Time-Saving Cleaning Hacks You Might Regret Not Learning Earlier
Slack off in style, because the hard-arse way is so last millennium.
Written by Natalie Brown, BuzzFeed Staff
1. Turn your microwave into a steam room wonderland by nuking a bowl full of water and lemon for 3-5 minutes, then let it chill for a few minutes so every speck of dried-on food gunk wipes off with a single swipe of a paper towel.
2. Cut the scrub-a-dub-dub on those greasy dishes with cooked-on grime and spray them with Dawn's Foaming soap. Wait 10 minutes, then poof! Gone. Finito. Capisce?
3. Dress up your cabinets and furniture with a layer of wax paper or paper bags on top to collect greasy dust, and swap 'em out every few months when they're full of the grimy stuff.
4. Mat it up on your fridge shelves to catch small spills and prevent them from turning into a sticky, painful-to-scrape mess you have to deal with later.
5. Dive bomb your Keurig coffee machine with one of these cleaning pods, brew it like you would a regular K-Cup, and you'll have a clean machine in less than three minutes. Way more efficient than wasting time running a rinse after every brew.
6. Save your stove from a messy fate with stove burner covers. They're a breeze to clean compared to the regular stove, and they're not even expensive to replace with a new order when one becomes too messy.
7. Say adios to stubborn travel mug and water bottle stains by dropping in fizzing cleaning tablets. It'll leave everything sparkling clean without needing you to lift a finger.
www.amazon.comGet a pack of 12 tablets on Amazon for $8.
R Agravesano from San Diego, CA said, "I found these in an article and thought, eh, why not? Dropped in two tablets, let it sit for two hours, and I was ready to scrub a little. But nope, not one stain left. It looked like a brand-new coffee pot. Now I'm annoyed I spent so much time and effort trying to get this stupid pot clean. It also doesn't leave any weird scent behind."
8. Make your home smell like a million bucks without lifting a finger: Light a candle specifically designed to eliminate pet or lingering food smells.
9. Jump all your dirty things (dusty AC vent covers, grimy stove vent hood filters, gross glass light covers, and even wrenches and screwdrivers) in the dishwasher at once and do literally anything else besides cleaning for a change.
10. Run your dishwasher empty with a cleaning tablet to deep clean it and keep it smelling fresh between loads.
11. Gift your washer a deep clean between loads with a washing machine cleaning tab. It helps keep your clothes and everything else smelling fresh AF.
12. Shine up your stainless steel in one quick and satisfying step with a spray-and-wipe cleaner. I've seen it in action at my parents' house (more about that downstairs), and it genuinely makes stuff shine, instantly.
13. Splash some fume-free foam cleaner in your oven, let it sit overnight, then easily wipe away the cruddy mess in the morning. It'll look brand-spankin' new, leaving you free to watch your favorite TV shows.
14. Dissolve hard water stains on your water faucets by soaking them in vinegar for an hour. Wipe 'em off, and you're good to go.
15. Use The Pink Stuff if you've got a bunch of crud all over the house you want to take care of but don't want to spend forever scrubbing it down. Grab the tub, a rag, and start wiping away the grime from your gross stovetop, random wall stain, scummy-encrusted bathtub or shower, and more.
www.amazon.comGet it from Amazon for $4.99.
Amazon Customer from Texas said, "Found this product on TikTok. Honestly, I don't believe I've ever seen value like this! Literally use it on EVERYTHING! Kids and teens have dirt, grime, and grease on their walls? This will make it look like a new paint job. Faucets need a touch-up? A pea-sized amount of this will do the trick. Need a shoe cleaner? This is perfect for sneakers. I could go on, but I can assure you this is worth every penny. What's more? You need so little of it, it will last a VERY long time."
16. Let a garbage disposal cleaning packet clean out every. single. last. inch of your disposal's gunky grime while you sit on the couch.
17. Fill a dishwashing wand with vinegar and dish soap, then scrub down the walls and door of your shower to banish soap-scum and hard-water buildup.
18. Mist your shower walls, curtain/door, tub, fixtures, and floor once a week after you've turned off the water, and you'll almost never have to deep clean your shower again.
19. Wipe away built-up soap scum and hard water stains on your glass doors with the help of a soft cleanser. The reviewer who took the photos below said they didn't even need to scrub.
20. Tackle even the worst, most egregious rust stains with a spray-on cleaning gel that'll dissolve the rust before your eyes. Simply wipe and rinse it off, and voila! Gone.
21. Trap all the hair you and your household members shed in the shower with a silicone drain cover, saving you the trouble of having to use costly chemical de-cloggers and calling the plumber for help.
22. Wrap your showerhead in a plastic bag filled with vinegar and baking soda to descale hard water stains and break up mold or mildew, all while you sit on the couch and sip your tea.
