27 amazing cleaning hacks

Want a clean, tidy home but feel like you never have a spare minute? Don't we all. Life's too short to spend your free time hoovering ... these hacks will leave your home spick and span, and you'll still have enough time to put your feet up with a cuppa.

... but you can clean much more than just dishes in a dishwasher.

Ornaments, vases, hairbrushes, the kids' Crocs and sandals, bath toys, Duplo and Lego, dustpans and brushes. Switch it on and let it work its magic. Don't believe us? Try it!

What's weirdest thing you've ever put in your dishwasher?

Got a bottle of flat cola in the fridge? Before bed, pour it down the toilet, then leave it over night.

In the morning give the toilet bowl a quick scrub and then flush – ta da! It'll be nice and shiny, no elbow grease required.

Food stains and baby clothes go hand in hand ... and if you've ever tried to get spag bol out of a white vest, you'll know it's no easy task. But did you know a spot of simple sun treatment could be the answer?

Just hang stained clothes on the washing line and wait for the sun to fade them.

Baby powder is perfect for grease, as it absorbs it before washing.

If you don't have any talc, white chalk works just as well.

Your sofa? Your bedsheets? Your carpets? Fret not.

That squeegee thing you use to clean your shower is also excellent at removing unwanted pet fluff. Try it, you'll to be amazed.

And why not try out this bestselling lint roller, that's perfect for removing pet hair from carpets, upholstery and clothes? It's gone viral for a reason AND did we mention that it's Mrs. Hinch approved? See more details at Amazon.

Why are bottles of nail varnish so very tempting to little fingers? You might think polish splashed on the sofa is here to stay, but this little trick is genius.

Rubbing alcohol can be bought from Amazon, eBay or Boots.

It's not just for keeping pearly whites white you know!

Toothpaste is your secret cleaning weapon ... you can even use it to get rid of odours lingering on your hands after cooking. Just squirt a dab of toothpaste into the palm of your hands, rub together and rinse well.

Works wonders on shower heads, too. Half fill a plastic bag with lemon juice, put the shower head into the bag so it's covered in the juice, secure the bag with elastic bands or string, and leave to soak.

Not anymore!

This trick also works well on air vents and extractor fans.

We know it works on shoes, but we bet you hadn't thought of using it on sofas, handbags and leather clothes, too.

Be sure to match the colours and test a small area first.

Works a treat, especially for oddly shaped bottles.

I mean, how hard is it to use a coaster in the first place? If your family always 'forget', try this hack.

It also works well on tea and coffee stained mugs – half fill mug with warm water, add some baking soda and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes, then simply wipe the stains away.

We knew our love for the humble baby wipe wasn't weird. They'll clean ANYTHING. Baby sick on your white top? Check. Carpet stains? Check. Mirrors? Check.

They may be great for cleaning, but they're certainly not great for the environment, so use sparingly.

Some of the really fancy rollers even claim to clean up stains and spilt drinks!

If you mix some baking soda in with your vinegar and water solution, it doubles up as a carpet cleaner, too.

Half fill a microwaveable jug with water. Halve a couple of lemons and plonk them in. Zap the water and lemons in the microwave for a couple of minutes, until the water starts to bubble. Leave the jug to sit there and steam for a few minutes.

Once it's finished, you can easily wipe away the grime, and memories of that disappointing ready meal.

We also love the 'Angry Mom' microwave cleaner. Just fill the figure with vinegar and water and then place it in the microwave for seven minutes.The easiest, most effortless deep clean that you can find at Amazon.

Scrunch up balls of newspaper and shove them in your wet shoes. It soaks up the moisture and they'll be dry before you know it. Well, until it rains again.

Has little Libby found her way into your makeup drawer? Spray lipstick stains with hairspray, leave it to set for approximately 10 minutes, then dab with a damp cloth and wash as normal. Et voila!

The cleaning hacks don't stop there. We've trawled the internet for ideas and tips for you to try ...

Streaky glass is the bane of our lives, but there's a simple solution. The Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group suggests mixing a cup full of fabric softener with warm water as a window cleaning solution.

If it goes creamy or slimy, just add more water and use a microfibre cloth to wipe. You can wash the radiators with it too.

Scrubbing the oven isn't the ideal way to spend a Saturday. Save time by giving the wire racks a bath. No, really.

Fill up the bath, plop in your dirty racks, cover them with boiling water and washing up liquid, then cover with tumble dryer sheets. Leave overnight, drain the tub in the morning, and use the soaked dryer sheets to wipe the racks clean.

Remember to warn the family first to avoid a shower surprise!

This is a brilliant multi-purpose disk you can use all over the house. You'll need baking soda, water, a fragranced oil (lemon or lavender works well) and a cupcake tray.

Add three to four drops of your chosen essential oil to about 120 ml of water. Pour the scented water into about 250g of baking soda and mix well. Continue to add small amounts of water until the mixture forms a very thick paste.

Divide the mixture into the cavities of the cupcake tin and let them dry for 24-48 hours. Viola! You can pop these around the house to remove stinky odours.

By the time you get to Sunday, a week's worth of meals have usually collected on the cooker. With this quick fix, they'll disappear in a flash.

Pour white vinegar into a small spray bottle and spray it evenly onto your stovetop. Then sprinkle over baking soda, which will react with the vinegar, creating a fizzy cleaner that loosens grease and grime.

Meanwhile, fill a bowl with warm water and a squirt of washing up liquid. Dunk an old towel into the water, wring it out and lie it on top of the stove for 15 minutes. All that's left is to wipe away the dirt.

Tip some salt into your old iron pans, warm on the stove and wipe the salt around with a paper towel.

It'll pick up the dirt and you just need to rinse the dish with warm water. That's it!

Arts and crafts with the kids at home always seems like a good idea until you turned away for two seconds and there's glitter EVERYWHERE.

Don't panic. Playdough is perfect for picking glitter up. Roll it into a ball, then roll it over the mess.

Tiny bits of smashed glass can be tricky to clean up, so get the bread out. Yes, you heard us correctly.

A thick slice of bread pushed onto tiny bits of glass will pick it up without you getting injured.

Another multi purpose household item that we love.

Coffee filters are lint-free so won't scratch screens, whether it's your tv, phone or tablet. Turn the device off, then use the dry coffee filter to dust it by wiping it gently across the screen.

Who'd have thought rubbing a tennis ball over a scuff mark would get rid of it? For best results, the tennis ball needs to be used but clean.

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