The lazy person’s guide to housework - 15 expert cleaning shortcuts
Nobody wants to spend all day slaving over the household chores, so we share clever cleaning secrets to save you time and effort.
Nobody wants to spend all day slaving over the household chores, so we share clever cleaning secrets to save you time and effort.
Nobody wants to spend all day slaving over the household chores. so we've got time saving hacks from one of the UK's experts.
Gaby Huddart, former editor of Good Housekeeping magazine, offers her favourite time-saving tips and secrets.
Start at the top and then work down as dust can move and resettle and nobody wants more work for themselves.
Dust high shelves first, then vacuum and mop last.
Here comes the sun (we hope), so let it shine through the windows by giving them a good clean. Add a dash of dishwasher rinse aid to the water, which will leave windows shiny and streak free.
Also consider investing in a window vac as it helps make light work of an otherwise laborious job.
Kärcher WV 1 Window Vac, £39.99
My house has large windows – great for letting in light, but in spring and summer they reveal every mark.
This little gizmo is lightweight and makes cleaning the windows a breeze and leaves no streaks or residue. It’s also great for removing condensation.
Slatted blinds start to catch the light at this time of year, so that pesky coating of dust will suddenly appear.
The easiest way to clean them fast is to pop an old sock on one hand and then to wipe along each slat in turn – rubbing off the collected dust on the other sock or a duster in between.
Fabric softener sheets also work well if you don’t have a pair of old socks you can use.
To clean grout around bathroom or kitchen tiles, mix bicarbonate of soda and water to make a paste, then rub on to the dirty areas with an old toothbrush. An electric toothbrush with an old head will save you having to use any elbow grease.
Then fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spritz it over the bicarb mix. It’ll start bubbling. Leave for a few minutes before using your toothbrush to scrub away the grime.
Rinse with water to reveal clean grout.
Spritz shower walls and screen after each shower with a specialist spray, such as Method Daily Shower Spray, to stop water marks and limescale build-up.
I once went to a Dyson homecare presentation and was horrified when Dyson’s microbiologist said the average person sheds 2g of dead skin cells every day or 730g a year – most of which ends up in the mattress, making it a breeding and feeding ground for dust mites (which, even more horrifyingly, poo!).
Hay fever and allergies come to the fore in spring, so it’s time to boot out those mites. Change your sheets weekly and wash at a high temperature and do the same with the mattress protector once a month.
When this is off, vacuum the mattress with the upholstery attachment (go carefully around the seams and buttons where mites tenaciously cling on).
Give your dishwasher a deep clean by putting a dishwasher-safe bowl upright on the top rack, half-filled with distilled white vinegar, then run the machine empty on a normal setting.
For a limescale-free, pleasant-smelling toilet, sprinkle in some soda crystals and leave them to soak overnight, flushing them away in the morning.
Get your microwave smelling sweet and remove spills by adding lemon slices to a half-full bowl of cool water. Pop in the microwave and heat on high to make the water boil and create steam.
Leave inside for 10–15 minutes to cool, then wipe the inside with a clean, damp cloth.
Place newspaper pages in the bottom of the kitchen bin to absorb bin bag leaks. When you empty the bin, discard and replace the newspaper. This avoids having to deep clean regularly.
To give your kettle its annual descale, half fill it with water. Heat to just before boiling, then add a slug of distilled white vinegar so it’s about three-quarters full. Leave overnight. Rinse well in the morning so no vinegary residue remains – the limescale will magically vanish.
With the spring light coming in, get your whites white – be that clothes, sheets, table linen or towels.
Adding just half a cup of distilled white vinegar to the washing machine drum when doing a load of whites, along with the normal washing powder or pod, prevents greying and can even bring back brilliance.
As well as your clothes, white vinegar also works wonders on grout and many household appliances.
The Oven Pride Complete Oven Cleaner (£4, Sainsbury’s) is brilliant at cutting through grime on the inside of your oven and helps make a filthy job a bit quicker.
But, if this is a task you really can’t face, consider outsourcing to the professionals. Try Oven King, Ovenu, or Oven Clean if you don’t have a highly recommended local service.
Like mobile phones, wired keyboards are also germ-riddled. To clean a keyboard, unplug/switch off, turn it upside down and give it a little shake to dislodge food particles.
Fold a Post-it note in half and gently run the sticky sides down between the keys – replacing when dirty. Use an anti-bacterial wipe across the surface of the keys to finish.
For laptops and mobile phones, also gently use an anti-bac wipe across the surface to get rid of nasties.
For super shiny chrome taps, simply rub a blob of toothpaste all over the surface with your fingers and then rinse off. See how they gleam!
During my seven years at Good Housekeeping magazine, I saw thousands of gadgets tested at our Institute. There are three I wouldn't be without.
The window vac I've already mentioned, but these are the other two:
Once you discover the speed of a garment steamer, you’ll never look back. And unless you find joy in ironing, you’ll find yourself switching over for all but the toughest linens.
My small, handheld one gets rid of creases in seconds. I now decide what to wear in the morning, steam and go, and never look rumpled.
I became a Dyson devotee when I moved into my first flat about 30 years ago – the flat was tiny, but I saved up to buy a Dyson vacuum cleaner.
I still love Dyson products, now using the V11 Advanced cordless model – a cordless model is great for anyone with a lot of stairs.
Dyson products are pricey, but they last for years and perform brilliantly.
Whether you're looking for straightforward insurance or cover that's packed with extras, our home insurance has plenty of options for people over 50.
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Taking on easy DIY projects is a great way to pass a weekend.
