25 Apartment Cleaning Hacks that You Need Now

Whether it is a hobby, job, or just a recreational activity, we are constantly seeking ways on how to finish everything in a short amount of time. To put it in otherwise popular phrase, “work smarter, not harder”.  Depending on the tasks at hand, completing them at a shorter period does not necessarily mean everything has been done on a rush. It also does not automatically mean that the final product would appear to be of poor quality reflecting a shoddy workmanship. 

Lately, the internet has been obsessed with becoming more efficient. In the year 2019, video hacks have dominated the social media. Now that we are all stuck in pandemic, here's a list of 25 cheap and easy techniques that will alter your cleaning routine, saving you time and frustration - as well as a lot of wasted money on cleaning supplies!

Disinfecting sponges with the microwave

Sponges are used to clean dishes and most of the time, even if after being dipped in soap, washed, and dried under the sun, roaches are still able to smell the gunk that is stuck in between the sponge holes. So here’s what you can do. Damp the sponge with water, then put it inside the microwave. Turn the microwave on in full power for 90 seconds. This will help drastically reduce the bacteria that are growing inside the holes of the sponge. 

Pour hot water over dishes

Before cleaning your dishes with a sponge, pour boiling hot water over them to dislodge any hardened food, difficult stains, or oil. You won't have to scrub as hard, which could cause scratches on your pots and pans' surfaces.

Clean the oven with vinegar and baking soda

Rather than buying expensive and harsh chemicals from the grocery store, you can simply mix a half cup of baking soda with three tablespoons of vinegar. Use a brush to spread the paste all over the inside of the oven except the heating rods and other elements. Let it sit for about 10-12 hours before wiping it with a clean damp cloth. This will help remove food residue and take the greasy stains out. 

Soak up oil spills with sawdust

Sawdust can be used to clean up used oil spills on the driveway or in the garage. Most home workshops have the material on hand—just open the dust-collection bags on your orbital sander, miter saw, and other power tools. Pour sawdust over the spill, wait 20 minutes for it to absorb the liquid, and then sweep it up.

Use lemon to remove hard-water buildup on faucets

Place half of a fresh lemon on the end of the faucet, wrap the lemon in a little plastic bag, and fasten it with a rubber band. Remove the lemon after a few hours and clean the faucet with soap and water before using a cloth to wipe it dry.

Remove pen marker stains with hairspray

Kids love to draw on things that are not paper. They would draw all over the floor, walls, and table tops. With pen markers, you may simple spritz some hairspray and let it soak for a minute before wiping them all out. 

Use duct tape to remove pet hair

Duct tape's stickiness makes it ideal for use as a makeshift pet hair extractor, and it's far faster than vacuuming. It's also effective on car seats. For getting into corners, use a sponge or cloth wrapped in duct tape. Wrap a paint roller cover with duct tape, sticky side out. To pick up pet hair, roll the paint cover over the furniture or carpet. As the surface becomes clogged with hair, add more tape.

Dust monitors with coffee filter

Since nowadays, we are all working from home, we tend to notice the smallest of things and most of the time, tiny dust particles on screen monitors of the tools that we use for work could get so annoying. Coffee filters are made of coarse long fiber which helps it easier to wipe of small particles without scratching the screens.

Allow the blender to self-clean

Fill up the blender with warm water, add three drops of dishwashing soap before turning it on for 1 minute. Then rinse the inside with warm water again, turn it upside down then leave it to air dry.

Clean stainless steel with microfiber cloth

When go to a gadgets store and have a screen protector installed on our phones, the expert uses a small cloth to wipe the screen before putting the glass/matt screen protector. Same thing with stainless steel, in order to remove dust build up and fingerprints, it is easier to use microfiber cloth. 

Use socks to clean the blinds

If you dust the blinds with a duster, brush, or a broom, you will get dust all over the place and it will only cause a nightmare. Put your hands inside a sock that is dipped in a mixture of water and vinegar then wipe the blinds by twisting each to the other direction.

