TOP 4 TIMESAVING CLEANING HACKS

1. DISINFECT PLASTIC TOYS IN THE DISHWASHER

Put down the Clorox wipes and simply use the dishwasher. It makes quick work of eliminating germs from plastic toys like Lego bricks. Put the toys in a mesh laundry bag to keep them contained and remove them before the drying cycle starts, opting instead to air-dry the toys on a towel. (Psst … this method also works well for other items like seashells, dish brushes, rags and sponges.)

2. DUST BLINDS WITH KITCHEN TONGS

Dusting blinds can be quite a pain. It’s difficult to thoroughly wipe both sides of the slats without bending them in the process. A pair of kitchen tongs makes it a lot easier. Simply cut a rag into two small pieces and use twist-ties or rubber bands to secure the rags around the tongs. Then close the tongs around each slat and wipe away the dust.

3. USE A LINT ROLLER ON FABRIC LAMPSHADES

Fabric lampshades are magnets for dust and pet hair. You can’t just throw them in the washing machine, so what do you do? Use a lint roller! Be careful, though, when cleaning, as lampshades are fragile and can even become brittle. A torn lampshade is worse than a dirty one.

4. SWEEP UP DUST BUNNIES WITH A COMB

Every time you sweep, clumps of dust and hair collect at the ends of the broom’s bristles. If you are doing a major clean, pulling these clumps between sweeps can be annoying and time consuming. To solve this problem, hot-glue a wide-tooth comb to the top of a dustpan. Just run the bristles through the comb to remove any excess gunk dangling from the broom.