Cleaning hacks
Let water, steam and a little soap do the scrubbing for you.
Cheap cleaning hacks that use what's already in your cupboard, like baking soda, vinegar, lemon and dish soap, for drains, grout, microwaves, ovens and shower doors.
12 hacks. Tap any hack to see how it's done.
Clean your microwave with a lemon and steam
Three minutes of lemon steam softens the gunk so it wipes right off.
Let your blender clean itself
Warm water, a drop of dish soap and 30 seconds of blending.
Unclog a showerhead with a bag of vinegar
Soak it overnight in a bag of vinegar and the mineral buildup melts away.
Dust blinds with a sock on your hand
Wipe each slat between your fingers with a damp sock. Done in minutes.
Freshen a smelly, slightly slow drain with baking soda and vinegar
Good for odors and mild slowdowns. For a real clog, use a plunger.
Scrub soap scum off a shower door with a dryer sheet
A damp used dryer sheet wipes away cloudy soap film with almost no effort.
Brighten dirty grout with baking soda and a toothbrush
A thick paste and an old toothbrush get into lines a sponge can't reach.
Clean baked-on grime from oven door glass
Baking soda paste softens the brown film so it wipes off.
Remove sticky label residue with cooking oil
Rub on any cooking oil, wait a few minutes, and the gunk slides off.
Pick up pet hair with a damp rubber glove
Wipe the couch with a damp glove and the hair rolls into clumps.
Clean a cast iron pan with coarse salt
Scrub stuck-on food with kosher salt and a paper towel, no soaking needed.
Clean your dishwasher filter for cleaner dishes
Many dishwashers have a filter you're supposed to rinse every month. Most people never do.