Asked on Apr 11, 2012

Home Cleaning Tips: Read Ours Then Share Yours

If Spring Cleaning Fever hasn't hit you already, it's about to! We researched cleaning tips to help you cut some time out of your cleaning routine. For example, have you ever used denture cleaner in your toilet? Hairspray to remove magic marker? We love these tricks! Read ours, http://bit.ly/IGgCUQ, then share yours!!
Cleaning Tips & Tricks: http://bit.ly/IGgCUQ
  23 answers
  • 3po3 3po3 on Apr 11, 2012
    Good tips. I also wipe down faucets, etc., with toothpaste. Also, newspapers are great for cleaning windows. Free and no linty bits like with paper towels.
  • Designs by BSB Designs by BSB on Apr 12, 2012
    slice lemon in half and rub on hard water spots
  • I've heard the newspapers and the lemon...but never toothpaste! How do you remove the toothpaste once you wipe it down? And with the lemons, do they work well on glass shower doors?
  • Designs by BSB Designs by BSB on Apr 12, 2012
    lemon works on hard water .. not necessarily soap spots. best thing for shower doors: heat up 1/2 cup vinegar and add 1/2 cup regular dawn dish soap. spray on, let rest for 15mins and wipe off .. almost a miracle. has to be made each time - cannot reheat leftovers!
    • See 1 previous
    • SNOW OWL SNOW OWL on Feb 28, 2018

      We were doing the same thing with the squeegee. The was told about staying the inside shower doors with rain X then wipe it down water just flows down ,no more squeegee

  • Great tip BeckySue!! I ALMOST look forward to trying it!
  • Sherrie S Sherrie S on Apr 12, 2012
    Nothing I know of cleans mirrors better than vinegar/water. Can be dried with newspapers or microfiber cloths that cost a little but are the best thing I have ever found.
  • 3po3 3po3 on Apr 12, 2012
    I just shine them a little bit of toothpaste on a cleaning rag. Then wipe it right off. The fixtures will be nice and shiny (and smell minty fresh).
  • Designs by BSB Designs by BSB on Apr 12, 2012
    newspapers... I do need to try that one of these days. disadvantage has got to be your hands need cleaning?! LOL
  • Sherrie S Sherrie S on Apr 13, 2012
    Becky Sue, yes the newspapers are messy and I have a lot of windows/mirrors. I have used both newspapers & microfiber cloths. Both work & microfibers cost more than newspapers but the microfibers are better at the job.
  • Donna McCrummen Donna McCrummen on Apr 13, 2012
    I use dollar store coffee filters to clean windows/mirrors. They are a booger to get separated sometimes but cheap and efficient.
  • Coffee filters & dryer sheets...These are great!
  • Linda Linda on May 14, 2012
    Buy some cheap vodka for cleaning mirrors, windows, toaster ovens, microwaves, anything! No streaking. Removes tacky messes like tape residue. Works great in hurricane areas to removed the duct tape sticky on the windows.
  • Brandy R Brandy R on May 19, 2012
    better yet just by alcohol does the same but its cheaper and smells better
  • Debbie E Debbie E on May 19, 2012
    Spray (in the can) window cleaner and microfiber towels work the BEST!!!I clean houses for a living and this is absolutly the bomb on everything with glass/mirrors!!!!
  • Sherrie S Sherrie S on May 19, 2012
    I would drink the vodka and then use simple vinegar/water & microfiber cloth for the the glass/mirrors/windows. cheapest and most pleasant way to go.
  • @Sherrie S, I like the way you think. Obviously, don't try this at work-:
  • Sherrie S Sherrie S on May 20, 2012
    AK, I hope we get beyond drinking vodka or something nicer like wine & cleaning mirrors/windows, etc. I need assistance in improving my cleaning time which is more than shiny mirrors, windows & faucets. Seems to me there is a way I haven't found to save time doing the same jobs over & over using the least amount of effort.
    • Ellen Marks Ellen Marks on Feb 18, 2018

      Set a timer for each task. Sure helps me to focus and cut down on cleaning time--I try to 'beat the clock'.

  • Sherrie Sherrie on Nov 26, 2014
    We use dish soap and squeegee to clean mirrors. The soap helps the squeegee glide and a towel or glass towel wipe off any water left. We have found acid base cleaners and harsh cleaners take the silvering around the bottom or they turn black around the bottom of mirrors. This is green a drop or two in a rag or a glass scrubber sold at lowes will do the trick.
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Nov 26, 2014
    My best and easiest in is a window squeegee. We use them to clean mirrors and glass and dry showers and the bottom of tubs. It takes a few minutes to dry a whole shower with one. I clean a lot of windows and it takes a few minutes for each window. It is a must have.
  • MikkiGirl MikkiGirl on Jan 09, 2015
    I make a multi-purpose spray cleaner by mixing the following ingredients in a spray bottle: 2 oz. Dawn Dish Washing liquid, 4 oz. (bottled) Lemon Juice. 8 oz. White Vinegar, and 10 oz. Water. It's great in the kitchen and bathroom but I was thrilled with how well it cleaned my self-cleaning oven. Spray it on the inside of the oven (including racks) before cleaning. Then let it sit overnight and just wipe clean with a damp rag the following morning. The glass on my oven door is sparkling clean for the first time since it was new!!
  • Mimi Haywood Mimi Haywood on Mar 23, 2015
    I see this on a lot of answers, what does & stand for?
  • Sherrie Slaboda Sherrie Slaboda on Mar 24, 2015
    @Mimi Haywood they used the ampersand and sometimes it shows funny things.
  • Ginny Ginny on Mar 29, 2017

    Must cleans


    Use toothbrushes for cleaning:

    • area behind faucets in bathroom and kitchen sinks
    • under rims on pots and pans and area where handle is attached to the utensil


    When cleaning windows don't forget:

    • clean screen tracks
    • remove screen and take outside to spray with a garden hose or put in the bathtub on a towel to save tub surface
    • spray with warm water and household cleaner
    • clean screen and track with a scrub brush
    • rinse with garden hose or Shower Massage if you clean screens in the tub


    Door screens catch more dirt and "muck" than we think. Wipe off with a wet cloth at least once a week or two.


    Inside the medicine chest. Some have glass shelves and shelves get cruddy from frequent use.


    Every few weeks dusting the tops of doors and door frames removes tons of dust.


    You probably think I have OCD, but dust settles everywhere; and, I have met people who never dust their baseboards or vacuum upholstered furniture. No wonder they have sneezing fits or cough a lot.


    Happy housecleaning!