Technology may make our lives a bit easier, but when it comes to cleaning, sometimes the good old fashioned cleaning tips are tried & true ways that our ancestors always used actually seem to work the best. In fact, some of the best house cleaning hacks you’ll find come from generations past. If you’re looking to up your cleaning game this year, these old-fashioned cleaning hacks for home will help you get your home sparkling clean in no time at all.
What I love most about these easy old fashion cleaning ideas is that most of them involve natural ingredients you probably already have at home.
From cleaning with lemon juice to ditching paper towels, these simple old-fashioned cleaning tips will help clean your home and save you a little money, too.
Home cleaning tips and hacks that actually work:
Have a Routine
Do you wonder why grandma’s house was always so clean? It’s because she had a cleaning routine for her housework. Making a cleaning schedule is the best way to ensure your home stays clean throughout the week.
By following your daily housework routine, you’ll be able to stay on top of the cleaning instead of constantly playing catch-up with your cleaning tasks. I elaborated on cleaning schedules in my other post, How To Create A Cleaning Schedule You’ll Actually Stick To, it’s a good read if that’s your particular struggle.
Follow the Seasons, There’s More Than Just Spring Cleaning.
In addition to keeping a daily and weekly cleaning schedule, grandma also followed the seasons when keeping her home clean.
There are a variety of cleaning tasks that should be done once a year, like washing windows, cleaning mattresses, and deep cleaning carpets. Using the changing of the seasons as a guide is a great way to stay on top of those tasks.
For instance, clean your gutters at the end of the fall so that you don’t have drainage issues in the Winter & Spring. Clean your carpets when the rainy season is over. If you sit and think about the seasons when it comes to your cleaning routine, you’ll have lots of “ah-ha” moments and quickly add them to your list.
Clean with Flour Sack Towels, One Of The Best House Cleaning Hacks To Try At Home
One of my favorite cleaning hacks is also a great money-saver, especially if you go through a ton of paper towels as you clean. Instead of using those wasteful paper towels, buy a package or two of flour sack towels.
These inexpensive towels cost about the same as a case of paper towels and they’ll last you forever…or many years at the very least. In addition to helping you clean up messes, these lint-free towels are also perfect for dusting and cleaning… your mirrors will be spotless by the way.
They’re absorbent enough to wipe away spills and cleaning solutions, but their cotton construction also helps leave a streak-free shine. That means they’re great for cleaning everything from wood furniture to bathroom mirrors.
The best part about using flour sack towels instead of paper towels is that you can toss them in the washing machine and reuse them over and over again.
Dust with Water
While wood cleaners claim to be the best way to keep the dust at bay in your home, all you really need to clean up dust is water and a lint-free towel. Simply soak your flour sack towel in water and wring it out. Wipe away the dust, then use a clean towel to dry the surface.
Skip Store-Bought Cleaners
There’s no reason to fill your cabinets with specialty cleaners when you can purchase a handful of natural cleaning ingredients. Making your own cleaning solutions is one of my favorite old-fashioned cleaning hacks.
You really only need a few ingredients, like baking soda, vinegar, and borax, to make a variety of amazing cleaning solutions without the need for harsh chemicals. I went much more into depth about these natural cleaners in this post here, if you would like to read more up on that you are welcome to.
Natural Stain Removers
Next time you have a stain in your shirt or on your tablecloth, skip the chemical-filled laundry stain removers and use these natural stain removers instead:
- Mold or mildew: soak in buttermilk for at least an hour before washing
- Tea or coffee: Soak the fabric in a solution of methylated spirits and water for an hour, then place in the washing machine to wash as usual
- Blood: Soak the fabric in saltwater for an hour then wash as usual.
- Yellow stains: Mix the juice of one lemon with a gallon of hot water, place the yellowed linens in and soak for one hour before running through a rinse cycle, then set out to dry in the sun
Soak Dirty Dishes, A Simple Kitchen Cleaning Hack
Instead of slaving over dishes with stuck-on food, try one of the easiest cleaning hacks on this list – just let them soak. To avoid stuck-on food, place your dirty dishes in the sink filled with warm soapy water (Dawn Original Dish Soap is best, in my personal non-paid for opinion).
