Lazy Girl Cleaning Hacks That ACTUALLY Work

(THIS POST PROBABLY CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. OUR FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY IS REALLY BORING, BUT YOU CAN FIND IT HERE.)

It might seem contradictory that I can claim love for “lazy-girl” cleaning hacks, and still state that I am living on purpose. But I think “living on purpose” can mean that we accept that we can’t do it all. So we choose to do the absolute best that we can, and we prioritize.

It’s no secret that I struggle with cleaning. Not that I don’t like to do it… just that it gets put on my back burner, even though a clean house is a priority for me. So I’m always looking for the little tricks that will make keeping things clean a just a bit easier.

Here are my favorite lazy cleaning hacks, and only ones that ACTUALLY work. (FYI, there are a bunch of cleaning hacks out there that flat out do not work. I get SO irritated every time I see the box of fabric softener sheets that I bought specifically for dusting my baseboards…because Pinterest told me to. And raise your hand if you’ve wasted hours trying to get your pans to sparkle??

Are gleaming cookie sheets REALLY a priority?! I no longer care if my cookie sheets look like ancient bits of beat up tin. I have more important things to do!

And I love this post on Cleaning Hacks That Don’t Work, by Maureen @ a debt free stress free life – I read it going “FINALLY, someone who will admit that it is absolutely pointless to be mixing up all that vinegar and baking soda and wasting so many lemons! Hallelujah!)

Rest assured, the following Lazy-Girl Cleaning Hacks actually do work!

(I didn’t invent all these hacks, but I sure do use ’em!)

In The Kitchen:

→ I’m starting with my number 1 favorite kitchen cleaning hack – citric acid in the dishwasher. If your dishes are ever cloudy or just not coming out totally clean… a spoonful of citric acid. It’s cheaper than good quality dishwasher tabs and it works freaking amazing. (Your dishwasher will sparkle too!!)

→ Microwave a bowl of water (with a splash of vinegar if you want) for 4 or 5 minutes and all dried on food wipes out of the microwave in no time flat. (Then use the hot vinegar water to scrub out your sink!)

→ Cooking bacon? Drain the fat into a tinfoil pouch (set it in a bowl – but not a plastic bowl, they melt!) and let it harden. Just throw it away.

→ Speaking of tin foil, use it to line pans that you’re cooking anything super sticky / messy on. Save yourself the scrubbing!

→ Whir up a squirt of soap and hot water in the blender AS SOON AS YOU FINISH using it, and rinse. Clean blender, no scrubbing.

→ PUT EVERYTHING IN THE DISHWASHER. If it can’t go in the dishwasher, it doesn’t belong in my kitchen. (I make an exception only for pretty wine glasses and my electric wok.)

In The Bathroom:

→ Bleach tablets in the toilet tank. Seriously, these things reduce the frequency that my toilet needs cleaning by AT LEAST 50%.

→You’ve seen the picture on pinterest before, but have you ever tried actually it?  Plain white vinegar, in a bag, over the shower head (secure it there with an elastic band). Leave it while you clean the toilet and sink. I screw off the sink faucet end as well and throw that in the bag too! All the mineral deposits wipe right off.

→ Line the toddler potty with a coffee filter. It’ll still need bleaching once in a while, but not so much… scrubbing.

→ Throw that shower curtain right in the washing machine (I do mine with hot water and bleach), hang it back up to dry.

→ Wipe the bathroom sink down every morning and evening when you’re done with it. (I know it doesn’t sound like much of a hack, but it is, ‘cus you’ll RARELY have to actually clean it. Trust me.)

Around The House:

→ Use a lint Roller for dusting lamp shades, bedspreads, throw pillows and other material-sort of surfaces. (My mom bought me these reusable lint rollers and they are AWESOME, not only do I never have to buy lint rollers anymore, but the big one works wonders for picking threads/feathers/lint off the beds.)

→ The dishwasher is not just for dishes – clean/dust vents & filters, light fixture globes, hairbrushes, toys, anything that seems waterproof and gross. (Don’t do that salmon cooking thing. That’s weird.)

→ Keep rubbing alcohol on hand for pet accidents on carpets and beds. Gets rid of any smell and evaporates quickly. (Keep it in a spray bottle, for anything that could use quick disinfecting!)

→ Invest in a set of Norwex rags (- one microfiber anti-bac cloth and one window cloth). You will never buy Windex again and cleaning any glass (with JUST the rags and water) takes literally seconds.

Lazy Laundry:

→ “Iron” slightly wrinkled clothes by throwing them in the dryer with a damp towel.

→ Speed up drying of wet clothes by throwing them in the dryer with a dry towel.

→ Own all white towels and sheets. Sounds crazy, but you will never need to read another “get fresh smelling towels” post. Bleach & hot water, all the way. (I do not own all white towels and sheets… But I do own slightly bleach stained towels and sheets, that never smell bad, and I love it.)

What are your favorite lazy-girl cleaning hacks that ACTUALLY work?