Need some good cleaning hacks? Keep reading for the easiest homemade cleaning hacks you need to try as a lazy adult! These tricks will change the way you clean!
Follow along to find out what homemade recipes will leave your apartment clean and smelling amazing in every room.
These products are homemade, so not only are you saving money from store bought cleaners with extra chemicals, but you can customize how you want your apartment to smell using essential oils!
This is the ultimate two-in-one cleaning hack, cleaning your space AND making it smell amazing instead of just covering the smell with air fresheners or using harsh chemicals.
No one likes spending money on cleaning supplies. In fact, it’s probably the last thing I want to spend my money on.
Being in my 20’s and living in an apartment, the only cleaning product I buy from the store is all-purpose cleaner, and that’s because it works on everything and, to be honest, I’m a lazy cleaner.
I realized that although my apartment didn’t smell bad, it never really smelt good anymore. Even with using wallflowers and burning candles, that new fresh apartment smell was never there.
That’s when I did some research and created my absolute favorite list of cleaning hacks that clean my apartment while also making it smell amazing!
Like I mentioned before, as a lazy cleaner, having store bought all-purpose cleaner will do the job on just about everything in your apartment and is relatively cheap. But to keep a clean and good smelling apartment, you can’t just run off of one cleaner alone, and there are a few areas that all-purpose cleaner just can’t get to.
And that’s where these easy and homemade cleaning tricks come into play.
It is amazing how much of a difference they make on the cleanliness and smell of my apartment. I can’t believe how long I went without using these products!
For a COMPLETE BROKEN DOWN CLEANING GUIDE that helps you clean every room in your apartment QUICK, click here.
Homemade cleaning hacks that actually work!
1. DIY CARPET DEODORIZER:
This one is my absolute favorite cleaning hack!
Which is why I had to put it at the top of the list! I truly feel like this cleaning hack is so underutilized!! Especially as a girl in my 20’s living in an apartment, I’ll be honest and say I am SO bad at actually cleaning my carpets besides vacuuming. Doing this carpet deodorizer trick is seriously so easy and actually makes a world of difference to the cleanliness and smell of your space. Especially if you live in an apartment like me, it will make the whole place smell better!
- One cup baking soda
- 30 drops essential oil
- Optional : add ½ borax to this (this contains boron and salt and is a natural disinfectant!)
Mix well in a container by shaking and let sit overnight so essential oils can absorb. In the morning sprinkle over carpet, wait 15 minutes, and vacuum up. That’s it!
Seriously, this is one of the best DIY cleaning recipes I’ve found and has changed the way my apartment smells. I never realized how good I could make my apartment smell, just by using this! This cleaning tip works so well because it actually CLEANS your carpet on top of adding a fresh scent from the essential oil!
What essential oils scents should you use?
Lemon is a popular choice for cleaning because it’s a natural deodorizer and has a fresh clean scent. Some of my favorites are:
- Lemon
- Grapefruit
- Lavender
- Eucalyptus
- Tea tree
2. MICROWAVE CLEANER:
This is a great trick I learned to actually get a good microwave clean. In the past, I would just wipe the microwave out, but this method is so useful in actually loosening up all of the old food splatters and dirt that has built up over time in the microwave. These two ingredients are all it takes!
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
Mix these ingredients in a bowl and place in the microwave. Set to two minutes or until you see the mixture boiling and creating steam in the microwave. After turning the microwave off, leave the mixture in the microwave and leave the door closed for 10 minutes. This will loosen the grim and residue in the microwave. Once the time is up, remove the bowl, and wipe down the interior of the microwave with a wet sponge. Take out the turntable sitting in the microwave and wash with dish soap or all-purpose cleaner and place back in the microwave!
Another positive of using homemade cleaning products is that they don’t take up extra storage. Living in an apartment, storage room is definitely limited. Saving space by not piling up a million different cleaners is so helpful to have extra room in your storage cupboards. And to make it even better, these are ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!
3. WINDOW CLEANER:
- 2 cups distilled water
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dish soap
- 5-10 drops essential oil
This can be used on all mirrors, windows, and glass doors. Mix all ingredients together in a spray bottle and spray on the desired surface. Use a lint free cloth such as a microfiber cloth to make sure you get no streaks left behind!
Important note:
A microfiber cloth is definitely something that will make a difference on the appearance of surfaces, making them streak free due to their anti-lint properties. Whether you are using homemade or store bought cleaning products, using this cloth will 100% make a difference in the end result of your clean.
4. Drain Declogger:
- One cup baking soda
- Two cups vinegar
Pour a small pot of boiling water down the drain, or about 4 cups. Next dump in baking soda, followed by vinegar. Let this is for about 15 minutes, and then rinse with another small pot of boiling water. This will help to loosen any particles and other grim left in the drain!
Do this every once in a while, even if you don’t think your drain is clogged. As grim and other dirt builds up in your pipes it can start to cause an unpleasant smell. By doing this, you are making sure that nothing is forming in your drains and that they are staying clean!
You just learned my favorite 4 cleaning hacks to get your apartment cleaned quick and get rid of any odors that might be hanging around your apartment.
These cleaning tricks do the best job cleaning your apartment using strong, natural ingredients, while also utilizing different essential oils to make it smell refreshing. These cleaning hacks take almost no time and will make a world of difference to the cleanliness of your space.
Educational note:
Acidic cleaning products are perfect for calcium build up or rust spots. This would be great for brass or copper appliances in your bathroom or kitchen, and other areas with rust stains. Examples of these types of products are lemon juice, vinegar, and isopropyl alcohol.
Basic cleaning products are used for cleaning oil residue, grease stains, or other dirt buildup you want to clean. Examples of these products are bleach, ammonia, borax, and baking soda.
Happy cleaning!