25 Whip Smart Cleaning Hacks from the Best Organizing Experts

There’s an unbelievable feeling when you walk into a room and you take a whiff of that fabulous squeaky clean smell. And, you can immediately see that everything is sparkling clean. The dust has been swept out. All the corners have been cleaned. There are crisp fresh linens. The kitchen is spotless, tempting you to cook up a storm (or maybe never cook again because it’s picture-perfect). Pillows have been fluffed and look oh so inviting. And the floors look brand new. To get and maintain this pleasing, clean effect, you need cleaning hacks. Not just any cleaning hacks, but the brilliant ones used by experts.

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No one has time to spend hours upon hours creating that new permanently spring-cleaned look. That’s why cleaning hacks exist and are the much-loved secrets of professional organizers like myself. With the right tips and tricks, you can magically get the job done well in less time than it would normally take. These genius shortcuts can make all the difference when it comes to housekeeping. That’s why I’ve enlisted the help of some of the best cleaning and organizing experts to compile this list of brilliant cleaning hacks that everyone should know.

Expert Spring Cleaning Hacks

The following cleaning hacks come from experts who are masters when it comes to cleaning and organizing. Since these professionals also spend their lives helping others get organized, they have devised some of the most genius cleaning hacks. These deep-cleaning hacks are truly brilliant. If you’re busy spring cleaning or need some inspiration to get going, then these house cleaning secrets are exactly what you need:

1. The Quick Clean

Linda Samuels, CPO-CD from Oh, So Organized shares her Quick Clean method.

Cleaning can feel overwhelming, so I’ve developed the Quick Clean. Two aspects make this successful. The first is to reduce any barriers. Taking action will be easier if you strategically store cleaning products and supplies in the prime areas they get used like the bathrooms, kitchen, or bedrooms. The second essential is to master the minutes. In less than three minutes, you can wipe the mirrors, scrub a toilet, or sanitize the sink. Doing the Quick Clean uses quick bursts of energy in between more extensive cleanings to keep your home looking and smelling great.

2. Laundry Room Cleaning Tips & Tricks

Wendy Silberstein, Professional Organizer at The Aesthetic Organizer shares her top laundry room hacks.

The average American family does 8 – 10 loads of laundry each week. Simplifying the process will give you time to spend on other items on your to-do list that you have been itching to get to. You may be wondering how to create a system that will unburden you from the monotony of watching the machines go round and round? Well, here are my top 5 tips:

1. Dedicate one divided hamper per family member to sort “whites” and “darks”.
2. Create a schedule for each member by assigning the day of the week for that person. Assign linens and towels to an “off day” to limit time spent in the laundry room on any given day.
3. Keep a “white” and a “dark” lightweight basket in your laundry room in cubbies or shelves. If you don’t have the wall mounted facility, use a folding table.
4. For each load of scheduled laundry, grab the baskets, empty the hampers, and do your loads of laundry. Enlist the help of the assigned family member to “pick up” their laundry and bring to their room (either folded or unfolded depending on their age).
5. Lastly, to prevent the “where did my other sock go” frenzy, dedicate a bin in your laundry room for the lonely sock that made it to the pile. Keep for one week. If the mate does not show up, say bye-bye.

3. 2020 Spring & Sanitize Cleaning List

Cleany NYC, a leading provider of residential and commercial cleaning solutions in New York City has put together a 2020 Spring & Sanitize Cleaning List.

With the majority of us spending most of our time at home these days, what better time to learn some easy cleaning and disinfecting hacks for your spring cleaning. This list has some helpful information and tips that will coach you on the most effective ways to clean your home:

1. Freshen your carpets look and smell. Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet and wait for at least an hour to vacuum – add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for an extra fresh touch.
2. Clean and disinfect your electronics. Need to clean your phone? iPad? TV? No problem. Simply mix 1:1 water + 70% rubbing alcohol and apply with a microfiber cloth. Apply onto the device in s-pattern which will minimize streaking.
3. Disinfect your entryway. Protect your home from the outside in. Use disinfectant solution or 70% rubbing alcohol base and apply on your entryway – doorbell, locks, switches, doorknobs, window, mailbox, railings, and other hot spots around the entrance.
4. Refresh your washing machine. Run the machine with hot water, then add distilled white vinegar and baking soda, and let it sit for an hour. Then, restart the machine, let the water drain, and wipe it dry – good as new voila!
5. Tackle your dusty blinds. Blinds are a hassle to clean, so we love this painless method: wrap microfiber cloths around a pair of tongs and wipe them across each blind.
6. Remove coffee stains. Hot or cold, most of us love our coffee, but accidents do happen — dab the area with a microfiber or white cloth and finish off by applying this magic formula: one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, two cups of cool water, and one tablespoon of white vinegar. Just like that the Joe stains should disappear.
7. Clean your grill with an onion. Get your grill cleaned up and ready for the warmer summer weather. First, heat it up and spray some white vinegar onto the grates to help loosen the residue. Then, scrub the area firmly using half an onion. The acid from the onion will rid your grill of any leftover remnants.

