31 Genius Apartment Cleaning Hacks No One Tells You About

 Let’s be real—cleaning an apartment sucks sometimes. You scrub, you sweep, you mop, and still, five minutes later, it somehow looks like a raccoon ransacked your place. Been there. That’s why I’m about to share with you 31 cleaning hacks no one actually tells you about (but totally should).


I’ve tried most of these myself, and trust me, they save time, money, and a lot of “why did I even start this?” frustration. Whether you’re in a studio apartment or a two-bedroom setup, these tricks will make your space look way cleaner without you losing your weekend to chores.







1. Use a Pillowcase to Dust Your Ceiling Fan



Stick a pillowcase over each blade and pull the dust inside—no snowstorm of debris all over your floor. Genius, right?





2. Vinegar for Microwave Gunk



Heat up a bowl of vinegar and water for five minutes, then wipe the inside. That tomato sauce splatter from three months ago? Gone.





3. Lint Roller for Lampshades



Who knew lint rollers weren’t just for cat hair on black pants? Roll it over lampshades and they’ll look brand new.





4. Baking Soda in the Trash Can



Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of your trash can to neutralize odors. No more mysterious “what died in here?” smell.





5. Dryer Sheets for Baseboards



Wipe your baseboards with dryer sheets. They clean AND leave a dust-repelling coating. Basically, it’s like force-field armor for your walls.





6. Toothpaste for Silver Polishing



No fancy cleaner? Just rub toothpaste on tarnished silverware or jewelry, rinse, and boom—shiny again.





7. Lemon to Freshen Your Garbage Disposal



Toss in lemon peels and run the disposal. Fresh, citrusy smell replaces that questionable funk.





8. Rubber Glove Pet Hair Trick



Put on a slightly damp rubber glove and run your hand over your couch. Pet hair sticks instantly. It’s weirdly satisfying.





9. Salt for Cast Iron Pans



Skip the soap (it ruins seasoning). Use coarse salt and a little water to scrub pans clean. Old-school but effective.





10. White Vinegar for Showerheads



Soak your showerhead in a bag of vinegar overnight. Next morning: full water pressure again. Who doesn’t love a strong shower?





11. Old Sock for Blinds



Slip a damp old sock over your hand and wipe blinds one slat at a time. Oddly fun.





12. Dishwasher for More Than Dishes



Toss in toothbrush holders, soap trays, fridge shelves—basically, anything small and gunky that can handle hot water.





13. Alcohol on Stainless Steel



Forget overpriced sprays. A little rubbing alcohol on a cloth makes stainless steel appliances shine (and streak-free).





14. Coffee Filters for Screens



Wipe your laptop, TV, or phone screen with a coffee filter. It grabs dust without leaving lint or scratches.





15. Lemon for Stains on Cutting Boards



Rub lemon directly on cutting boards to lift stains and smells. Instant reset.





16. Vodka for Mattresses



Spritz vodka lightly on your mattress to kill bacteria and neutralize odors. Yes, vodka cleans too—don’t drink this one though. ;)





17. Baking Soda on Carpets



Sprinkle it on your carpet, let it sit, then vacuum. It sucks out odors and freshens the whole room.





18. Toothbrush for Grout



Old toothbrushes are basically mini scrubbers. Dip one in baking soda paste and scrub grout lines. Super cheap fix.





19. Dryer Sheets in Shoes



Got smelly sneakers? Pop in a dryer sheet overnight. Smell = gone.





20. Rice for Coffee Grinders



Run dry rice through your grinder to clean out leftover coffee oils. Works like a charm.





21. Olive Oil for Wood Furniture



A few drops of olive oil on a cloth brings back the shine. Bonus: smells better than furniture polish.





22. Freezer for Candle Wax Jars



Stick old candle jars in the freezer. Wax shrinks and pops right out. Reuse the jars for storage.





23. Ketchup for Copper



Yep, ketchup. Rub it on copper pans or décor, rinse, and watch the shine return. Weird but effective.





24. Newspaper for Windows



Forget paper towels. Crumpled newspaper leaves glass streak-free (and saves you some money).





25. Ice Cubes for Carpet Dents



Place ice cubes on dents left by furniture. As they melt, the carpet fluffs back up. Magic trick status.





26. Shaving Cream for Foggy Mirrors



Spread shaving cream on your bathroom mirror, wipe it off, and it won’t fog up after showers. Who knew?!





27. Vacuum in Reverse



Instead of pushing forward, pull the vacuum backward for more suction power. Try it—you’ll see the difference.





28. Dryer Sheets for Toilet Cleaning



Seriously. Wipe your toilet with a dryer sheet to remove dust and water stains. Works surprisingly well.





29. Salt for Wine Stains



Spill red wine on your carpet? Dump salt over it right away. It absorbs the liquid before it sets. Crisis averted.





30. Dish Soap for Grease Stains on Clothes



Rub a drop of dish soap into a grease stain before washing. Way cheaper than stain removers.





31. The 10-Minute Rule



Set a timer for 10 minutes and clean as much as you can. You’ll be shocked how much you accomplish—and it doesn’t feel overwhelming.





Final Thoughts



There you go—31 genius apartment cleaning hacks no one tells you about (except me, your new cleaning buddy).


Some of these sound a little unconventional (ketchup? vodka?), but IMO they work better than most store-bought stuff. And hey, if you can save money and clean faster, why not?


So, next time your apartment feels like it’s winning the “World’s Messiest” award, pick a couple of these hacks and try them out. I promise, you’ll look around after and think, “Okay, maybe I don’t totally hate cleaning.” :)



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