A brand new year is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start in the home, whether it’s a building a brand new extension, a redecoration or just a simple top to bottom clean. In fact, a recent study in the Daily Mail revealed that 29 per cent of Brits want to keep their houses looking spotless as part of a New Year’s resolution.
If you want a cleaner home for 2015, below are a few simple cleaning hacks to get the job done a lot quicker:
- Clean your microwave with vinegar
Tired of battling those food splatters inside the microwave? Now’s the time to make it look new again! Simply fill a microwaveable bowl with a mixture of half vinegar and half water, and run it in the microwave for a few minutes. Use a cloth to wipe it off the walls of the microwave and voila, good as new!
- Remove pet hair from anything
If you have a four-legged friend, you’ll know what it’s like to live with a permanent coating of fur on everything. The carpet, the sofa, the bed – it gets everywhere! The solution? A rubber squeegee, one of a range of cleaning products from Click Cleaning! Simply sweep your carpet or sofa with the squeegee and watch with horror (or delight) as it pulls up all the pet hair. Alternatively, lightly dampen a rubber glove and use it in the same way along your rugs or furniture.
- Use chalk to remove stains
You’ve ruined that new dress for your Christmas party by dropping your dinner down it, but don’t panic just yet! Believe it or not, a piece of plain white chalk is an effective way to remove greasy stains on clothing. Just rub the chalk on the stain and then wash as you usually would. The chalk powder works by absorbing the grease so your regular laundry detergent will have no trouble removing the stain as normal.
- Clean showerheads without scrubbing
According to Female First, a recent survey revealed that a clean home really does equal a clean mind and a happy home, with 42 per cent of women admitting mess and dirt are the top causes of stress. Save time and effort when it comes to removing soap and scum buildup on your showerhead, and clean it while you sleep! All you have to do is fill a bag up with white vinegar, place it around the showerhead, and tie to secure it. Leave it overnight and it’ll be looking brand spanking new in time for your morning shower!
- Use liquor to clean your mattress
It’s often overlooked, but cleaning your mattress is actually really important, as well as regularly cleaning your sheets and duvet, of course. After all, this is where you sleep every single night! Well, vodka has a new use – that’s right, it can also be used as a way to clean your mattress. The alcohol kills odour-causing bacteria and also disinfects, so get your mattress good and drunk!