“Since WD40 contains a solvent, it’s a great degreaser and breaks down oil buildup. It’s not only good at removing fingerprints from stainless steel, but also works to prevent them,” says Leanne Stapf, chief marketing officer of The Cleaning Authority. “Spray surfaces with a light coating of WD40, then wipe it off in the direction of the steel grain. Use a soft cloth to avoid streaking and leave surfaces sparkling.” It should remain smudge-proof for about two weeks! “Take a basic kitchen sponge, place it on the window track, mark with a marker where each raised part of the track is, cut slits into the sponge with a box cutter, and voila,” says David Flax, vice president of operations at Window Genie. “If your tracks are especially dirty, make two sponges so you can run a damp and then dry sponge over the area for a thorough clean.” He says you can also add diluted dish soap—or your favorite all-purpose cleaner—to the wet sponge for an extra anti-grime boost. TikTok user @carilina.mccauley created a two-ingredient hack that takes basically zero effort on your part. Simply combine about one or two cups of ice with one cup of vinegar and a tablespoon of iodized salt, then let the mixture set for 30 minutes. (If you have a lot of caked-on minerals and limescale, waiting longer will help soften the film.) “Vinegar is one of the most popular, eco-friendly and versatile cleaning staples around, so vinegar would work to clean surfaces such as the inside of a kettle,” says Stapf. In addition, salt and ice’s mildly abrasive quality helps de-gunk. There are many hacks out there, but not all deliver. TikTok users found one that does, and it’s super simple: just stuff it with ice, let it run for about 10 seconds, then turn on the hot water until the ice is all dissolved. “The combination of a lot of ice and hot water while running your garbage disposal will clean stuck-on food and grime from the drain, taking the smell with it,” says Jennie Varney, brand manager of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company. “This is one of those tried-and-true cleaning hacks that can be customized in a few ways. We like the addition of lemon peels to the ice cubes, as lemon is a natural odor fighter and will leave your sink smelling fresh.” “Laundry stripping is a deep-cleaning technique that helps remove remaining residue from clothes, towels, and bed sheets,” says Stapf. “Essentially, laundry stripping is supposed to get rid of any leftover detergent, fabric softener, minerals from hard water, and natural body oils that have collected on textiles over time.” To pull it off, fill your bathtub (or a sink or large bucket) with hot water. Add borax, washing soda (sodium carbonate), and laundry detergent in a 1:1:2 ratio and mix well, then submerge your clothes. Sheets, towels, and gym clothes—think stuff that’s really subjected to wear and tear—are a great place to start. Let it soak until the water has cooled, stirring about once an hour to release the buildup on the fabric. “After, drain the water and then throw your clothes, towels, or sheets through a rinse-only cycle in your washing machine. Finish with a light tumble dry without dryer sheets,” says Stapf.
