Old-School Cleaning Hacks That Still Work Better Than the Fancy Stuff

I don’t know about you, but I find that the older I get, the more nostalgic I become. I think more about my past and how different my life is now than I could have ever imagined back then. This strange fact of life has added a special vividness to those early memories and shaped how I view the world now.

One of those memories that sticks with me is following my mom around as she did house chores. My mom was a woman who never slowed down, always buzzing around the house like a honey bee— cleaning, cooking, and making things more beautiful wherever she went. What does leave my jaw wide open is how much she was able to accomplish without all the gadgets and chemicals that we use today.

In fact, I’ve grown to believe she didn’t need nearly as many tools as we use today because she had a ton of tricks up her sleeve, learned from her mother and perfected with experience. These old-school cleaning hacks are really nothing more than clever ways of using simple objects to get the job done. They don’t involve complicated elements or anything fancy.

The fact they’ve been around for so long and still work makes them seem like a bit of magic in a world where we too often take the joke of progress a little too far.

Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks that my mom used while I was growing up, they’ve stuck with me all these years, and maybe they’ll be helpful to you, too.

Dust with a damp cloth

You can spend good money buying dusting products that promise to pick up dust and lock it in with the latest technology, or you can buy a special chemical spray to attract the dust and use an attached microfiber cloth to pick up the mess. But I’ll tell you what my mom did— she took an old rag or a soft cloth, made it damp with water, and used that to dust all of her furniture each week.

Damp mopping works great

A similar trick applies to using a damp mop on floors. Nowadays, you can purchase an expensive steamer to clean and sanitize, or you can invest in special solutions that promise to shine and protect. But most of the time, good ole water is all you really need.

The key is to squeeze the mop out as much as possible so that you’re not leaving standing water behind. You can toss in a dash of water if you want to disinfect, but you really don’t need any fancy equipment to get a solid clean.

Use vinegar for cleaning glass

I’ve heard that vinegar isn’t exactly the most powerful, all-purpose cleaner, but where it works, it really works. One of my mom’s favorite uses for vinegar was as a glass cleaner. She would mix one part plain white vinegar and one part water together in a spray bottle and just go to town. I’ll tell you from firsthand experience that this stuff really works.

Try a baking soda paste for stains

Baking soda is another simple ingredient in everyone’s kitchen that really shines in the cleaning department. My mom would always use it to clean up any crusty surface or dried-up messes, such as food spills, in the refrigerator or on the stovetop. You just mix baking soda with water to form a paste and then rub it on the surface to clean. The baking soda acts as a natural and affordable abrasive.

Clean your dishwasher with vinegar

Speaking of vinegar, here’s another favorite my mom used all the time. If you’ve got a smelly dishwasher or want to ensure it stays smelling fresh, vinegar has got your back. Just toss a cup of vinegar into the bottom of your empty dishwasher and then run a heavy cycle. It cuts grease, removes stains, and helps fight those nasty odors.

Soak old stains in hot water

My mom was pretty frugal, and in her home, we weren’t going to waste paper towels on every mess. If something spilled on the table and there was a stain that wouldn’t come up with regular scrubbing, she had the perfect solution. She would soak the area with hot water and lay a damp cloth over the top. In a few minutes, the stain would come right up with a scrape. I still do this to this day.

Test surfaces with the back of your hand

If you ever wondered how a mom knew if something was really clean or not, it’s because she was viewing the world in HD. My mom taught me this little trick of running the back of your hand across any surface to see if there is any residue left behind. The skin on the back of your hand is more sensitive, and you pick up the detail. I still can’t walk into the restrooms of a public place and stop myself from testing the sink for cleanliness.

Smell your clothes to see if they’re clean

Smelling things with my nose is another cleaning technique passed down by my mom. Washing machines, I’ve noticed, aren’t perfect. Sometimes they leave a little bit of a smell behind if you forgot to switch the load over, or maybe they smell a little too much like detergent. When you hang your clothes to dry, you’ll also learn that drying them in the fresh air gives them a delightful smell. Using your nose to ensure things really smell right is a tip they don’t teach you in school.

The simple life is chock-full of simple pleasures, like a clean room, smooth linens, and a shining kitchen. Whatever your motivation for cleaning, you don’t necessarily have to spend a ton of money or buy the latest objects marketed to save you time. Some of the best cleaning hacks have been around for ages, passed from parents to children, and still work perfectly well today.