Home Cleaning Cleaning Hacks 3 Game-Changing Cleaning Hacks—According to Real Simple Editors Including an editor-approved tip for streak-free mirrors. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 15, 2024 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 Hannah Baker / Getty Images 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. How to Clean Rugs and Carpets How Often Should You Vacuum? How to Clean a Leather Couch to Keep It Looking New Learn the Secret to Streak-Free Mirrors Leslie Corona / Getty Images 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. How to Remove Hard Water Stains From Glass 7 Cleaning Mistakes That Always Lead to Streaky Mirrors, According to Pros I’m a Cleaning Editor—Here’s How I Fake a Spotless House Remember Those Oft-Forgotten Areas Erica Finamore / Getty Images 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! 5 Things You Probably Don't Clean Monthly (But You Should) How To Get Rid of Dust From All of the Surfaces in Your Home 5 Kitchen Cleaning Mistakes That Could Be Doing More Harm Than Good Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit