15 festive cleaning hacks from the pros

The festive season can be marvellous but messy, and many householders will be facing a big clean after Christmas.

It’s not something that fills most people with joy – but with the help of some clever little tips from expert cleaners, not only can your post-Christmas clean be quicker and more efficient, it can be (a bit) more enjoyable too.

"After the Christmas festivities with guests visiting, lots of food, drink and family fun, a post-Christmas clean-up will be inevitable," says cleaning content creator, podcaster and author Laura Mountford.

"I like to do my post-Christmas clean in twixmas, the bit between Christmas and New Year, giving everywhere a clean, tidy and declutter so I can start the New Year fresh."

Here are tried and tested cleaning hacks from Mountford and fellow cleaning experts This Morning’s Queen of Clean Lynsey Crombie, and Chris Wootton, managing director of Poppies (UK) cleaning service…

1. Reuse teabags for cleaning

Crombie, author of cleaning books including How to Clean Your House, advises tea drinkers not to throw away used teabags, but use them to clean instead.

"Tea has been a cleaning staple for centuries, loved by the Victorians for its powerful tannins," says Crombie. "These natural compounds break down grease and grime with ease."

She suggests adding a used teabag to a water-filled dirty pan and letting it soak, as the tea loosens baked-on food and grease. Also, steep tea, pour it into a spray bottle, and use it to get a streak-free shine on windows and mirrors.

2. Vinegar’s not just for chips…

White vinegar is a fantastic natural cleaner that’s really inexpensive to buy and can be used all around your home to clean, says Mountford. "It’s great for removing limescale and grime, simply add to a spray bottle and spritz on surfaces, scrub and rinse."

Mountford, the author of Live, Laugh, Laundry, adds: "It’s also a great laundry essential – use white vinegar to clean your washing machine by simply adding a capful to the fabric softener section of the washing machine drawer and running a hot wash."

3. Ketchup for rust and odours

Ketchup is more than a condiment, "it’s a secret cleaning weapon," insists Crombie, who says if you apply ketchup to rust stains on bar stools, radiators, or other metal surfaces and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing and buffing, you’ll reveal a brilliant shine. And that’s not the only non-food use for the red stuff – if your dog has had an unfortunate encounter with fox poo, Crombie says washing the affected area with ketchup first will neutralise the smell, then follow up with dog shampoo.

4. Use mops for more than just floors

Make cleaning all around your home easier by using a mop to clean your bath tub, bathroom tiles and even windows, suggests Mountford. "Most mops come with replacement heads so you can use them for different purposes," she says. "Using your mop not only makes it faster and easier but also minimises bending and stretching."

5. Christmassy carpets

Mountford suggests sprinkling cinnamon on your carpets and rugs and then vacuuming it to make your whole house smell festive at any time of the year!

6. Don’t just use washing-up liquid on dishes

Both Mountford and Crombie say washing-up liquid is a great, budget-friendly cleaner for the whole home. "It can be used to clean pretty much everywhere," says Mountford. "It’s brilliant for removing grease and grime in both the kitchen and bathroom. Dilute with warm water and add a cup of white vinegar to clean your windows. I also add washing-up liquid to a dish wand to clean my sinks, taps, grout lines and shower screen."

And Crombie adds: "Opt for an antibacterial variety to kill germs and bacteria, whether you’re scrubbing floors or wiping countertops."

7. Use lemon power

Lemons are natural cleaners, explains Crombie, and their acidity makes them perfect for tackling tough grime. She suggests sprinkling salt or bicarbonate of soda on a cut lemon for extra scrubbing power and using it to clean ovens, shower screens, tiles, sinks, and even rust. "It’s an eco-friendly freshener," she points out. "Lemons not only clean but leave behind a fresh citrus scent."

8. Dust with a hairdryer

Get rid of dust from behind radiators using a hairdryer, advises Mountford, who says you simply blast your hairdryer on the cool setting behind the radiator to remove the dust.

9. Flat fizzy drinks for drains

"Got flat cola or lemonade? Don’t pour it down the sink – use it wisely," suggests Crombie, who says fizzy drinks can break down grease and grime in drains, banishing odours. Simply pour, let sit, and rinse with warm water.

10. Fizzy water for stains

Crombie says fizzy water is a "miracle stain remover" for carpets, and suggests: "Pour fizzy water over the stain and let the bubbles work their magic to loosen dirt. Rinse with warm soapy water, blot dry with a clean cloth, and watch even stubborn stains disappear."

11. Leave spray to work

Don’t just spray and wipe – leave the spray to work, advises Wootton. He explains that spraying a surface, leaving it for a little while and then wiping up the now loose dirt is called ‘dwell time’. "All pro cleaners know products take a little time to work," he says. "TV ads suggest you just spray and wipe – but without leaving the product on the surface for a little while, how is it going to work?"

12. Dust with recycled make-up brushes

Crombie says you can recycle old make-up brushes to give awkward little areas in your home a professional-level dusting. She suggests using soft bristles to clean dust off lightbulbs without scratching, and says: "They’re perfect for reaching tricky spots and removing layers of dust on lampshades and vents."

13. Use microfibre cloths

Nothing cleans as well as a microfibre cloth, insists Wootton, who says a microfibre cloth and water can clean much better than a traditional cotton cloth, or disposable wipe. Microfibre cloths will also pick up particles as small as a virus, he points out. "Try to use the correct microfibre for the job – there are some fine-knit versions for windows, mirrors and TV screens, and always wash them properly after use – no detergent and usually at 60 degrees," he says.

And Crombie says dirty cleaning cloths should be soaked in disinfectant and water for a few hours after use to draw out grime, and then machine washed with no fabric conditioner, to help maintain their absorbency.

14. Banana skins for shine

Don’t throw away banana peel – they’re perfect for polishing, says Crombie. "Rub the inside of a banana peel over scuffed leather boots to restore their shine, and wipe plant leaves to make them gleam and keep them looking fresh," she suggests.

15. Vacuum, don’t sweep

Just like you should damp dust or spray a little polish onto a duster before going over surfaces, vacuuming is better than sweeping, says Wootton. "The point is that you should capture the dust, not just flick it into the air," he explains. "If you get it in your vacuum or on your duster, it’s gone from the room and not just hanging in the air waiting to fall back down as soon as you’ve finished cleaning."