60 must-follow tips to deep clean your home

Whether you’re a fan of cleaning or not, you probably don’t have the time to clean as thoroughly as you’d like on a daily basis. This can mean that while on surface level, everything looks great, things are starting to get a bit dirtier than you’d like.

If you’ve scheduled in time for a deep clean this weekend, this slideshow will make you feel excitement rather than dread for your upcoming chores! We’ve put together the biggest collection of ways to deep clean your home like never before – and most of these hacks won’t take you all day, either.

1. Freshen up your vacuum

We all have to deal with a smelly vacuum – it’s just part of cleaning, especially so if you have pets. The Krazy Coupon Lady has a good suggestion for deodorizing your vacuum cleaner: suck up a few laundry scent balls, or even some cinnamon powder, to give it a much sweeter, fresher scent. It won’t mask the smell entirely, but it’ll help.

The Krazy Coupon Lady
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The Krazy Coupon Lady

2. Squeeze top bottle = vacuum nozzle

When your shop-bought vacuum won’t get into those tiny nooks and crannies, get creative with your own custom attachments. A squeeze-top bottle can be used as a vacuum nozzle for getting into the tiny spaces that your vacuum usually can’t manage. All you need to do is cut the base off the nozzle and stick it over the end of your vacuum pipe.

Your House And Garden
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Your House And Garden

3. Deep clean your garbage disposal

A short term cleaning solution for your garbage disposal is probably to throw some ice or some citrus peel and hope for the best. If you’d rather eliminate the problem entirely, rather than just masking it, you’ll need a toothbrush and preferably a peg for your nose: it’s time for a deep clean. The Family Handyman has a useful step-by-step cleaning guide on how to do it.

The Family Handyman
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The Family Handyman

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4. Clean your toilets with Cola

Coca Cola has been used for all sorts recently, including in popular recipes and for cleaning. If you want to avoid the harsh chemicals when cleaning your toilet, whip out a can of Cola instead. Pour it into your toilet, scrub normally with your toilet brush, then flush. Voila! Spick and span.

5. Clean out your faucet handles

Even when you deep clean your sink, you probably only give the reachable parts of your faucet a good scrub. Those tiny cracks that accumulate dirt are not your problem. But actually, they’re easier to clean than you might think – you just need the right equipment for the job. Q tips are your best friends for this one. What’s Up Fagans have shared a useful tutorial to get your faucet handles gleaming in no time.

What's Up Fagans
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What's Up Fagans

6. Deep clean your kitchen sink

Nobody really stops to think how much dirt a kitchen sink accumulates. Bits of food that you might not even be able to see are prime culprits for bacteria and germs. To get your sink sparkling and clean, make a paste out of baking soda and water, and scrub around with a sponge. Let it dry, wipe away with a cloth, and follow up with a little flour and a cloth. Finish with olive oil, which will add some shine to your stainless steel.

7. Shine your floors like never before

It doesn’t take much for wooden floor to take on a dull, dirty appearance. Mopping it with a floor cleaner will help somewhat – but the much better alternative is to use a homemade recipe including 1/2 cup of vinegar, 1 tablespoon castile soap, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, and 2 cups of warm water. Mix them in a spray bottle, then spritz your floor before mopping.

8. Clean a cast iron pan with sea salt

Cast iron skillets are an incredibly useful utensil to have in the kitchen… except when it comes to cleaning. It’s often near-impossible to scrub away the grime and burn marks that build up on the base of the pan, and dish soap is no good as it can strip away the pan’s coating. Instead, use coarse sea salt to lift the stains, then wash thoroughly under hot water.

9. Get your baseboards cleaning

Baseboards, skirting boards, whatever you want to call them… does anyone actually bother to clean them on the regular? If yours are looking a little shabby, there’s a really simple way to get them gleaming again: with a magic eraser. It should scrub off dirt and grime without the need for any heavy chemicals.

The Country Chic Cottage
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The Country Chic Cottage

10. Take out hard water stains with lemon

There’s no avoiding hard water stains, unless you’ve splashed out on a water softener. For the majority of us who haven’t, using a lemon is a simple way to get those stains out. Just rub your glassware, kettle and faucets with the inside of a lemon, and leave it for 10 minutes. Rinse away with water, and prepare to be amazed by the sparkle!

11. Keep your air vents dust-free

Air vents are another part of a home that we tend to pretend doesn’t exist. It’s only when it comes to doing a deep clean that we realize how full of dust they’ve become. keep your own vents dust-free by using a butter knife to slot a rag between the grates. You only need to spritz the rag with some simple home cleaner and the dust should simply come away.

