Clean Like a Grandma: 17 Tips You Need to Know

Trips to grandma’s house never seem to disappoint. There is nothing like the cozy feel that you experience. The house is always clean, and grandma seems to have everything under control. It leaves you wondering – what does grandma know that we don’t know?

Grandma knows housekeeping tips that we don’t! Are you ready to revolutionize how you take care of your house? Here are some of the best tips from grandma!

17 Housekeeping Tips from Grandma

Tidy Throughout The Day

Instead of waiting to clean up the mess at the end of the day, clean up messes as they happen. Don’t save all of your chores for one day! Keep tidying throughout the day in small increments.

Skip the Paper Towels

It may seem smart to use paper towels because it reduces laundry. Grandma, on the other hand, sees that it’s a product we throw away and it is a waste of money. Flour sack towels are great for clothing. Keep extra rags on hand!

Make Do With Less

Items create clutter and cost money. One of the best tips is to make do with less. Most things have other purposes aside from their first use. Didn’t you see grandma using grandpa’s underwear as a rag? Make do with less!

Clean Windows with Newspaper

Don’t use rags or paper towels on your windows! Instead, clean your windows with newspapers. It is one of the best ways to reduce streaks. By the way, don’t try to use the comic strips. You need black and white pages only for window cleaning!

Create Your Cleaning Products

If you live a greener lifestyle, chances are you already make some of your cleaning products. Not only do they contain fewer chemicals, but they also work just as well and save you money. You can make window cleaner, furniture polish, and more!

Lemon is a Natural Whitener

If your laundry has yellowed stains, lemon is a natural whitener. All you need to do is squeeze the juice from one lemon into a gallon of hot water. Let this item set for an hour or two. Rinse by hand and set out to dry in the sun. The stains will be gone in no time!

Boil Extracts for Deodorizing

Everyone wants a delicious smelling house. One simple tip from a grandma is to boil a small pot of water with a few drops of extract. You can use vanilla, maple, lemon or any that you have on hand! Toss in some of those citrus peels as well.

Baking Soda has Many Uses

Baking soda is one of those products that have dozens of cleaning uses. You can use it to polish your kitchen sink, get the grime off of your baking sheets and deodorize your carpet. Plus, baking soda is incredibly cheap, so you can afford to use it liberally.

Tea Stain Linens

Linens and tea towels get stains so easily. Instead of tossing them out, tea stain them! The tea stain look makes them look brand new. The stain will hide any stain. Tea staining is easy. Just add five black tea bags to a bucket of hot water and let it steep. Take out the bags and let the linens sit. This tip only works for linen and cotton!

Citrus and Salt for Countertops

Do you want to have sparkling countertops like grandma? Here is her simple trick. Cut a grapefruit or any citrus fruit in half. Sprinkle a liberal amount of salt on top. Then, rub away any dirt or stuck on particles. Rinse away with hot water and a sponge. The juice from the citrus fruit will clean your countertops, leaving behind a delicious scent.

Vinegar for Descaling

Do you need to get the gunk off of your shower heads? Try putting white vinegar in a plastic bag and using a rubber band to screw it to your shower head. The gunk will come off easily afterward. You can use vinegar to get the grime off of shower curtains as well or anywhere with nasty grime.

Olive Oil for Polishing

Instead of buying special furniture polish, try using olive oil! You can mix olive oil with a few drops of lemon essential oil or your favorite oils. This mixture can be used on stainless steel appliances and wooden furniture.

Deep Clean with the Seasons

You don’t want to deep clean all of the time. Instead, set tasks for each season. Doing so makes it easier to ensure all of those tasks are completed. Deep cleaning tasks include flipping mattresses, washing all the windows, scrubbing the carpet, vacuuming the mattress, donating clothes and more!

Clean Walls from Top to Bottom

You might be tempted to start cleaning your walls from the bottom where most of the dirt and fingerprints accumulate. Instead, start at the top. Otherwise, the water will run down the wall and dirty where you just cleaned! So, wipe from top to bottom and thank grandma!

Dust with a Damp Cloth

Dusting with furniture polish isn’t necessary. All you need is a damp cloth. You can add your favorite oil to the cloth if you want a nice scent left behind. Don’t waste your money on special items to dust!

Crisco for Squeaks

Do you have some squeaky hinges or doors around your house? Break out the Crisco! Apply a thin layer to any squeaks you find. It works just as good as products meant to lubricate.

Clean Your Toilets Overnight

Grandma knew how to save time, and that meant not wasting time cleaning toilets. She would sprinkle some borax into the toilet bowl. Then, add white vinegar on top. In the morning, give it a quick scrub, and your toilet is as clean as can be! Borax is perfect for loosening grime or deposits.

Grandma was an expert at cleaning her house. She didn’t spend all day! She knew how to save time and money while keeping her house clean as could be. Take some of her advice and clean like a grandma.