Looking for simple cleaning tips for the house? Save time and clean in half the time with these clever cleaning short-cuts.
disclosure: This post is sponsored by Rejuvenate.
Have you ever wondered what happens when you give a mouse a cookie?
Suffice it to say, it’s a slippery slope.
Kind of like a discussion on all things cleaning.
You know.
Like when we talked about cleaning hardwood floors and that turned into how to clean baseboards which turned into how to get scratches out of floors and that turned into where did I get the rug in my front living room.
Just between us? I’m all about the cleaning tips.
And so?
To show off how we clean our house, I asked one of the twins to help me make a video. Spoiler alert: I was the director and she was the cleaner.
(total aside: if you want your kids to help you clean the house, just make it into a reality show.)
Here’s our cleaning video premier and 9 of our favorite cleaning tips for the house.
Tip 1: How to clean hardwood floors
We’ve already discussed so many of the details on this here.
But I got so many comments about water and when to use it and when not to use it.
(total aside: I want to stress that a slightly damp mop is best when using water on wood floors and make sure to dry them off with a towel after you are done.)
But this?
This is my other solution that I mentioned in that post.
It’s my go-to whenever I’m in a hurry and I just got the call that I’ve got company coming over in a hot minute.
This mop is AMAZING. I love it because you don’t have to change out the pads on the bottom of every room or so. It’s so much more eco-friendly because it has a washable pad that can just be tossed into the washer when you are done. The cleaner bottle just fits into it (we show this more in the video) and you just squirt and go. You don’t have to pause when cleaning the hardwood floors. We use this Rejuvenate Hardwood Floor Cleaner with it. It’s professional strength, designed specifically for hardwood and streak-free.
Quick tip: how to get scratches out of hardwood:
- For light scuff marks, I just use a new tennis ball to remove them. Just rub the tennis ball on the scuff and the traction between the ball and the floor brings the scuff right up.
- If the floor gets scratched and it’s deeper than a scuff? I use stain pens to fill in the scratches and buff it out with a flour sack.
Tip 2: How to clean paint off of hardwood floors
This is one of my very favorite best cleaning tips EVER. I discovered it by accident—but it works like NO TOMORROW.
When you have a paint spill, just wipe it up with a baby wipe.
It will clean everything up and take away the haze that paint can leave behind.
It even works on dried paint, too (if it’s been less than a month since the paint dried). Just scrub with a little elbow grease and watch the dried paint come up.
Tip 3: How to clean slipcovers
I get a lot of questions about how to keep these slipcovers clean.
Here’s my answer.
Water and a microfiber cloth.
Those microfiber cloths are GENIUS. To get rid of small stains on the slipcovers (you want to make sure to catch them as early as you can), just wipe them off with a damp microfiber cloth. I try and wipe the same direction to get the dirt out of the fibers. When you’re done with the cloth, you can just toss it into the washer for the next stain emergency.
Tip 4: How to clean pet hair
I have a lint roller under every sink where I keep my cleaning supplies.
I run that lint roller over pillows and blankets and slipcovers to get rid of pet hair (and people hair, too).
It’s such an easy way to clean.
Just swipe and go.
If you have leather or vinyl chairs, Rejuvenate has an amazing leather and vinyl cleaner that eliminates stains and removes any greasy grimy feel from the surface.
Tip 5: How to clean soap scum in the shower
I can’t stand to scrub the shower.
Generally, I try to get in and get out.
The answer?
This soap scum remover removes soap scum without ANY scrubbing. There’s also an amazing tile and grout deep cleaner that works on grime and dirt.
Tip 6: How to clean ring around the toilet
One of the simplest cleaning tips for the house is how to remove the ring around the toilet. We have hard water here and even after you clean it, it leaves a faint ring.
My solution?
I use a dryer sheet.
Just wipe the ring area with a dryer sheet and the friction in the dryer sheet helps clean the porcelain.
They also work on water stains on your shower door.
Tip 7: Kitchen cabinet tips
First, remove everything from the kitchen cabinets.
Next, vacuum out the inside of the cabinets to remove dirt and dust.
Then spray Rejuvenate cabinet and furniture cleaner. It’s specifically designed to remove grease, grime and dirt.
Let cabinets dry and then put everything back in the cabinet.
Spray the outside of the cabinets, too, and wipe and clean the doors and hardware. Use a toothbrush to get the dirt out from around the hardware.
Tip 8: How to clean a vase with a small opening
I have TONS of vases here at the house. Have you ever looked inside a vase once you’ve gotten rid of the flowers?
Ummm.
No. Just no.
Some of my vases have too narrow a neck to get my hands down in there to clean. So instead, I fill the vase about half with water, add a drop of dishwashing liquid and add in a handful of rice. Swirl the rice and the soap around in the vase and it will get all the flower scum off the bottom. Then dump the rice out, rinse the vase off and your vase is clean in minutes.
