You know who always does things best? Grandma. She’s got the tastiest recipes (handwritten and neatly tucked into her recipe tin), preserves the most heartwarming traditions year after year, and she manages to keep a scrupulously tidy home.
The latter of those doesn't happen by accident, either. She’s got a handful of “old school” cleaning tricks up her sleeve that are worth bringing into our modern world. From sofa resets to ironing pillow cases, consider working these grandma chores into your weekly routine.
Sofa Resets
Sofas got quite a bit of cleaning attention back in the day, but are often an afterthought on chore lists today. Professional cleaner Logan Taylor, founder of The Dazzle Cleaning Company, tells us that’s a mistake. He says “Couches, sofas, and loveseats can collect a surprising amount of dirt, dust, change, toys, even food. A solid sofa reset is an easy way to freshen your home.”
A reset includes removing cushions and pillows, vacuuming, tending to stains, and fluffing pillows. You can also launder covers and/or use a deodorizing spray. Equal parts water and vodka is an old-school trick that really works.
Deep Cleaning the Knickknacks
In grandma’s day, knickknacks were mostly on the mantel, but now people have whole tablescapes of decorative items. “Instead of just dry-dusting all those little knickknacks and figurines, they need to be gently submerged in soapy water and then rinsed, because the dust just gets into all of the little nooks and crannies and settles there,” says Rochelle Wilkinson, owner of Dirt Detective Cleaning.
Ironing the Pillowcases
We spend a small fortune on fancy bedding, pillows, and mattresses, but one of the nicest little luxuries costs practically nothing. “Ironing your pillowcases makes your bed feel a little more like a really good hotel,” says Robin Murphy, cleaning expert and creator of Who Likes It Dirty. (And unlike ironing an entire set of sheets, it only takes a few minutes.) Simply give them a light mist of water and then iron.
Using a Whisk Broom
Small whisk brooms are handy for all sorts of tasks, from sweeping crumbs off the table to cleaning the stairs. Basically, they take care of small messes without dragging out the vacuum cleaner.
“We really don’t need a rechargeable or motorized appliance every time we drop a few crumbs,” Murphy says. “A whisk broom doesn’t need batteries, electricity, replacement filters, or an app. It costs next to nothing, lasts for years, and gets a lot of jobs done easily.”
Air-Drying (Select) Items
Instead of tossing every item into the dryer, Taylor says we should take inspiration from Grandma and air-dry delicates or particularly loved items.
“Machine drying clothes can age them quicker than air drying and air drying saves electricity,” he says. “Letting items air dry will increase the life of most pieces of clothing.” If you live in a small space consider buying a line that’s easily installed above a bathtub, or a folding drying rack.
Deep Cleaning the Walls
Walls hold a surprising amount of grime. Back in the day, wall washing was standard cleaning fare, but the habit’s fallen by the wayside in modern years. Wilkinson says this is partially because many people smoked indoors. While that’s not true today, there’s still buildup from fireplaces, cooking grease, dust, and dirt.
“If you’ve ever taken a picture down off the wall, you’ve probably been amazed by how dirty it is back there,” Wilkinson says. “We use a flat mop and put the mop head in a bucket of cleaner. Flat mops are great for cleaning walls, and make it so much easier than doing it by hand.”
Wendy Rose Gould is a lifestyle journalist who routinely contributes to Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Women’s Health, and House Beautiful, among others. She covers home and garden, wellness, and travel, focusing on thoughtful storytelling and detailed reporting. When not writing, you can catch her perusing thrift stores, singing, hitting the gym, and petting any cat or dog that'll allow it.
