3 Game-Changing Cleaning Hacks—According to Real Simple Editors

When it comes to cleaning tips, our home editors have read about, watched, and tested them all. From viral TikTok cleaning hacks to the time-tested solutions that never fail (like regular old water and dish soap), REAL SIMPLE home editors make it their job (literally) to vet all the cleaning advice the internet throws your way and determine the right way to clean everything. Here, editors share some of their favorite cleaning hacks, plus cleaning how-tos to help you spruce up every surface in your home.

Vacuum Your Couch

My pup sheds so much hair I could vacuum three times a day and it wouldn’t be enough! One place that attracts a lot of her hair is the sofa—not just on the top of the cushions, but it settles in between pillows and into crevices. Yuck! To save my clothes and my sanity, I’ve gotten into the habit of vacuuming the whole sofa around once a week. The easiest way to do this is with a brush attachment, and to remember to vacuum slowly, like you would on the floor. If you can, take the cushions off your sofa so you can get into all those hard-to-reach spots and all the way around the cushions to banish furballs. A bonus of vacuuming your sofa for pet hair is that you’ll notice a lot of dust and other fine debris will also be lifted, meaning cleaner-looking, healthier upholstery. 

Learn the Secret to Streak-Free Mirrors

Mirrors can be notoriously difficult to make pristine—they’re prone to streaks, and cloudiness, and reflect every single speck of dust, to boot. I’ve found wiping mirrors and glass surfaces before spraying product (and after, of course) is a total game-changer. Have you ever spritzed a dusty mirror with solution only to wipe around wet gray clumps for way longer than you should? Dry dusting, or wiping, first makes the second step so much smoother and the result usually looks better—no streaking from all that rubbing! Plus, it takes just an extra few seconds to do.

Remember Those Oft-Forgotten Areas

The top of the fridge often gets overlooked because, well, you don’t really look at it. But, it’s a surface in your kitchen, which means it needs some TLC to get rid of accumulating dust and grease from your nearby stove. Twice a month, dip a microfiber cloth in a warm water and dish soap mixture (one quart water to two teaspoons of dish soap) and give the top a good wipe down. No judgment if you need to take out the ladder for this—I do too!