Five #CleanTok hacks you should be using around your house

Social media is teaching the whole world about simple home cleaning tricks you might not know you can do.

Social media posts on Instagram and TikTok are teaching people around the world do-it-yourself tips on home cleaning – but only some of them work the way you want them to.

Allfloor Carpet Cleaning expert Tracy Lee said throughout her career, she had found five #CleanTok hacks that actually work when trying to fix up your own place.

“In my years of experience in cleaning professionally, I’ve tested my fair share of cleaning hacks,” she said. “While cleaning your entire home can feel like an overwhelming task, once you break it down into little jobs it can feel much more achievable.”

Allfloor Carpet Cleaning expert Tracy Lee said there are a few cleaning tips on TikTok that actually can help you around the house.

Ms Lee said before you try the advice you see on social media, it’s important to consider when to bring in a professional.

“Cleaning hacks on Instagram and TikTok have made just about everyone a cleaning expert,” she said. “However, filling your toilet with toilet rolls, or cleaning your carpet with dishwasher pods, might do more harm than good.”

Here are five cleaning problems Ms Lee has found anyone can solve with their own tools:

Red wine stains are a problem at many family gatherings.

1. Red wine carpet spills

A common problem families have at Christmas parties is when red wine is spilt – especially when it’s on a carpet. To combat this, Ms Lee said you’ll need to act fast, using around a tablespoon of vinegar.

Before using the vinegar, begin by using six or more sheets of white paper towel to rest over the spillage, absorbing the liquid.

“Use this to gently blot the spill — don’t rub, as it will push the stain deeper into the carpet,” Ms Lee said.

Carefully using vinegar can help get out wine stains, if done correctly. Picture: jeeves_ny, TikTok

Act fast if you don’t want the red wine to absorb into the carpet fibres! Picture: jeeves_ny, TikTok

The next step is to dampen a clean cloth with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 500ml of cold water. Start cleaning from the outside of the stain inward, so it doesn’t have a chance to spread.

If done fast enough, the stain will disappear. Results will vary depending on how long the acidic wine has had to dry into the carpet fibres.

Houses often have ovens long dirtied by years of use.

2. Old, dirty ovens

Dishwashing tablets aren’t just good for– well, dishes. As it turns out, they work great on ovens too, which can get very greasy and dirty after years of use.

Cleaning with them is a simple process. Dissolve a tablet in warm water, then dip a scouring pad in the mixture. The pad can then be used to scrub away grime that may have been stuck on the oven for years.

Placing a scouring pad in a mix of water and a dishwashing tablet could be all you need to fix your oven. Picture: stephshome, TikTok

Be sure to be careful when cleaning, or risk causing a scrape. Picture: stephshome, TikTok

However, Ms Lee said it was important not to scrub too hard, at the risk of damaging the oven.

“Many modern ovens have an enamel coating,” she said. “Scrubbing too hard, using the wrong tools or the wrong cleaning agents can potentially cause damage, causing your oven to scratch and rust.”

If done correctly, dishwashing tablets are a quick solution to a problem you might be tempted to solve with far riskier tools like chisels.

Pet urine stains can sometimes require a little more work to really remove.

3. Pet urine spills around the house

Vinegar hacks like the one for red wine stains can help for cleaning up spillage from pets, but one technique might work a little more effectively.

Fresh urine stains – and bloodstains, too – can be treated with a tablespoon of clear household ammonia and 100ml of cold water, mixed and placed on the stain before blotted and rinsed with a clean cloth.

A solution of 100ml of vinegar and 200ml of water should then be covered on the area, before blotting and rinsing it one more time.

Vinegar, ammonia, dishwashing liquid and water can all be useful in getting urine stains out the right way. Picture: bestfriendsanimalsociety, TikTok

Be sure to check what chemicals are right for your carpet material. Otherwise, urine trouble! Picture: bestfriendsanimalsociety, TikTok

Ms Lee said while this is an effective solution, it won’t work on wool or treated nylon carpets, which can be damaged by ammonia.

“Instead, use a detergent solution by mixing 1 teaspoon of clear dishwashing liquid, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, and 500ml of cold water,” she said. “Blot the stain and rinse thoroughly with cold water.”

Old urine stains require a little more work, and you might need to use all three techniques to get the job done.

Begin with the detergent/vinegar solution used for special carpet materials, followed by the 100ml of vinegar and 200ml of water. Then, if it’s safe to use on the carpet, finish it off with the ammonia solution – and you just might have a carpet free of your pet’s stains once more.

Drains can grow clogged over time, and it’s a good idea to get rid of any minor clogs before they build up.

4. Clogged and smelly drains

Vinegar is generally very good for DIY cleaning, and can clean a drain right out with the help of some baking soda.

Combining the two by pouring half a cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by a full cup of vinegar, helps to free up light clogs and some odours that might be lingering in the area.

“The fizzing reaction helps loosen debris by creating pressure in the drain,” Ms Lee said.

Baking soda and vinegar are all you need to get this job done. Picture: never.done.diy, TikTok

Pour them both into the sink, then rinse with hot water after letting it sit for up to 15 minutes. Picture: never.done.diy, TikTok

Letting the reaction do its magic for around 10 to 15 minutes, followed by a rinse of boiling water, will wash away anything that remains.

Ms Lee made a point to acknowledge this would not work for tougher clogs, and too much tampering with the pipes in those cases can often make the problem worse.

Bathroom grout is an incredibly common issue throughout most every home.

5. Bathroom grout

Everyone has had to deal with those little spots in a bathroom that just don’t want to come out. Dealing with grout between bathroom tiles can be an important way to prevent bacteria and mould, and there’s one tool for the job that can really make a difference.

Often, old toothbrushes are used to get those hard to reach spots between the tiles, but Ms Lee found videos on social media using a grout cleaning brush: specifically designed to quickly scrape through the tile gap, making the job that little bit easier.

A grout cleaning brush, along with grout stain whitener, can help clean up a bathroom and make it look tidier. Picture: jessicahoskin1, TikTok

The brush in particular is a lot more useful than a simple toothbrush. Picture: jessicahoskin1, TikTok

“Having a ‘grout cleaning brush’ is a game changer to quickly and easily work through your tiles,” Ms Lee said. “Avoid scraping at your grout with sharp implements like screwdrivers and butter knives – this can damage both the grout, and the waterproofing underneath which can cause a whole host of issues!”

The social media post Ms Lee referenced also used a grout stain whitener, brightening up the darker gaps between the tiles.

Originally published as Five #CleanTok hacks you should be using around your house