Cleaning Tricks That Will Save You Time and Money

By: Kate Row | Last updated: Oct 13, 2023

One of the best ways of keeping your house comfortable is by ensuring that you’re living in clean surroundings. Although many people don’t find cleaning fun, there are some easy and effective natural ways of keeping your household items clean.

To assist you in your cleaning endeavors, we’ve prepared a list of some of the best cleaning hacks that you can use to make your life easier and your home more comfortable.

Removing Bad Fridge Odors Using Newspaper

Your fridge may start giving out a bad smell due to accidental unplugging, electrical failure, or bad food. Instead of buying expensive cleaners, you can use newspapers to neutralize the unpleasant odor coming from your fridge. Newspaper is a magical deodorizer that can help to solve this problem.

Advertisement

Source: thechive.com

To use this method, simply crumple some newspapers, moisten them with some water, and throw them in your stinky fridge. Another benefit of this method is that it’s a way of recycling and reusing old newspapers.

Advertisement

Cleaning Screens with Coffee Filters

You don’t have to use towels or cloth whenever you want to clean your computer, television, or other screens. Coffee filters are the perfect tool because they won’t scratch your screen.

Advertisement

Source: Family Handyman

Coffee filters have little rippled cones that make them perfect for cleaning dirt from TV or computer LCD screens. This is another creative way of using the filters apart from brewing up coffee. Therefore, you can use these thin, cloth-like paper filters whenever you want to clean your monitor and other screens.

Using Baking Soda To Remove Bad Odors From Your Sofa

Sofas are among the most important pieces of furniture in the living room. First, however, it’s important to ensure they’re clean and odorless all the time. Although some people think that cleaning the sofa is a tedious activity, it doesn’t have to be, especially when using baking soda.

Advertisement

Source: Pinterest

Sprinkle the entire sofa with a thin layer of baking soda. Allow this chemical compound to stay there for about 20 minutes to give it enough time to absorb any unpleasant odor. Then, vacuum the seat to clean the dust. You can also add warm water, baking soda, white vinegar, and washing liquid if you want to clean stains.

Using Salt And Grapefruit To Clean Bathtub Rings

If you use your bathtub regularly, you’ll always be dealing with unsightly rings. Fortunately, you don’t have to buy expensive cleaners to remove these stubborn stains. Instead, you only need a grapefruit and salt to give your bathtub a shiny look.

Advertisement

Source: thechive.com

Cut the grapefruit and sprinkle some salt on the surface of one half. Clean the stains by scrubbing the tab with the grapefruit and then rinse with lukewarm water. One medium to large grapefruit is enough to clean your entire bathroom.

Using Baking Soda To Clean Silverware

After using your silver-plated items, they may tarnish due to oil stains and dirt after some time. You may also come across tarnished silver pieces that have been kept under poor conditions for a long time. Instead of using store-bought tarnish remover, you should consider using baking soda.

Source: 17Apart.com

Mix one liter of water with a single tablespoon of baking soda to make a chemical solution. Soak the badly tarnished silverware in the solution for about 10 seconds (but you can extend this time depending on the extent of damage).

Advertisement

Using Kosher Salt And Lemon To Clean Your Wood Cutting Board

If you want to maintain your wood cutting board, you should clean it often. There’s no better way of doing so than using kosher salt and lemon.

Source: Housewife How Tos

Cut the lemon into two halves and then spread kosher salt on the board. Scrub the salt on each side of the board using the cut lemon. Give the solution at least 5 minutes to work. Use a piece of cloth or sponge to clean the board.

Advertisement

Using Canned Air To Clean Inaccessible Places Of Your Electronics

Failure to clean your electronics regularly may lead to the accumulation of dirt, which may then cause overheating and even fire. You can clean your computer and other electronics quickly and easily by using canned air.

Source: tumblr

However, when cleaning your electronics, it’s important to ensure they’re unplugged. The main benefit of compressed air is that it can reach tiny spaces and holes inside your electronics where other cleaning materials such as cloth or cotton cannot reach. Therefore, you can use this simple method to clean delicate and sensitive areas.

Advertisement

Using Warm Water To Clean Your Microwave

You don’t have to buy vinegar and other items to clean your microwave. Instead, you can maintain your microwave by cleaning it with warm water often. Start by filling a microwave-safe bowl with warm water and put it in the oven.