Home Sweet Homebodies
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Home Sweet Homebodies

12. Use a razor to slice paint off old clothes

Most of us have a “painting and decorating” outfit that we don’t mind getting covered in paint when we’re doing DIY around the house. But if you ever find yourself with an accidental paint splatter down an outfit you actually like, just wait for the paint to dry and slice it off with a razor. A sharp knife would also work too, but you’d have to be very careful not to cut your fingers.

13. Tackle your screen windows

Screen doors and windows are notoriously difficult to clean. They seem to be designed to trap dust, dirt and grosser things like cobwebs, and there’s not a lot you can do about it. One genius cleaning hack is to use a lint roller to pull away the debris. If you’re having trouble reaching, try attaching your lint roller to the end of a mop or brush stick.

Handyman Magazine
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Handyman Magazine

14. Clean your oven with vinegar and baking soda

Though the majority of us shudder at the thought of deep cleaning our ovens, it’s not always as difficult as we make it out to be. And you don’t need to gas out your whole room with harsh chemicals, either – not if you have some baking soda and vinegar to hand. Simply make a paste out of half a cup of baking soda and water, then apply the paste to the inside of your oven. The next day, scrape the paste off, then spritz the area with vinegar and wipe clean.

15. Deep(er) clean your faucet handles

Didn’t get enough grime off with our last faucet handles deep cleaning trick? Here’s another one for you to try. Just remove the cover, then use a screwdriver to remove your handle. Soak the entire handle in a vinegar solution, then give it a quick scrub with an old toothbrush. It’ll be good to go in no time!

Chris Hill/ DIY Network
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Chris Hill/ DIY Network

16. Clean a wooden cutting board with lemon and salt

Many of us don’t consider just how bacteria-ridden our wooden cutting boards can get. When we chop items on its surface, food particles become embedded in the grains of wood. The only way to properly clean a wooden cutting board is to put a bit more effort in. First, rub your board down with coarse salt, then swish half a lemon around the surface.

17. Freshen up your toilet brush

Nobody thinks too much about their toilet brush when it’s not in use – it’s too disgusting. But something that should help you feel a little less grossed out about using it is this simple hack: squirt a little Pine-Sol into its holder. Your whole room will smell clean and fresh, and you’ll actually look forward to your scented toilet cleaning duties. Maybe.

18. Use cream of tartar for stainless steel

We bet you’ve never heard of this one before. Mix a few drops of water with cream of tartar on a sponge or in a cup. Then use a toothbrush or sponge to scrub your stainless steel appliances until they sparkle like they’re brand new once more.

19. Store your paper towels out of sight

Paper towels are useful to have lying around if you’re deep cleaning the kitchen or bathroom – but how can you store them without them being an eyesore? Simple – hide them away in a mounted shelf! You wouldn’t even know this glamorous home decor addition was secretly hiding part of your cleaning stash.

20. Remove stains from couches with baking soda

Baking soda is really effective at absorbing stains and odors. If you sprinkle some onto a stain on your couch, it should absorb the worst of the stain without the need for scrubbing with chemicals. Let the baking soda sit for at least 20 minutes before vacuum up. You can then use a basic cleaner to get rid of the last of the stain.

Family Handyman
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Family Handyman

21. Screwdriver toilet cleaning magic

Don’t know how to get into the nooks and crannies to clean out your toilet? Head to your toolshed and take out a screwdriver – we promise this hack is a game-changer! just wrap a Chlorox wipe around the end of your screwdriver and push it into those hard-to-reach gaps to get the dirt out.

22. Use baking soda to clean a glass cooktop

Anyone who owns a glass cooktop will know how unsightly a burn mark or stain looks on the shiny surface. If you’re looking for a natural approach to cleaning, simply sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda onto your cooktop, then take a wet rag and squeeze the water out, then lay it on your cooktop. Leave it to sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing the baking soda away.

23. De-stain your porcelain

Porcelain showers and sinks should be the easiest to clean, but they’re really not. Once they accumulate that thin layer of grey stuff, it’s hard to get them looking sparkling again. A quick, simple tip is to wash the sink out with dish soap or detergent, then spray the whole thing with bleach and let it sit for up to 15 minutes. Wipe it away, and your sink will be shining like never before.

