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40 Weird But Genius Housekeeping Hacks You'll Wish You Knew About Sooner
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Buying a bacon grease catcher might not seem like it will help out with cleaning your house, but think about your kitchen drain. This stainless steel container keeps all of that grease out, so you don’t have to figure out how to clean your drain or worry about it getting clogged. It may sound like a weird hack but, this list is full of these weird but genius housekeeping hacks you’ll wish you knew about sooner.
This list isn’t all about avoiding chores, it’s all about making sure you’re cleaning and organizing as effectively as possible, like by grabbing a mini power scrubber to clean your shower tiles quickly. There are also plenty of laundry hacks here, like saving all of your favorite black clothing pieces in the wash with a color-preserving laundry detergent you should definitely check out.
Whatever chore you dread, this list has a cleaning solution, tidying up fix, or a super efficient product to guide you along. I mean, there’s even a sheet set that lets you avoid washing your bedding for longer — which is a total win in my book.
1Reach High Corners & Ceiling Fans With This Dusting Set
This dusting set means you’ll finally start cleaning ceiling corners and the tops of your ceiling fans. Extend the durable 27-inch handle up to 47-inches to reach those high, hard-to-reach spaces. Then use the circular design to slide right over each fan blade. The washable and bright yellow fibers will hold onto all of the dust, keeping you clean as you, well, clean.
2Uncover Hidden Odors & Stains With A Compact UV Light
Carry around this little UV black light on cleaning day, especially if you’ve noticed an odor you can’t exactly see. The 100 LED lights will easily find that stain that doesn’t smell great. Plus, you don’t even have to turn off the lights to use this battery-operated light in your cleaning routine because it works in all kinds of lighting. You can even use this grippy, weather resistant light to search for stains on your patio furniture.
3Stop Losing Your Socks With The Help Of This Laundry Tool
Pop up to nine pairs of socks on this plastic laundry tool and right into your washing machine. This simple but genius sock holder is complete with adjustable sliders that keep your socks together and in place. This washing machine- and dryer-safe tool is also perfect for putting away your clothes. In addition to keeping your socks together, it’s complete with a hanger on top to take your socks from your clean laundry basket to your closet in a flash.
4Make A Crisp, Clean Bed With These Sheet Fasteners
Clip these stretchy bed sheet fasteners on the underside of your fitted sheet for all of the perfectly made bed vibes. You get one of these durable fabric straps for each corner of your fitted bed sheet that make sure the corners won’t bunch up and come unmade in the middle of the night, even if you toss and turn a lot. With the heavy-duty nickel-plated clamps that still manage to keep your sheets hole-free, they’ll stay nice and hidden under your mattress.
5Save Money With Washable Pads That Easily Fit On Your Mop
Reach for these reusable microfiber mop pads instead of those expensive single-use mopping supplies. They pop right onto the spray mop you already have in your cleaning closet, and effectively pick up dirt, debris, and pet hair. They’ll keep their shape (and still fit your mop) after washing them, and the durable stitching won’t fray or scratch up your floors.
6Stop Hair From Gunking Up The Drain With A Hair Catcher
This durable silicone hair catcher means your hair won’t create an expensive plumbing situation. This compact mushroom-shaped tool is covered in perfectly placed holes, so your shower water will drain like normal, but hair and other debris can’t clog your drain. Plus, it’s easy to pop it out and wipe off the hair before it gets super gross.
7Keep Your Rugs Flat & Crisp With This Rug Tape
Not only does this mesh rug tape prevent tripping, but it also makes your rug look crisp and perfectly styled. The anti-curling adhesive keeps your rug exactly where you placed it, and it’s easy to apply and tear off this extra-thick rug tape — no scissors needed. It also won’t leave rug-shaped residue when you re-decorate, so you can keep that apartment deposit.
8Get The Perfect Fold With This Laundry Folding Board
Get through that basket of clean laundry faster with this durable folding board. Pop your jeans, dresses, shirts, and more on it — yep, even your T-shirts will get nicely folded with this easy-to-use board. There are even silicone accents that keep your clothes in place while you fold, and the plastic board is easy to collapse when you’re not using it.
