Keeping an entire home spotless can seem overwhelming, particularly with modern demands, today’s seemingly endless array of household cleaners, and potentially increased time at home. Luckily, there are a few home cleaning practices that have truly stood the test of time. Instead of reinventing the wheel, take a note from grandma and try one of these five home cleaning hacks from yesteryear:
White vinegar on everything
White vinegar has been the ultimate power player in DIY home cleaning for generations (Martha Stewart, 2020). Its acidic pH makes it great for removing residue, bacteria and grease, so whether you choose to combine it with lemon juice, baking soda, or water, this ingredient will have your space sparkling in no time.
Grandma might recommend you use it to clean (Good Housekeeping, 2017):
● Windows
● Dishwashers
● Towels
● Carpet
● Produce
● Adhesive revenue
However, you’ll want to avoid using vinegar on:
● Granite or marble
● Stone flooring
● Hardwood
Embrace baking soda
You might just have another grandma-approved cleaning agent in the pantry. Baking soda’s texture provides extra scrubbing power as well as odor-absorption and can be combined with other mild cleaning agents to take your tidying to the next level.
Take a note from grandma and use baking soda to clean (HGTV, 2016):
● Showers
● Drains
● Greasy surfaces
● Ovens
● Sinks
● Painted surfaces
● Tile and wax-free flooring
● Carpet and upholstery
Unfortunately, baking soda won’t work so well (Taste of Home, 2019) on:
● Glass
● Aluminum
● Marble or quartz
● Wooden furniture
● Wood floors
Clean top to bottom
Another tried-and-true hack is cleaning from top to bottom (Well and Good, 2018). For example, perhaps you’ve seen your grandma dusting the ceiling fans or cleaning the counters before vacuuming the floors. Turns out, that’s for good reason!
If you don’t take a top-down approach, dust and other debris will be stirred up as opposed to captured, leaving it to settle elsewhere. Of course, what goes up must come down, so you may end up needing to clean the floors twice.
Air-dry whenever possible
While the dryer may be convenient, perhaps our ancestors were onto something with line-drying. As it turns out, there are many measurable benefits to line-drying clothes, bedding, and other household linens (The Spruce, 2021).
In addition to saving you money and conserving energy, line drying can eliminate odors, increase freshness, and extend the life of your linens. Not to mention, sunlight is believed to bleach and disinfect fabric. So, if you’re looking to get the most of your white sheets, consider going old-school and hanging them out to dry.
Clean as you go
The homeowners of yesteryear also knew a thing or two about efficiency. One common practice that has stood the test of time is cleaning as you go as opposed to letting household chores pile up. This practice promotes clean living by painting cleaning up as a way of life as opposed to a chore to be put off.
To implement this practice in your own life (Apartment Therapy, 2021), consider:
● Cleaning the mirror while completing weekly self-care
● Cleaning the fridge before grocery shopping
● Tidying the kitchen after dinner each night
● Straightening your desktop each time you add something new to the calendar
● Wipe shower walls before you get out
● Quickly clean the toilet every morning
● Scrub the kitchen sink whenever you start the dishwasher
● Mop the kitchen floors each time you take the trash out
● Wash the dishes while dinner is cooking
From putting your baking soda to work to changing the way you think about cleaning in general, a few of Grandma’s time-tested tips and tricks could overhaul your home. After all, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel!
Published on March 14, 2022
