Tackling the Impossible House Cleaning Jobs

You know the house cleaning tasks you hate: stubborn, stuck-on soap scum, greasy countertops, the mess of pet hair all over your furniture. These particular chores can be extremely frustrating because they take a long time and a lot of effort to clean.

If you know the tricks, though; you can quickly get through even the most frustrating cleaning jobs. Here’s how:

Foggy Glass Shower Doors. When you moved into the house, the glass shower doors looked charming and modern. Now, every time you look at them, they’re covered in film and soap scum. 

If this is you, clean them really well (vinegar or lemon juice makes it much easier!), then prolong the next cleaning as much as possible by coating them in water repellent, similar to what’s used on car windshields. In fact, your local car parts store probably has some on hand for a low price!

Pet Hair…Everywhere! Your couch, your favorite chair, your bed—everywhere you look, there’s pet fur. The more your pet sheds, the more frustrating the job can become. Vacuum cleaners never seem to be enough, and while the specially-designed furniture cleaning gloves and brushes sometimes work, the effort required is significant.

Enter: duct tape. Of course, if you tried to take a single piece of duct tape to your furniture, it would take just as long as any other option, so instead, spread the stickiness around. Wrap duct tape, sticky side out, around the entire length of a paint roller. Suddenly, you have the largest lint roller you’ve ever held, perfect for pet hair!

Greasy Surfaces. It’s downright disgusting to touch your countertop and coat your finger in a layer of grease. Unfortunately, grease hates to be moved and loves to be stubborn, a dangerous combination.

The problem with grease is that as it cools, it hardens, turning it from a smearing mess into a stuck-on one, and only making the problem worse.

Beat the grease by softening it just enough to wipe it clean. Put a damp cloth or sponge (the damp part is very important—don’t start a fire!) in the microwave for 30 seconds, then wipe the grease. It should loosen enough to wipe off without becoming a smeared mess.