We all know that a clean space is the key to a happy home, and we’re no strangers to hacks that make getting there a little easier. But if there’s one cleaning tip that you absolutely need to bookmark, this is it.

Dust can build up seemingly overnight, giving untouched surfaces an unsightly layer that’s not just gross but harmful to your health.

An accumulation of dust can degrade your air quality, potentially triggering respiratory issues, allergic reactions, asthma, and more. Regular dusting helps keep those pesky little particles at bay, but it’s not always enough. If you feel like you’re constantly reaching for the duster, there’s a DIY solution that can help you go longer in between cleanings.

How To Make DIY Dust-Repellent Spray

Believe it or not, there’s a cleaning spray that can keep surfaces dust-free for longer, and you can easily make it at home. Here’s how:

First, collect all of the supplies listed above. In a clean, empty spray bottle, combine 2 cups of water, 1 cup of distilled white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 to 2 drops of liquid dish soap, and give it a good shake. Then, lightly spray the solution onto a nonabsorbent surface and wipe it down with a microfiber cloth to create a dust-repelling barrier.

The Magic Behind the Spray

These household ingredients might seem ordinary, but they pack a powerful cleaning punch when combined. Vinegar, a trusty DIY cleaning ingredient, disinfects surfaces and tackles tough grime. Olive oil, another versatile ingredient, polishes surfaces and adds a protective barrier that inhibits dust buildup. Lastly, dish soap acts as an emulsifier, helping the other ingredients mix and spread evenly across surfaces. 

While this DIY spray doesn’t completely get rid of dust, it does give you some breathing room in between cleanings. And who wouldn’t want that?

Like moths to a flame, debris always finds its way into window screens. Whether coated in dust, pollen, dirt, or airborne pollutants, filthy screens can tarnish an otherwise beautiful view, leaving you no choice but to remove, clean, and replace them. But if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of removal, you can clean window screens right where they are, making the process less of a headache.

Say Goodbye to Dust

The style of your window will determine how much of the screen you’re able to access for cleaning. If you have a double-hung window, for example, you may need to open the bottom sash first, then lower the top sash.

Another option is to head outside and clean the window screen from the exterior without any obstructions. Of course, this isn’t always possible, especially for those who live in multistory buildings. Thankfully, cleaning from the inside is just as effective, so long as you can reach the screen.

Take the soft-bristle brush or a vacuum cleaner with a dust brush attachment and gently run it along the screen to remove loose debris. Next, spray the screen with your homemade cleaning solution and wipe it down with a clean, lint-free microfiber cloth — this will help dislodge stubborn dust and dirt. Finally, spray the screen with clean water to wash away any soapy residue, and then use another clean microfiber cloth to dab the screen dry. Give the windowsill an additional pass to catch drips or fallen debris.

Tip for Higher Windows

If you’re standing outside and can’t reach the second-floor window, here’s a handy tip: Take an extendable paint roller, and replace the roller head with a refillable lint roller. It should slide right on, making those hard-to-reach window screens much easier to clean.

Additional Benefits

In addition to maintaining a better view, there are various health and financial benefits to keeping window screens clean. Open windows allow dust and allergens to enter your home, but clean screens are better at trapping these particles before they meet your nostrils. If window screens are loaded with debris, they can easily be disturbed and release contaminants into the air.

Furthermore, acidic particles such as salt and pollen may get lodged in the screen, which can erode the material over time. This may shorten the screen’s lifespan and necessitate a costly replacement.

All of these issues can be avoided as long as you clean your window screens twice a year. We recommend cleaning once before spring to remove the salt and grime that accumulates during winter, and again before fall to clear away springtime dust and pollen.

If you regularly use your oven, it doesn’t take long for those metal racks to accumulate burned bits of food, grime, and grease. This buildup hardens over time, making the racks increasingly difficult to clean. Even for the tidiest home cooks, oven grime is inevitable.

Oven racks don’t need to be tended to terribly often — once or twice a year is sufficient — but when it’s time to deep-clean your oven, you’ll probably notice that the racks could use some love, too. Oven racks are easily removable, but unfortunately, they’re usually too bulky to clean in the sink.

How To Effectively Clean Oven Racks

Instead of struggling to fit oven racks into your kitchen sink, try scrubbing them in a bathtub. Start by laying down two old towels to protect the surface of the tub from scratches, then place the oven racks on top. Fill the bathtub with very hot water — the hottest it can get. When the racks are fully submerged, add ½ cup of powder or liquid dishwasher detergent to the bath water and stir to combine.