The 36th Avenue
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The 36th Avenue

24. Deep clean your brooms

Not all deep cleaning has to involve manual labor. To deep clean your broom, simply dip it in a bucket of water mixed with dish soap. The water will pull away all the gross stuff. Let it sit for an hour, then swill it around the bucket before removing. It’s also a good idea to spray your broom with disinfectant between uses.

25. Use dryer sheets on your glass

You probably never thought you’d find a use for your dryer sheets that did anything more than make your laundry smell nice. Actually, though, they make for a great glass cleaner – just try them out on your mirrors and shower doors to see what we mean! They remove water spots like you’d never imagine.

Good Housekeeping
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Good Housekeeping

26. Deep clean your burners

To properly clean your burners, take them off your stovetop and soak them in warm, soapy water. Then take a damp cloth and add a little dishsoap to it. Rub the cloth all over your burners, soak them once more and apply a baking soda and water paste to them. Let them sit for 20 minutes before scrubbing the baking soda off and leaving them to dry.

Apartment Therapy
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Apartment Therapy

27. Remove watermarks from shower doors

If a dryer sheet wasn’t enough to remove water marks from your shower doors, here’s another solution. Grab a Magic Eraser and get to work. You can also use this for your mirrors and chrome, FYI. Anywhere that’s accumulated water stains can benefit from a quick Magic Eraser scrub.

28. Spray your rugs

Rugs need the same deep cleaning treatment as carpets from time to time. To clean a worn or faded-looking rug, lay it on a flat surface and hose it down until it’s soaking wet. Then sprinkle laundry detergent over the whole of the rug, spray with a hose again, then use a bristle brush to scrub at the stains. Let it sit for an hour or two, then rinse once more and leave to dry.

Addicted To Decorating
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Addicted To Decorating

29. Get rid of mold on grout

One of the most depressing things about bathrooms is that horrible accumulation of mold that makes its home between your tiles. If you don’t want to spend all day scraping it out with a toothpick, we’ve got a much easier solution for you. Just mix baking soda with bleach to make a thick paste. Then apply the paste to the moldy areas and leave it for 8 hours. Wash the paste away and scrub away any lingering bits of mold with a toothbrush. Simple!

30. Use baking soda on your porcelain sink

Sometimes you need something a little abrasive to scrub your dirty sinks with. The best natural option is baking soda – it won’t damage your sink, but it’ll pick up your stains and help you scrub them away easily. Just sprinkle the stuff liberally all over your sink, then use a sponge to scrub the area. Repeat once more, but this time leave the baking soda to sit for 20 minutes before scrubbing off.

31. Drip dry your toilet brush

What’s the easiest way to stop your toilet brush holder from filling it with manky water post-clean? Just pop your toilet brush beneath your toilet seat, with the brush end pointing into the bowl, and leave it to drip-dry. When it’s completely dried, put it smugly back into your clean brush holder, knowing you’ve just averted a horrible job for the future.

Mrs Hines Cleans
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Mrs Hines Cleans

32. Wash your pillows

Unless you go through pillows so quickly that cleaning them is unnecessary, pay attention to this tip. Pillows can get pretty disgusting after a while, so to sort them out, simply pop them in the washing machine with a cup of bleach and a cup of regular detergent. Run them through the hot cycle, then put them in the dryer with a couple of tennis balls, which will help them keep their shape.

33. Clean out your bathtub

We don’t really give our bathtubs any attention other than when we’re actually using them. If it’s been too long since you gave yours a good clean, make it shine by mixing 1 part Dawn Dishsoap with 1 part vinegar in a dish-wand, then seal it tight and it’ll be good to go. Lightly coat your bathtub with water, then get scrubbing – the soap scum’ll come right off!

Joyful Homemaking
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Joyful Homemaking

34. Clean your toilet siphon

How many of us can honestly say we pay attention to our toilet siphons during our bathroom cleans? (If you do, you’re a rare breed!) But for your toilet to be really clean, you need to dedicate a bit of time to your siphon. Just turn off your water supply and flush your toilet until the bowl is empty. Wrap duct tape around your siphons and pour vinegar into the tank, then flush. Let it sit overnight, before removing the tape and turning the water supply back on.

35. Clean your sneakers with toothpaste

Your teeth aren’t the only things that toothpaste can clean. If your white shoes are starting to look scuffed and dirty, just get a toothbrush with a little toothpaste and rub it onto the dirty spots. The dirt and the grime should lather right out. Wipe your shoes clean with a towel and step back to appreciate your work.

