Brilliant Cleaning Tricks To Make Even The Hardest Items To Clean Sparkle

When’s the last time you cleaned your hairbrush? Yeah, it’s not exactly a must-do task. But – without wanting to be gross – think of all the grease and dirt that accumulates on your head. That’s being transferred onto your brushes. Eww! Luckily, there’s a super-quick way to sanitize your hair tools. Just pop them into the dishwasher. That way, they’ll come out fresh and looking almost as good as new.

You know you need to clean up spills and splatters from your stovetop, but have you ever looked up at your cleaning vent? That can get pretty dirty, too. And if your vent seems a little on the grubby side, then listen up: a quick dip into a bowl of hot water and baking soda should remove any caked-on grease.

Pretty much no other piece of furniture gets more use than your bed. We do spend a third of our lives sleeping, after all! And even when there are sheets over your mattress, it needs to be cleaned every so often to keep it fresh. All you have to do is sprinkle some baking soda and essential oil onto the surface of the mattress before sucking the odor-neutralizing mix up with a vacuum. Simple!

Be honest: how often do you eat over your keyboard? That’s okay, we won’t tell... The crumbs between the keys kinda give the game away, though, and they look pretty nasty to boot. But, yet again, there’s a simple solution – and it may even be within arm’s reach! Thanks to their sticky strips, Post-it notes can pick up any unwanted dirt, fluff and, yes, crumbs from the cracks.

If there’s anything we’ve learned in life, it’s this: dust is everywhere. And, yes, that includes on ceiling fans. But if you’ve ever found yourself teetering on a ladder with a cloth that seems to disperse the dirt rather than pick it up, turn to a trusty pillowcase instead. You heard us! Simply drape the cover over the blades and wipe them that way.

While you might not expect it, spirits are pretty good at getting rid of those pesky stains. Dallas Maids chief Greg Shepard explained how, telling NBC News, “First, blot the stain. Second, pour any type of [clear alcohol] onto the stain. This is better than any over-the-counter product.” We’ll take his word for it.

Love your dog? Of course! But we bet their hair gets all over the place. And if your vacuum cleaner’s not up to the task of picking up all that fur, then here’s a handy hint. Grab the squeegee you have for the car and scrape it over your sofa. That’ll lift the fluff in a jiffy.

The absolute worst thing about a coffee grinder is getting the darn thing clean. Just when you think it’s all sparkly and pristine, there’s a hidden spot of stuck-on grounds that just won’t shift. At least this tip will save you some elbow grease! Add pieces of stale bread to the cup part and then turn the grinder on. Now, those bits of coffee will stick to the bread instead. Easy!

Cleaning out the gutters? Ugh. No one likes that. But listen up. Do it in winter, as it’s much easier. That’s because the muck that’s been accumulating in your gutter will have hardened. It may even have frozen! And at that point, it can be removed pretty simply.

No need to scrub your tub for hours! Let Jenice Findley of Fins Property Maintenance show you another way. She explained to NBC News, “[Mix] one cup vinegar [and] half a cup of baking soda with hot water, pour into the tub and allow to sit for five minutes. Start filling the tub with hot water until it’s approximately a quarter full, and let it sit for an additional five minutes. Then release the drain and rinse thoroughly.” Easy!

Cutting boards are the unsung heroes of the kitchen. But with all the veggies you’ve chopped on them, it’s no wonder they look a little worse for wear. Luckily, you can freshen your wooden boards up with a little sprinkle of salt and half a lemon. Now they’re not only sanitized, but they smell good, too!

Got a drain that’s all gunked up? Don’t sigh and find the plunger – just head for the pantry! Baking soda and vinegar are your saviors, and here’s what you need to do. First, pour some hot water into the drain before adding half a cup of the soda. Chase that with a cup of vinegar, and the reaction this mix creates should help clear any clogs.

If you’re struggling to keep your oven spotless – and let’s face it, we all are – then Mr. Appliance’s Doug Rogers has a handy tip. “Spray a mixture of one cup water, one cup vinegar and lemon essential oil onto your stovetop and simply wipe clean,” he told NBC News. “You can use the same technique to clean your oven, which will help prevent kitchen fires.” Good to know.

Grilled food may be delicious, but getting that fat and grease off the grill is a pain in the butt. Well, it was until you started using this handy trick! Wet two paper towels and lay them across the hot parts – carefully, of course. That’ll essentially steam clean your grill with a minimum of fuss.

So, you already know that alcohol does an awesome job of cleaning carpet stains. Luckily, it’s great at tackling spills on your sofa, too! All you need to do is apply some rubbing alcohol to the soiled section of the cushion and massage it in with a bristle brush before rinsing.

If you shudder at the thought of cleaning your window blinds, then Leanne Stapf from The Cleaning Authority has some advice. “Take [a] 50/50 vinegar and water mixture with an old clean sock,” she explained to NBC News. “Swipe the sock over each section, and the embedded dust and dirt will come right off your blinds.” Wow!

The problem with a garbage disposal? Not all of the garbage goes away. We’re talking about the crud that clings to the splash guard and makes your kitchen stinky. But don’t despair: simply grab an old toothbrush. Those sturdy bristles can help you scrub the waste off.

Air vents are so annoying to clean. Those narrow slats accumulate lots of dust, and clearing that with a cloth is a total chore. The answer? Use a butter knife instead. Yep, you read that right! Wrap a duster around the knife and then use that on the vent. Now it’ll be spotless in a fraction of the time.

Dust just seems to love a laptop, doesn’t it? It’s pretty partial to your TV set, too. But don’t worry, as Leanne Stapf has the answer. She said, “Coffee filters are useful items to keep around your living room and office. They are perfect for clearing dust from TV screens, computer monitors and any other screens around the home without leaving behind any fibers like towels do.” How come we never thought of that!?

