Cleaning isn’t exactly everyone’s favorite pastime unless you’ve made it your lifelong calling— and we salute you for that!
But that doesn’t mean you have to live in a pigsty. With a few clever hacks and a dash of “work smarter, not harder” mentality, you can keep any space looking presentable without sacrificing your precious free time.
Here are 20+ cleaning hacks for all those allergic to cleaning:
1. A Dishwasher Is Everyone’s Best Friend
This home appliance isn’t just for dishes! Toss in your microwave turntable, stove knobs, refrigerator shelves, and even some toys for a quick and easy clean.
2. Microwave Miracle Cleaner
Heat up a bowl of water with a few lemon slices for a few minutes. The steam will help loosen the grime, making them much easier to wipe away.
3. Fridge Freshness
Line sheets of plastic wrap or paper towels on your refrigerator’s shelves. This way when spills occur, you need to toss in the liner for a clean slate.
4. Baking Soda If You’re So Done With Cleaning
Sprinkle baking soda on stovetops inundated with grease, on food particles in your oven, or in smelly trash bins. Baking soda can help absorb odors and grime. Leave the baking soda powder to sit for a few minutes, then wipe away.
5. Foil Phenom
When baking (not microwaving!) in an oven or microwave-oven, line the bottom with aluminum foil or baking sheets. This helps catch drips and spills, saving you from a scrubbing nightmare later.
Bathroom Brilliance
6. Vinegar For Fresh Showers
Mix equal parts water and vinegar, and transfer the mixture to a reusable spray bottle. Spray on your shower walls and door after every use— this is a great way to prevent buildup of soap scum.
7. Denture Tablets For Toilets
It sounds crazy, but bear with us on this one. Drop a denture tablet in your toilet bowl and leave it to set for the recommended time as per the product label (or for up to 30 minutes).
Allow it to work its magic until the fizzing stops, then clean away. This helps remove hard stains and deodorizes the toilet bowl.
8. Vinegar Solution For Shower Heads
Fill a non-porous plastic bag with a vinegar-water solution, then tie it to your shower head using a rubber band or string. Leave it overnight and you’ll see how effective it is at removing mineral deposits and as a result, restoring water flow.
9. Invest In A Squeegee
Tired of water spots in bathroom windows or mirrors? A squeegee is the key. Wipe an all-purpose bathroom cleaner or dish soap on a microfiber cloth. Cover the entire mirror or window with the cleaning solution.
Start from the edges, come down, and then back up to the next layer, then clean the last portion. The idea is to clean the mirror or window in as few moves as possible. This keeps your mirrors sparkling and streak-free.
10. Use A Hairspray For Toothpaste Stains
A hairspray works wonders on marker stains on clothing, so why not try it for toothpaste? Spray it on the toothpaste splatter, leave it to set for a few minutes, then wipe away with a microfiber cloth. It’s like magic, but better.
Living Room Lowdown
11. Lint Roller Mania
Use a lint roller to easily remove pet dander or dust from fabrics, clothing, upholstery, and lampshades.
12. Dryer Sheets With Baseboards
Baseboards just seem to collect dust, no matter what. If you’ve tried everything from feather dusters to damp rags, only to find your baseboards coated in grime again days later, dryer sheets are your secret weapon.
After cleaning your baseboards with your usual method, simply run a dryer sheet along the surface. Its anti-static properties help repel dust and prevent it from clinging to the surface.
13. Sock It To ‘Em
Wear an old, but clean sock on your hand. Dust blinds or hard-to-reach areas with it, if you don’t have a microfiber duster or a cleaning cloth.
14. Pillowtalk With Ceiling Fans
This is a doozy if you have ceiling fans. Instead of trying to reach them with telescopic poles or dusters with long handles, just put on old pillowcases over the blades, and pull them back carefully to collect dust.
WARNING: Do this only with supervision. You’ll need someone to guide you on a ladder.
Bedroom Bliss
15. Laundry Lasso
You’d think everyone would have a laundry basket in their bedroom, but some people do, especially the lazy ones who think throwing all old clothing on “The Chair ” equals laundering.
So, we don’t need to remind you again. Keep a laundry basket in your room! Not only does it make it easier for you to collect dirty fabrics and clothes, but it also prevents them from piling up on the floor or ending up on “The Chair”.
16. Dampen Those Wrinkles
Toss old wrinkled clothes in the dryer with a damp (not soaking!) towel for several minutes. This can help remove wrinkles without the need to iron the clothes.
17. Bin Business
Keep a trash bin and a full box of tissues on your nightstand. It’s the perfect spot for those late-night nose-picking sessions (no judgment, we’ve all been there) or for quickly tossing random clutter you find while phone surfing.
Whole-House Wonders
18. Robots ARE The Future
Tired of endless dust bunnies and tumbleweeds of hair under your bed? This is your sign to finally invest in a robot vacuum. Let your new robotic buddy handle the daily grind of floor cleaning while you kick back and relax.
Sure, you’ll still need to empty the dustbin and give those brush blades a little TLC now and then, but trust us, it’s a small price to pay for a cleaner home and a whole lot more free time. Even the laziest among us can appreciate that!
19. Caddy Buddy
Fill a caddy with some of your most-used and compact cleaning supplies. Carry it from room to room for easy access. Here’s some supplies to stock up on:
- All-purpose surface cleaners
- Disinfectant wipes
- Microfiber cloths (about 2-3 clean ones)
- Glass cleaners
- Small trash bags
- Sponges or scrub brushes
- Rubber gloves
- Squeegee
20. Multi-Tasker Master
Pump up the jams and get your groove on while you clean! Honestly speaking, cleaning can be a drag. But blasting your favorite tunes or catching up on a juicy podcast can transform chore time into party time.
Before you know it, you’ll be dancing with the dustpan and singing along with the vacuum cleaner (just don’t blame us if your neighbors start asking for requests).
Beyond The Basics
Okay, so you’ve mastered the art of cleaning without really cleaning. Your house might not pass a white-glove inspection, but it’s definitely presentable enough to avoid judgmental looks from visitors.
But for those rare moments when you feel a surge of cleaning motivation, here are a few extra hacks to take your cleaning game up a notch:
21. Baking Soda Brilliance
Sprinkle a generous helping of baking soda powder on carpets before vacuuming. It should look like a thin layer of baking soda, about 1 cup per medium-sized room. This helps absorb and freshen up the space.
22. Lemon Power
Grab a couple of lemons from your local grocery. Cut one in half and toss it into your garbage disposal while running cold water. The citric acid in the lemon acts as a natural disinfectant and deodorizer, breaking down food particles and grease while the rind helps scrub away residue.
This simple trick not only freshens up your disposal but also helps to sharpen the blades, prevents clogs and keeps it running smoothly.
23. Don’t Be A Doormat: Invest In One Instead
Place sturdy doormats at every threshold in your space— simple, yet effective, it can help trap dirt, dust, and moisture before they get tracked by footwear throughout your home. This significantly reduces the amount of cleaning you have to do and saves you time and energy in the long run.
Choose absorbent and durable doormats, making sure they’re large enough to cover your entryway. Shake them regularly or toss them in the washing machine (after you’ve vacuumed them) to keep ’em clean and effective.
Embrace Your Inner Sloth (And Still Have A Clean House) With These Tips
Look, we’re not here to pass judgment on your cleaning habits. We understand life can get a little busy a lot of the time, and sometimes vacuuming the entire space or scrubbing your baseboards is the last thing you have energy for.
But with these lazy-person cleaning hacks, achieving a clean and comfortable space without sacrificing all of your free time is definitely possible.