17 More Cleaning Tips To Save You Time, Money & Energy!

17 More Cleaning Tips To Save You Time, Money & Energy!

Can you really ever have enough cleaning tips? We certainly don't think so, especially when they're this good!

Here's a list of 17 cool, new cleaning tips that will save you so much time, money and energy, you'll wonder how you ever managed without them.

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1. Steam clean your microwave with the flick of a button

microwave steaming
That'll save on endless scrubbing.

Do you hate cleaning the sticky mess in your microwave? Here's a fast track method to get your microwave spick and span in just minutes:

Fill a microwaveable bowl 3/4 full of hot water, add half cut lemons and zap it in the microwave for 5-10 minutes.

This will loosen dirt and grime, which you can then wipe away quickly and easily.

2. Banish colouring marks the easy way

It's great to see your kids being creative. The marks they manage to leave everywhere are not so welcome however.

Felt tip stains can easily be lifted from wood and other surfaces using toothpaste - now you can let your little ones make a masterpiece without worrying about them ruining the furniture.

3. Remove limescale from taps in a flash

Limescale on and around taps is not only unsightly, but a build-up may affect the water flow.

One of the best and simplest cleaning tips for removing this, is to immerse the tap into a cup of vinegar solution. For best results, fasten this in place with a towel and leave to soak, or if you're short on time, simply hold it in place for a few minutes.

When removed, the limescale should crumble off easily.

4. The best cleaning tip for getting pans squeaky clean

pans & bicarbonate of soda
Your pans will be as good as new in no time!

When pans are new, they're easy to keep clean. Overcook your supper, however, and you'll be left with tough burnt-on food that's tough to remove.

These can be lifted with a generous sprinkling of baking soda, moistened by hot water. Leave to stand, then scrub off as usual.

5. A cleaning tip to get your patio furniture ready for Summer

Spring is here, so it's time to start thinking about getting your outdoor space ready to enjoy.

Patio furniture that has developed a layer of grime can easily be wiped clean using a bowl of warm water and a squirt of Fairy Liquid. Simply shower clean with the hose afterwards.

6. Pick up post-party glitter with this cleaning trick

We all have a friend who puts glitter in every card they send. It's all fun and games...until it comes to cleanup time.

An easy and effortless way to clean up glitter and sequins is using an old piece of playdough. Dab it over the floor and table to pick up sparkles.

7. Clean between blinds using a kitchen utensil

Blinds offer a sleek and modern look, but they're mighty difficult to clean!

A quick trick to help you remove dust is by tying microfiber dust cloths around a pair of kitchen tongs with elastic bands. You'll then be able to pince each slat and rub along it, lifting dirt quickly and easily.

You should always vacuum after dusting to ensure you pick up as many particles as possible. For tips on how to clean vertical blinds, check out our other guide. 

8.  Buff out scuffs & scratches in wood, the natural way

walnuts to buff out wood
Walnuts will get your wood looking great again.

If your gorgeous wooden dining table is starting to look a bit worse for wear, a natural solution could be hiding in your food cupboard.

The oil in walnuts along with their crumbly nature will help nourish marks and reduce their appearance. Just rub a nut over the faded areas and watch your woodwork come back to life.

9. A cleaning tip to get Tupperware looking and smelling fresh

Once you've had something like a potent curry in your Tupperware, there's no going back - or is there?

These smelly stains can be lifted and refreshed using a teaspoon of mustard and some hot water. Shake it around the container to refresh the plastic and get it smelling good again.

10. No mop? No problem

If you've not got space to keep a mop in the house, this quick cleaning tip could be a lifesaver for you.

When the next kitchen spill arrives, heap a pile of flour onto the mess. Wait for it to soak in, then you'll be able to sweep it away with a brush and dustpan alone - genius!

11. Electronic devices need cleaning too

germs on phone & ipad screen
Jut because you can't see germs, doesn't mean they're not there.

Although we rarely think about it, the amount of germs we pass onto our electronical devices from our hands is immense.

Touch screen electrical devices should be cleaned regularly, with a very slightly dampened cloth.

12. Clean your hob using ammonia

Scrubbing at your hob post Sunday dinner is one of the most arduous household jobs, but it doesn't have to be.

Place your hob burners into plastic bags, spray over your cleaning solution, and seal. There's no need to be too thorough with this, as it's actually the fumes from the ammonia, not the solution itself that will attack the grime.

The fumes can be toxic, so it's best to store the bags outside overnight before wiping them clean with a kitchen sponge the next day.

Looking for more hob cleaning tips? Watch our video!

13. Get grout looking great again with a homemade cleaner

When grout starts to get grimy, it can look really unpleasant. Great news - you can fix this with a solution made from two ingredients you probably already had at home: baking soda and bleach.

Mix 3/4 cup baking soda to 1 /4 cup bleach, mix into a paste and apply to dirty grout, letting it sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub with a toothbrush, wait another 5-10 minutes then rinse with water - easy!

