Although my calendar tells me spring has arrived, the random snowflakes that keep falling here in Virginia are making it hard for me to get into spring cleaning mode. As a result, Iโve decided to take a cue from the weatherโs slow transition and Iโm going to ease into spring cleaning this year.
My current focus in what I am calling Phase One, is to clean things while Iโm asleep so I can rest up for Phase Two. While Iโd be happy to let someone else do all my cleaning for me, budgetary restrictions here at WW headquarters prohibit it. Consequently, I have settled for letting certain household items do some of the work for me. Hereโs the plan:
Bathroom Cleaning in Your Sleep
Clean Bathroom Sinks
- Line a white bathroom sink (but NOT porcelain) with paper towels soaked in bleach.
- In the morning, throw away the paper towels and the sink will be shiny and clean.
To Unclog Your Showerhead
- Fill a plastic bag with undiluted white vinegar and place the bag over the shower head so it is completely submerged.
- Secure and seal the bag with a rubber band. Soak overnight and then scrub the face of the shower head in the morning.
Clean Shower and Bath Grout
- Make a paste of baking soda and either white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.
- Rub on grout and let sit overnight.
- Wipe off the next morning.
Clean Toilets
- Spray white vinegar all over the interior of your toilet bowl and allow to sit overnight.
- Flush clean in the morning.
Declog Slow Drains
- For slow drains, pour a half cup of baking soda and a half cup of salt down the drain, followed by one cup of boiling water.
- The next morning, flush with hot tap water.
Kitchen Cleaning in Your Sleep
Clean Kitchen Sink
- If you have a white kitchen sink, pour enough bleach in the sink to cover the bottom, then fill the sink with cold water.
- Soak rubber or plastic dish drainers in the solution.
- Drain in the morning and everything will be clean and free of hard water stains.
Clean Oven
- Spray oven with oven cleaner or coat the interior of the oven with paste made from powdered dishwasher soap or baking soda and water.
- Cover paste with wet paper towels.
- In the morning, wipe clean.
Clean Stove Burners
- Place burners and/or trays in a plastic garbage bag with ammonia.
- Seal the bag and place it outside overnight.
- In the morning, wash off the residue with soap and water.
How to Clean the Rest of the House in Your Sleep
Freshen Carpets
- Sprinkle baking soda on carpets.
- Let sit overnight and vacuum up orders in the morning.
Clean Vases and Thermoses
- Mix 2 tablespoons of oxygen bleach with 1 gallon of warm water.
- Pour solution into flower vases and thermoses to remove stubborn residue in the bottoms.
- Allow to work overnight.
- Rinse clean the next morning.
Clean Candle Jars
- To clean out the candle remnants from glass jars or votive holders, place them in the freezer overnight.
- In the morning, the wax will fall right out.
Clean Garage Floor Stains
- Make a paste of powdered dishwasher detergent and hot water and scrub into oil stains on your cement driveway or garage floor.
- Let sit overnight then rinse with water.
More Cleaning Tips
If you liked these tips, you’ll also love my time-saving cleaning tips for moms who have other things to do.
Also, I do better when I take cleaning in small batches. That’s why I use this Daily 5 Cleaning System.
If you’re a list person, this Daily Cleaning Cheat Sheet will help keep you on task.
My laziness knows no bounds, so if you have more helpful hints on how to let time and baking soda do all the hard work, please share!
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after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Anyhow, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!
Awesome tips! I can’t wait to try these out. It will make cleaning so much easier. Thanks for sharing these tips.
Wow! These are some great tips! Thanks!
Thanks so much for these great tips. I’m about to start spring/moving cleaning and this will help a lot.
I hope they take some of the stress out of spring cleaning, or at least leave you with some spare time to enjoy the spring weather (hoping you’re getting it, since we’re still experiencing winter here).
Great tips thanks. Will have to try the bathroom ones, that seems to be the room always forgotten then takes forever to clean when I do. thank you so much
I agree! And bathroom germs really gross me out so I am happy to let the disinfectants linger there overnight to do their work. ๐