As your “go-to gal for all things home,” I try to help you out with tips to make your life easier. And while I love to recommend new decor items and kitchen necessities, I also like to play around with cleaning hacks.
Want to see some of my go-to cleaning tips and tricks? I rounded them all up in one place for you to check out below!
Some of My Favorite Cleaning Hacks
As I said, I didn’t share all of my tips on the show. So if you’re in need of other helpful hacks, you can read some of my secrets here!
Make Your Stainless Steel Smudge-Free
For some reason, stainless steel attracts fingerprints and smudges more than any other surface. Plus, it’s hard to clean.
Yes, you can find stainless steel cleaner at your grocery store but it tends to be oily and slippery. I like to use a basic microfiber cloth. It quickly removes smudges and doesn’t leave the surface looking streaky.
Use Baking Soda to Freshen Up Your Rugs
Baking soda is a superhero when it comes to home cleaning. It can also be used to freshen up your rugs and carpet!
Sprinkle a generous good of baking soda over your rugs or carpets and leave it for about 15-30 minutes. Then, vacuum as you usually would! It absorbs odors and leaving your carpets smelling fresher.
Tackle Showerhead Buildup With Vinegar
Take a real close look at your showerhead. If yours is like mine, you might notice some not-so-sightly buildup.
To clear it off, fill a plastic bag with vinegar and tie it around the showerhead. Let it soak for an hour (or even better, overnight), then remove the bag and run hot water to flush out the residue.
Cleaning Electronics Screens
There are a bunch of specialty wipes you can use to clean your computer or television screen. But what if I told you that you don’t have to go to the store to buy them?
You can head straight into your kitchen for another easy solution. Coffee filters are great for cleaning dirty screens. The reason they work so well is that they’re lint-free.
They’re also soft and won’t scratch your screen. You don’t even have to spray them with a cleaning solution! Use them dry and they will work wonders.
Cleaning Those Lamp Shades
This hack may surprise you. Dusty lampshades? Clean them with a lint roller! Yes, the same one you use on your clothes.
Since lamps are an awkward shape, they can be tough to clean. But the ease of use that comes with a lint roller makes it the perfect tool for cleaning. Plus, most lampshades are crafted with fabric, so dust and hair get picked up easily thanks to the sticky surface of the roller.
TODAY Show Cleaning Hacks
A few years ago, I shared some of my top cleaning tips on the TODAY Show. Hoda and Jenna seemed to find them helpful and I had so much fun revealing some of my secrets! Below, you’ll find some of the tips I shared. You can also find a link to the video for more tips!
Cleaning Those Dusty Ceiling Fans
One of my favorite cleaning hacks is using a pillowcase to dust your ceiling fan. A little odd, I know… but when you wipe off the blades with a pillowcase, it traps all the dust inside. No worrying about it falling on the floor!
It only requires one thing… a pillowcase! Plus, it gives you the chance to repurpose those old linens you’ll no longer use.
A Tip When Drying Your Clothes
I also recommended the use of crumpled-up foil balls in the dryer instead of dryer sheets. Not only is it better for the environment, but they also help minimize static cling that can come with drying your clothes.
They also eliminate the chance of build-up that can happen when you use dryer sheets you buy from the store. Oh, and did I mention you can reuse them for MONTHS before needing to crumble up new ones? Genius!
An Alternative Floor Cleaner
If you use a Swiffer Sweeper at home, this hack is for you.
Instead of buying those disposable pads to go on the Swiffer, you can use old socks instead. I like using those fuzzy ones because they trap dirt really well, but you can use any old socks you have around the house. And when you’re done, just wash them in the washer and use them again.
Cleaning Hacks to Get Rid of Shower Scum
When life gives you lemons, clean your showers! You heard that right. Did you know that citric acid from lemons in combination with table salt makes for a powerful cleaner?
All you need to do is cut a lemon in half and sprinkle the half generously with salt. Then, use the lemon as a “sponge” to scrub away all the grime that builds up on the glass and around your tub. After rinsing off the residue, you’ll have a sparkly clean surface!
Drying Your Clothes Quickly
And before we leave the laundry room, you’ll want to put this cleaning hack in your back pocket.
In a rush and need to quickly dry your clothes? You can do it in no time with this tip. Simply throw in a dry towel with your wet clothes to help absorb excess moisture. It’s something I do every time I throw in a load and it’s a huge time-saver!
Cleaning Hacks For That Messy Microwave
The caked-on food, the sticky sides, the spilled soup… you know what I’m talking about. Dirty microwaves are a bare to clean. But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be difficult?
In my “How To Clean Appliances You Use Every Day” segment on the TODAY Show, I showed how you can make your microwave sparkly clean with water and lemon. That’s it!
Cut a lemon into wedges and add a few slices to one cup of water. Then, heat it on high for four minutes. After letting the microwave run its cycle, let the lemon water sit inside the microwave for another five minutes (totaling nine minutes).
When you remove the cup, you’ll see a build-up of condensation on the inside of your microwave. Simply wipe it down with a towel and the grime and food will wipe right off. The lemons also leave your microwave smelling fresh!
Want to see more of my TODAY Show cleaning hacks? Check out the full video HERE.
Enjoy your newly cleaned home!
From my home to yours,
Jill
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