Source: Reddit

Run the oven for five minutes. Let the cleaning liquid remain inside for another 4-5 minutes. The water vapor will steam up the walls of the unit and loosen the dirt, sauce splashes, and other messy stains. Use a clean, damp sponge or paper towel to wipe down the walls.

Advertisement

Grating A Raw Potato To Clean A Cheese Grater

Although grated cheese is a great addition to many meals, cleaning the grater is another story. However, if your grater is covered in sticky cheese, cleaning it should not be stressful. You only need a raw potato to make the cleaning easier and more enjoyable.

Source: architectureartdesigns.com

Grate a raw potato on each side of the grater. The remaining cheese particles will be removed in the process. Rinse with clean water. Alternatively, you can shred an apple and get the same results.

Advertisement

Drying Shoes with Newspaper

You can use crumpled paper or newspaper to easily dry your wet shoes. Although you could think of using a dryer instead, you risk shrinking your shoe and damaging the dryer. However, a newspaper will help you to achieve your goal without any damage.

Source: thechive.com

Stuff the wet shoe with newspapers and let it sit for an hour. Repeat the process but let it sit for several hours. Do it for the third time and allow it to sit for 8-12 hours. This process of drying shoes is simple and doesn’t affect the shoes.

Advertisement

Use a Squeegee To Remove Pet Hair from the Carpet

Although having pets is a good idea for many people, many don’t love the fur and hair they leave behind. If you’ve tried to vacuum up the pet hair, you’re aware of the frustration. However, removing pet hair from the carpet should not be stressful when you use a squeegee.

Source: ROSIE BAGSHAW/FACEBOOK

A squeegee will enable you to extract the hidden pet hair in your house easily. Move the squeegee back and forth across the carpet until there’s no more hair. Now you can live happily with your pets.

Advertisement

Using Rubbing Alcohol To Get Fingernail Polish Out of Carpet

Although you can save money by painting your own nails, a lot can go wrong. Sometimes you may accidentally spill your fingernail polish on your expensive carpet and risk ruining it. If you act fast, you can remove the polish with rubbing alcohol and a piece of cloth.

Source: Unhappy Hipsters

Dump a microfiber cloth with a small amount of rubbing alcohol and scrub gently until the polish is removed. You can replace alcohol with nail polish remover. After removing the stains, rinse with clean water and allow it to dry.

Advertisement

Cleaning Cabinet Doors with Baking Soda and Vegetable Oil

Cabinet doors are exposed to dirt and grease, just like any other part of the house. Unfortunately, many people leave their cabinet doors unattended for a long time. When you finally decide to work on these doors, you may come across stubborn stains that are difficult to conquer.

Source: gomkino.com

Vegetable oil and baking soda can help you remove even the most stubborn stains from your cabinet doors. The vegetable oil will help in softening the stains. Make a paste of two equal parts of both the vegetable oil and the baking soda and rub it on the cabinet using a piece of cloth or small brush.

Advertisement

Picking Up Broken Glass with a Piece Of Bread

Broken glass is dangerous and can cause serious injuries when handled in the wrong way. But, surprisingly, a piece of bread with peanut butter is all you need to pick up broken glass pieces.

Source: amazingbeautifulworld.com

Get a spongy and soft piece of bread and put peanut butter on it. Press the bread against the broken glass to collect the small pieces. Dispose of the bread safely. The main benefit of this method is that you don’t need to look far to keep your house safer.

Advertisement

Using Bleach and Baking Soda To Clean Your Bathroom

Although bathroom tiles are generally beautiful, durable, and easy to clean, scrubbing dirty grout is a different story. However, you can use a simple homemade recipe using bleach and baking soda to clean the grimiest grout in your bathroom.

Source: seoyek.com

Mix the bleach and the baking soda in a bowl to form a paste. Use a spoon to apply the paste on the dirty grout lines and let it stay there for 10-15 minutes before scrubbing it with a brush.

Advertisement

Use Water and Dish Soap To Clean the Blender

If you fail to clean your blender properly, it may develop a bad, funky smell. Since this could be one of the most used items in your kitchen, it’s always important to ensure it’s clean. You only need water and dish soap to keep your blender clean and odorless.

