An organised, clean house is good for the mind, body, and soul. And even science proves it!
Research shows that a cluttered house can result in higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
But as good as a tidy home feels, I know how tough it can be to find time to clean when you’ve got a family, pets, and a career to take care of.
That’s why I’m here to help you save time and effort when cleaning your home with my 12 favourite housekeeping hacks.
Housekeeper Hacks: My Professional Cleaning Tips
1. Use Steam to Clean Your Microwave
Since it is “out of sight, out of mind”, I find that the microwave is one of those areas many people put at the bottom of their cleaning list. Then, by the time they get around to cleaning it, it’s full of caked-on splatters and spills that seem impossible to wipe off.
But I have a housekeeping hack that will clean your microwave fast and with minimal effort: steam!
To clean a microwave with steam:
- Fill a microwave-safe measuring glass or bowl with water (I prefer to use a measuring glass with a handle so it is easier to take out of the microwave)
- Optional: For a fresh, citrus scent and extra natural cleaning power, add a few squeezes of lemon juice to your water before microwaving it.
- Microwave the water until it boils (this only takes a few minutes, so be cautious not to overdo it)
- Carefully remove the water from the microwave (bonus: pour this boiling water down your drain to help loosen away grime)
- Use a microfibre cloth to wipe down the sides, bottom, and top of the microwave
The steam quickly softens any stuck-on debris, making it easy to wipe down your microwave to reveal a sparkling clean.
Another way I love to clean smarter, not harder, is by preventing microwave splatters in the first place. Be sure to cover foods that splatter easily, such as chili, soups, and tomato sauces.
2. Use Rubber Gloves to Remove Pet Hair
Pets are an amazing part of the family. But I know we all get tired of dealing with pet hair on rugs, floors, and furniture.
One of my favourite housekeeping hacks for cleaning pet hair is simple, cheap, and safe: rubber gloves.
Simply put on a pair of rubber gloves and repeatedly run them over your couch or other furniture. The rubber will help ball up the pet fur and make it easy to grab the clump and throw it away.
3. Clean With Vinegar
Vinegar is cheap, 100% natural, effective, and incredibly versatile. And it’s probably already in your pantry!
Vinegar is an amazing homemade cleaner that can be used as a deodorizer, degreaser, and disinfectant — all without harsh chemicals or an expensive price tag.
It’s no surprise vinegar is my #1 choice for natural cleaning. One of my favourite ways to use vinegar as a natural cleaner is to remove residue from stainless steel faucets.
You know that grime that builds up at the base of the faucet and in crevices? Vinegar is a simple housekeeping hack that removes it in minutes!
To keep my stainless steel faucet sparkling clean and free of gunk and build-up, I simply soak a paper towel in vinegar, bunch it up along the base of the stainless steel faucet, and let it sit for 15 minutes to a half hour. Then, I scrub the base and any crevices with the paper towel before wiping the area with a clean cloth or paper towel.
If you want to learn more vinegar housekeeping hacks, I dedicated an entire blog post to cleaning with vinegar here: 15 Ways to Clean Your Home with Vinegar.
4. Go Natural
Along with vinegar, I’m a huge fan of natural cleaning solutions for the home. Eco-friendly products and DIY homemade cleaners get the job done without harmful chemicals or hormone-disrupting fragrances.
Even though they can be just as effective and safer than store-bought cleaners, homemade cleaners are often cheaper. Many homemade cleaners can be made for just pennies!
For instance, baking soda and vinegar are notorious for their natural cleaning power. Together, they make a cheap homemade cleaner that is an effective way to keep drains smelling fresh and free of buildup.
Every few weeks, I pour some baking soda into the drain and then add vinegar. Then I allow the mixture to fizz and bubble as it naturally cleans the drain.
You can read more of my natural cleaning blog posts here:
- Eco-Friendly Tips for Everyday Cleaning
- How to Use Eucalyptus Oil Around Your House
- The Best Eco-Friendly Carpet Cleaning Solutions
- 10 Surprising Ways to Clean Your Home With Lemon
5. Easily Remove Wine Stains from Carpets
Just the thought of spilling red wine can leave you in a panic. But there are easy ways to clean wine stains from carpets and area rugs.
Here is how I clean red wine stains from carpet:
- If the stain is fresh, pour salt directly on the spill. Wait a few hours to allow the salt to soak up the wine. Then, vacuum up the salt.