Let the dishes soak for around 30 minutes, then drain the sink. Rinse the soap and food residue off the dishes, then wash them by hand or place them in the dishwasher. When using a dishwasher, this tip will save you a considerable amount of time by not having to re-wash everything.
Naturally Clean Your Drains
There is no need for harsh drain cleaners thanks to this old-fashioned cleaning hack. Pour bicarbonate soda or baking soda down your kitchen or bathroom drains, followed by a cup of white vinegar.
Let the solution bubble and fizz for a couple of minutes. When the fizzing has stopped, pour two cups of boiling water down the drain. Repeat the process once a week for clean and fresh drains all the time.
Protect Your Shelves, To Minimize Needing To Dust
If you notice a lot of dust build-up inside your cabinets, add a liner to protect the shelves and make cleaning easier. While you can purchase shelf liner at the store, you can also make your own for a fraction of the price. Simply cut a piece of wax paper to fit the shelves. Clean the shelf, then place the wax paper liner on top.
When you notice dust on the shelf, just remove the waxed paper and throw it in the trash. Then, place a new piece on the shelf for instantly clean cabinets without the need to dust.
How To Clean Copper Cookware
Copper saucepans are great for cooking, but they can be difficult to clean. With this simple cleaning hack, you can clean your copper naturally.
Cut a lemon in half and dip each half in salt. Use the lemon to scrub the saucepan clean, then rinse the saucepan clean. Use a dry cloth to polish to a shine.
Soak Up Odors
If you have a bad smell in your home, don’t reach for the air fresheners. Instead of using chemical sprays to reduce odors in your home, grab coffee grounds, or baking soda.
These natural ingredients are great at soaking up odors in your home without chemical sprays, making this another of my favorite old-fashioned cleaning hacks.
Place a bowl or jar of your favorite natural odor absorber in the room where the bad smell is lingering to instantly freshen the space. Or use a bowl of baking soda or coffee grounds in your fridge or the bottom of your trash can to keep the odor-prone areas smelling great throughout the day… That’s actually something I mentioned in my post about “How To Permanently Deodorize Your Fridge“. I also have a post that will teach you “How To Clean And Deodorize Wood” for all of those cutting boards that need it too.
How To Shine Your Silver, The Cheap Way
Keep your silver shiny with toothpaste. To clean your tarnished silver, rub toothpaste on the silver and wipe it away with a damp cloth. Then, rub the polished silver with a dry cloth to buff and shine the metal.
Kill Mildew Without Bleach
Do you notice mold and mildew in your bathroom or kitchen? It may be tempting to grab the bleach and scrub the mold away, but there is a natural cleaning hack you can use to solve the problem.
Fill a spray bottle with distilled white vinegar and spray it directly on the mildew. Let the vinegar sit on the mildew for 10 minutes and wipe it away with a damp cloth. If you’re not a fan of the vinegar smell, just remember that the smell goes away once it has dried.
Use What You Have
One of my favorite frugal cleaning hacks is to use what you have on hand to clean. Keep a stockpile of cleaning rags made from old socks and ripped t-shirts instead of purchasing new cleaning cloths.
Or make your own cleaning solutions with ingredients from your pantry. There’s no need to head to the store to purchase special cleaning solutions and supplies when you most likely have everything you need for a clean home right at your fingertips.
That’s The Last Of My Home Cleaning Hacks
I hope that you were able to glean some “new” knowledge on how to clean your whole house without breaking the bank, or your back. Those random household cleaning tips from generations past are timeless wisdom.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and supporting my endeavors to make people’s lives a little easier/better/more affordable. If you liked this post, or found it helpful in any way, please make sure to share it with your family, friends, and co-workers via social media…or you could even send them the direct link via email. Whichever way you choose to spread the love, I super appreciate it! ~Sarah
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*Please note that this post was originally published on this website on January 19, 2020 and has since been updated to improver user experience, improve social shareability, and remain relevant.