That hair clogging your vacuum head? There seems to be more of the stuff than there is on your actual head! But don’t cut the hair away with a pair of scissors, as you could end up trimming the bristles, too. Use a seam ripper instead.

Shoe polish is all well and good for your fanciest footwear, but what if your sneakers need a little TLC? Well, if you don’t want to – or can’t – just throw them into the washing machine, dab at any stains with nail polish remover. And after the affected areas are given a quick wipe with water, then voilà! Your sneakers will look box-fresh again.

Remember to get rid of your dryer lint! It can be a fire hazard, after all. And here’s a handy way of removing all of the stuff from underneath the trap. Simply grab an old T-shirt and push it into the narrow gap. The lint should stick to the fabric and hopefully clear away every last bit.

You know by now that vinegar and baking soda are the perfect cleaning tag-team. And that’s just as true when it comes to oven racks, too! Mix the two together, and you’ll be able to clear any baked-in gunk without the need for too much elbow grease.

Spilled red wine on your coffee table? What a nightmare! But don’t just stand there tearing your hair out. Rush to the kitchen and grab a slice of bread. Then scrunch it up into a ball, place it on the spill and see how the bread absorbs the liquid. Pretty neat, huh?

Screen doors get filthy way too quickly. But it’s actually pretty simple to remove those pesky cobwebs and tiny bits of dust and dirt. And all you need is a lint roller. Yup! The grime will adhere to the sticky tape, you see, and it’ll get the job done in minutes.

Is your kitchen gear looking a little worse for wear? Well, Mat Franken from Aunt Fannie’s may have a solution. He told NBC News, “Olive oil is a great option for cleaning stainless steel such as pots, pans and appliances. Put olive oil on a soft cloth and rub in a circular motion to buff out any dirty spots.”

How do kitchen cabinets become so darn messy? And that’s even when your pans and gadgets are clean. But whatever the reason, there’s a simple way to wipe off that unwanted grime. Mix a bit of baking soda with some vegetable oil and use this combo on a rag to get your cabinets gleaming.

Has your pet had a little accident? Or have you just spilled some milk on the sofa? Either way, things are getting stinky! To freshen your couches and chairs up, call on a clever combination of vinegar, water and essential oils. The first two of those should help neutralize the smell, while the third should replace it with a more pleasant scent instead.

While lemon and salt are awesome for wooden cutting boards, their plastic counterparts need something different. To get these ship shape, create a puree of sorts using dish soap, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. From there, spread the substance over the board and leave it to soak in for a little while before washing away.

Stoves get greasy so quickly it’s annoying. But when your burner covers need a clean, all you have to do is put them inside a self-sealing bag with a touch of ammonia. Then leave the bag until the next day. Really – resist the temptation to take the covers out! Your patience will be rewarded, as they’ll emerge dirt-free.

Okay, so you clean the toilet with a toilet brush. Got it. But how do you clean the toilet brush? Sounds like a riddle, but we have the answer! A simple squirt of Pine-Sol will do the trick.

Now for something a little more unorthodox. We’re talking about those grubby plastic toys your little ones just won’t give up – and won’t stop sticking in their mouths. Well, wait until naptime and put the dirty playthings in a laundry bag. Then put on a wash, and before your kids wake up, their beloved toys should be as good as new.

You probably don’t wash your pillows as often as you should do, and that may be because they just don’t feel the same after. There’s a way of keeping your bedware in top condition, though – even after a cycle in the machine. Believe it or not, if you want your pillows really fluffy, then add some tennis balls to the dryer. Sounds weird, but it works.

Yup, toothbrushes are great for cleaning more than just your chompers. They’re perfect for all the small scrubbing tasks you have to do, too. And that means these handy little bristled tools can aid you in clearing out your toaster – especially when it comes to the metal wiring. Make sure your appliance is unplugged, though, before you try this tip!

Okay, so your toilet brush is totally failing to remove those pesky stains in the bowl. What to do? Well, for starters, listen to Doyle James of Mr. Rooter Plumbing. He told NBC News, “Mix one cup of baking soda with 15 drops of tea tree essential oil and 15 drops of lemon or orange essential oil. Let the mixture sit in the bowl for 30 minutes and scrub with a bowl brush before flushing.”

Obviously, your dishwasher needs to be in tip-top shape to do its job. And, yes, that means cleaning it! To get the best results, put a jug of vinegar in there prior to a wash. You then need to dust the bottom with baking soda and run the appliance a second time.

Your microwave looking a little grubby? Then let us help you out. Fill a glass container with a quarter-cup of vinegar and some sliced-up lemon, and set the microwave to go for a couple of minutes. Once it’s finished, though, don’t open the door right away. Leave it for a little while, and you’ll eventually notice that any baked-in splatters have been softened by the vapor – ready to be wiped away.

When a greasy mark appears on your walls, your first instinct may be to try and rub it off. Well, your actual first instinct is to groan, but after that you should run some chalk over the stain. That’ll soak up the oil without any more mess or fuss.

Oh, those pesky water stains. They cover our faucets and mirrors before we’ve even finished scrubbing the tub! But help may come from a surprising place. Greg Shepard has explained, “Apply shaving cream [to the area] and let it sit for 15 minutes, then wipe it off.” Yes, really.

Your vacuum may be great at getting your carpets clean, but what about those tricky crevices in every room? Well, if you have no special attachments, then we have a solution that won’t cost you a penny. Simply grab a used cardboard bathroom tissue roll and place it onto the end of your cleaner. And there you have it – a makeshift nozzle that’ll get into the gaps.