14. The cleaning tip to remove hard water stains, the natural way

lemon limescale remover
Lemon will remove hard water stains & get your place smelling fresh too!

Limescale removers can be a costly expense, especially when they're not essential. There's actually a fruit that will do the job just as well - a lemon!

Cut one in half and rub it over your faucets and any other surfaces where water stains have built up. Let it sit, and wipe clean - who needs industrial cleaners?

15. For the best cleaning results, you need the best dust cloth

What do you use to clean with?

The best cloth you can use is one made from microfibre, slightly dampened by a mist of water from a spray bottle. It should be just damp enough to pick up dust and dirt, without leaving smears or streaks.

16. Avoid scuffed floors when moving furniture

There's nothing worse than the sound of furniture being scratched along your beloved, wooden floors - the marks it can leave are even worse!

An easy way of preventing this is to place folded towels under heavy furniture before moving it around. You'll be able to slide it much more easily, and they'll be no scuffs in sight.

17. Prevent drain blockage by cleaning them regularly

blocked drain
There's nothing worse than a blocked drain...

No one wants to have to get down on their hands and knees to manually empty their drains at any point. If you leave dirt and grime inside to build up, you could have to.

An easy way to prevent the need for such an ordeal, is to use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to flush drains clean.

Sprinkle half a cup of baking soda onto the drain, then pour a solution of one cup vinegar and one cup hot water over this. Leave to sit for 10 minutes, then flush with hot water.

For more ways to remove hair from drains, read our other article. 

I hope you picked up a new cleaning tip or two today! Do you have any to add of your own? I'd love to hear them if so.

Stephanie C

Editor

Lover of all things fashion & foodie...I look to satisfy my tastes without obliterating my budget. Wannabe interior designer, I'm an avid cushion cover maker and charity shop hunter.

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  1. Author Bigal on March 15, 2017 at 11:10 am

    And next week, pop some Fairy Liqiud into your Kitchen ( With hot water) sink to clean all of those dirty dishes!!!

    1. Author Stephanie C on March 16, 2017 at 12:48 pm

      ha!

    Reply
  2. Author R on May 31, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    Number 11 needs to be below 15 otherwise the 'cloth as decribed above' is rather confusing. I'm guessing that's what you mean anyway. Although cleaning touchscreens with anything other than the proper products is asking for trouble and void warranties.

    1. Author Stephanie C on June 1, 2017 at 5:22 pm

      Oops! Thanks for pointing this out Rose :)

    Reply
  3. Author Christine Burridge on May 31, 2017 at 3:35 pm

    Oh no!!! You're actually recommending microfibre cloths. They are terrific but they are also a massive problem in that the fibres get in the drainage water, cannot be filtered at the water works, end up in rivers and oceans - and are ingested by fish and other sea creatures which we then eat!!!! Please we must get people to use your super home remedies, not using industrial strength cleaners - that's great BUT they need to be used with cotton cloths (preferably unbleached cotton) or likewise, rags even. And then we can stop polluting our planet, our food, and our bodies just for the sake of a warm fleece or an easy cleaning job.

    Reply
  4. Author Dawn Faulkner on May 31, 2017 at 6:57 pm

    As a cleaning contractor I love reading this .

    1. Author Stephanie C on June 5, 2017 at 10:59 am

      Thanks Dawn! :)

    Reply
  5. Author Donatello46 on August 24, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    I'm disappointed, Stephanie, the link in one of your latest emails "18 Unmissable Tips For Anyone Who Loathes Doing Laundry" brings me to this page and not the "laundry tips" page indicated, do you have the correct link available?

    1. Author Donatello46 on August 25, 2017 at 11:02 pm

      Thank you Stephanie - disappointment over - that link worked!!

    Reply
  6. Author Anne on August 10, 2018 at 8:22 am

    Hi, I was just wondering if you mix baking soda and vinegar do you not get an explosion !

    1. Author Joanne A on August 10, 2018 at 2:19 pm

      Hi Anne, the combination of baking soda and vinegar will fizz up a bit, but this will only help to unblock the drain. Hope this helped!

    Reply
  7. Author Louise Comb on August 10, 2018 at 8:41 am

    Brill tips as always. Do you have any tips on helping me to remember them? :D XXX

    1. Author Joanne A on August 10, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      Thanks for the lovely feedback, Louise! No need to remember as you can come back to our blog at any time. Just type a keyword into the search bar and you'll find a solution for whatever you're wanting to do.

    Reply
  8. Author sue b on August 10, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    please put a warning on 3, do not use vinegar to clean 'gold' taps! only stainless steel, haven't tried lemon, I daren't!!!

    1. Author Joanne A on August 10, 2018 at 3:47 pm

      Thanks for pointing this out, Sue. Gold can be tarnished by vinegar.

    Reply
  9. Author Tracy on November 10, 2020 at 10:02 am

    Remove limescale from taps in a flash, you state use a vinegar solution. What is this solution?

    1. Author Joanne A on February 14, 2023 at 12:05 pm

      The vinegar solution for removing limescale from taps is typically a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water.

    Reply

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