Remove carpet stains with toothpaste

Grab an old toothbrush and some toothpaste and start scrubbing if you have stubborn stains on your carpet that won't come out. Rinse the area with water, and if the stain remains, scrub it a second or two more times.

Use vinegar to clean the shower heads

Pour white vinegar in a plastic bag and tie it around the dirty shower head. Leave it for an hour or longer depending on how heavy the gunk is. Remove the bag then wipe with cloth damped in clean water.

Use a pillowcase to dust the ceiling fan

The best way to clean dust is to catch it. Place the pillowcase over the fan blade all the way to the fan's base, then pull back so that the dust from the blade's top falls into the pillowcase.

Use enzyme cleaners to remove pet odor

Pet poo and pee can leave a strong odor on surfaces that can hardly be removed with just mere soap and water, and sometimes, even with the use of some expensive cleaning products. Dilute one part enzyme cleaner with three parts water then wipe the area thoroughly and leave the solution on for an hour. The longer, the better. Then, wipe the area with damp cloth.

Use baking soda to clean the mattress

Baking soda may be used to clean your mattress in the same way that it can be used to clean your textile furnishings. Cleaning your mattress with baking soda at least twice a year is a good idea. You won't have to worry about moisture collecting and turning into mold if you do this, which will help extend the life of your mattress.

Remove rust stains with Acid Magic

If your water is high in iron and you have rust spots in your toilet or bathtub, this is the answer. Acid Magic disintegrates rust. Wearing gloves and safety eyewear is still recommended as with any harsh cleaning solution. Not only does it not emit toxic fumes, but it also does not burn the skin. Add one part Acid Magic to three parts water to remove rust from porcelain surfaces. Apply the rust dye mixture with a sprayer, brush, or foam pad and watch it disintegrate. Rinse well. Use it full power on tough stains. Metal parts can be discolored by acid.

Use cotton swabs to clean keyboards

Use cotton swabs to remove filth and dust from between the keys. Compressed air would help drive out obstinate dirt for a deeper clean. Then, wet cotton swabs in rubbing alcohol and run them across the keys after removing dirt.

Remove soap buildup with cooking spray

It's never been easier to clean shower doors. Scrubbing is always time-consuming and ineffective, but spraying the entire door with a mist of cooking spray and letting it to sit for five minutes can release the soap buildup, allowing you to wipe it away without difficulty.

Clean ceilings with a paint roller

Ceilings, particularly textured ceilings, can be difficult to keep clean. If you're not careful, sweeping them with a broom can knock down pieces. Roll a moist high-nap paint roller over the ceiling to take up dust and cobwebs for a more effective cleaning procedure.

Unclog the drains using antacid tablets and vinegar

Simply pour four tablets down the drain, followed by 1 cup of distilled vinegar. Wait 10–15 minutes before pouring a pot of hot water down the drain. The chemical reaction, followed by a burst of hot water, should aid in the unclogging of the clog.

Use ammonia to clean stove burners

Greasy, burnt-on food residue is difficult to remove from a cooking surface, especially from stove burners. The difficult-to-remove residue can be readily removed by removing the burners, bringing them outdoors, placing them in a high-quality waste bag (no holes), adding approximately 1 cup of ammonia, and closing the bag tightly. After around 24 hours, carefully open the bag (you might want to wear goggle and a surgical facemask when doing so, because those fumes can get pretty intense). Rinse the burners with water to remove the burnt-on residue.

Sanitize garbage disposal with lemons

Garbage disposals may foul up the whole kitchen. A fresh lemon smell is irresistible. Enjoy that exhilarating scent all day long.

Use uncooked white rice to eliminate odors from the coffee grinder

Grind uncooked white rice and leave it inside the grinder for 24 hours before removing and rinsing.

Use vinegar, damp cloth, and a hot iron to remove carpet stains

You can overcome carpet stains by combining 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on the stain and wipe it clean. Iron the area for about a minute with a hot iron set to steam.