22 Genius House Cleaning Hacks for a Tidier Space in No Time

As much as we love our four-legged friends, pet hair can accumulate quickly. Skip spending extra money on tools and special attachments and use this simple hack to clean up after your fur babies. Simply wear rubber household gloves and run them over the surface of your furniture. The rubber will cause the pet fur to gather into a ball that can be easily thrown away.

Place a bowl of lemon juice in your microwave and set the microwave for 2 minutes or until the lemon juice comes to a boil. This will produce steam that will soften any debris stuck in the microwave. You’ll be able to clean out the appliance with just the sweep of a cloth, plus you’ll be left with a citrusy fresh scent.

Wine is known to be one of the toughest stains to remove. Luckily, club soda can be a saving grace. Start by spritzing the stain with club soda. Next, simply blot the wine, juice, or colored drink stain with a microfiber cloth. Repeat until the stain is gone.

Your vacuum can be a helpful tool for cleaning hard-to-reach cabinet areas. Use your vacuum’s brush attachment to pick up dust and crumbs inside. For the outside of the cabinets, Debra Johnson from Merry Maids suggests cleaning the area around the hardware with a cloth dampened with warm water and Murphy Oil Soap ($4, Walmart).

Did you know some light fixture pieces are dishwasher-safe? Amanda Thomas of Moxie Girl suggests running removable glass pieces, such as domes, through the dishwasher for this cleaning hack. Run a drying cycle to reduce spots on your light fixtures.

Believe it or not, there is a wrong way to clean. But, by doing things the right way, you could save time—and the hassle of re-cleaning. Check out these house cleaning hacks to perfect your technique and shave minutes off your cleaning routine.

Leslie Reichert of Green Cleaning Coach shares one of her favorite cleaning hacks for dusting a ceiling fan quickly and efficiently. Slip a pillowcase over ceiling fan blades, one at a time, then wipe. This way, dust falls into the pillowcase, not on your furniture and floors.

Skip buying new items for cleaning and look at what you already have. The things you need to clean might be lying around your house. Watch and see how to tidy up using everyday items you wouldn’t immediately think of as cleaning tools.

This cleaning hack from Melissa Maker of Clean My Space uses socks as a duster. First, put an old sock on one of your hands and spritz it with water. Then, grip each blind panel and slide your sock-covered hand from one end to the other, removing dust from both sides of the slat.

The key to cleaning more quickly might actually be cleaning more often. You’ll spend less time overall when you stick to a regular schedule. Watch this video from cleaning expert Donna Smallin Kuper to learn her best tips for a quicker clean.

Ceilings, especially textured ones, can be a pain to clean. Sweeping them with a broom can knock down pieces if you’re not careful. For a more effective cleaning technique, roll a damp high-nap paint roller over the ceiling to pick up dust and cobwebs.

Baby wipes are surprisingly effective because they contain very little moisture, have gentle cleaning agents, and dry quickly. That’s why Derek Christian from Cleaning Business Today suggests using them for spots and stains on fabrics. However, don’t confuse baby wipes with cleaning wipes, which might contain bleach or other harmful chemicals.

Washing a bulky comforter can be a tricky business. Amanda Thomas of Moxie Girl says you can machine-wash most comforters in front-loaders, as long as the comforter fills only half the washer. Then, add tennis balls to the dryer to keep the comforter’s stuffing from collecting in one corner.

Keep window treatments on the rod to save time as you clean. Instead of taking them down, just shake them out to remove loose dust. Then vacuum drapes or curtains from top to bottom using the upholstery attachment. Finally, vacuum floors after cleaning window treatments to pick up any fallen dust.

Jumping on the bed can help freshen up your mattress. Mary Findley of Go Clean suggests a fun house cleaning hack: Have your kids bounce around on the bed to bring up dust from inside. Then vacuum the mattress top. (If your vacuum has a beater bar, turn the bar off first.)

Woodwork and wood furnishings can gather dust and dirt buildup over time. To keep wood looking shiny, regular wipe-downs are necessary. For extra sheen, mix 1 part lemon oil and 1 part white vinegar for an environmentally-friendly shine.

Dusting can feel like a losing battle without the proper technique. Luckily, cleaning expert Donna Smallin Kuper has the tips you need to get dust under control. Try these clever cleaning hacks that make dusting a breeze.

Melissa Maker of Clean My Space shares her cleaning hack to banish a dishwasher’s dirt and odors. First, add 1 cup baking soda to the bottom of your empty dishwasher and let it sit overnight. Then run the hottest possible cycle using vinegar instead of detergent to clean and deodorize your dishwasher. Remember to remove debris from the filter.

The house cleaning hack for removing hard water stains is simple:

1. Walk away.
2. Soak paper towels in undiluted vinegar and place them on the buildup.
3. Leave overnight, then scrub and rinse.

A 5metre , 16-gauge extension cord  lets you plug in your vacuum at a central location so you can clean a whole level without stopping to find another outlet.

A microfiber mop  with an extension pole dusts ceilings and walls quickly and easily. When you’re done, just remove the cover and toss it in the wash.

A double-sided squeegee  is the best tool for cleaning windows. Dip it in your cleaning solution of choice and work in a tight S-pattern from top to bottom.

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers  make short work of soap scum, scuff marks, wayward crayon scribbles, and lots more.

Homemade cleaning solutions can be just as effective as store-bought cleaners. Go all-natural with these cleaning hacks that use items you already have around your home. Get a squeaky-clean space with these must-try homemade cleaners.

Add these cleaning essentials to your caddy to make chore day a breeze:

Zep Heavy Duty Citrus Cleanser and Degreaser  cleans cooking oil from cabinets near the stove. Look for it in the paint section at your home center.

Cleanser powder  has a combo of mild abrasives and oxalic acid that removes baked-on food, tea and coffee stains, and rust.

Smudge-Smacking Glass Cleaner  is solvent-free, so you can clean the window trim, sill, sash, and tray without damaging painted or vinyl surfaces.