50 Ways to Save Time and Money While Cleaning Your Home

Products Needed: Plastic bag and vinegar
What it Does: The vinegar dissolves the mineral build-up
Cost: $2*

Mineral build-up on our showerheads is a common problem, especially if you live in a state with particularly hard water. We see it in our kettles too – and the problem is both unsightly and unhealthy. Vinegar cuts through the build-up easily but how to get the vinegar all the way up to the showerhead? Simple!All you need to do is take a plastic bag and half fill it with vinegar. Then you tie the bag around the showerhead so that the head itself is soaking in the vinegar. You can leave it to soak for up to a couple of hours for more extreme cases and your shower head will be good as new!

Products Needed: Mayonnaise
What it Does: Removes sticky adhesive
Cost: $3*

There are few things as annoying as trying to get a sticker off a glass container. The white residue is relentless and you can sit there peeling it off millimeter by millimeter, wasting precious time, all in the name of upcycling. Not anymore though, thanks to a simple condiment that you most likely already have in your fridge!The reasoning behind using mayonnaise to remove sticker residue is that mayonnaise itself is oily. Believe it or not, the white condiment is your best friend when removing annoying stickers – simply put the mayonnaise on the sticky surface and let it soak for about 15 minutes. Wipe it off using a dry cloth and it should be totally clean! For more stubborn stickers, a repeat of this process might be necessary.

Products Needed: Half an onion
What it Does: Disinfect and clean the grill
Cost: 0.50c*

There is nothing quite like a summer barbecue. Family and friends gathering for grilled meat, salads and beer, what more could you want? The downside is the clean up, and the grill, in particular, is difficult to get clean. It’s so important to clean the grill thoroughly between uses as the build-up of bacteria can be harmful. Fortunately, there is a simple and cheap way to clean the grill fast and effectively.Simply cut an onion in half, peel away the skin and skewer the onion face down. This is only effective when the grill is hot so be sure to do this at the end of the barbecue before the grill cools down. By rubbing the onion on the grill it will act as a natural disinfectant, cleaning up to be ready for the next summer’s day!

Products Needed: Sugar, dishwashing liquid, ice, and water.
What it Does: Removes stubborn stains from Tupperware
Cost: $3*

Leftover Bolognese or anything equally as red will leave an annoying stain on your Tupperware, so much so that it looks really dirty even though you’ve scrubbed it thoroughly! There’s something about that tomato sauce and certain spices such as turmeric which leave their mark wherever they go.If you want to remove the stain for good, simply pour sugar into the stained container. Pour dishwashing soap on top of it and then some ice and water and let it sit for a couple of minutes. You will be amazed at how this concoction manages to get even the most stubborn stains out of your containers!

Products Needed: Squeegee, bucket
What it Does: Cleans carpets better than a vacuum
Cost: $12.99*

The go-to carpet cleaner is obviously the Hoover – but some swear by this dollar store hack, saying that it cleans carpets better than the Hoover ever did. With a simple squeegee, it is said that the rubber will lift pet hair out of the carpet in such a way that even after three days it is still clean!It went viral online and there have been countless testimonies from people who have tried this method instead of the vacuum with great success. Despite the fact that it takes longer, simply scraping your squeegee along the floor is totally worth the effort.

Products Needed: Rubbing alcohol and cotton balls
What it Does: Keeps shoes clean and odorless
Cost: $3*

Rubbing alcohol is so useful for shoe maintenance. First of all, it will eliminate odors by simply spraying the rubbing alcohol on and inside the shoes. You can water it down and put it into a spray bottle and give your shoes a spritz whenever the smell accumulates.The other great use is to wipe away external dirt. White sneakers are gorgeous and trendy but so hard to keep clean, especially in big cities. Take a cotton ball and a touch of rubbing alcohol and wipe the shoe down, this will leave them clean and fresh like new.