9Dust Your Floors By Walking Around In These Adorable Mop Slippers
This 10-pack of washable microfiber mop socks look like adorable slippers, but they actually dust your floors. Each one has an elastic band to keep it secure on your foot while you walk around the house, and the soft and fluffy material picks up all of the dust — making housework easier than ever. You can also pop these reusable slippers onto a mop head or your hand for dusting other surfaces.
10Organize Your Kitchen Tools & Clothes With These Drawer Dividers
If you only use drawer dividers in your kitchen, trust me, and grab these bamboo dividers for your dresser, desk, and every other compartment too. They’re extendable and adjustable to create organized slots for all of your clothes, desk supplies, and those odds and ends that make their way into drawers. Plus, the rubber ends protect the paint or finish of your furniture. Of course, they’re water-resistant if you prefer them in the kitchen.
11Scrub Away Stains That Never Go Away With These Sponge Erasers
These sponge erasers are made of a melamine resin material that only need a bit of water to scrub away tough stains. I’m talking grease, dust, dirt, spills, stains, and more — even old stains are no match for these little guys. They come in a bulk pack so you can use these on everything everywhere and are easy to trim down to reach stains in corners or tight spots.
12Take Care Of Your Delicate Clothes At Home With These Dry Cleaning Cloths
Keep these dry cleaning cloths handy for all of those delicate clothes with dry clean only tags. Simply use your dryer and these gentle cloths to clean, deodorize, and get rid of wrinkles. Just like at the dry cleaner, your clothes won’t get all faded or stretched, and it only takes 20 minutes in the dryer. Plus, you get stain remover wipes to use before the dryer to deal with more intense cleans.
13Clean & Sanitize Surfaces With This Water-Only Steam Cleaner
Keep this handheld steamer under you kitchen cabinet instead of a bunch of cleaners and chemicals. The water-only design lets you spray down and sanitize surfaces, and it claims to get rid of 99.9% of germs and bacteria in the process. It even comes with three different heads to clean different hard surfaces around your home with a hard pressure that cuts through grime.
14Make A Hotel-Worthy Bed (Quickly) With This Sheet Tucker
This bed sheet tucking tool is compact enough to keep on your bedside table so it’s easy to grab on sheet-changing day. Simply hold the handle use the spatula-shaped tool to push the top sheet perfectly under your mattress for sheets that are so crisp. It even works with bed skirts, and you can avoid lifting up a heavy mattress.
15Take Care Of Wrinkles On Curtains & Sheets With This Lightweight Steamer
You can totally use this handheld garment steamer without taking down your curtains. Even though it’s small and weighs just over a pound, the tank gives you a full 10 minutes to tackle wrinkled curtains and sheets. It also heats up in two minutes, so this annoying chore won’t take too long. Plus, it automatically turns off if it’s too hot or too low on water.
16Lift Pet Hair Off The Couch With A Reusable Roller
If you sit on a pet hair-covered couch every single day, this is the pet hair remover that’ll prove you don’t have to. It has a reusable design that saves you from stocking up on the sticky tape lint rollers we’re all used to. There are zero batteries, and this simple but genius device is complete with a simple button to empty out the pet hair compartment.
17Speed Up Your Drying Time Naturally With These Wool Balls
Instead of restarting your dryer multiple times to get your stuff truly dry or relying on pricey, single-use dryer sheets, grab this set of wool dryer balls, which are made of 100% natural, chemical- and filler-free wool. They shorten drying time by up to 40%, so you never have to wonder if your clothes are dry after a cycle. Best of all, you can add on essential oils if you miss that dryer sheet scent.
18Clean Your Tub Without Standing On The Edge With This Scrubber
This lightweight shower scrubber is all about the handle that extends up to 42 inches, so don’t have to balance on the edge of your tub to clean above the shower head — yay. The pivoting nylon head is super helpful with the unique corner-reaching shape, and the antimicrobial scrubber has a replaceable head, which ensures you’ll always work with a clean scrubber.
