20 lifehacks to keep your apartment tidy

Tip #1: simple shine

To clean any surface to a shine, including kitchen countertops and household appliances inside and out, use a simple recipe: mix four tablespoons of baking soda with one liter of warm water, apply the mixture to a sponge – and voila! Miracle cleaning solution is ready.

Tip #2: innocent fun

If your kids are creative types and like to draw with colored markers and pencils, this can become a real disaster for wooden surfaces. But don't despair: regular toothpaste easily removes colorful stains without damaging the texture. You can also remove pencil drawings from walls with a damp sponge, lightly dusted with baking soda.

Tip #3: plush arrival

Agree, it's not always enough time to wash soft toys of little ones in a washing machine. There is an easier and faster way: go over plush favorites with a universal clothing cleaning brush, gently removing dust and fluff.

Tip #4: cleanliness is the basis of health

Diverse hair gels, mousses and lacquers accumulate on bristles of brushes and combs, forming unpleasant formations that interfere with combing. Getting rid of them is easy: add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to warm water and thoroughly rinse the comb.

Tip #5: dog life

To eliminate an unpleasant smell on soft surfaces (especially cushions, where your pets spend most of their time), sprinkle them with a thin layer of baking soda, leave for 15 minutes, and then vacuum the surface.

Tip #6: no clogs

If the drain of your sink gradually starts clogging, follow our tip: pour half a cup of baking soda into it, then – half a cup of vinegar. Cover the drain with a damp piece of cloth and, after five minutes, pour a stream of hot water.

Tip #7: new softness

Hard water is the main reason why your towels become fuzzy and unpleasant to touch. You should fight this and it's necessary! Pour a cup of 0.25% ammonia (spirits) solution into a tub with as hot water as possible and rinse – this will restore the original softness to towels.

Tip #8: no mold

Another "towel problem" – mold. Left a towel wet in a bag after the gym? Shake it well and leave to dry in the sun for at least three hours. Then briefly soak it in bleach, after which the towel can be safely washed in a machine.

Tip #9: smooth surface

To remove stains and scratches from a cutting board, sprinkle it with a thin layer of baking soda or salt, then cut a lemon in half and rub the surface with one of its halves. This will also help eliminate any unpleasant odors from the board.

Tip #10: clean shine

Use white vinegar to make your windows shine with cleanliness. Mix two tablespoons of vinegar with about four liters of water and spray it onto the glass, then wipe it with a microfiber cloth (never use paper towels – they may scratch!)

Tip #11: absolute order

Kitchen cabinets, like your dishes, can get dirty and even greasy during cooking. Add a little dish soap mixed with warm water into a spray bottle and spray it on the contaminated surface, then wipe it with a well-wrung cloth.

Tip #12: always shine

Regarding fancy copper cookware – teapots, cups, trays – we suggest a rather unusual but extremely effective way to fight contamination: wipe the surface with regular ketchup, and it will shine again. Don't be surprised – try it!

Tip #13: masking secrets

Scratches and wear can be a real plague for wooden furniture, but removing them is not as hard as you think. Rub the affected areas with a peeled walnuts that have been cleaned, to mask them – it really works.

Tip #14: vodka to the rescue

Such elegant and refined ceramic type as porcelain requires special care. Vodka can help restore the former splendor and shine to porcelain lamps, figurines or dishes: moisten a clean dry piece of cloth with vodka and gently polish the fragile item.

Tip #15: easy cleaning

To remove dried grease stains inside a microwave oven, place a glass of water with a squeezed lemon inside and heat it until the glass fogs up. After that, the stains will clean easily and quickly, and this procedure will also kill an unpleasant smell.

Tip #16: fluffy friends

After finishing washing dishes, don't rush to take off your household gloves (better if they are made of latex, but synthetic rubber will also work). Go over the furniture with them – still damp, of course – to collect the fur that has settled there from pets.

Tip #17: sparkling plumbing

If your chrome taps have lost their fresh look and are covered with a film, there is an excellent way to restore them: apply regular toothpaste on a damp sponge and thoroughly wipe the taps and showerheads – they will shine like new.

Tip #18: fighting odor

Just like inside the refrigerator or microwave, odors can accumulate in wardrobes. To avoid this and keep your clothes, bed linen and towels fresh and fragrant, make a simple thing: place a box with baking soda inside.

Tip #19: fresh solution

Dishwasher is an invaluable helper. It turns out not only for washing dishes. You can put in it and effectively clean such non-obvious items as toothbrush cups, pet feeders and even plastic children's toys.

Tip #20: no stains

Stains from wine or dirt on the carpet? Once again, the dishwashing liquid will come to your aid! Dissolve one tablespoon of the product in two cups of warm water and blot the stain with a white cloth soaked in the solution. Continue until the stain dissolves. Then rinse the affected area with a sponge and cold water and dry it with a clean cloth.