14 Smart Spring Cleaning Hacks That'll Make You Say "I Wish I'd Known About These Sooner"

From your kitchen to your bedroom, these hacks will make spring cleaning a breeze.

Spring is just around the corner, which means it's a great time to make like Marie Kondo and tidy up. Here are a bunch of hacks to help make cleaning a breeze.

1. Microwave a bowl of water and fresh lemon juice to make the inside smell fresh and clean.

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Fill a measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl with water, slice a lemon in half, and squeeze the lemon juice into the water. Microwave the bowl for about three minutes. The steam combined with the lemon juice will leave your microwave smelling fresh and delicious.

2. And try cleaning your toilet bowl with powdered Kool-Aid.

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Even if you're not drinking Kool-Aid, it's handy to keep in your pantry for bathroom cleaning purposes, according to a hack we saw on One Good Thing by Jillee. Any flavor works, but the lemon especially is great for cleaning mineral deposits in your toilet bowl. Just pour a packet into the toilet bowl, move it around with a toilet brush, and let it sit overnight. The citric acid will start breaking down bacteria on its own.

3. Use a disposable razor to de-pill your sweaters.

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Lay your sweater flat on a surface (like a counter or ironing board) and pull it so it's tight. Then, using short strokes, use a disposable razor to shave away the pills. Always remember to test a small area of your sweater first to make sure this trick doesn't ruin the fabric.

Read exactly how to do it, and check out other popular Pinterest fashion hacks here.

4. And use milk to wash away red wine carpet stains.

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Before your panic over a red wine stain on your carpet, look to your refrigerator. First, dab up as much of the wine as you can, then pour the milk directly over the stain and let it sit for about an hour, absorbing the wine. Finally, pat the area with some water. The milk basically tricks the wine into absorbing into *it* instead of the carpet.

5. Clean your cast-iron skillet with a halved potato.

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Cleaning a cast iron skillet can be a real drag, but luckily there's a simple trick, which calls for a potato, coarse salt, and oil. First, sprinkle salt onto the skillet and scrub it using a halved potato. Then to season it, pour a bit of cooking oil into the skillet and spread it along the surface. Place the oiled skillet into a preheated oven for an hour, and voilà: Crystal clean.

6. Pick up shards of glass with a slice of bread.

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Next time to break a piece of glass, reach for the bread drawer. Turns out miracle bread is, in fact, a miracle. One slice picks of those hard-to-get glass shards better than a broom. Make sure to wear gloves as a precaution. Then, holding the bread in your hand, gently pat it over the area containing the broken class. The bread will act like a sponge for the glass particles.

7. Apply toothpaste to clean dirty white sneakers.

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There are few things as sad as the first time you smudge a pair of spankin' white sneakers. Next time you experience this disappointment, try this trick from Family Handyman: Grab a wet toothbrush and some non-gel white toothpaste and start scrubbing. After a few minutes of scrubbing those smudges should start to disappear.

8. And black tea to clean glass surfaces like windows and mirrors.

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For a DIY and natural alternative to Windex, you can clean glass surfaces like windows and mirrors using homemade black tea. Steep a few bags of black tea in a mug of boiling water and allow the water to cool. Then, transfer it to a spray bottle. Thanks to black tea's acidic content and high tannins, it helps fights grime, dirt, and smudges.

9. Clean denim by putting it in the freezer.

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Have you ever washed a new pair of jeans only to find they've drastically shrunk or bled in the laundry? Next time, try storing demin in your freezer to clean it. Fold jeans and place them in a bag (canvas is best because it allows the denim to breathe). Leave them in the freezer overnight or for up to a week. When you remove them, they'll smell fresh and look crisp and clean.

Read what happened in real life when we tried this hack, along with other popular laundry hacks here.

10. And remove water rings on wooden surfaces with mayonnaise.

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Have you ever wondered how to remove those stubborn water rings from wooden surfaces? Try the mayonnaise in your fridge, according to blog How About Orange. Just cover the water stain with a generous dollop of mayo and let it sit. Once you wipe up the mayo after about 15 minutes, that stain should disappear.

Need even more help with hard water stains? Check out these tricks!

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11. Use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to make a dirty baking sheet look brand new.

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Baking sheets are notoriously one of the most difficult kitchen objects to clean, but not with this handy trick. Sprinkle your sheet pan with baking soda, then coat it with hydrogen peroxide and a second layer of baking soda. Let it sit for an hour or so before rubbing off the cleaning mixture. Most of the gunk on your baking sheet will come right off with it.

Watch a step-by-step tutorial here.

12. You can also use hydrogen peroxide to blot out ink stains.

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Ah, the dreaded ink stain. Next time you find this unwanted intruder on your clothing, grab some dish soap and hydrogen peroxide. Dab both onto the stain and let them sit for 20 minutes. Then throw your clothing in the washing machine and the ink should totally disappear.

Read more in 14 Stain Removal Hacks We Know Actually Work Because We Tried Them.

13. Use baby powder to fight tough grease stains.

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So, you got a dreaded grease stain on your blouse. Before you rush to the dry cleaner, try this DIY remedy first, says Happy Mom Blog. Pour some baby powder directly over the grease stain and pat dry any excess. Then, use a toothbrush to massage dish soap and water into the stain until it foams. Toss the dirty blouse into the laundry machine and when the cycle is done, the stain should be gone.

14. Get dust off your ceiling fan using an old pillow case.

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Rather than throw out your old pillow cases, keep them in your storage closet and put them to use during your spring cleaning routine. Homemaker Chic explains how it's done: Use a stepladder so you can reach your fan and envelop each blade in the pillow case one by one, dragging to catch the dust. When you're done, the pillow case will contain all the dust and you can dump it right into the trash.

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