19Wash Water Bottles Thoroughly With This Brush Set
This bottle brush set is, of course, helpful for reaching even the deepest corners of your awkwardly-shaped water bottles, but it’s also handy for those annoying lids. There are BPA-free nylon brushes that are perfect for built-in straws. After deep cleaning all of your water bottles, you can add all of these sturdy brushes to the dishwasher.
20Avoid Dusting & Strong Air Fresheners With This Air Purifier
Yes — this compact air purifier with three fan speeds lets you skip air fresheners and dusting at the same time. The three filters work quietly to catch dust, allergens, and even pet dander from your home’s air, which helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. You can even add in odor-reducing essential oils to replace those pricey air fresheners.
21Get Wrinkle-Free Clothes ASAP With This Chic Laundry Spray
Not only does this anti-wrinkle spray look chic above your washing machine, but it also works super quickly. Misting this plant-derived spray onto your clothes means you don’t have to grab your iron, but it still works on all kinds of fabric including linen, silk, and upholstery. Plus, this crease-eliminating spray leaves a floral, musk, and citrus scent that’s even better than your laundry detergent.
22Clean Up Your Counter After Dishes With This Wet & Dry Squeegee
This compact sink squeegee is perfect for that puddle of water on your countertop after doing dishes. The silicone side scrapes water right into your kitchen sink. Meanwhile, the nylon bristles on the other side take care of dry food crumbs from dinner. No matter what you’re cleaning off the counter, this dishwasher-safe squeegee is stain-resistant and hangs on the edge of your sink to dry when you’re done cleaning.
23Save Your Clothes & Furniture From Tough Stains With A Non-Toxic Spray
This non-toxic stain remover is an easy way to save your clothes from outfit-ruining stains. This small spray bottle is super concentrated, which means it can even handle dried stains and tough things like blood and oil. It’s also helpful to keep a few of these 100% biodegradable stain treaters around the house because they work on furniture and mattress stains.
24Fix Frustrating Toilet Bowl Stains With A Durable Pumice Stone Cleaner
This pumice stone cleaner is actually a solution for those frustrating toilet bowl rings, and it has an 8-inch handle and 5-inch pumice so your hands stay clean. The hard water-cleaning design also works on limescale and calcium build-ups, so keep one in your bathroom and use one on your tiles, grout, sinks, and even your grill.
25Clean Up Those Forgotten Spaces With This Unique Brush
Brush those forgotten window tracks, vent covers, and slim spaces between your sink and counter with this groove cleaning brush. The strong nylon bristles are long and slim enough to clean out a bunch of small spaces — they even double as a window blind cleaner. The funky handle of this brush actually acts as a little scraper that’s perfect for caked-on dirt in window frames, making this an affordable two-in-one tool.
26Keep Your Laundry Separated With These Sorter Baskets
This laundry basket set with an aluminum frame makes it way less annoying to separate your laundry. There are three durable, labeled slots, so you can just throw your clothes in the right section at the end of the day, saving you tons of time on laundry day. Plus, all of these bags are connected and complete with handles, which makes carrying them to the laundry room easier than other hampers.
27Wipe Up With These Reusable Dish Cloths That Won’t Trap Smells
I promise that you’ll actually want to use this pack of cellulose dishcloths again and again (and again). Their quick-drying design means they won’t trap odors or smell weird when you go to clean. And you’ll want to use these to clean, because each towel in this 10-pack absorbs 20 times its weight and is complete with a diamond-shaped scrubbing texture.
28Keep Your Delicate Laundry Protected In These Mesh Bags
These breathable mesh laundry bags are perfect for keeping your delicate laundry together and safe in the wash. They’re complete with a scratch-resistant zipper that won’t tug on silky or thin fabric. Plus, the variety of zipper colors let you color-code your delicates in the washing machine.
29Clean Your Grout Way More Efficiently With This Mini Scrubber
This mini power scrubber is definitely better than that tired, old shower brush, because it cleans up your tiles and other small spaces two times faster than elbow grease. It’s water-resistant and completely cordless, so it’s even easy to use on your shower grout. It comes with two scrub settings and an ergonomic handle to keep your handy comfortable when you have a bunch of tiles to clean.
