail that requires cleaning.

As you move from one part of the room to another, be mindful of wiping down light switches, door frames, baseboards, and walls. Adopt a circular pattern within each room instead of zigzagging back and forth. This circular technique helps you maintain a satiny and focused cleaning motion.

Stay on track and avoid distractions while you scrub!

6. Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Achieving streak-free mirrors and windows doesn't have to be a mystery. In fact, you can create a simple, effective solution right at home. Moreover, here is how you can get some DIY cleaning hacks to work:

Ingredients:

●     1 1/2 cups water

●     1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar

●     3 drops peppermint essential oil

●     1 1/2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol

Many of us can agree that cleaning windows and mirrors isn't the most enjoyable task. However, with this homemade solution, you can make this chore a lot more manageable and achieve those streak-free results you desire.

7. Clean the Toilet every day!

Clean your toilet every day by using a toilet brush to scrub it. This is how you maintain a relatively clean toilet with minimal effort. Besides, just use the water that's already in the toilet bowl to scrub it. Bathrooms tend to get dirty quickly and can be tough to clean, so this daily household cleaning hack can make a big difference.

8. Prioritize Your Tasks

Begin by scrubbing areas like kitchens and bathrooms, then proceed to:

●     Decluttering

●     Dusting

●     Tending to bedding

●     Finally, cleaning the floors

Take a close look at your home to figure out which areas need the most attention to achieve your desired level of cleanliness. Further, to kickstart your dusting chores, you can use this DIY dusting spray for a straightforward approach.

9. Put Garden Gloves to More than One Use

This might be one of our favorite life hacks for cleaning!

Put on some cotton garden gloves, and use your fingers as cleaning tools to dust off knickknacks and small accessories in your home or office. One can also spray some antibacterial cleaning solution on your gloves to remove germs while you clean.

10. Clean Scuff Marks

Furthermore, you can easily remove scuff marks from vinyl flooring by using a clean, dry tennis ball. Just give the scuff marks a gentle rub with the tennis ball, and they'll disappear, including heel marks.

11. Let Sawdust Help You!

​​To clean up spills like used oil on your driveway or in the garage with some easy cleaning hacks, grab some sawdust. Additionally, you can find sawdust in most home workshops by opening up the dust-collection bags on tools like your orbital sander or mitre saw.

●     Simply sprinkle the sawdust over the spill.

●     Let it soak up the liquid for around 20 minutes.

●     Then sweep it up.

●     You can dispose of it in an outdoor bin or dustbin.

12. Use Tongs for Your Blinds

Speed up the cleaning of your window blinds with a handy hack: kitchen tongs! Attach some rags to the ends of the tongs using twist ties, and then grip the tongs onto each blade. This way, you can primp both sides of the window blinds simultaneously.

13. Save Your Floor from Furniture Scuffs!

Moreover, move heavy furniture on your own without causing damage to wood floors. Begin by elevating one side of the furniture using a long 2x4 and a solid resting block, doing this one side at a time. Afterwards, cover the furniture's legs with socks. Ultimately, remove the jack and gently slide the furniture across the floor without scratching it.

14. Duct Tape - It’s Utility Never Ends

The adhesive quality of duct tape makes it a handy makeshift pet hair remover, and it's quicker than using a vacuum. This method also works well on vehicle seats. One can wrap duct tape around a sponge or cloth to reach corners easily. For larger areas, wrap duct tape around a paint roller cover with the sticky side facing out. Further, roll the covered roller over furniture or carpet to pick up pet hair, adding more tape as it fills up.

15. Dust With Your Dryer

Textiles like blankets, pillows, slipcovers, drapes, and more not only collect household dust but also generate it as they wear down. Curtains and drapes, especially, tend to accumulate dust since they absorb moisture and dirt from outside while also acting as a dust-catching surface for particles from ceiling fans and air vents.

Also, a practical approach to dealing with dust is to opt for machine-washable items and give them a wash at least twice a year (if not more). For textiles that can't be machine-washed, you can use your dryer. Just toss them in on the air-fluff setting (without heat) along with a damp towel for about 20 minutes. The damp towel will attract pet hair, while the tumbling action and airflow will help eliminate smaller dust particles.

Takeaway

Cleaning your house can be quite straightforward when you have the right tips. Deep cleaning, despite its daunting name, becomes more manageable when you divide it into smaller steps. Essentially, maintaining a clean home is less about the time it takes and more about establishing good habits.

And when you want someone else to take care of it, there can be no one better than DLL Cleaning Services. Contact us to book an appointment!