20 simple cleaning hacks for your home this spring
Want to perfect your house cleaning routine? We asked Persimmon brand ambassador and cleaning expert Alice to share her house cleaning tips, and how you can save some money, too.
I'm Alice, I'm a first-time homeowner from Staffordshire. I live in a three-bed home with my husband, our baby and our 11-year-old Bichon Frise. I have always been incredibly organised in every aspect of my life and passionate about interiors, which has led me interiors and cleaning content creation.
I've always loved cleaning, and from a young age I've always helped my parents clean the home, by choice. I've also always been the organiser in my life - if anyone in my family is ever having a party they always come to me to organise it.
When I bought my own home and moved out, I was in my element having such a big space to organise and keep tidy! In early 2020, we were also just starting to decorate our home so I decided to make an Instagram page to document our journey so we could look back on any progress we made. Little did I know this would go crazy and become a passion of mine for over 4 years now!
Since having our little boy, it was hard to keep my home in immaculate condition like it was before, and the home decor posts were taking too much of my time to create. So I decided to diversify my content to include my other passion - cleaning!
I didn't realise cleaning videos were so popular until I gained over 500,000 followers in under 2 months. I decided to hunt down gadgets and tips to make cleaning easier and quicker for myself and others, especially now I have a baby. Time is precious!
Here are my top 20 home cleaning tips to save you time and money:
1. Deep clean your sinks using bicarbonate of soda and dish soap
Simply sprinkle some into your bathroom and kitchen sinks, add a dash of water and scrub. Bicarbonate of soda is great because it deodorises and therefore gets rid of any nasty smells without the need for harsh chemicals.
2. Dishwasher tablets are amazing degreasers
I use these in many ways. Firstly, pop one into your air fryer trays and add boiling water. Leave for 10 minutes and rinse. All of the grease should be gone, with no need for scrubbing!
3. Get streak-free glass
My favourite tool is a window vacuum! I use these to clean windows, mirrors, worktops, glass surfaces, my hob, you name it.
4. Clean the things that clean for you!
Washing machines, dishwashers and vacuums won’t do the best job if they’re also dirty. I try to clean mine every month to ensure they work efficiently.
5. Steam is a great cleaning tool
There's no chemicals and it kills 99% of germs. I have a handheld steamer which I use on pretty much everything - all upholstery, oven, taps, hard surfaces etc. I also use a floor steamer on my kitchen tiles.
6. Use a power scrubber for a quicker clean
These are also great as they prevent the need for bending down or scrubbing on your hands and knees, so it stops any sore backs.
7. Deep clean with a Dishmatic
I use mine to clean surfaces such as sinks, mirrors, toilets, worktops, even my bathroom floors! These are great for deep cleaning. You can fill them with whatever products you like and they have replaceable heads to prevent any cross contamination.
8. Invest in a stain striker
I have the Shark Carpet Xpert with the stain striker tool. This just allows you to quickly deal with any spillages or stains before they have time to settle, saving you money and time on other products or replacing items due to damage.
9. Damp dusting is the most effective way of dusting
Ever wonder why you constantly need to dust your home? Well simply using an ordinary duster pushes most of the dust around or flings it into the air only for it to resettle again. Damp cloths and dusters are an easy way to pick up all of the dust to stop it returning again.
10. Keep cushions smelling fresh
Pop a tumble dryer sheet into the inside of your cushions covers - these will make the room smell lovely! Great if you need a quick freshen up if you have visitors coming.
11. A clean place to rest your head
Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda and a couple of drops of essential oils onto your mattress, leave for 30 minutes then vacuum off. This will deodorise, remove bacteria and kill any dust mites living in your mattress.
12. Get your shower sparkling
Mixing equal parts of distilled white vinegar and dish soap together and cleaning your shower screens with it will easily remove any soap scum and leave them gleaming! I pop mine into a Dishmatic for an easy application.
13. Don’t forget walls and ceilings
Flash Speedmops have duster head attachments which are great for dusting your walls and ceilings. These are places we often forget to clean and you wouldn't believe how dirty they get!
14. Speedy sink cleaning method
Pop one cup of bicarbonate of soda and two cups of white vinegar into your plughole, cover with a cloth for 10 minutes then rinse with hot water. This will get rid of any blockages as well as removing any nasty odours, keeping your bathrooms and kitchens smelling fresh.
15. Banish limescale on a budget
If you have any limescale build-up on your taps, pop some white vinegar into a food bag, tie this around your tap head so it’s sitting in the white vinegar, and leave overnight. In the morning simply wipe away the limescale.
For limescale around the base of the tap, soak a cloth or toilet roll in white vinegar and place around the base with no gaps. Again, leave overnight and wipe away. You can also use the bag method on shower heads.
16. Set yourself a timer
You won't believe how well this works until you try it. Set yourself an hour or a 30-minute timer and get cleaning. This is the best way to get motivated and maximise your time.
17. Have a cleaning schedule
I know this isn't always possible, but I try to set myself one and stick to it as best as I can. For example, to help me stay on top of housework I have tasks that I complete every day, set days for certain rooms, and tasks that I complete monthly. Create a cleaning checklist for each of these schedules.
18. Do a quick tidy before you go to bed
I promise you, it’s worth it! There is nothing better than waking up the next morning knowing the dishes are done and put away, and your home is in order, ready for you to go on with your day. Simply cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, having a quick vacuum and putting things back in their places is all it takes.
19. Stainless steel hack
Use baby oil on any stainless steel surfaces for a streak free shine!
20. When life gives you lemons…
…clean with them! Lemons are a great cleaning tool and they have so many uses, so no need to ever throw these away. If I ever have any leftover, I use them to clean my microwave, my sinks, hob and shower screens. They smell lovely too!
I hope that after reading my tips you feel motivated and are able to take away some of these ideas to help yourself stay organised and on top of tasks when you clean your house. Remember to clean smarter, not harder!
