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    42 Ways To Make Your Entire Home Cleaner Than It's Ever Been

    ::bookmarks immediately::

    1. Zap your damp or wet sponge in the microwave for one minute to kill 99.9% of the bacteria lurking on it.

    2. And let your sponge dry out every single night, whether your use a simple binder clip or a stainless sponge holder.

    3. Wipe up the sticky, dusty buildup that gathers on your range hood and other appliances using a little bit of mineral oil.

    4. Make a paste with water and a polish cleanser to easily scrub off cooked-on gunk from your stainless or enameled gas stove.

    5. Then shine up your greasy stove grates by letting them sit overnight with just a little bit of ammonia.

    6. A homemade paste of dish soap, baking soda, and water is probably all you need to spot-clean baked-on stains inside of your oven.

    7. But if you haven't kept up with regular spot or self-cleaning, a spray-on 40-minute spray-on cleaner may be just what your oven needs.

    8. Wrap your hard-water-stained faucets in vinegar-soaked paper towels to dissolve the minerals so they wipe off in one go.

    9. And banish hard water from your faucets by attaching a plastic bag filled with vinegar, using a rubber band — or if they're heavily stained, substitute the vinegar for a more intense mineral cleaner.

    10. After you're done washing dishes, regularly wash out your sink like you would a dish: using hot water, dish soap, and your sponge.

    11. Then shine up your stainless steel sink with a quick dusting of flour and a microfiber cloth — it'll clean out the tiny bits of grime that regular washing doesn't.

    12. A soft cleanser's the quickest way to polish up a scratched porcelain sink so it looks brand new.

    13. Freshen up your wooden cutting boards by scrubbing them down with salt and half a lemon — then season them with a douse of food-grade mineral oil.

    14. Go through your fridge, freezer, pantry, and any other spots you store food and toss anything that's expired, that you know you won't eat, or that's, y'know, gross and moldy.

    15. Then wash the shelves, drawers, and other removable parts of your fridge like dishes: in hot, soapy water.

    16. Stop any lingering refrigerator odors in their tracks using a fabric deodorizer filled with activated charcoal.

    17. Steam-clean your microwave: heat a bowl full of water for five minutes, let it sit without opening the door for another five minutes, and any stuck-on grime will easily wipe off with a paper towel.

    18. Shine up your refrigerator and any other stainless steel appliances with a coat of Pledge.

    19. Rubber-band a plastic bag filled with vinegar around your shower head to de-scale and deep-clean it with basically zero effort.

    20. Transform your grimy bathtub into something that's actually spa-worthy with a classic soft cleanser.

    21. It'll also erase any trace of mineral and soap scum buildup from your glass shower doors, so they sparkle like they've never seen even a single speck of water.

    22. Wash your grimy plastic shower curtain liner with a couple of towels to get rid of any mildew or other buildup.

    23. Tackle even the worst, most egregious rust stains with a spray-on cleaning gel that'll dissolve it right before your eyes.

    24. And make short work of stubborn hard water toilet stains by gently scrubbing them off with a pumice stone.

    25. As you scrub your toilet, make sure to get the water jets under the rim, too — and if you have hard water, consider soaking them with vinegar overnight to dissolve any buildup.

    26. And don't forget to give the outside a good wipe-down with an all-purpose cleaner or a cleaning wipe — every once in a while, even removing the toilet seat to get every last nook and cranny.

    27. Vacuum the dust from the outside of your exhaust fan with a dusting brush attachment, then pull the cover off to wash it well in soap and water.

    28. Wrap your faucet and sink in vinegar-soaked paper towels so stubborn hard water buildup literally just wipes away.

    29. Unclog your slow-draining tub or sink using a simple drain clearer.

    30. Skip the heavy-duty elbow grease but still make your grout look brand new: let an automatic scrubbing brush do all the work for you.

    31. Sort through all of your cabinets and shower, and toss every single thing that's past its expiration date, because yes, even bath and beauty products expire.

    32. Then simply spray down your mirror, sink, and everything else with your favorite spray cleaner, and give it a good wipe-down.

    33. Capture all the dust lingering on your ceiling fan by wiping the blades down with an old pillowcase.

    34. Tie microfiber cleaning cloths to your kitchen tongs to pick up literally all the dust from your blinds.

    35. Or just get an extendable microfiber duster set that makes it easy to follow the cardinal rule of cleaning — start at the top, and work your way down to the bottom, so you don't vacuum first then end up with dust on the floor from your fan.

    36. Launder your pillows in hot water to wash out all the sweat, skin cells, drool, and other gross things lurking where you rest your head every night.

    37. Strip your bed and wash all your bedding, then freshen your mattress with a quick sprinkle of baking soda and a good vacuuming.

    38. Set-in mattress stains are no joke, but you can make 'em look better by using a carpet stain remover and a carpet washer.

    39. Clean all sorts of plastic, glass, and metal from around the house in the dishwasher: from light fixture shades to vent hood filters to AC vent covers.

    40. If you have a cotton mop, use the ~slop mop~ method to give your tile or linoleum floors a truly deep wash.

    41. Use any old squeegee and some water in a spray bottle to easily clean pet hair off your sofa, furniture, and basically anything that's upholstered with fabric.

    42. And get a big squeegee broom to sweep up the hair embedded in your carpet and scattered over your hardwood or tile floor.

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