47 Cleaning Hacks

Before I discovered cleaning hacks, whenever I encountered a stain that was hard to remove, I just accepted it as damaged and unable to be cleaned.  A few years ago my two sons picked up permanent markers from a kitchen drawer and decided that our newly painted kitchen wall would be a great place to draw a mural.  I desperately tried to clean the marker off using multiple cleaning agents and wasn’t able to get the marks off.  

Then I started to do some digging because surely someone else had run into this problem and found a way to clean their wall.  By the time I was done researching, I knew how to get permanent marker off of virtually any surface!  Let’s take a look at some clever, creative cleaning hacks that will make cleaning super easy.

1. Get Stains Out of Microfiber.  Getting stains on microfiber can ruin the entire look of your sofa.  If you have a spill or stain on the fabric, fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and lightly mist the alcohol onto the stain.  Gently rub the moistened stain with a white soft sponge.  The stain will lift right onto the sponge.  Let the sofa air dry completely. Once dry, take a hard bristled brush to “fluff” up the microfibers and your sofa will look like new.

2. Remove Permanent Marker Stains.  Permanent marker stains don’t have to be permanent!  Hand sanitizer will remove marker stains from clothing. If you get marker on any wood surface, you can easily remove it by applying rubbing alcohol to the affected area.  Applying toothpaste or hairspray to marks on walls will eliminate the stain. 

3. If you get marker on your carpet, dab the area with white vinegar and the stain will be removed.  If you spill marker onto furniture, take a cotton ball and dip it into milk.  Applying directly to the stain will remove the mark.

4. Prevent Dust Bunnies When Dusting Your Ceiling Fan.  I used to dread cleaning my ceiling fans because getting dust all over the carpet or bed was inevitable.  Then I discovered a way to contain the dust bunnies.  Take an old, soft pillowcase and insert each fan blade into the pillowcase.  Wipe each blade of the inner part of the fan to the outer part.  All the dust will stay contained in the bottom of the pillowcase.

5. Easily Clean Your Electric Oven.  Years ago, cleaning your oven was a hassle.  You either used harsh chemicals to get the gunk off or had to scrub the caked on layers of filth incessantly to get it clean.  I found a much easier way. You will want to make sure you start this process with a cold oven. 

6. Take a shallow dish and pour ½ cup of ammonia into it.  Place the dish in the middle of the top rack in your oven.  Close the door and let it sit in there overnight. The fumes from the ammonia will loosen the grit.  In the morning, take a clean cloth and wipe it all away.  Only use this method in an electric oven.

7. Clean You’re Charcoal Grill Naturally.  As crazy as it sounds, the most effective way to clean your charcoal grill is to use an onion.  Yes, an onion.  This is a natural way where you don’t have to worry about any harsh chemical residue being left to creep into your grilled food. Here’s how it works. 

8. Heat your grill so the high heat burns off any remaining chunks of charred food.  Peel an onion and slice it in half.  Insert a fork into the bottom part of the onion, towards the round part.  Turn the heat down. Rub the onion flat side down onto the grill, moving it quickly back and forth.  This will clean and deglaze the grates, not to mention adding an amazing flavor to your next meal.

9. Eradicate Oil Stains from Your Garage Floor.  This trick is super easy, effective and a bit disturbing.  Pour Coca-Cola directly onto the oil stain and rub with a hard bristled brush.  Rinse off thoroughly with clean water.  Watch as the stain lifts from the floor.

10. Get Rid of Lipstick Stains.  It’s rare that you can get a noticeable lipstick stain out of clothing from just washing your clothes normally.  The next time you encounter a stain, spray some hairspray onto the mark and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Rub gently with a cloth and toss into the wash as normal.

11. Eliminate Kitchen Cabinet Gunk.  Over time our kitchen cabinets get dirty, often times with tiny little particles of dust, debris and food from splashing when cooking.  And it piles on resulting in a solid substance that is near impossible to remove.  Here’s an easy way you can lift the stains so your cabinets look brand new. 