36. Microwave your sponge

Ever thought about how much bacteria is lurking inside your sponge? It’s pretty scary – but before you throw your sponge away for good, wait! You can still save it. Just hold it under hot water until it becomes saturated, then place it on a plate and microwave it for two minutes. It’ll kill 99% of the lingering bacteria and give it a new lease of life.

37. Use dish soap to clean out your blender

This hack makes so much sense, yet most of us still dunk our blenders in the kitchen sink instead of following it! When your blender has accumulated bits of food and grime, just fill it with water and dish soap, put the lid on, and switch it on. The dish soap will pull away the food particles from the sides of your blender, making it a quick and simple rinse job in the sink after that.

38. Wash out your sink after every use

This simple two-minute job will save you from ever having to properly deep clean your sink in the future. After ever time you’ve washed you dishes, use a sponge, dish soap and a little water to scrub all around your sink. So simple, and it’ll buy you back so much time in the future.

39. Use chalk to get rid of grease stains

If you’ve got a grease or oil stain on your clothing, don’t panic – it’s not time to throw it out just yet. You’ve probably never thought to use chalk for any sort of cleaning, but it works wonders in removing your stains. Just rub chalk over the stain and give the powder time to absorb the fat that’s soaked the fibres. Then wash the chalk away and pop your clothing in your washing machine for a standard machine wash.

40. Use mineral oil on your range hood

The sticky, dirty residue that builds up on top of your range hood can easily be removed with mineral oil. Just add a little to a cloth or a paper towel and wipe. To get rid of the oily residue, follow up with dish soap and water, then wipe dry with a cloth.

41. Remove grease and oil from carpets

Let’s face it, grease and oil are likely to get on your carpets if you’re a fan of eating your dinner in your living room. The answer to this problem is simple: sprinke some baking soda onto the stain and leave it to absorb the bad stuff. Next, spray the area with a 50.50 mix of vinegar and water. Leave the solution to dry for a few hours, then vacuum up the baking soda. Sorted!

42. Use polish cleanser on your gas stove

If you have a stainless steel gas stove that, ironically, easily stains, here’s your solution: take some polish cleanser, add it to a bowl, then add a bit of water to make some paste. Rub the paste over your surfaces and leave it for 5 minutes to get to work. Then scrub the paste away with a sponge and wipe clean with a dry cloth.

Logic and Laughter
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Logic and Laughter

43. Clean your shower heads

If you’re so against cleaning your shower head that you’d rather buy a new one than attempt it (no judgement here), this hack is for you. Instead of struggling to scrub away the mold and limescale, simply fill a plastic bag with vinegar, then attach it to your shower head and leave the acid to get to work. When you return, you’ll just need to give your shower head a wipe-down and it’ll look good as new.

44. Let your greasy stove grates sit overnight with ammonia

The only work you need to do here is adding your stove grates to a Ziplock bag and adding about 1/4 cup of ammonia. Seal it up and leave overnight. The fumes from the ammonia will dissolve the grease and hardened oil. The next morning, remove the burners from the bag and wipe them clean with a sponge. It’s like magic!

45. Use a rubber glove to collect dog hair

Your dog might be one of your favorite family members, but not when it comes to cleaning. Dog hair has a habit of getting everywhere – even in places that you’re sure your dog has never ventured into. If vacuuming isn’t an option, just put on a rubber glove and pat it around the hairy areas. You should find that the hair sticks to your glove, and you can wash it away in your sink.

46. Remove your oven stains

If your oven is too far gone to simply clean it with a sponge and some hot water, dpon’t fret – your job still isn’t that difficult! Just make a paste out of water, baking soda and dish soap. Apply the paste to the stain and leave for a few minutes. You’ll still need to use a bit of elbow grease to get it off, but the dish soap will do the most work for you.

Ask Anna Moseley
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Ask Anna Moseley

47. Use a lemon to clean your microwave

The worst way to clean a microwave is to go straight in with a cloth and a spray. You’ll find it much easier to scrub away the built-up grime if you first cut a lemon in half, place it in a jug of water, and microwave it for three minutes. The lemon will lift the dirt away, and your whole kitchen will smell lovely.

48. Wrap hard water-stained faucets in vinegar soaked paper towels

Being an acidic product, vinegar is a great cleaner for counteracting the alkaline hard water deposits on your faucets. Just soak a paper towel or two in vinegar, and wrap them around your faucets to dissolve the minerals. After leaving them for up to an hour, remove them, and simply wipe away the residue with a clean cloth.

