Growing up, I didn’t realize how much time and effort my mom poured into consistently making sure our house was spotless. Things like grease stains on the cabinets or kitchen walls or bathroom grime never existed in our home because my mom always had a weekly cleaning routine that kept it sparkling.
As a young adult who’s always trying to find the best cleaning hacks to also maintain a polished home, I asked my mom to tell me her best tricks. Below, she shares four cleaning tips that have been her go-tos in her cleaning routine—and they guarantee long-lasting results.
Wipe Down the Microwave
If you’re regularly using your microwave, you need to clean and wipe it down weekly according, to my mom. She emphasizes how food splatters or smells can easily accumulate in the microwave if it’s not properly cleaned (and nobody wants to lose their appetite from a dirty microwave).
Her favorite cleaning hack is combining water and slices of lemon in a bowl and placing it in the microwave for around three minutes. This steams up your microwave, making it easy to wipe it down with disinfecting wipes so it shines once again. The lemon slices also help leave a bright and pleasant scent behind, so it’s all ready for your next use.
“I love using lemon-scented cleaning products or lemons in general because they help rejuvenate the space,” my mom says. “They can really leave a lasting impression that your home is all clean and it’s also the perfect scent to welcome guests.”
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Always Target Corners and Crevices
It’s easy to have an “out of sight, out of mind” mindset when it comes to areas like baseboards, behind your bed frame, or hidden crevices around your home, but my mom highly encourages people treat these spots the same as they would for high-traffic spaces like bathrooms or kitchens.
“You can’t forget about these areas because turning a blind eye will result in so much more dust and debris,” she says.
She recommends using a vacuum with a long attachment to get into hard-to-reach corners and crevices and then using disinfecting wipes after to wipe everything down (don’t be surprised with how much dust you see).
Try a Lint Roller
Although my mom vacuums the home every day, her favorite handy tool is a lint roller. She loves using a lint roller to collect fallen hairs or small dust particles on the couch, bed, or the floors when they just need a quick refresh.
“I always have a lint roller on standby because it’s a great tool for any small fix, especially if you don’t want to take out the vacuum,” she explains.
Don’t Forget About Your Dishwasher Filter
We’re all guilty of loading dishes and plates into your dishwasher and letting it handle the rest of the hard work without a second thought, but one area you’re probably missing is the dishwasher filter.
It’s essential to clean out the filter every week, my mom says. Leftover food scraps can get stuck in your filter, which can end up rotten or smelly if you’re not clearing it out on a weekly basis.
My mom suggests taking the filter out and using a bristled brush to get into the small crevices, then sanitizing it before running another cycle.
“If you’ve noticed any foul odors when you step into your kitchen, go check your dishwasher filter because it may be the culprit,” my mom says.
