9 Time-Saving Household Cleaning Hacks

Save energy — and money — with these time-saving cleaning hacks by All You [1]. Tackle anything from DIY [2] linen spray to making your own carpet cleaner.

1. How to Make Your Own Carpet Cleaner

To get stains out of your carpet, try this DIY carpet cleaner recipe from Kids Activities Blog [3]: Use 1/3 of a bottle of hydrogen peroxide (preferably in the dark bottle, which keeps the solution active) and fill the bottle up the rest of the way with water, then add five drops of lemon essential oil. Shake, then spray on carpet. Let set for a minute or so, then scrub gently with a scrub brush. Use a clean rag to blot any extra liquid.

2. How to Clean Glass Lamp Shades

Put glass shades in the top rack of your dishwasher and run a normal cycle to get them sparkling clean.

3. How to Fill Small Holes in the Wall

If you have small holes from nails in your wall, try spackling with white (not gel) toothpaste.

4. How to Make Your Own DIY Household Air Freshener and Linen Spray

Blogger The Lone Home Ranger [4] uses a mix of 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon vodka, and 1/4 teaspoon essential oil in a spray bottle to freshen up her home. You can also try on a musty mattress.

5. How to Dust Ceiling Fans

To quickly clean the dust from a ceiling fan, slip a spare pillowcase over the ceiling fan blade and then pull it off. You'll capture the dust from both sides of the fan — and dust won't fall all over the floor.

6. How to Clean Up Pet Fur

Have a furry friend at home? A rubber glove or shower squeegee will remove fur from carpets, furniture, and other surfaces. Just rub over the surface and hair will collect right onto the glove or squeegee.

7. How to Clean Dirty Blinds

Keep Home Simple [5] has a great trick for cleaning blinds: just dip a sock in equal parts water and vinegar, put your hand into the sock, and run your hand over your blind slants to clean. Use another sock to wipe dry.

8. How to Dust a Fabric Shade

To remove dusty grime from a fabric or paper lampshade, just run a lint roller over it.

9. How to Get Streak-Free Windows

"Use newspaper, crumpled up, instead of a rag or paper towel to clean windows and mirrors. Simply spray with cleaner and wipe away with the newspaper. No lint or streaks," says All You Reality Checker Stephanie O.

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