Hacks for cleaning maniacs

For many, the kitchen is the heart of the home and will see a lot of wear and tear throughout its lifetime. Here are some handy hacks to help keep your kitchen looking sparkling.

• Grout: Everyone knows that the grout needs to be cleaned in the bathroom, but the kitchen grout often gets overlooked. Grease and dust can settle in kitchen grout, but cleaning it will make all the difference.
• Counters: Cluttered counters can often give the appearance of messiness. A clear and tidy countertop can go a long way toward a fantastic looking kitchen. Consider storing items like toasters and coffee makers in a cabinet. Plus, grab a nice basket to store all of those papers that pile up, like mail and kids’ schoolwork.
• Microwave: Cleaning the inside of your microwave can be a little tricky, but if you put some lemon juice in a bowl of hot water and put it in the microwave for a few minutes, the grease and grime will be much easier to clean! The lovely lemon scent will also help to eliminate kitchen odors.
• Stainless steel: Keeping those stainless-steel appliances blemish free will always make your kitchen look ship-shape. Use a little rubbing alcohol or stainless-steel cleaner on a microfiber cloth and wipe away those fingerprints and marks.

The bathroom is the seat of your personal cleanliness, so you’ll want to keep it clean and tidy. Here are some hacks and tricks to help finalize your cleaning routine.

• Shower Door: Keep a squeegee hidden in the shower to swipe off excess water from the glass shower doors.
• Shower Walls: Keep a handled dish sponge in your shower filled with an all-purpose cleaner. Then, on occasion, wipe down the shower walls and faucet to keep them clean and shiny.
• Faucets: If you’re faced with removing limescale from your showerhead, you don’t need to remove it or fill the bath to soak it. Attach a plastic bag filled with water and a limescale remover around the showerhead and tie it up with a rubber band. Leave it to soak and you’ll have a clean shower in no time!
• Taps and grout: Get to the nooks and crannies of your taps and grout with cotton swabs soaked in cleaning solution.
• Fixtures: Use baby oil to give your chrome fixtures a nice shine.
• Marks: Makeup and shampoo can sometimes leave stains on tiles, so make sure to clean them as soon as you notice them; otherwise they can be tricky to remove easily!
• Counters: Once again, keep that countertop tidy. Use organizing containers in your drawers and under the sink to store all of your toiletries like toothbrushes, toothpaste and moisturizer.

These rooms don’t have the same reputation as the bathroom and kitchen for needing a deep clean, but a few tips and tricks can help ensure that your home feels fresh and clean, making daily living more comfortable.

• Baseboards: It’s all in the details—and that counts here too! Dirt left behind by kids, pets and bulky items being carried through the house can be removed from baseboards by using an all-purpose cleaner, a sponge and a microfiber cloth.
• Mattress: Flipping a mattress can help keep its form, but a great way to clean it properly is with a cleaning product. Using a dedicated mattress cleaning foam will help make sure that your mattress isn’t a hotbed for dirt, but a comfy bed for you!
• Organizers: Get some organizers or shelves in your closets to help store as many items and clothing out of site. This will keep your closets in order but also help you in keeping the bedroom in nice and tidy as well.

• Keep a shoe bin in the mudroom or garage to keep the whole family’s footwear in one place. This also helps keep the dirt and mud from the bottom of your shoes from getting all over the floors in the house.
• Wrap a paper towel around a broom and clear the cobwebs from the corners and bookshelves and under stairs
• Take time to oil squeaky doors or cabinets so as not to get distracted by those pesky sounds when you’re hard at work.

So, hopefully, we’ve mentioned a few tips here that even the proudest cleaning maniac wasn’t aware of, resulting in a clean home with which you can feel satisfied. Maybe you’ll find even more gems if you check out our cleaning section.