Five Hacks to Clean Your Home

Whether you’re preparing to show your house to potential buyers, or you just bought a home and realize it requires a lot more cleaning than your small apartment did, there are ways to do it well and save time.

Most people dread house cleaning - it’s time consuming! Plus, those hard to tackle areas often get ignored because they just take so much extra effort. These house cleaning hacks will save you time, effort and frustration – making it easy to get your home sparkling fresh and clean.

Hard-to-reach Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are a lifesaver when the weather turns warm and a selling bonus that buyers love, but they only impress when they are clean. The problem is cleaning ceiling fans is not usually quick or easy, and it often leaves a mess on the floor below the fan.

Here’s your hack: Use an old pillowcase and hook it over one fan blade at a time, then pull and wipe it backwards off the blade. By doing this you can remove all the grime and trap it inside the pillowcase without it falling to the ground—or, worse, on your face. That typical floor cleanup afterward is no longer needed.

Lingering Odors

Smells from food cooked in the microwave oven can linger. Everything from bacon to burnt popcorn can make the entire kitchen smell unclean, and every time the microwave is used the odor can return.

Here’s your hack: Odors can be easily absorbed into the microwave and often require more than a good scouring. One way to deodorize a microwave and clean the oven is to cut a lemon in half, sprinkle it with some kosher salt, and then scrub the microwave interior with it. The citrus counteracts the odors and leaves the oven smelling fresh.

Dull Stainless Steel

Dull, dirty-looking stainless steel sinks can make your kitchen seem unclean, even after you have washed it out with soap and water.

Here’s your hack: Wet a paper towel with apple cider vinegar and swab down the entire sink. Then, re-wet the towel with a bit more vinegar, sprinkle some baking soda into the sink, and use the towel to work this pasty mixture all around like a cleanser. Rinse the entire sink off well. The fizzy combo will clean your sink easily without harsh chemicals or scrubbing.

Hard water stains

Hard water stains in the bathroom sink, bathtub or on faucets can be hard to get rid of and can appear weekly.

Here’s your hack: Wet paper towels or cleaning cloths with white vinegar, place on the stains, and wait 30 minutes. Come back and wipe clean!

Dirty Furniture

Have a dirty couch or arm chair? There are alternatives to getting them professionally cleaned or spending an afternoon scrubbing with fabric cleaner.

Here’s your hack: Use a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol and spray your couch or chair with it. Next, use a clean white sponge (colored sponges sometimes shed their color/dyes onto furnishings) to rub the fabric surface. You'll see the dirt and grime coming off on the sponge, so use a few if you need to! If your furniture is microfiber, once the furniture is dry, use a scrubbing bristle brush to fluff up the fibers.

Getting your home super-clean should not take all day or be something you dread. Using a few time-saving tricks will help you get the job done well and leave you with time to enjoy your clean house and your weekend.

Getting your home ready for showings? Learn more about marketing your home for a successful sale.