One minute handy home hints
How to dry a damp load of laundry quickly?
Add a dry bath towel to the mix and the load should dry a little faster.
Make an easy, all-purpose cleaner
Here’s a quick cleaning recipe that can make most surfaces sparkle. Combine 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 litre of warm water. Use it with a sponge to wipe messes away. This all-purpose cleaner is especially good for cleaning kitchen counters, appliances and inside the refrigerator.
Smelly Runners?
Freshen up after a gym class by sprinkling some baking soda inside your shoes (and your gym bag while you’re at it). Just tap it out before you wear again.
Got creative kids?
When your kids have been let loose on the walls, Pro Hart style, clean lightly with a damp sponge sprinkled with little baking soda.
Hair brushes and combs need a clean?
Combat build-up from hair products with a sudsy solution of a few drops of dish liquid mixed with warm water.
Fight pet smells
Deodorize the soft furnishings around your home – including the dog’s bed – by sprinkling surfaces with a little baking soda, letting it sit for 15 minutes, and then vacuuming clean.
Freshen up stuffed toys
In between baths (in the washing machine, of course), clean your kids' plush pals by giving them a quick once-over with a lint roller.
Clean a slow drain
When you notice your drain is starting to clog, sprinkle ½ a cup of baking soda down the sink, followed by ½ a cup of white vinegar. Cover with a wet cloth to contain the fizz. Wait five minutes then flush clean with hot water.
Clean the car on the go
A lint roller is a handy, less hefty solution to clean your car’s interior when you’re on the go. It can also fit in most nooks and crannies where your vacuum attachments just can't reach.
Clean stains off cutting boards
Run the cut side of a lemon over the board to remove food stains and smells. For extra cleaning power, sprinkle the board with salt or baking soda first.
Shine silver in a pinch
Notice your favorite ring or bracelet looking a bit dull? Wet it, rub with a little toothpaste, rinse, and dry with a clean cloth.
De-grime outdoor furniture
Add a squirt of dish liquid to a bowl of warm water, and use it to wipe down your outdoor tables and chairs. Then rinse clean with the garden hose.
Cleaning windows with vinegar
Use white vinegar to brighten your windows. Mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with 4 litres of water and dispense into a spray bottle. Squirt on and wipe away with a clean microfibre cloth (not paper towels, which can cause streaking).
Erase greasy stains on clothes
Salad dressing on your shirt? Rub a little dish liquid into the stain and rinse clean with water. The soap is gentle enough for spot-treating most fabrics — even washable wool and silk.
Get rid of sweat stains
If you want to keep your whites truly white rub full-strength liquid enzyme detergent on the underarm area and let sit 15 minutes. Then separate whites from colors and wash whites with a full dose of bleach-alternative detergent (for whitening) in the hottest water possible.
De-grease kitchen cabinets
Just like your cooking utensils, your kitchen cupboards can get quite greasy over time. Add a little dish liquid to a spray bottle with warm water to mist away the grime. Then, rinse with a well-wrung cloth and dry.
A quick fix for furniture nicks
Got a scuff or a scratch on your old wooden furniture? Rub it with a walnut (shell removed) to mask the damage.
Clean porcelain with vodka
It's easy to get porcelain fixtures shining like new. Just moisten a soft, clean cloth with vodka, and then apply a little elbow grease.
Bedding cleaning
You only need to clean your pillows and comforters 2 or 3 times a year or 4 times if super keen. As an easy reminder: Wash them when the seasons change.
De-funk your microwave
Make the interior easier to wipe clean by heating a cup of water and a chopped-up lemon on high until the microwave's window is steamy. Let the bowl sit for 15 minutes before you open the door then clean away any grime with ease.
Clean up pet hair with rubber gloves
After you're through washing dishes, don't remove your damp gloves. Take a detour through the living room and quickly clean up animal fur from your soft furnishings by running your gloves over each surface.
Wait before you tackle a muddy floor
Dry dirt is easier to clean up than sticky mud, so don't bother cleaning until the footprints get dry and crusty; then just open the back door and sweep it all out.
Fill your dishwasher with everything but dishes
Some plastic toys, toothbrush holders and pet dishes are just a few of the items you can clean in this handy little machine.
Silence squeaky floors
Squeaky floors can be really annoying. Pour a little baby powder onto your wooden floor and sweep it into the cracks to quiet creaking floorboards. Wipe clean the excess and enjoy the sounds of silence.
Remove coffee stains from mugs
When your morning brew leaves a stubborn unsightly ring, use a little toothpaste to clean it off.
Get a "right away" laundry bin
Don't get stuck with a dirty soccer uniform or ballet costume the day your kid needs it. Add an extra "priority" basket to your clean routine and never be empty-handed again.
Iron clothes when they're damp
The moisture helps release wrinkles, so press your peskiest pieces right off the washing line.
Clean plants with mayo
Take a tip from professional florists: Clean dusty potted plants with some mild soap and water, then use a paper towel to rub a drop of mayo into the tops of leaves, to shine 'em up.
Image: Getty