10 Amazing Cleaning Tips & Tricks

Your tried-and-true solutions for quickly and efficiently doing away with the dirt.

1. Dusting 

"Don't wipe any surfaces taller than your tallest friend."  

2. Eliminating Pet Hair

"I get very distracted while I'm cleaning, so I set a timer for 30 minutes. It helps me to stay focused, and I get more done in a short amount of time."



4. Storing Supplies

"I keep cleaning products in a shoe holder over the back of my laundry room door. They're easy to see and access, and it saves space."



5. Zapping Red-Wine Stains

"A dab of foaming shaving cream can help remove many red-wine spills from carpets."

6. Recruiting Help

"My sister and I help clean each other's houses. It's great to share the workload with someone who uses the same cleaning techniques, and it cuts the job in half."

7. Picking Up

"I leave a basket at the foot of the stairs and toss in any toys or miscellaneous items that were brought downstairs during the day. Whenever I go upstairs, I take the basket with me and unload. It beats running up and down the stairs all day."

8. Using Outside Services

"If you have an insurmountable pile of laundry that you can't bear to do yourself, find a Laundromat with wash-and-fold service. It costs only a few dollars per load. And I can pick up my clothes the next day."

9. Cleaning for Guests

"If you can clean only one room before company arrives, tackle the bathroom. This is the only room where people spend time solo and may have the time and tendency to notice a mess."

10. Repurposing Old Clothes

"I wear an old, unmatched sock on my hand when I have to dust the house. I run my hand along chair rails, crown moldings, and doors until the sock is dusty enough to discard or wash and reuse."