Allow the racks to soak in the tub for at least four hours, though overnight yields even better results. After soaking, drain the tub and remove any remaining gunk with a nonscratch sponge, microfiber cloth, or dish brush. Rinse with clean water, dry the racks thoroughly, and return them to the oven.

For stubborn stains, apply a thick paste of powdered Bar Keepers Friend and water (or use the liquid version), let it sit for a few minutes, and use a scrubbing sponge to make the racks spotless. You can also use the mildly abrasive cleaning powder to clean your bathtub afterward.

Your oven racks should remain clean for the next six months, unless, of course, a particularly saucy dish shortens that timeline.

Unfortunately, Father Time doesn’t wait for us to complete all of our household chores. Aging makes cleaning a challenge, as it may become more difficult to get down on your hands and knees to tackle those hard-to-reach surfaces. The good news is that there are plenty of cleaning shortcuts to lessen the wear and tear on our bodies, such as this baseboard dusting hack that helps protect the back.

We’ve Got Your Back

This helpful hack comes from content creator Brandon Pleshek of Clean That Up. All you’ll need is a household broom, some cleaning solution, a microfiber cloth, and a rubber band.

Dip the microfiber cloth in your preferred cleaning solution so it’s damp without being sopping wet. We recommend using a gallon of hot water, a cup of distilled white vinegar, and a few squirts of dish soap (roughly ½ teaspoon).

Cover the broom bristles completely with the microfiber cloth, and secure it tightly with a rubber band. With the cloth fastened, use the broomstick to effortlessly clean your baseboards without bending over. The baseboards will look clean, and your back will thank you.

But Wait, There’s More!

More than just a back-saver, this hack is also a means of cleaning other hard-to-reach areas. Think crown molding, ceiling fans, light fixtures, air vents, or the tops of kitchen cabinets — essentially, any area you’d normally need a stepstool to reach. Be sure to replace the microfiber cloth after each cleaning task so you don’t spread around dust or dirt.

Mop Slippers — Fashionable and Practical

Back problems don’t just make it difficult to clean baseboards; they also present obstacles in keeping floors tidy. Well, here’s a fashionable and practical way to avoid bending your knees: mop slippers.

These soft, microfiber accessories fit over your shoes, socks, or bare feet and can be used to pick up debris without kneeling or bending. Just put on a pair and walk around to trap dust, dirt, and pet hair in the fibers. (They’ll also keep your feet nice and dry when you’re doing some actual mopping.)

Once you’ve scooted around the house in your mop slippers, shake any excess dirt into a trash can, and throw them into the washing machine so they’ll be ready to use again.

Rather than let dirt and grime pile up, try these methods to help you keep a tidy home without any extra stress on your body.

Spiders might be creepy-crawly, but they seem to know a thing or two about smart homes. And by smart homes, we mean forming their webs in smart places where people can’t reach them — like on the ceiling.

If there always seem to be cobwebs dangling from your ceilings, or their texture is a magnet for dust, there’s an easy hack to remove them without bringing out a ladder or standing on a chair, risking a tumble.

So, what’s the key to this hack? A paint roller.

While a long-handled duster can reach high spots in your home, such as ceilings, traditional dusters merely move dust around the room — redistributing it rather than trapping it. A paint roller is a simple household tool — one you might already own — that can give you better cleaning results.

The Paint Roller Hack

To thoroughly clean your ceilings with a paint roller, dampen a soft, thick-nap paint roller with a cleaning solution. This can be a simple mixture of warm water and mild dish soap. Once the roller is damp, not dripping, roll it across the ceiling to remove dirt, grime, and cobwebs. (Sorry, spiders.)

Rinse the roller in clean, warm water, squeeze out any excess liquid, and repeat the cleaning process until you’re satisfied with the results. You can also purchase a paint roller kit, such as this one, which comes with two extra rollers so you can switch them out as you clean. Or, purchase a pack of roller cover refills on their own — just be sure to choose the right size for your existing roller.

It Saves You Money

The best part about using the paint roller hack to clean your ceilings is how cost-effective it is. You don’t have to pay someone else to do it for you, and you can skip the expensive cleaning supplies.