Getting ready for a spring clean?

Here’s every hack, trick and tip you need.

Before you know it, winter will be coming to an end and it’s time to get a thorough spring clean going. Getting behind all those nooks and crannies to give you home a deep clean might seem like a chore but we’ve got some handy and helpful ideas to make it a breeze.

Cleaning hacks have been going viral and it’s no surprise. We’re always after quick ways to make cleaning easier but more importantly, with impressive results. So here’s our round up of the top cleaning hacks you’ll need for your spring overhaul. And the best news? All of these can be achieved using low-cost purchases or with items you already have at home. Result!

Over-cooked ovens

A different use for the common baking ingredient this time. Use bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and a nylon scouring pad inside the oven to get rid of built-up residue over time. This winning formula gets rid of stubborn stains so you can use your own again in a jiffy.

A bathroom that shines

If you’ve got some tough limescale on the showerhead that refuses to leave, this solution is exactly what you need. Leave the fish ‘n’ chips for another day, and head over to your pantry to pick up the vinegar. Pour a bowlful of vinegar (enough to completely cover your showerhead) and pop it in. Leave it to soak and voila! Your showerhead will be brand new.

In between blinds

Venetian blinds look impressive, but they are also known for being tricky to keep clean. But the good news is we’ve got the perfect solution to help keep your house looking beautifully clean. Simply dust them as you would usually before wiping them down with a cloth or sponge dipped in a mixture of household multi-purpose cleaner diluted. Pay particular attention to stains that may have built up over time as these may be a little trickier to remove. Remember to clean both sides of the blinds by reversing them half way through your cleaning process.

Wipe-clean windows

Remove smears from windows in no time at all with this clever tip. There are many products in the supermarkets designed to help clean windows and leave them streak-free. But there’s another trend scouring the internet as cleaning fans share another way to remove stains using black tea. Simply make a cup of tea, without the milk and put the tea bag into a large jug rather than drinking mug. Pop it on your cloth, wash it on the windows and buff it off! No streaks, no smears, no more hard work followed by frustration! You can also let the tea go cold and keep any leftover solution for the next time.

Raise a toast

Fed up cleaning in between the toaster? That hidden compartment that just seems impossible to get clean, not to mention the never-ending crumbs. After using it once or even sometimes twice a day, your toaster could do with a good clean. Before you ask no, just turning it upside down and shaking it over your sink doesn’t count as cleaning. Pull out the crumb tray, if it has one, take a second to be grossed out and then wash it with warm water and dish soap. 

While you let the crumb tray dry, dampen a cotton cloth with a little white vinegar and wipe out the slots where the bread goes. Remember, damp is the key word here. A sopping wet cloth can leave your toaster with puddles of moisture inside, which can take forever to dry. If there are stuck-on crumbs left over from breakfast pastries on the heating elements, gently brush them with a vinegar-dampened old toothbrush. Wipe the insides down with a water-dampened cloth to remove any vinegar residue.