Cleany NYC is available for those looking for an extra hand or professional service to assist in your next project. They provide a variety of services including maid cleaning, deep cleaning, and move-in/out cleaning, office cleaning, and green cleaning. New customers receive $30 off service at Cleany NYC!

4. Spring Cleaning Hack

Janet M. Taylor a Professional Organizer at Totally Organized shares her top spring cleaning hack.

Spring Cleaning Hack: Cleaning Artificial Flowers (these tips work on flowers that are individual and not attached to a vase or base).

Supplies needed:

1. Large brown paper bag
2. Table salt

Put a large amount of table salt (add more if needed) into the brown paper bag. Next, place the flowers or plants only (no vases or base) into the brown paper bag – then shake it. This will remove all of the dust from the artificial plants and they will look like new. If you still notice dust, repeat the process.

5. 3 Rules for Spring Cleaning

Morgan Tyree, Organizing Expert & Author from Morganize with Me shares her 3 spring cleaning rules.

These are my three rules for spring cleaning and organizing. The first is to keep things simple. I work to streamline what needs to be done versus what I may want to get done. My second rule is to check the box off as completed before moving on to another project. I like to work on a task from start to finish because this helps me to feel a sense of completion rather than feeling overwhelmed. The last is to delegate when and where I can. My time is limited and many hands make light work!

My Cleaning Inspiration

I love to organize, create systems, and put things in place. I also love it when my home is so fresh that I’m crushing over that clean and sparkling feeling. 

Scattered dust that seems to crawl on its own gives me the willies. So when I don’t have time to clean, I call in the help. The professionals. Except now. Due to the pandemic. So, I’ve been rolling up my sleeves and I’m turning to all the cleaning hacks I learned growing up.

 I clean and organize with ease thanks to a special woman. I loved the lady who would come into our home and expertly whip it into shape. Even as a child it fascinated me and I would sit and watch her work her magic. I took it all in and noted how things were done. I learned so much from her and loved all the cleaning tips, tricks, and hacks she taught me. 

She showed me how to iron shirts without any product to get that beautifully crisp look. I learned how to set a table properly, polish silverware, remove caked up dirt particles from lampshades, and more. I could even make a bed perfectly, with hospital corners and beautifully finished like it was House & Garden ready. All this was thanks to this lady, a true cleaning master, and my teacher.

My Top Spring Cleaning Hacks

I want to make sure that you have all the information you need to deep clean your home this spring, so I’ve compiled my own list of cleaning hacks:

• Sanitation Alert: Keep kitchen and bathroom sponges separately. You can store and label them in individual baggies. Did you know you can toss them in the dishwasher when you’re running a cycle and they’ll disinfect and clean up like magic?
• If your garbage disposal has a terrible odor, measure a half-cup of baking soda and vinegar. Pour the baking soda down the disposal first, followed by the vinegar. Let the mixture fizzle for 10 minutes. Then, turn on the garbage disposal and run hot water from the tap or a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds. (FYI: vinegar acts as a natural deodorizer and kills bacteria.)
• Bath mat grime can be easily removed and sanitized by popping it in the washing machine with a cup of bleach and cold water. Let it air dry.
• For quick stain removal: Place a very small amount of gel stain remover on a dampened white rag. (E.g Oxi Clean) Pat the stain and it should come right out.  I’ve even done this successfully on my fabric covered couch that had a small stain. I tested the fabric first and recommend you do that first too.
• Remove old food stains in your microwave by steam cleaning it before you scrub. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with a cup of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and some essential oil drops and then put it in the microwave to heat up for 5 minutes.
• Use fabric softener sheets or dryer sheets to dust in tight spaces. Always dust from top to bottom to avoid having to go over the same area twice.

How to Get Motivated to Clean

Finally, if you just can’t seem to motivate yourself to clean, why not consider employing a simple work productivity hack? Set a timer and time yourself as you complete these chores. A ticking timer is a great way to get focused and finish tasks more efficiently. Plus, it gives you a good idea of how long each chore takes. You could even challenge yourself to deep clean your house in 2 hours, or whatever time limit works for you.

What is your favorite cleaning hack?

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