Cleaning
30+ Home Cleaning Hacks, Tips and Ideas That Will Impress Your Mother-in-Law
From bathrooms to kitchens and even laundry, we’re sharing more than 30 genius home cleaning and organizing hacks, tips and ideas that will make your house shine enough to impress your mother-in-law.
We’re sharing our very favorite cleaning products, methods, lists, schedules and even some cleaning humor – because sometimes we just need to laugh about it – don’t you think? And if you have kids, you’re in luck, because here’s how to get them to clean the bathroom (or at least do their chores without you asking!).
Genius Home Cleaning Ideas
We all want a cleaner house, right? And whether you have a cleaning service or not, you want it to STAY clean. With kids and a dog, this can be easier said than done. But it is possible by incorporating a few of these genius home cleaning ideas.
- Did you know that vodka, ketchup and tennis balls are super useful home cleaning supplies?
- How to Get Your Floors to Shine
- How to Clean Window Tracks
- How to Clean Your Washing Machine
- Remove Stubborn Carpet Stains with an Iron
- How to Clean a Microfiber Couch
- How to Wash and Whiten Yellowed Pillows
- Keep Baseboards Cleaner with Dryer Sheets
- Tricks for Dealing with a Hairy/Furry Home
- Heavy Duty Floor Cleaner DIY
- Pet Odor Eliminator DIY
- Remove Hard Water Stains from Your Toilet
- How to Remove Mildew Smell from Towels and Clothes
- Outdoor Cushion Cleaner
- The Right Way to Mop Your Floors
- Clean Your Grout
- Dust Ceiling Fans with a Pillowcase
- How to remove permanent marker from your hardwood floors
My All-Time Favorite Home Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning the house may not be a total blast all the time, but I’ve found that the right supplies can make ALL the difference.
Can you use basic stuff? Sure.
But if you can have super cute microfiber cloths and a turquoise broom, then DARN IT – use supercute microfiber clothes and a turquoise broom!
- I love microfiber cloths – and if you’re going to use them, they might as well be super cute. Here are my favs.
- Even if you don’t use it very often, you’ll most likely need a dust pan, broom and mop at some point. You’ll love this entire set.
- I have a love/hate relationship with vacuum cleaners. Mainly hate, if we’re being honest. I’ve owned Dyson and Shark vacuum cleaners, and I’ve had problems with both of them. Like – they’ve been replaced multiple times and still don’t work all that well – but we get by. While I don’t own this vacuum cleaner, I’ve had the chance to use it, and HOLY GAME CHANGER. This is by far the best and most reliable vacuum cleaner I have ever come across and well worth the hefty pricetag.
- If you want a small vacuum to use on a daily basis (or for your kids to use around the kitchen and bathrooms), this has been my favorite and best-functioning cordless vacuum cleaner ever.
- I’m going to go right out there and say that cleaning is actually enjoyable for me when I use Mrs. Meyers Honeysuckle scented cleaner. It’s amazing. Get some.
- You know what can really make cleaning even worse than it already is? Needing to clean and not finding your supplies. Get yourself a cute little cleaning caddy so you’ll have one less thing holding you back.
Genius Home Cleaning Tips for Your Kitchen
I don’t care what the rest of your house looks like, if your kitchen is clean, the entire house feels clean. If I’m short on time before hosting a party, I usually focus on the kitchen and let the rest of the house go.
Everyone congregates in the kitchen anyway, and if there are a few floaters in the toilet, it just helps my guests feel better about their own home-cleaning skills.
It’s like my little gift to them.
Here are some of my favorite clean kitchen tips:
- How to Clean a Glass Stovetop
- Drip Pan and Burner Cleaning
- How to Clean Your Freezer
- How to Clean a Dishwasher
- How to Clean a Porcelain Sink
- How to Clean a Stainless Steel Sink
- How to Clean a Microwave in Just Five Minutes
- DIY Oven Cleaner
- How to Clean Between Oven Window Glass
Cleaning Your Home Is One Thing, But Getting (and staying organized) Is Another!