12. Create a thick paste by combing vegetable oil and baking soda so the consistency is like toothpaste.  Take an old toothbrush and scrub the nooks and crannies on your cabinets where the debris has piled up. Take a moist, clean cloth and remove the paste and debris.  

13. A muffin tin can be used to serve the condiments at barbecues and parties. In addition to looking good, it helps you cut down on washing. Think twice before discarding your muffin tins next time.

14. You can easily pull out the egg shells from the egg in a bowl if you wet your fingers.

15. You can remove the stem of an avocado to see how ripe it is. If it appears yellowish, it is ripe; if it appears dark brown, it is overripe.

16. To make bananas last about 5 days longer, wrap their tops tightly in a plastic wrap.

17. Pour milk in an ice cube tray and add crushed cookies (or Oreos) in it to make cookie ice cubes.

18. Unscented dental floss can be used to easily cut or slice cakes, pastries, and other soft solid goods into perfect shapes.

19. Give more shape and designs to your pancakes by using cookie cutters.

20. When storing salad in a sealed bag, blow some air into it to ensure that it stays fresh longer.

21. When going grocery shopping, open your fridge and take a picture. Look at it before you leave the shop to make sure that you have not forgotten anything.

22. You can freeze grapes and use them to chill white wine. Unlike ice, the grapes will not water it down.

23. To keep ice-cream soft, put it in an airtight bag before storing it in the freezer. It won’t be spoon-bendingly hard when you take it out.

24. To prevent the pizza crust from getting chewy when microwaving it, put a glass of water along with it in the microwave when reheating it.

25. To keep the potatoes from budding, place an apple among them when storing them.

26. When cutting an onion, if you chew a chewing gum, your eyes will not burn or water.

27. To make sure that your cake stays soft and moist, put a slice of bread over it.

28. When boiling something, put a wooden spoon or stick over it to keep it from spilling.

29. When storing meat in plastic bags, section it evenly. It makes it easier to remove even sized pieces later.

30. If you wrap lettuce, celery, or broccoli in a foil when storing it in the fridge, it will stay crisp longer than usual.

31. To test the freshness of an egg, put it in a glass filled with water. If it floats, it is not fresh, throw it away. If it sinks to the bottom, it is fresh.

32. Instead of letting a sauce go to waste, put it in an ice cube tray and freeze it. Remove a cube and heat it when needed.

33. To easily peel garlic, smash it apart by applying pressure from the top. Then put it all inside a box and shake it. When you remove it, the garlic will be peeled.

34. When reheating food, like pasta, spread it evenly on a plate and create an opening in the center, giving it a doughnut shape. It will allow the food to be reheated properly and from all sides.

35. To make the onions last very long, put them in a pantyhose and tie knots above each onion. This way, they can last for up to 8 months.

36. Green onions can also last very long if they are frozen. Just be sure that you have dried them completely before storing them.

37. To prevent the cutting board from sliding when cutting vegetables, place a damp towel under it.

38. You can use a pizza cutter to cut pancakes too.

39. To extract more juice from a lemon, roll it by applying a little pressure before cutting it.

40. The skin of a ginger can easily be removed with a spoon.

41. When using a measuring cup to measure a liquid, like honey, spray it with non-stick spray first. This way, the liquid will not stick in the cup and your measurements will be more accurate.

42. To restore old crystallized honey, put the jar of honey in warm water for 15 minutes or so.

43. Freezing herbs in olive oil keep them fresh and prevents them from turning brown or getting freezer burns.

44. If you boil filtered water to make ice, the resulting ice will be clear as a crystal.

45. Fish often falls apart or breaks when it is being grilled. Place halved lemon slices on a grill and cook fish over it to make sure that you get it in one piece.

46. Storing ginger in the freezer makes it last longer.

47. Always store mushrooms in a paper bag instead of a plastic bag. The paper bag will absorb all the moisture and keep them from getting mildew.