5 on the fly: incredible and simple cleaning hacks

by Sarah Halfpenny

There aren’t many of us who would say we look forward to cleaning, but it’s a necessary part of life. Make it easier and free up some time with these tips, using items from around your house and in your pantry.

1. Banish shoe odours

Take a couple of dry, unused teabags and pop them into each shoe. Leave overnight and the bad smell will be gone. The best part is you can choose to make your shoes smell like peppermint, lavender, strawberry or any scent that your teabags come in!

2. Get rid of mattress and carpet stains

Foaming shaving cream (the plain white type, not gel) is one of the easiest and lowest-cost cleaning hacks ever. Simply cover the stain with foam, leave it to sit for 30 minutes then blot with a clean cloth and the stain will have lifted.

3. Clean oven racks

Make a paste with baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar – apply it on the racks, let it sit for an hour and the gunk should come straight off. It’s safe, natural and doesn’t use any toxic chemicals.

4. Descale shower heads

Pour around 1-2 cups of vinegar in a zip lock bag, tie it around the shower head with an elastic band (ensuring it’s immersed in the liquid) and let it soak for at least an hour. The natural abrasive will dissolve any limescale deposits and unclog the holes.

5. Remove water rings from wooden furniture

If you have unsightly white watermarks on your furniture, place a dry cloth like a tea towel or a hand towel on top of the stain, then take a hot dry iron and move it continuously over the area where the marks are (checking frequently on the progress and to ensure you don’t burn the table). It will take about five minutes of ironing to remove the marks but the results are fantastic and don’t cost a cent.