Source:wikihow.com

Fill your blender with warm water, add a few drops of soap, fasten the lid and then run the blender for half a minute. Pour the hot water and rinse your blender. Next, you can put a piece of lemon and blend it with water for a further clean.

Advertisement

Giving Your Leather Furniture a New Look with Shoe Polish

Although leather furniture is expensive, sometimes it can get destroyed even by your favorite pets, such as cats and dogs. Cats can be especially destructive because they love scratching the sofa. So instead of going for the expensive leather color restorer, you can use good-quality shoe polish on your damaged leather furniture.

Source: catfly.com

You can hide the scratches by applying a small amount of shoe polish on the affected area. Make sure you get the colors right! Now remove the excess shoe polish. This is a cost-effective way of removing scratches and scuff marks.

Advertisement

Using Vinegar To Clean Burned Pans

Vinegar and baking soda should be your number one go-to ingredients for cleaning your burned pans. Some people think that cleaning a burned pan requires a lot of effort. Others even think of replacing the burned pans with new ones altogether. However, vinegar is all you need.

Source: Joe Lingeman/Apartment Therapy

Fill your burned pan with clean water, and then add two cups of vinegar. After bringing the mixture to a boil, turn off the heat, and add two tablespoons of baking soda. Let the solution sit for a few minutes. Pour the mixture and remove the burnt residue with a spatula. Sometimes you may have to repeat the process until your pan starts looking new. Now clean your pan normally.

Advertisement

Cleaning Your Hairbrush with Shampoo

You can maintain your hairbrush properly by removing the fuzzy stuff regularly with shampoo. Add a few drops of shampoo to a bowl full of warm water. Submerge the brush in the water for 3 to 5 minutes.

Source: rollohomes.com

Before submerging your hairbrush in the water, remove all the stray hairs using a comb or your fingers. Shake the brush several times after submerging it. If you’re using a wooden brush, you shouldn’t entirely submerge it. You can use this quick and efficient cleaning method at least once a month.

Advertisement

Cleaning Your Ring with Toothpaste

You don’t need to take your engagement ring to a professional whenever you want to clean it. However, you should avoid abrasive materials or chlorine bleach on your jewelry as they can cause damage. Instead, a small quantity of toothpaste is all you need to make your diamond ring sparkle.

Source: thebachelor.us

Squeeze a peanut-size amount of Colgate or other toothpaste on a toothbrush and scrub your ring gently. Next, rinse your ring in a bowl filled with warm water. Who would’ve thought you can keep your diamond rings clean and pristine using a homemade remedy?

Advertisement

Keeping Your Earbuds Clean with a Q-Tip and Rubbing Alcohol

You should clean your earbuds regularly because they attract earwax, dust, and dirt. Dirty earbuds may introduce dirt and bacteria into the ear leading to more serious problems like allergic reactions or even ear infections. Fortunately, you only need rubbing alcohol and a Q-tip or cotton ball to clean your earbuds.

Source: SoundGuys.com

Dampen the Q-tip with rubbing alcohol and start wiping any dirt on the earbuds. Don’t miss any spots. The alcohol will evaporate without leaving any marks. However, you should not saturate the cotton ball with too much alcohol.

Advertisement

Cleaning White Sneakers with Toothpaste

If you’re a fan of white-soled sneakers, you understand the pain of keeping them free of stains and marks. However, you shouldn’t avoid walking around in your favorite shoes for fear of ruining their pure, beautiful looks. Instead, you can make your white shoes look new again by cleaning them regularly with toothpaste.

Source: Family Handyman

Soak your dirty sneakers in warm water and use your old toothbrush to rub the toothpaste. Target the dirty areas and scrub back and forth. Consider the material and condition of your shoe in determining how hard you scrub them.

Advertisement

Get Grease Out of Clothes Using Chalk

You don’t have to use extra laundry detergents to pre-treat your greased clothes. The old grease stains on your clothing or table linens can be removed by chalk.

Source: Ghazalle Badiozamani/ TheKitchn.com

Get a piece of white chalk and rub it on the grease spot. The chalk will absorb the oil after some time. Brush it off, and then wash your clothes if there are no more stains. However, before laundering, keep rubbing and brushing the chalk off if the stains linger.