My kids always ask me why I’m cleaning for the cleaning service, and it’s because I’m paying people to clean the DIRT – not to pick up after our mess. And mess comes down to two things: organization and discipline.
You need to have the organization in place so that everything in your home has an actual place to live. How can you put something away if it doesn’t have anywhere to go? (And no – the dining room table doesn’t count.)
And the discipline comes in after the organization. As in: you need to be disciplined enough to use your own organizational system. Ahem.
Here are a few of my favorite tips to stay organized:
- From bedrooms to bathrooms and even sewing rooms, here are great tips to get your entire house organized.
- Have kids? This can make staying organized a battle, but here are a few tips to teach your kids to stay organized too!
- Sometimes you need a good podcast to help you get in the organizing groove. I love Lisa at Organize365. She’s a mom, and she really gets it. Listen to her podcast, check out her website, and join her groups. You won’t be sorry!
- A few years ago my son and I spent a summer getting our garage organized. It was time well spent, and it is still clean and organized today!
- If you have kids, be sure to read more about getting your medicine cabinet organized – not only so you have what you need if your kids get sick, but also so you keep them safe from over-the-counter and prescription medications.
- I finally got my pantry organized this year, and I’m so glad I did! If you have kids, this pantry organization solution might work for you as well as it does for us (plus there are free printables!)
- In addition to pantries, these kitchen organization tips might be just what you need. And be sure to read this if you have a small kitchen.
- And let’s not forget about getting those closets organized!
Home Cleaning Books That Will Inspire You
Yes, you can actually read books about cleaning your home. I mean, what better way to procrastinate actually cleaning than reading a BOOK about cleaning?
Go ahead, procrastinate away. I won’t tell anyone.
Read these books so you at least can say you were cleaning. Sort of.
- Simply Clean: The Proven Method for Keeping Your Home Organized, Clean, and Beautiful in Just 10 Minutes a Day
- The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning
- The Complete Book of Clean: Tips & Techniques for Your Home
- The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
- The Organically Clean Home
- Cluttered Mess to Organized Success Workbook
Getting Kids Involved In Cleaning Your Home
If you have kids, you know how hard it can be to get them to help with the cleaning. Even kids that are usually helpers can get sick of cleaning pretty quickly. (And I don’t blame them!)
Never fear. Here are a few ways to get your kids more involved in keeping your home clean.
- Hacks for getting your kids to clean the bathroom
- 5 simple chores for kids that will actually help you
- The very best chore charts for kids
- Age appropriate chores for kids
- 3 tips to motivate kids to do chores
Home Cleaning Humor
Sometimes when the toilet is overflowing and the dog is in the trash, and the kids haven’t done their chores in weeks, all you can do is laugh.
Or cry.
But laughing is better. Here are a few home cleaning humor posts that will keep you giggling through the mess.
- One time I tried to implement a daily cleaning schedule. I had three kids under the age of 4 at the time. This is what happened.
- This is a top secret cleaning tip that has been passed down in my family for years. Some people find it funny, so I’m putting it in the humor category. But listen to me when I tell you that it actually works. And then feel free to email me a big, fat thank you when people start to notice how much cleaner your house is!
- Sometimes the best way to get your house clean fast is to invite someone over for dinner. I mean, I may not be able to clean my house in a day, but if I have friends coming over for dinner, I can do laundry, clean the entire house AND paint the dining room in about two hours flat. If you don’t have two hours – and only have 20 minutes – here’s how to be ready for company in no time!
- Listen. Sometimes you don’t need to go on an all-out cleaning spree. Sometimes you just need to fake it a little bit. Here are the best ways to fake cook, clean and iron. You’re welcome!
There you have it. If you can’t keep your home clean after all of THIS advice, then I can’t help you.
But don’t feel too bad if your house is a pig pen. My guess is you’re still doing better than these guys – who all competed in my messiest house on the internet contest!
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