As therapeutic as cleaning is, there’s usually something else we’d rather be doing. Yes, we love the after-effects, but not so much the process. After all, cleaning consumes time and energy, and often takes over entire weekends. Days spent dusting, scrubbing, vacuuming, hanging washing – you get the gist.
So, we’re always looking for innovative ways to cut corners when cleaning but still achieve the same sparkling results. Before you mutter, ‘Impossible!’ and resume scrubbing, there are solutions to this conundrum. In fact, we’ve listed seven of our favourite shortcuts here, so you can keep a spotless home but still get some R&R over your weekend.
1. Spritz rinse aid on the shower screen
Even if you wipe down the shower after each use, water marks persist. As droplets dry, limescale remains on the glass screen, creating a cloudy finish that can take some serious scrubbing to shift.
To prevent this problem in the first place, rinse aid can preemptively help the water run off the glass. Rinse aid works by lowering the surface tension of the water; it’s usually applied in the final cycle of the dishwasher to help water rinse off the load. The same principle can be applied to your glass shower screen.
All you need to do is dilute 1tbsp of rinse aid with 750ml warm water in a spray bottle, then spritz it over your freshly rinsed shower screen and buff in with a microfibre cloth. Water will rinse away in the future and you’ll end up with streak-free results. It will need reapplying every two to four weeks and you’ll need to remove the limescale in the first place; a solution of half white vinegar and half water works well for this.
2. Use an oven liner
‘I love cleaning the oven!’ Not something you hear every day and for good reason. Oil and food residue spit, drip and burn on to the floor of the oven with each use, creating a scorched surface that takes some serious elbow grease to clean – but there is a solution to this nuisance.
An oven liner sits at the bottom of your oven, readily collecting spills. When the time comes to give it a clean, it’s good to go straight in the dishwasher, saving you from another chore. Just remember to replace the liner as often as recommended by the manufacturer for safety reasons. And never substitute a liner for aluminium foil – it impacts the thermostat and can even melt on to the floor of the oven.
Oven cleaning kit
3. Simmer a dishwasher tablet in burnt pots
No one enjoys scrubbing endlessly at a burnt pot. To speed up the process, half-fill it with water (or to just above where the residue sits), throw in a dishwasher tablet (ideally one containing enzymes to help break down grease) and simmer on the hob for 10 minutes, before leaving it to cool and scrubbing away what remains with a nylon brush.
This also works wonders for enamelled cast iron casserole dishes as well as hob-safe roasting tins. It’s ideal for cookware that’s suitable for the dishwasher, so avoid on aluminium and copper.
4. Rub wax on to taps
As soon as you’ve cleaned and buffed your bathroom taps, splashback coats them in a fresh layer of limescale. But a little wax can keep chrome looking pristine for longer. All you need to do is run a microfibre cloth around the top of a plain, unscented candle (beeswax also works) and apply directly to the surface of your clean tap. This creates a protective barrier and encourages water to run off, rather than settle.
This method is suitable for chrome and stainless steel taps, but avoid it where there are signs of damage or if your tap has a matte black finish. Stick to specialist waxes as recommended by the brand for other alternate finishes. It will need to be reapplied weekly, but it keeps your taps sparkling and saves repeated wiping and potential limescale.
5. Use bicarb to deodorise
Deodorising a space takes time and effort, and when it’s not something that can be thrown into the washing machine or fixed by opening a window, things get tricky. But there is one household ingredient that does the work for you: bicarbonate of soda.
Bicarb works by neutralising acidic and alkaline odour molecules in the air, aka volatile compounds. In doing this, it effectively deodorises the space just by being placed in the vicinity. So, you could add a small cup of bicarb to your fridge, car, wardrobe, microwave or wherever it tends to smell and it will make a difference. It only needs replacing after three months. You could also sprinkle and vacuum it up (several hours later) from all sorts of smelly places around your home, such as your mattress, pet bed, laundry basket and even your trainers.
6. Line crisper drawers with newspaper
Even if your fridge is smell-free, vegetable leaves and skins create a mess that takes time to remove and clean – especially in the crisper drawers. Rather than taking everything out and inverting it over the food waste bin, lining these drawers with newspaper makes removing this residue a cinch, plus it absorbs moisture, which slows the rotting process. And once you’re finished with the newspaper, it’s good to go on the compost heap as brown waste (once torn into smaller pieces).
If you’re not a fan of newspaper in the fridge, you can alternatively invest in a washable fridge liner, designed to absorb moisture, reduce bruising and help your fruit and vegetables last longer.
7. Give cleaning products time to work
Finally, one tip that most are aware of but never practise is giving cleaning products time to work. As soon as a household cleaner is applied, it’s tempting to start scrubbing straight away. However, while this habit gives the impression of speeding up the process, in reality it just takes more time and effort to get the job done.
Giving cleaning products time to work makes the task easier and quicker. So, after you’ve applied your product, switch your attention to another space for a few minutes (or as long as recommended on the label) then return to it for optimum results. Depending on what you’re cleaning, an electric cleaning brush can save a lot of scrubbing effort, too.
