Credit to image used in pin goes to Max Pixel. – Changes were made to the original image.
I love cleaning, but only when I’m in the mood or I’ve been on a streak with keeping up with the household chores. The rest of the time I need to force myself to get my act together and get things done.
And for those times where I need to push myself to have a put-together home, I’m definitely grateful for any advice I can get. And when I looked into old fashioned cleaning tips, I was kind of surprised I hadn’t tried these ideas before.
And if you can’t afford housecleaners, but you still want to keep things tidied up, then these vintage cleaning tips are gonna come in handy.
House upkeep and having a regular cleaning schedule doesn’t have to be super stressful. So scroll, check out a few of these vintage cleaning tips, and see what works for you!
1. Start at the Top When Dusting
Whenever you’re dusting your appliances, furniture, and fixtures, always start at the top and work your way down. This’ll help you avoid going over the work you’ve already done and spend too much time cleaning.
2. Always Dust With A Damp Cloth
In addition to the above tip, make sure you’re using a damp cloth when dusting. Compared to feather dusters that simply spread the dust from one surface to another, damp microfiber cloths are a much better option.
3. Make Your Counters Sparkle with Grapefruit
Instead of buying some expensive kitchen spray or wipes, make your grandma proud and try this cleaning hack out. Take a grapefruit half, then sprinkle salt on top of the counter and rinse away with hot water and a sponge. It’ll be sparkling clean in just a few minutes and you won’t have to use harsh chemicals.
4. Refresh the Dishwasher with Vinegar
With overtime use, your dishwasher can accumulate quite a bit of dirt and grime that can affect its functionality.
So to easily fix this, pour one cup of white vinegar into the bottom of your empty dishwasher and run through a cycle. It might require more than one cycle, but pretty quickly, it’ll be sparkling clean and odor free.
5. Use Washing Soda Crystals Over Laundry Detergent
If you want another non-toxic option, get washing soda crystals from Amazon or the store for your clothing.
They’re great for hard to remove stains like blood and wine, but you’ll need to soak the clothing overnight before washing.
6. Lemons Are Nature’s Best Natural Cleaners
Lemons are such a great natural ingredient.
The acid in the fruit works well in removing stains, dirt, bad odors, and grease. It’s also a great antibacterial and disinfecting green cleaner. So forget the toxic commercial cleaners and go for something safe and natural.
7. Glycerin for Removing Old Stains
Glycerin is great for getting rid of old stains that seem to never go away no matter what you do.
But just make sure to dilute it in 1-2 parts water before applying it to the stain. And when you do, just soak it for 1 hour, rub at it gently, and then wash.
8. Freshen the Air with Lavender
To naturally freshen the air in your home, try placing some lavender in a vase. It not only makes your home smell great but it can also be used as decor.
Also, it’s non-toxic so you’re not filling up the air with chemicals from synthetic scents that could harm you.
9. Get Simple Chores Done Daily
If you’re getting simple chores done daily, you’ll never have to do all the work in one big cleaning session.
So try making your bed an hour after waking up (to let it air out from the sweat), throw the garbage out daily, and finish all the dishes before going to sleep. These are just simple cleaning chores that’ll keep things tidy.
10. Clean Coffee and Tea Stains in Mugs
We all have that favorite mug that gets those kinda gross brown ring inside because of coffee or tea. So to quickly fix it, gently scrub the inside of your stained mugs with salt and a cloth dampened with vinegar to remove the stains.
Wash and rinse after, and it’ll look new and clean again.
11. Stick Your Rusty Utensils in a Raw Onion
Before you throw out all your rusty utensils, give them new life again and try out this simple cleaning trick.
All you have to do is saw your knife (or other utensil) back and forth into an onion and the rust will start to come off.
The sulfenic acids in onions are the key ingredients in getting your blades clean.
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.