Advertisement

Using Cream of Tartar To Clean Your Stainless Steel

Cream of Tartar is mainly used to stabilize egg whites, to make homemade playdough, among other things. Instead of going for harsh chemicals, you can make your stainless steel sparkle with cream of tartar.

Source: Ninja Journalist

Cream of tartar is an acid and will clean stainless steel surfaces when it comes into contact. Just mix with a bit of water and clean your stainless steel utensils. Alternatively, you can use a piece of cloth to apply the mixture only on the affected spots.

Advertisement

Removing Paint From Cloth Using A Disposable Razor

Painting can be a great way of spending extra time with your family. However, it can get messy when your clothes get paint stains. You can remove these stains using a disposable razor.

Source: architectureartdesigns.com

Instead of going for expensive and strong chemicals that may even damage your cloth, scrape the paint off using a razor. Ensure the cloth is placed on a flat surface, preferably on an ironing board. Instead of going for a new and sharp razor, go for the old one to protect the clothing from any damage.

Advertisement

Cleaning Your Shower Head with Vinegar

Your shower head may accumulate mineral deposits and clog up, leaving you with poor pressure. The shower head may also get stains that are hard to remove with just soap and water. Vinegar is all you need to remove these stubborn stains.

Source: twitter

If you don’t want to detach the shower head from the pipe, wrap a plastic bag filled with vinegar around it. Get a rubber band or tape to secure the bag around the shower head. After several hours, remove the band and allow the water to clear the vinegar.

Advertisement

Using Coca-Cola To Remove Oil Stains

Your car may leave oil stains in your garage or even on the driveway. These oil drips may tarnish the look of your home if left unattended. Fortunately, you don’t have to hire a professional as you can use a can or two of soda.

Source: facebook

Instead of using strong and expensive chemicals to remove the oil, pour a bottle of Coca-Cola on the affected areas and leave it for several hours (preferably overnight). The stains will loosen, making it easy to remove them.

Advertisement

Using Play-dough To Get Rid of Spilled Glitter

Although doing art with kids can be entertaining, clearing up the mess is not. For example, after a crafting session, you may find loose glitter all over the crafting area. However, you don’t have to break the bank to get rid of these sparkles as there’s an easy way of doing it.

Source: indulgy.com

A homemade playdough recipe is all you need to remove spilled glitter. To use this hack, you only need to press the play dough over the affected areas. You can also roll a ball of playdough through the glitter, and all these tiny rogue sparkles will be no more.

Advertisement

Removing Coffee Stains Using Baking Soda

If you love drinking coffee, you’ll agree that it’s not uncommon to be dealing with coffee stains on hard surfaces, carafes, or mugs. After the stains have dried, removing them with water can be stressful. However, you can get rid of these stains with baking soda.

Source: twitter

You only need to sprinkle a little baking soda on the affected areas, form a paste with water, and scrub. Within a few minutes, the gentle abrasion of the baking soda will remove the stains. Next, wash the paste and rinse your mug.

Advertisement

Cleaning Your Curling Iron with Steel Wool

If you use your curling iron often, you’ll be cleaning the oils and dirt it picks up from your hair regularly. Sometimes you may be dealing with gunk that won’t come off easily. In such circumstances, you should try steel wool.

Source: yeezyhome.us

Steel wool has the much-needed powerful abrasion to remove the dirt and oil. Rub it gently on the affected areas. You may have to concentrate more on the grimiest areas for the best results. Your curling iron will look as good as new in a few minutes.

Advertisement

Use Vinegar and Duct Tape To Clean the Toilet

Cleaning your toilet is one of the most important household tasks that you should perform regularly. Fortunately, the process of cleaning the toilet can become a lot easier if you try this hack. You only need vinegar and duct tape.

Source: postfun.com

Use duct tape to cover the siphons and then pour vinegar. Next, flush the toilet to enable the vinegar to run through the siphons, where the tape will stop it. Don’t flush the toilet for at least one hour. You can also let it sit overnight for better results and remove the tape before your next use.

Advertisement

Use Baking Soda and Liquid Soap To Clean Your Bathtub

You don’t have to use strong chemicals to clean your bathtub. Instead, you can go for an easy, effective, and safer alternative by using a mixture of baking soda and liquid soap.