Lemons Lavendar and Laundry
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Lemons Lavendar and Laundry

49. Clean your iron with baking soda and vinegar

By now, you should have had a realization: there’s basically nothing that baking soda can’t do, and vinegar pretty handy, too. If your iron has accumulated some water stains and burn residue, just make a vinegar and baking soda solution and dip a cloth into it. Scrub the cloth onto the iron and the stains should come away easily.

50. Get rid of water spotting and odors in your dishwasher

Dishwashers spend so much time cleaning, you’d expect them to stay marginally clean themselves. But it doesn’t take long for a dishwasher to collect old bits of food that make it smell unpleasant, and water spotting that makes it look dirty. To resolve the problem, all you need to do is run your dishwasher on an empty cycle with a cleaning tablet designed for the job.

51. Use a lint roller to clean lampshades

Lint rollers aren’t only good for using on your screen doors and windows. If your lampshades have accumulated dust over the years, just roll a lint roller on their material to pull away the stuff that shouldn’t be there. Give it a try to see just how effective this hack is!

52. Use a pumice stone in your toilet

Hard water stains are often too difficult to remove from your toilet with a simple toilet brush. If you need to get a bit tougher, a pumice stone is ideal for the job. You’ll need to be quite gentle, so you don’t scratch the porcelain in your toilet bowl – but only the smallest effort gets the job done.

53. Use grapefruit and salt to clean your bathtub

There are so many random ingredients that make for great cleaning products, and grapefruit is one of them. When you combine it with salt, it makes for a really effective cleaner for your bathtub. Just sprinkle coarse salt all over your bathtub, then scrub the grapefruit over the area, using it like a sponge. Rinse it clean, and your tub will be sparkling once more.

54. Vacuum and wash your bathroom fan

The bathroom exhaust fan is another one that many of us prefer to pretend doesn’t exist. If yours is pretty clogged with dust and grime, first vacuum between the slots to remove the worst of the particles, then remove the grate and wash it in your sink. You’ll find that most of the dirt comes straight off, but for any tougher marks, make a baking soda water paste and leave it on the area for 20 minutes before scrubbing off.

Practically Functional
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Practically Functional

55. Blowdry away ring stains

While all of us probably have a stash of coasters lying around, it doesn’t mean everyone makes much use of them. If your wooden surfaces have developed water rings from your cups and glasses, we’ve got a solution so simple for you, it’ll blow your mind. Just grab a hairdryer and blow on a spot for a while, then rub some olive oil into it when you’re done, and the spot should vanish.

56. Wash your plastics, glass and metals in the dishwasher

You can go around your whole home looking for dishwasher friendly items that are looking past their best. Then simply load them all up together and put them on a normal cycle, as if you were washing plates and kitchen items. Your stuff will come out looking shiny and clean, and you didn’t have to do any scrubbing yourself.

One Crazy House
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One Crazy House

57. Use a coffee filter to clean your screens

Coffee filters are really great at what they do – but did you know they have heaps of other uses, too? One of the best alternative uses of a coffee filter is to use it to clean your screens. Phone screens, TV screens, laptop screens and even lasses lenses can be cleaned with a coffee filter, which will catch the dust without the need for harsh chemicals.

Wikimedia Commons
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Wikimedia Commons

58. Wipe down your ceiling fan with a pillowcase

Your ceiling fans can accumulate a lot of dust, which then ends up flying around the room when the fan is switched on – not good for allergies! Wiping down your fan is easy – just take a pillowcase and focus on one blade at a time. The genius thing about this hack is that you’ll capture the dust in your pillowcase, so you can simply empty it out outside, then give it a wash in your washing machine.

The Organized Housewife
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The Organized Housewife

59. Repair old leather with olive oil

Lots of people like the look of old leather – but there’s a difference between vintage and unkempt. If your leather couch or recliner has accumulated scratches over the years, olive oil will solve the problem. Pour a little of the oil into a bowl, and dip a clean cloth into it. Dab the cloth onto the affected areas of your furniture and let it dry for an hour, before wiping clean with another cloth.

60. Wash your vents in water

And finally, if poking a knife through your vent slots is too much fuss for you, simply take the whole vent cover off the wall and give it a wash in a bowl of warm, soapy water. Then wipe it clean and stick it straight into the dishwasher to get it looking brand-new once more – and you don’t have to put in any of the hard work yourself.

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