When it comes to cleaning your home, you know the basics, like wiping down the kitchen counters every night and regularly vacuuming your living room rugs. But then there are the little jobs that you’re just not sure how best to tackle. (The coffee maker looks clean, but is it really clean?) These fast and easy home cleaning tips and tools will answer those burning questions you feel a little silly asking. No judgments here, just great advice to help you make every inch of your place sparkle.
How often do I need to replace my kitchen sponge?
Probably more frequently than you think! Bacteria thrive in wet places like a kitchen sink, so that sponge can get icky pretty quickly. As a rule, you should toss sponges every one to two weeks, depending on how often you use them. For hard-to-reach nooks and crannies in your kitchen, consider using a soap-dispensing dish sponge brush that features replacement heads. Once the sponge has passed its prime, simply remove and replace with a fresh one.
It’s also important to decontaminate your sponge on a daily basis to avoid the spread of germs and bacteria. To do this, mix 2 tablespoons of bleach with 1 cup of water in a bowl and soak the sponge in it for 5 minutes. Then wring it out and let it air dry.
How do I get dust out from under appliances?
When you clean the floor, you probably steer around big appliances like your fridge and your oven—and meanwhile, dust and dirt are building up underneath. Our slim under-appliance duster makes it easy to capture dust bunnies down there. Slip it under, sweep the surface clean, and when you’re all done, unsnap the duster head and wash it in cold water. That was easy!
How often do I need to clean my coffee maker?
When you think about the grimiest surfaces in your home, you probably picture the kitchen sink or the plates sitting in your dishwasher. But in a national household germ survey, researchers found that 50 percent of coffee makers contained yeast and mold. Yuck!
Luckily, it’s easy to prevent these buildups, which occur from the minerals in water. On a daily basis, wash all removable parts with dish soap every time you finish making coffee. Once a month, do a more thorough cleansing. You may have heard the old advice about running vinegar through the machine, but that can leave behind residue that ruins the smell and flavor of your coffee. Instead, try our descaling solution, which helps your coffee maker work more efficiently and may even extend the life of your appliance.
Want even more cleaning tips? Our in-depth coffee maker care guide has you covered. Once your machine is clean, treat yourself to a mouthwatering coffee cocktail.
How can I prevent hair from getting stuck in the shower drain?
Nobody wants to clean a big clump out of the drain. That’s why you want a drain protector, which catches hair while still letting water flow through. Simply empty it when you’re done—then move on to the next item on your to-do list.
What’s the best way to clean my toilet?
To start, pour toilet cleaning solution into the bowl, aiming around the inside rim to avoid the solution being diluted by the water. Close the lid. While the cleaner goes to work on the grime around the bowl edges, spray the outside of the toilet with a cleaning solution and wipe down everything—tank, base, lid and seat—with a rag. Make sure you go behind the toilet too. Our tub and tile brush makes that task a cinch.
Next, raise the lid and scrub the bowl with a toilet brush, cleaning from the top down. Then flush the cleaning solution—and you’re all done. Phew!
Ready to tackle even more cleaning jobs around your house? These bathroom cleaning tips make even the dirtiest job easy.