According to the American Cleaning Institute, we spend about 6 hours each week cleaning our homes. If you’re a parent, you’re probably spending more.

The time-consuming nature of cleaning is frustrating. What’s more frustrating is having your home completely spotless after hours of hard work, only to have to repeat the entire process in a week.

We are here to help you save time AND teach you how to make your clean home last.

With this guide, we’ll go on a quick house tour and give you the best cleaning hacks for every room!

Kitchen Cleaning Hacks

There are numerous hacks to speed up kitchen cleaning and they require several common household items: lemons, vinegar, and baking soda.

Let’s start with lemons!

Place a bowl of lemon juice, or a cut lemon with the flesh facing upward, in your fridge. This will absorb any unsavory odor and leave your fridge smelling fresh. Lemons can be left in the fridge for several days before needing replacement.

Another kitchen area that’s susceptible to bad odors? The garbage disposal. Instead of throwing lemons away after use, just place them in the disposal and you’ll be rewarded with that sharp, citrus scent!

After utilizing them for a fresher kitchen smell, utilize your lemons as stain removers!

That’s right. Placing a bowl of lemon juice and water into the microwave for several minutes can loosen any gunk that’s accumulated. All you’ll have to do afterward is remove it with a sponge or cloth.

Applying the lemon directly can also remove stains in the sink or on the kitchen faucet.

Lastly, cleaning wooden cutting boards becomes a lot easier when you pair lemon with salt. Scrub away and you’ll see stubborn stains disappear.

Now let’s talk vinegar and baking soda.

When that self-clean option just won’t cut it, these household items provide the perfect oven cleaning hacks. Martha Stewart recommends making a paste with baking soda and warm water. Then, remove your oven racks to soak in a sink of hot water and soap.

You’ll apply the baking soda paste to the inside of the oven, covering every surface as well as the doors.

Leave the paste overnight. The next day, you’ll scrape out all of the paste. To finish the job, you’ll wipe it down with a water and vinegar mixture, which will leave your oven sparkling!

Bathroom Cleaning Hacks

Some of the same household items we applied to the kitchen are useful in the bathroom.

Lemon, when diluted with water, can be used to clean shower doors as well as bathroom mirrors. If you’re having issues with fog rather than mirror smudge, applying a thin layer of shaving cream, and then removing it, is a helpful way to reduce steam accumulation.

Soak your showerheads and bathroom faucets in vinegar to remove build-up.

If your faucets are clean, but your shower curtains are covered in mold, we have a hack for that, too! Take your shower curtain and run it through the washing machine. Adding laundry detergent, baking soda, and vinegar for the wash cycle, and let it hang to dry.

When cleaning the toilets, be sure to use baking soda! To use, sprinkle it into the bowl and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Then, add a little vinegar to the dried baking soda and scrub!

This combination will remove tough stains and odors.

Laundry Room Hacks

If you’re discouraged by stains that won’t go away or find yourself dreading the lengthy laundry process, these hacks are for you.

Keeping chalk handy is an effective way to prevent stains. I recommend storing it in the kitchen. When your clothes get splattered with grease, cover it up with some chalk to absorb it until you can put it through the wash.

Add a dry towel in with your clothes for the first 10-15 minutes of the drying cycle. The towel will soak up extra moisture leaving your clothes dry in way less time.

Every time you add clothes to the laundry, separate your socks into a mesh laundry bag. Add these bags to the laundry to be properly cleaned. When it comes time to fold, you won’t waste time trying to pair your socks.

Divide whites and colors throughout the week to save yourself the time of separating them before a load.

House Cleaning Hacks

Now that we’ve discussed the kitchen and bathroom – arguably the most demanding parts of the home, we’ll offer a couple of other cleaning hacks for you!

Have you ever struggled to keep your baseboards clean? The same tool that has your oven shining will work wonders on your baseboards. Use a combination of vinegar and water.

After kneeling to scrub away all the dirt and grime, use dryer sheets!

Dryer sheets have anti-cling and anti-static ingredients which you can transfer to your baseboards! This will repel any dust or future dirt that comes into the house, keeping them cleaner for much longer!

Dust is a frequent culprit in your home, and you need to be prepared to combat it in every room.

The same combination you used on your baseboards can be used to remove dust from blinds. Alternatively, you can try extra strength tape and lint rollers to remove dust from fabric and cloth surfaces.

If you’ve been using sponges for all of your cleanings, we have a hack for that, too!

Soak them in a bowl of water and lemon juice, and then microwave them for several minutes. Wring them dry and they’re ready to use again. Sponges can also be thrown in the dishwasher for a simple clean!

Save Yourself Time

These cleaning hacks are designed to save you time and reduce the 6-hour cleaning average. They leave your house sparkling and extend the time between cleanings to afford you more freedom in your schedule.

Whether you’re targeting your kitchen, bathroom, or other areas in your household, I urge you to test out these hacks!

However, for some, implementing these cleaning hacks won’t be enough. If you truly want to take advantage of your time, consider asking for help. Request a quote today for professional cleaning services!