There are two types of people in the world: those who love cleaning, and those who hate it. Whatever type of person you are, everyone can agree that keeping your home spotless is an uphill struggle and takes far too long. If you work a lot, you will likely not want to spend your precious time off scrubbing your house from top to bottom, and that’s where time-saving hacks come in handy.
There are hundreds of hacks you can try, but we’ve put together our top five hacks that are proven to work and that will genuinely save you time.
1. Line bin bags with paper
Cleaning waste bins is both an undesirable and time-consuming job. There’s often a lot of scrubbing involved and a lot of trips to and from the train with a bin full of hot, soapy water. A lot of the time, bins smell bad not because of what’s in the bin bags, but because of liquid that has pooled in the base of the bin. Whilst you should clean your bins every week, realistically, most people don’t which is why bind can smell so bad.
To prevent putrid liquid pooling at the base of the bin, place old newspaper sheets at the bottom of the bin bag. This will absorb any liquid, grease or oil in from the waste and prevent it leaking out into the base of the bin, therefore reducing odor.
2. Use dishwasher rinse aid to clean windows
Cleaning windows is no mean feat. You will likely be contending with streaks and smears, and this can leave you literally going round in circles trying to dissolve them. Rather than buying numerous sprays and cleaners that don’t work, simply dissolve some dishwasher rinse aid. Dishwasher tablets are manufactured to leave a streak-free shine on glass surfaces, making them perfect for cleaning windows.
Use a microfiber cloth and gently wipe in circular motions to keep your windows sparkling clean without having to spend hours to achieve desirable results.
3. Use a bowl of lemon and water to clean your microwave
Microwaves are a central point for built up grime, bad bacteria and unpleasant smells. In an ideal world, everyone would wipe down the microwave every time they use it, but when you’re in a hurry or desperate to eat your lunch, cleaning the sides, roof and door of the appliance is likely to be at the bottom of your list.
The issue is, the more you use the microwave without cleaning it, the more built on the dirt gets, and this means the only way to get it off is to scrub, scrub and scrub some more. Rather than wasting 20 minutes cleaning your microwave, put a bowl of water with some wedges of lemon in it in the microwave. Add a toothpick to prevent the water from boiling and turn to microwave on for four minutes. This will loosen the grime and make it far easier to wipe away, not to mention it will leave your microwave smelling citrus fresh.
4. Use dehumidifier crystals to reduce damp and mold
Mold is a big issue a lot of homes face, but for the most part, it’s preventable. Say goodbye to spending half an hour disinfecting and scrubbing black spores off your window panes and ceilings and hello to reduced work. All you need is some dehumidifier crystals which will absorb excess moisture in the air and prevent damp.
Pair the crystals with good ventilation and you’re set to vastly reduce the condensation in your house, therefore reducing your to-do list and minimizing the time required to do a deep clean every few weeks.
Please note that crystals are not a replacement for opening windows and vents. They’re more suited to spare bathrooms or closets.
5. Line your fridge and oven with wax paper
How much time does it take to clean a fridge? Typically 20 minutes or so, and that’s largely due to having scrub off spills and marks on the trays. Instead of scrubbing, simply line your fridge drawers, shelves and trays with wax paper. It will catch all the spills and absorb them, preventing them from seeping through to the plastic ware within the appliance. Simply replace the paper every time you clean your fridge!
In a similar manner, you can protect the bottom of your oven and its trays from needing scrubbing by lining them with tinfoil. This will catch any oil or grease and stop it from getting baked onto the metal. Cleaning your oven has never been easier!
Summary
What’s your number one time-saving cleaning hack?