As the New Year is just a few days away, many will be preparing to clean their homes top to bottom after a busy week hosting family for the holidays.
But while decluttering your home often seems like a chore, it can be much more manageable with some strategic cleaning habits.
With countless tricks floating around, it’s difficult to determine what works and what doesn’t.
Femail spoke to Matthew Harrison, cleaning expert Put a price on your workwho shared chemical-free tricks that will significantly reduce cleaning time and simplify the process.
From using a simple ingredient we’ll all have in our fridge to tidy up your shower to using vodka in a surprising way, these are the perfect DIY hacks to implement in 2025.
Using the right tools and the best methods, you can make tidying up more fun and increase the time needed between washes.
Plus, it can eliminate the need for extra dusting or scrubbing!
Try these tips during your next big cleaning session and see how much difference they make.
If you have water stains on your glasses, vinegar can work wonders. All you need to do is create a mixture of one part vinegar and one part water. Stock image used
Scrub shower doors with salt and lemon.
Shower doors can get quite dirty over time.
Fortunately, you don’t need harsh cleaning chemicals to get them shiny again.
Simply cut a lemon in half and dip it in salt, then use it to scrub the doors.
The abrasive salt content and acidity of the lemon will remove all mineral scum and soap buildup.
Plus, lemon will also leave your shower smelling fresh citrus.
Shower doors can get quite dirty over time. Fortunately, you don’t need harsh cleaning chemicals to get them shiny again. Simply cut a lemon in half and dip it in salt before using it to scrub your doors. Stock image used
Disinfect your sponges in the microwave
Sponges are great for cleaning your home.
But did you know that as your sponges get dirty, you could be spreading millions of bacteria throughout the house with every wipe?
Fortunately, disinfecting sponges is easier than you think. Simply place a damp sponge in the microwave for 30 seconds on high power; This will reduce the amount of bacteria present by up to 99 percent.
Clean the microwave with steam
Likewise, you can clean the inside of your microwave without scrubbing.
All you have to do is place a container of hot water in the microwave and turn it on for five minutes.
The steam from heating the water will loosen the dirt inside the microwave. Then you can easily wipe away the dirt with a clean cloth.
The steam from heating the water will loosen the dirt inside the microwave. Then you can easily wipe away the dirt with a clean cloth. Stock image used
Remove water stains with vinegar
If you have water stains on your glasses, vinegar can work wonders.
Simply create a mixture of one part vinegar and one part water, then apply it to the water stains and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
Once the vinegar has had time to break down all the residue, you can use a toothbrush to remove the scum.
Quickly rinse the glass and clean and dry the surface.
Clean mold with vodka.
If you have mold in your bathroom, you can get rid of it in no time with a splash of vodka.
Add one part vodka and one part water to a spray bottle and spray directly onto the affected area.
Let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes and then wipe it off with a clean cloth.
The alcohol content will kill the mold and prevent it from coming back.
Use a dryer sheet to clean the baseboards.
No one likes the idea of getting down on their hands and knees to clean baseboards.
The Solution: Place a dryer sheet on your sweeper and it will pick up all the dust and debris, plus add a nice fresh scent to your home.
Remove upholstery with a duster
If your sofa and other upholstered items look a little dusty or crumbly, a duster usually won’t do much good.
Instead, take a lint roller and run it over the surface. It will collect dust, crumbs and more stubborn debris, such as pet hair.
Remove carpet stains with vodka.
Clear alcohol, such as plain vodka or white wine, is great for removing stains from carpets.
Start by blotting the stain and then pour the clear alcohol directly onto it.
Let it soak for about 15 minutes before drying it again. You will see how the stain disappears like magic.
Dust electronics with coffee filters
Coffee filters are useful items to have in the living room and office for cleaning.
They are great for removing dust from things like computer screens, TV screens, and any other monitors around the house.
The best thing about using coffee filters for dusting is that they don’t leave behind fibers, unlike a cloth or towel.
Remove stains from food containers with the sun
Even if you put plastic food containers in the dishwasher, there’s no way they’ll ever look like new again.
The sun acts as a natural bleach and can help remove most stains.
The next time you wash your food containers, place them on a clean, dry towel on a window sill facing the sun and let them dry naturally.
Let them sit there for about eight hours before rinsing them and letting them dry. The sun will help remove stains.