10 Easy Spring Cleaning Hacks for Your Home

All you’ll need is a toothbrush and some washing-up liquid to get the track looking good as new. For the screen itself, white vinegar is all that’s required. Apply a little with a cloth and then rinse and dry with a second cloth.

Limescale build-up doesn’t look good and will stop your shower working properly, too. But what if you have a fixed showerhead? Find a plastic bag big enough to fit over it and half fill it with white vinegar – it needs to cover the shower head completely. Place the bag over the shower head and fix in place with an elastic band. Leave for 30 minutes, then rinse the exterior; turn on the shower to get rid of any deposits inside it as well. Dry and see the gleam return.

Shutters are oh-so easy to care for but if the spring light’s drawn your attention to a little dust on the slats, simply give them a wipe down with a slightly damp lint-free cloth – microfibre versions are perfect. Work downwards for a quick and thorough job. Use a dry cloth to finish.

Bicarbonate of soda is another store cupboard standby that you can use in this oven cleaning hack. Add warm water to the powder to make a paste then apply to oven surfaces (but not the heating element and shelves). Leave to work – overnight is fine – then remove. A plastic scraper’s the easiest way to get the paste off, then finish with a sponge.

A gentle washing-up liquid solution and a cloth are ready to hand when you want to get any dust and sticky residue off many kitchen surfaces and painted wood. Avoid wetting wood worktops, though.

If the new season’s leaving you wondering how on earth your windows got that dirty, try this home cleaning hack. Don’t do this job on a sunny day, though, as you’ll get streaky results. Use a soft brush to dust the panes of glass first, as well as the frames and sills. Use a solution of white vinegar and water and apply with a sponge. Use a squeegee to remove, making sure you clean dirt from the blade as you go to avoid spreading it. Some people swear by the traditional trick of using newspaper to finish, but we reckon a microfibre cloth is the best way to get smear-free results.

If fingerprints are making kitchen and bathroom taps look permanently grubby, white vinegar mixed with warm water is a reliable house cleaning hack. Apply the solution with a soft cloth and it will leave chrome gleaming.

Lingering odours in the fridge? Here’s where bicarbonate of soda is a spring cleaning wonder once again. Place a small bowl of it inside and it’ll get rid of nasty niffs. You can also use it to clean the interior. Simply wipe down the interior with a little bicarbonate of soda in warm water. You can take out drawers and use the same solution on them, too. Let glass shelves heat up to room temperature before wiping them so the warm water doesn’t cause cracks.

While you’re on a cleaning blitz, take a look at lampshades on pendant, table and floor lights. If they’ve acquired a light covering of dust all it takes is a lint roller to get them looking good as new. Sorted!

When food’s become hardened on to the interior of the microwave, a lemon can come to the rescue. Squeeze the juice into a microwave-safe container, add around 250ml water and heat for 5 minutes. Afterwards any grease or old food should be easy to wipe off.