- If the red wine is soaked in already, spritz the stain with club soda. Then, use a microfibre cloth to blot the wine up. Repeat this process until the red wine stain is gone. I also use this tactic to remove juice stains.
6. Vacuum Your Cabinets
Between dust, crumbs, and food spills, the interior of cabinets can get surprisingly dirty. I find a vacuum to be one of the best tools for cleaning the hard-to-reach areas inside of cabinets.
I use my vacuum’s brush attachment to clean the inside of my cabinets at least once every couple of months.
7. Clean Blinds With Socks
I love using this housekeeper hack for the blinds in my house: socks!
I save old socks to use as convenient dusters. I just slip an old, clean sock on my hand and spray it with some warm water. Then I glide the sock over each blind panel from top to bottom or left to right.
You can then toss the sock in the washer to reuse later or simply throw it away. For more tips on cleaning blinds, you may also enjoy this blog post I wrote last month: How to Clean Vertical Blinds.
8. Clean a Ceiling Fan with a Pillowcase
If I had to pick the most neglected area of the home when it comes to cleaning, I’d have to say ceiling fans. It’s a tough-to-reach area, awkward to clean, and easily forgotten about because it is out of sight.
But there’s a housekeeper hack that will make it far easier to clean your ceiling fan fast and easily.
Simply take a clean pillowcase you no longer use and slip it over the ceiling fan blades one at a time. Gently wipe down the blade and move on to the next one.
This method traps the dust in the pillowcase rather than allowing it to spread to your floors or furniture. Then, take the pillowcase outside, turn it inside out, shake the dust out, bring it in, and toss the pillowcase in the wash and you’re all set!
I like to do this at least once a month but many homeowners find that they can do this every two or three months to keep ceiling fans clean.
9. Clean a Few Minutes Here and There
I prefer spending a few minutes cleaning throughout the day rather than allowing small messes to turn into huge messes I have to spend hours tackling later.
Light, quick cleanings go a long way in keeping your house tidy and preventing messes from becoming overwhelming.
Here are a few daily cleaning tasks I do to prevent overwhelming messes:
- I wipe up counters and the dining table after each meal
- I do dishes after each meal
- I wipe up any messes or spills immediately
- I take out the trash out as soon as it is full
- I sweep or vacuum at least once a day
10. Skip the Feather Duster
I loathe feather dusters! These popular tools do clear away dust but the problem is that feather dusters send dust particles flying all over into the air! Then the dust can just resettle in other places.
Instead, I prefer microfibre dusters, microfibre cloths, and vacuums for dusting. These actually remove dust rather than just spreading it around.
11. Make Your Bed As Soon As You Get Up
One of my biggest housekeeping hacks is a 1 minute chore that I never skip: making my bed.
As the centre of the room, having your bed made instantly tidies up your bedroom and sets a positive tone for the day.
Another easy way to keep your bedroom clean is by putting any dirty clothes in a hamper rather than tossing them on the floor. These simple, fast cleaning tasks go a long way in keeping your bedroom clutter-free and serene.
12. Keep the Best Cleaning Tools and Products on Hand
I like to set myself up for success by keeping products and tools around that make cleaning easy.
And I’m not talking about expensive tools or fancy products. You really only need a few basic items to keep your home clean.
Here are the must-have cleaning tools I always keep around:
- Microfibre cloths
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Double-sided squeegee
- Microfibre mop
- Glass cleaner
- An all-purpose cleaner
- Latex gloves
- A vacuum with multiple attachments
- A toothbrush (rather than tossing old toothbrushes, I reuse them for cleaning tricky, hard-to-clean areas)
- Disinfectant
- Toilet cleaner and toilet brush
Want More Housekeeping Hacks From Our Pros?
I hope you enjoyed these housekeeping life hacks. They’ve made my life easier and I hope they help you experience a clean house with less time and effort.
For more of my favourite housekeeping hacks, follow our cleaning blog where I regularly post pro cleaning tips and tricks.
If you still struggle to find the time to keep your home clean or if it needs a thorough deep clean, get in touch with us for a free quote.
Even with consistent cleaning, every home needs an occasional deep clean to prevent bacteria, mould, and grime from accumulating.
Our professional cleaning services in Perth include deep cleaning options that target dirt and grime in hidden areas.
Whether you have questions about one of our cleaning services, want to schedule weekly cleaning sessions, or want a free quote on a deep cleaning of your home, please contact our team of Perth cleaning experts.