23. Keep your toilet clean for weeks and months with the help of a toilet gel that you simply stamp into the bowl.
24. Run a line of mold and mildew remover gel along your gross grout and caulking, then rinse it away after a few hours to banish even seemingly embedded black spots.
25. Fight off stubborn buildup with the help of a Rubbermaid power scrubbing brush. Yup, it's like a giant toothbrush designed to tackle the grime-stuck areas in your home.
www.amazon.comI've had one of these since 2017, and I pull it out whenever I have a tough scrubbing task. My grout, corners of my shower, edges around my faucets, and all kinds of other small spots get impeccably clean in no time with the help of this brush and a little diluted soap. It's especially handy for pulling out those stubborn spots, like on my stove!
Get it from Amazon for $17.38.
Amazon Customer from Seattle said, "I honestly suck at housekeeping. But this little battery-operated scrubber is SO HELPFUL. I used it to clean my bathroom counter and this brush got off several years of caked-on dust and hair. I was even able to clean under the rim of my sink, and what came out thanks to this brush was near barf-worthy. If you are like me and you're ultra lazy, this tool is for you."
26. Take on larger areas quickly with drill scrub brushes, which easily remove embedded grime from your tubs, showers, grout, and oven.
27. Invest in a robotic vacuum to keep your floors clean with minimal effort (especially if you have pets or kids). IDK about you, but I don't think I'll ever be able to vacuum or sweep every day without one.
If you're looking for a good vacuum, check out 15 Of The Best Vacuums You Can Get On Amazon.
28. Grab a pet-hair grooming glove to pick up loose hair before it has a chance to settle on your furniture. Your pets and you both win.
29. Swipe your lampshades and pillows with a lint roller to pick up all the built-up dust in an instant.
30. Use a microfiber duster to clean the majority of your surfaces without spreading dust around any further.
31. Clean your baseboards, crown moldings, and ceiling fans quickly and easily with the Baseboard Buddy. It can extend up to 4 feet, allowing you to clean large surfaces without bending over, crawling, or climbing on a step stool.
www.amazon.comThe kit comes with one Baseboard Buddy and three reusable microfiber pads that can be used wet or dry.
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
Amazon Customer from Florida said, "Buy it now. It was easy to put together and I sprayed it with Mean Green and went to the baseboards. No more kneeling and no broken back. This thing is amazing. It's durable, and the pad is super absorbent. I am so happy. I can't wait to do the rest of the house!"
Enrichment Data:
Overall: Here are some of the best products and hacks for effortless cleaning of various household items:
Best Products for Easy Cleaning
1. Microwaves
- Water and Lemon Method: Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water and add a slice of lemon. Heat for 2-3 minutes. The steam will help loosen food residue, making it easy to wipe clean.
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser: Effective for removing stubborn stains and splatters.
2. Dishes
- Scrub Daddy Sponges: Gentle on dishes but tough on grime. They change texture based on water temperature, making them versatile for different cleaning tasks.
- Dawn Dish Soap: Known for its effectiveness and gentle on hands.
3. Refrigerators
- White Vinegar: Mix with water to clean surfaces without leaving residue. It's also effective for removing odors.
- Microfiber Cloths: Absorbent and can be reused multiple times, making them ideal for wiping down fridge surfaces.
4. Coffee Makers
- Descaling Solution: Regularly use a descaling solution to remove mineral deposits and maintain performance.
- Vinegar and Water: Run a mixture through the machine to clean and deodorize.
5. Stoves
- Stardrops The Pink Stuff Miracle Cleaning Paste: Effective for removing burnt-on food and grease from stovetops.
- Baking Soda and Water: Create a paste to scrub away tough stains.
6. Travel Mugs
- Baking Soda and Water: Mix to create a paste that can help remove stubborn stains and odors.
- Dish Soap and Hot Water: Soak the mug to loosen grime.
7. Ovens
- Self-Cleaning Feature: If available, use the oven's self-cleaning mode.
- Baking Soda and Water Paste: Apply the paste and let it sit overnight before wiping clean.
Additional Tips
- Microfiber Cloths: Use these for most surfaces as they are absorbent and can be reused.
- Regular Maintenance: Clean appliances regularly to prevent grime buildup.
Shortcuts can prevent any sticking situation in the kitchen anytime by using shortcuts such as wrapping cabinets and furniture with wax papers or paper bags to catch greasy dust, and changing them out every few months when they're full of grimy stuff. For tough spots, consider market-apple-news like the BuzzFeed-recommended The Pink Stuff, which can handle a bunch of crud all over the house without needing much elbow grease. It can remove dirty stains from your stovetop, random wall stains, scummy-encrusted bathtub or shower, and more, making your cleaning routine a breeze.
