Cleaning is the one chore within the home that takes up so much time, yet can be reversed within a matter of minutes – especially when you’re living with young children or pets! When there are already not enough hours in the day, the last thing most homeowners want to think about is giving the floors a good scrub, cleaning the toilet bowl and taking out the bins.
That’s why it’s essential that we are able to carry out home cleaning as quickly and efficiently as possible, giving us that extra time to spend with family and friends, or complete other high-priority life tasks such as pursuing your life goals and dreams. We’ve put together our all-time favourite cleaning hacks to save you both time and energy for the more important, or more enjoyable, things in life.
Invest in Microfibre
Get your cleaning session off to an amazing start with the help of some microfibre cloths and mop heads. Microfibre cloths are superior to the majority of other cleaning cloths due to their structure. The fibres in microfibre material are so small and dense that they create the perfect amount of surface area for dust and debris to cling to. You’ll often notice that a quick wipe over your tables and cupboards with a dry microfiber cloth will remove the majority of dust and debris, before even bringing in the spray cleaners – they do most of the work for you!
Microfibre fabric is positively charged, meaning any negatively charged dirt, dust and even grease will cling to the fibres like a magnet and stay put for the duration of your cleaning. Microfibre cloth is also extremely sanitising, eliminating up to 99 percent of bacteria, which makes them around three times more effective than your average cleaning cloth.
Microfibre is also an incredibly gentle material, making it a great option for absolutely any surface, whether you’re using a microfiber mop head for your wooden flooring, or a microfibre cleaning cloth for your TV screens, kitchen work surfaces or mirrors. It’s also tremendously absorbent, absorbing around seven times its weight in water! So if you’ve had an accidental spillage in your home, crack out the microfibre cloths – you’ll thank us later.
Get Rid of Pesky Carpet Hairs
Got an accumulation of pet hair on your carpets? Use a squeegee to scrape up excess pet hair! Squeegees are most often used to clean the exterior of your car or home windows, however, they are magic multitaskers when it comes to hair-free hacks. Simply use the rubber end and drag it across the carpet to leave your carpets free from unwanted fluff and hair – magic!
If you’re sick of doing the cleaning yourself and would prefer to come home from a hard day’s work to a spotless home, finding a cleaner is as simple as a quick online search! Cleaners can spring clean a certain room or deep clean your entire home, depending on your needs.
Keep the Dirt Out
To cut cleaning times in half, you’ll want to consider how to keep the dirt from accumulating in your home in the first place. A lot of dust, dirt and debris enters the home with us when we return, on our clothes and shoes. Stop dirt in its tracks with a dirt-trapping doormat, this will collect the majority of dirt from shoes. Make sure you shake the excess dirt off regularly, outside your home, as well as giving it a vacuum and a frequent wash. Most doormats are machine washable but always check the label first.
Another way to stop dirt from making it over your front door is to assign a designated shoe basket at your front door. Remove your shoes and give them a smack together to remove excess debris before storing them in the basket until your next outing. It’s also a good option to invest in a pair of slippers for walking around your home interior. Socks tend to pick up a whole host of dirt and dust while walking around the home, which is then transferred from room to room. Investing in a pair of hard-soled slippers will eliminate this issue.
Keep Your Bins Fresh
It’s well known that the most hated chore in the home is emptying the bins. For this reason, it’s essential we put in some simple steps to alleviate the discomfort of the task.
A great way to keep your bin smelling fresher for longer is to give it a quick clean – remember, lightly cleaning an appliance regularly will avoid the need for timely and exhausting deep cleaning sessions. Once a week, empty your bin and sprinkle bicarbonate of soda around the interior and leave to settle for 10 minutes. Bicarbonate of soda is excellent at removing bad odours from a multitude of home appliances and furnishings, as well as being a non-toxic substance.
After 10 minutes, sprinkle in some lemon juice and give the bin a quick scrub with a sponge. Rinse, and voila! Clean and fresh. You can also leave a little bicarb in the bottom of your bins in between cleans to keep odours at bay.
Keep Stainless Steel Surfaces Streak-Free
Fingerprints and grease smudges on your shiny, stainless steel surfaces can be frustrating. Especially when wiping them away results in an even larger mess.
Luckily, removing greasy smudges and streaks is as simple as adding a dab of baby oil to a microfibre cloth and giving it a good wipe in a circular motion. Olive oil and white vinegar are also great options if you don’t have a bottle of baby oil sitting in your bathroom cupboard!
De-Dusting Your Blinds
Blinds are known to accumulate a large amount of dust and debris, and can also be a nightmare to clean. Finding a cleaning appliance that fits easily and sufficiently between the slats without being fiddly or causing damage can really be a head-scratcher.
This is where your old, unwanted socks come into play! Why throw away your old, disused socks, when you can give them a whole new life? Simply put an old sock – clean, of course – onto your hand, and use it to quickly wipe away the dust in those hard-to-reach places. Once the excess dust is removed, switch to a clean sock and spray with a spritz of all-purpose cleaning spray and wipe over the areas to give them a quick refresh and remove any leftover dirt.
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