26 smart and effective housekeeping tips

Lemon, vinegar, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda are examples of environmentally friendly products that can help you with your cleaning. Below, we share some useful housekeeping tips and tricks to make your everyday life a little easier.

Table of contents

Here are our best, smartest and most effective housekeeping tips

Shiny silver

Place aluminum foil in the bottom of a wide pan. Boil water and stir in plenty of salt. Then pour the mixture over the aluminum foil and place all the silver you want to polish in the pan. A shiny clean result is guaranteed.

Make your knife odor-free

Run the knife through a raw potato if it smells of onion or fish.

Extend the life of your salt

Pour some rice grains into the salt shaker to keep the salt dry for longer.

Use your leftovers

Leftovers are underrated. Often, food tastes better the next day. So let today’s leftovers become tomorrow’s lunch box—good for both your wallet and the environment.

Defrost your freezer

It’s time to defrost your freezer and make room for summer berries and fruits. Start by turning off the freezer. Boil water in a saucepan in batches and place it in the freezer – preferably boil it in a kettle, as this is more energy efficient! Place a tray with edges or a bowl underneath to collect the water. Do not try to chop away the ice, as you may damage the freezer.

Remove berry stains

If you want to remove berry stains, a good way is to dip the fabric in milk. Boil the milk and place the stained part in the saucepan. Leave for about 10 minutes, a little longer if it is a large stain. Wash the fabric. The stain is gone! A life saving housekeeping tips for berry lovers.

Stain-free cups

Are your cups/mugs stained with tea and coffee? Take some salt and rub it on the affected areas and they will disappear easily. Another way is to wipe them with a few drops of vinegar.

Odor-free thermos

Does your thermos smell bad? Fill it with water and a few teaspoons of baking soda and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Then rinse. Repeat if necessary!

Fresh refrigerator

Do not store old paper packaging in the refrigerator, such as pizza boxes, as it can start to smell and mold. Transfer food to plastic containers and boxes with lids.

Sparkling clean windows

Mix 0.5 dl vinegar (24 percent) + 5 liters of lukewarm water and a dash of dish soap. Use a window scraper to make your windows sparkling clean. A great housekeeping tips for a beautiful home.

Spotless parquet flooring

Are there marks on your parquet flooring from dancing shoes? One way to remove unsightly marks is to simply rub them away with a regular eraser!

A clean and fresh cutting board

Rinse the cutting board. Wash it a little and rinse again. Take some regular table salt and sprinkle generously. Salt is great for killing bacteria. Rub the salt in thoroughly with a regular scrub brush. Let it sit for a while and then rinse. (You won’t see any difference, but the bacteria will be dead.)

For a fresh scent in the oven and freezer

When cleaning your refrigerator or oven, add a drop of one of these oils to the final rinse water for the cloth—lemon, lime, grapefruit, bergamot, tangerine, or orange—and you will immediately have a fresh scent, which is the essence of a fantastic housekeeping tips.

Fresh scent in the kitchen

A garlic wreath in the kitchen cleans the air of unpleasant odors.

How to get rid of musty smells from the trash can

Does your trash can smell musty? Then we have a tried and tested tip for you. Put half a lemon in the trash can for a few days, and it will smell fresh for a long time. A great smelling housekeeping tips.

A simple trick for removing pet hair from fabrics

If you have a cat or dog, a simple trick is to put on rubber dish gloves to remove hair. Pull or sweep your hands over the fabric and the stubborn hairs will come with you. If you continue for a while, you will eventually have collected the hair in a small ball that can easily be thrown in the trash. Very easy and convenient!

Wrinkle-free shirt without an iron

If you want to get your shirt wrinkle-free without using an iron, you can hang the shirt over a bathtub filled with hot water. The steam will straighten out the shirt.

Clean dish brush

Remember to change your dish brush often and boil it at least once a week, as it collects a lot of bacteria.

Pepper protects food

Prevent moths and flour beetles from getting into your pantry by drying food in a hot oven for an hour or freezing it for two days. Always store food in airtight containers. Beetles’ favorite food is beans and barley. One way to get rid of beetles is to hang small cloth bags filled with peppercorns in your pantry.

Onions are good for the air

Onions should not be stored in the refrigerator, as this causes them to smell bad. However, you can place a cut onion in your pantry for 24 hours, as this neutralizes the air there.

Get rid of fruit flies

Are you one of those people who suffer from fruit flies and need an effective housekeeping tips? Fill a glass with beer and cover it with plastic with small holes in it. The flies will crawl in and drown.

Remove wax stains

Have you spilled wax? Remove excess wax with something that will not damage the surface. Then take some paper towels, cloth, or a coffee filter and place it on the wax. Iron it until the wax is absorbed. Change the cloth/paper as needed. On a marble window sill, the easiest and most convenient method is to simply use a putty knife!

Shiny clean pots

To remove baked-on food from pots, you can rub them with a sugar cube or soak them with a little baking soda. The pots will be shiny if you then polish them with a sponge dipped in wheat flour (works on all stainless steel surfaces).

Food in plastic containers

To keep your refrigerator fresh, avoid storing old paper packaging, such as pizza boxes, in the refrigerator. Transfer food to plastic containers and boxes with lids.

Clean stove with baking soda

Clean your stove by mixing baking soda and vinegar, then pouring the mixture around the burners. Let the mixture bubble and fizz thoroughly, then clean as usual with a sponge, cloth, and lukewarm water. A housekeeping tips for a nice meal.

Christmas scent in the home

Put cinnamon in the coffee filter or fry cinnamon in a little butter—it spreads a lovely scent!