Tip 9: Tile floor tips
I just showed you the new butler’s pantry and laundry room.
I love the floor in the room, but the grout is hard to keep clean because there’s so much of it. Someone is always spilling coffee on the floor or trash will spill out of the can.
The simple, easy answer? This mop and this floor cleaner.
You just add the cleaner to the mop and squirt and go.
A clean tile floor in minutes.
Rejuvenate also has a great bio enzymatic tile and grout cleaner, too. It has an advanced formula that keeps cleaning the floors and uses natural enzymes to break down dirt and grime.
Here’s to a clean 2020.
I hope you enjoy my best cleaning tips and this post inspired you and helps cut your cleaning time and makes you (and your house) so much happier.
If you have a cleaning tip?
I’d love to hear it.
We amazing cleaners have to stick together. 🙂
disclosure: this post is sponsored by Rejuvenate.
All opinions are my own.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
Affiliate links are used in conjunction with this post.
Hi KariAnne, great cleaning tips. I want to share one with you as well. Some of us collect old bottles for decorative display and vases. This tip will clean up old as well as new glass. Drop a denture cleaner (no, I don't have dentures!) tablet into the vase, add warm water and let it do it's thing. After the bubbling stops you can rinse and use. If there are really stubborn stains, just put two tablets into the glass! Hope you try it! Happy Day!
I also use a lint roller to "dust" my lampshades. The ones I use are from Dollar Tree. :) I drop a denture table ( and water) in my vases to clean hard water stains. Also from the Dollar Tree. And use a few squirts of Dishwasher Rinse Aid in the water when I'm cleaning knick knacks/decorative glassware. No more water spots!
Probably everyone does this, but I let the toilet bowl cleaner and Scrub Free in the shower sit while I Windex the bathroom mirror, and clean and disinfect my marble counter top, etc. xoxo
These are all great tips and your daughter did a fabulous job of cleaning everything.
GREAT TIPS!! Literally laughed out loud at "if you want your kids to help you clean the house, just make it into a reality show.) You are so stinkin' hilarious. MY best cleaning tip is hire a good cleaning service. Bwuahahahaha. Actually not since the quarantine, so I suppose I do need to go find my cleaning supplies one of these weeks. LOL!!! Seriously though - I think I need to get one of those Rejuv mops. That is brilliant. Have a good day - don't do any cleaning today. : - ) Hugs.
OH - ps One of my fav cleaning tips to avoid streaks on windows? Use newspaper - it really works.
Wow! So many great tips! Will be trying them out right away!
Making cleaning easier is always a good thing!! That mop looks awesome!
Great tips, and adorable helpers❣️
I learned an amazing tip from my mother to clean any flower vase. Just fill the vase with warm warm or hot water and then drop in a denture tablet! Leave it for a few minutes and when the water is clear again, dump out the water and you have a sparkling vase again! Never had this trick fail.
My cleaning tip is to have my kids do the cleaning. Ha. I like to use the Swiffer dust mop cloths to clean ceiling fan blades. Well, I don't LIKE to do any sort of dusting, but that does seem to work well. I recently learned that a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water will cut greasy grime on your stovetop. Thanks for your tips, KariAnne!
Great ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for always wanting to make our lives easier. Your assistant was fabulous!
Thanks for these tips, will be trying them, pinned them. Have a great week.
Questions about the dryer sheet tip: new or used? Do you wet it or use it dry?
Great tips! Now I need to put denture cleaner on my shopping list. You have smart and clever readers! Can I put one or both of the twins on my shopping list as well? I'd prefer them to clean my house rather than doing it myself - just sayin,
Great tips! I am going to try the dryer sheet for my shower doors!
I love the rejuvenate wood floor cleaner. It makes floors look like new. I didn’t know they had a full range of cleaning supplies. Can’t wait to try the cabinet cleaner.
Thank you for the tips. I've forwarded this to the upstairs maid. Fingers crossed! (in all sincerity I had never heard of most of those clever fixes and will be trying them out.)
Fantastic video - and what a cute chamber-maid you have there! :) Thanks for the tips, and have a happy Wednesday!
Vinegar and rice will clean really old horrid bottles. Heat the vinegar for tough jobs. I ordered the soap scrub cleaner , no scrubbing was music to my lazy ears. Looking forward to the post tomorrow!
Bio-clean for shower doors. Bona for wood floors. Hire someone once or twice a year for windows -- it's a splurge but so worthwhile. PS What did you end up doing with the plate rack you were thinking of papering?
Great video! I wish I had a cute helper like you have! She is so pretty and I know she is a sweetie because you are! :) It is nice she helps you out! I hate cleaning, but love a clean house. LOL