Source: The Krazy Coupon Lady

Make a paste by mixing baking soda with a teaspoon of liquid soap. You can also add a few drops of antibacterial soap. Then, scrub the bathtub to remove all the stubborn stains. The paste will produce better results than even some expensive and dangerous chemicals. Therefore, you can give your tub a shine using this safer, cheaper method.

Advertisement

Use Sea Salt To Clean Cast Iron Pans

After cooking with your cast iron pans, you may end up with some food bits that are stubborn to clean. However, you can easily clean your cast-iron pans with sea salt. You can also add salt when working on old, rusty dishes.

Source: gezonderleven.com

Sprinkle a hefty amount of seawater onto the pan and then scrub it around using a folded kitchen towel or a sponge. Discard the salt, and then clean your cast iron dish with warm water.

Advertisement

Use Aluminum Foil To Clean Glass Baking Dishes

After preparing your favorite treats, they may leave your glass baking dishes with grease and other stuck-on substances that can be hard to remove. However, you don’t have to worry anymore as we have found another less stressful way of doing it.

Source: designmom.com

Fill the dirty glass baking dishes with hot water and add dishwashing liquid. Next, create a ball of aluminum foil and use it to scrub the glass. Your dishes will be clean in a few minutes. This is a creative way of recycling household items.

Advertisement

Picking Up Small Toys Using A Dustpan

Although toys can help kids develop their motor and problem-solving skills, among other things, they can also be a nuisance. In many cases, children will leave their toys anywhere, especially if they don’t have a playing area. But, instead of picking them up one by one, there’s an easy way of doing it.

Source: realsimple.com

You can save your energy and time by picking up the small toys with a dustpan. Therefore, you can give your kids the freedom they need in the house, knowing that managing toy clatter won’t be stressful.

Advertisement

Using Salt To Clean The Iron Soleplate

Cleaning the iron soleplate regularly is recommended to boost its lifespan and efficiency. If your iron’s soleplates have become oily, dusty, and sticky, you don’t have to buy expensive cleaners to clear the mess. Instead, you can use salt to remove dirt stains and other materials.

Source: manner.biz

Put a generous amount of salt on a piece of foil or paper. Warm the iron and run it over the paper to remove the dirt. You can repeat the process several times. Let the iron cool, and then remove the salt with dry and soft paper.

Advertisement

Using Baking Soda And Vinegar To Clean Your Oven

Although ovens come with a self-cleaning function, this isn’t a very reliable way of keeping your unit clean. Combining it with another natural and effective cleaning method can yield better results. This is what you get with baking soda and vinegar.

Source: Auntie Cleaner

Create a paste by mixing baking soda with just enough water. Apply the paste inside of the oven and let it stay there overnight. Remove grease and other dirt with a damp cloth. You can clean up the remaining baking soda residue with vinegar.

Advertisement

Removing Stains from Faucets Using Lemons

Do you know that there’s a natural solution that you can use to get rid of hard-water stains on your faucet? Fresh lemon is the only thing that you need to give your faucet a new look. Therefore, removing stains from your faucets should not be expensive.

Source: selipan.com

Cut the lemon in half, open up the center and press it onto the end of the faucet. Put a small plastic bag around the fruit and secure it around the faucet with a tape or rubber band. Lemon has citric acid that will remove the stains. Leave the apparatus for a few hours then wipe clean.

Advertisement

Removing Water Marks from Wooden Surfaces Using A Hair Dryer

Although wood furniture can be very beautiful, its beauty can be ruined by a simple thing such as a water ring. However, you should not panic if your furniture gets damaged. A hair dryer is the only thing that you need to remove the water stain.

Source: peekaboo.press

Put the hair dryer on its lowest setting and hold it at least 2 inches away from the water ring. As you heat the area, clean the mark using a napkin. Continue wiping until the marks are gone. You can give your furniture a refreshing look using olive oil.

Advertisement

Use Baking Soda To Remove Oil Stains from Your Carpet

Grease and oil stains are among the most difficult ones to deal with. However, you can extract these stains easily with baking soda. You only need to sprinkle this cooking ingredient on the affected area and allow it to stay there for 1-2 hours. The baking soda will absorb the oil.

Source: CleaningSure.com

Add a small amount of baking soda to hot water and then soak the oil-stained garment. After 15 minutes, wash the garment gently. Rinse with clean water once the stains are gone.

Advertisement