30Dust Under The Couch Or In Cabinet Gaps With This Super Slim Duster
This flat duster is perfect for those annoying gaps between your fridge and kitchen cabinets or for hard-to-reach spaces like under your sofa. It’s complete with a machine-washable microfiber cloth that fits right on top of the durable, flexible handle and paddle. There’s even elastic to keep it securely above the extendable handle, which has a total reach of up to 55 inches.
31Do The Dishes With These Scrubbers That Won’t Smell Bad
These soft scrubbers are made from silicone, so not only are they safe to use on your expensive glasses and nonstick pans, but they also won’t get that gross, unhygienic dirty sponge smell. In fact, these sponge alternatives are lightly scented with a peach fragrance that’ll make you enjoy doing the dishes.
32Keep Your Black Clothes Worth Wearing With This Detergent
If you think faded black jeans aren’t worth wearing, this is the color-preserving detergent to grab. This chic bottle works on synthetic fabric, cotton, and even your linen sets to keep your dark clothes vibrant. Not only is this plant-based formula perfect for your black clothes, but it also keeps your colorful pieces nice and bright.
33Make Your Dishwasher Efficient Again With These Cleaning Tablets
These cleaning tablets are perfect if you’re frustrated with your dishwasher. With one cycle, they deep clean the internal hoses, pump, valve, and the inside of your dishwasher, getting rid of weird odors. Plus, these easy-to-use tables get rid of limescale and mineral buildup while you have time to tend to other housekeeping duties.
34Take Care Of Dust & Lunch Crumbs With This Tabletop Vacuum
This adorable, battery-operated mini vacuum won’t mess up your desk vibes. The 360-degree blade cleans up all of the dust on your folders and leftover lunch crumbs. Plus, you can pop open this ladybug-shaped vacuum to keep the filter clean. It’s also cordless, so it won’t get tangled up with your laptop charger or stack of papers.
35Bend Down Less While Sweeping With This Broom & Dustpan Set
Grab this broom set if you’re tired of gross and flimsy dustpans. It’s complete with a standing dustpan that is nearly 40 inches tall and has a mess-free design with durable teeth on top to scrape all of the extra dirt and grime off your broom. As for that broom, it’s a heavy-duty broom with an optional extendable handle that can be as long as 51 inches.
36Skip The Dryer With This Foldable Rack For Longer-Lasting Clothes
Grab this foldable laundry rack if you want your clothes to last longer. The waterproof and rust-resistant coating means you can throw your freshly washed garments on the 11 sturdy rods without worrying. Under that coating, this handy rack is made of durable alloy steel that can hold up to 32 pounds of laundry.
37Avoid A Dusty Or Stained Mattress With This Breathable Protector
Not only does this breathable mattress protector stop liquids from staining your mattress, but the polyurethane barrier even prevents dust mites, allergens, and even bacteria from getting in your bed. This smooth-finish protector is OEKA-TEX certified to be free of harmful materials, machine-washable, and complete with elastic that easily tucks under your fitted sheet.
38Prevent A Drain Cleaning Problem With This Bacon Grease Container
Instead of figuring out how to clean your drain, use this dishwasher-safe bacon grease container. With the fine mesh strainer to catch leftover food bits, taking care of cooking grease is a one-step process. Plus, the stainless steel lid and pouring handle are perfect if you want to save your flavor-infused oil for scrambled eggs later. Of course, this entire drain-saving set is heat-resistant, unlike your drain.
39Fix Pet Accidents Without A Bunch Of Scrubbing With This Odor Eliminator
With this pet odor eliminator spray, you can avoid scrubbing that smelly pet accident over and over again. The natural cold-pressed orange oils take care of any leftover smells on your carpet, furniture, turf, and more. This powerful citrus spray even helps out with trash can odors.
40Make Your Bed Less Often With This Wrinkle-Free Sheet Set
You can totally put off making your bed with this durable and machine-washable sheet set. The temperature-regulating microfiber fabric is actually wrinkle-resistant, so these breathable sheets will be still look good even if they’re bunched up on your bed all day. Plus, they’re pill-resistant and fade-resistant, so you can wash these sheets over and over again.