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Cleaning the house does not have to be time-consuming, toxic, or frustrating. Getting a few tricks up your sleeves will not only make your daily cleaning easier and faster, but you will also be able to tackle a few surprise messes with ease too. This list of cleaning hacks includes tips and tricks you can use for small projects, deep cleaning, or unexpected disasters. The aim of this collection is to keep it simple and as natural as possible.

Cleaning Hacks for the Kitchen

• Remove stubborn stains from your countertop (including tomato stains) using a lemon. Wet the stained area with lemon juice (use bottled juice or cut a lemon in half and rub it on the stain) and let it soak for 30 minutes. Dust the wet area with some baking soda and scrub with an abrasive rag or sponge. Rinse.

• Remove watermarks from your sink with a rubbing-alcohol-soaked cloth. You can remove other marks with white vinegar or club soda. These both work well as stainless steel polishers as well.

• Porcelain can bit difficult to clean. To prevent scratching while cleaning, try using lemon and thyme. Fill a bucket with boiling water. Add a few bunches of thyme and a few lemons halves. Let the mixture steep for several hours. Right before you go to bed, plug the sink and pour your tea mixture into it. Let the sink soak overnight. In the morning, drain the sink and rinse.

• Keep your garbage disposal clean and grease-free in just a few minutes. Toss a few ice cubes into the disposal. Add ½ cup of baking soda and a few drops of lemon juice. Let it sit for a few minutes. While the mixture rests, plug the sink and fill it with some very hot water. Unplug the sink and run the disposal to wash out all residue.

• Wet grease stains on your stove with a bit of water, dust with baking powder and use a wet cloth to wipe away the grease.

• Keep your dishwasher smelling fresh by dumping a half-box of baking soda into the empty dishwasher and running a full cycle.

• A simple, all-natural way to keep your home smelling fresh is in your cupboard. Put some cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, and orange peels into a large pot of water. Boil for an hour. You will get a pleasant aroma while cooking. You can also cool the mixture and pour it into a spray bottle for a natural air freshener.

• Keep annoying fruit flies away from your fruit bowl by tossing a few mint or basil leaves on top of your fruit bowl. Another trick: leave out a small jar filled with apple cider vinegar. The smell of the vinegar attracts flies and they will leave your fruit bowl alone.

• Tackle the interior and exterior of your fridge with a mixture of vinegar and water. Rub down stainless steel fridges with club soda for extra shine.

• Get rid of those funky odors in your fridge with clay-based cat litter. Store an open bowl filled with kitty litter on the bottom shelf of your fridge. It will soak up lingering odors. Change once a month. As an alternative, use a box of baking soda.

• Remove nasty, stuck-on food from broiler plates with some powdered laundry soap. Heat the pan, dust with laundry detergent, and cover with wet paper towels. The towels should sit for about 15 minutes. You will have to scrub a bit, but the gook will be much easier to remove.

• Instead of placing your oven racks directly into your tub (which leaves another mess to clean up), put the rack into a large garbage bag. Fill the bag with hot water and about ¼ to 1/3 cup dish soap. Seal the bag and put it into a bathtub filled with hot water. Let the racks sit for an hour. Drain the tub, remove the rack, scrub, and rinse.

• Soak several paper towels (or a sponge) in warm water and microwave for three to five minutes. Let the towels or sponge cool and use it to wipe away grime with ease. (The steam loosens the caked-on food making it much easier to wipe away.)

• Sanitize cutting boards (and countertops) with full-strength white vinegar. You can also keep the veggie bins in your refrigerator from growing mold and mildew by wiping these down with full-strength vinegar after each clean.

• Wooden knife blocks and cutting boards cannot be soaked or washed in the dishwasher. Instead, use a slightly abrasive cleaner with a nylon-scrubbing pad. Wipe down with hot water and finish with white vinegar spray.

• Use a toothbrush to clean out the crevices in your toaster. You can also use the toothbrush to loosen stuck bread particles from inside the toaster.

• To rescue a burned pan: fill the bottom of the pan with water. Add a cup of white vinegar and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and add two tablespoons of baking soda. Empty the water and scrub.

• For sparkling clean glasses: Soak paper towels in white vinegar and apply them to your water glasses. Rub away the film and rinse with water.

• Take the burner plates from your oven and place them in gallon-sized freezer bags. Add ¼ cup of ammonia to the bag and seal. Set it on a cookie sheet and let it sit outside overnight. In the morning empty the bags and wipe the plates clean.

• To clean your coffee maker: Brew vinegar and water instead of your regular morning pot of coffee. Stop the brew about halfway through and let it sit for 30 minutes and then restart. Dump vinegar and run a cycle or two with clean water to get rid of leftover vinegar.

Cleaning Hacks for the Bathroom

• Eliminate those pesky mirror streaks by cleaning your bathroom mirrors with an equal mixture of water and white vinegar. To prevent buildup behind the mirrors, dip your sponge (or a black and white newspaper page) into your mixture. Wipe dry with a paper towel or soft cloth.

• Remove water spots from the metal on your shower door with a lemon. You can also shine the chrome handles and spouts with a lemon rind.

• Soak removable showerheads in a bowl of water with 4 dissolved denture-cleaning tablets. Soak for two hours. If you can’t remove your showerhead, put the denture mixture (or straight white vinegar) into a plastic bag and secure it to the showerhead with rubber bands or tape, and let soak for at least 2 hours.

• Store your shaving cream upside down to avoid rust marks

• Use 3 tablespoons baking soda, ½ cup ammonia, and 2 cups of warm water to wash bathroom surfaces.

• Use fabric softener sheets to shine bathroom handles, faucets, and nozzles.

• Squirt shaving cream onto glass shower doors and wipe with a dry rag. The shaving cream leaves a residue that makes it harder for scum to stick.

• Keep a spray bottle of vinegar and a sponge in your shower. Spray the inside of the door and wipe it down after you shower to prevent build-up.

• Before hanging new shower liners, soak them in salt water to keep mildew at bay.

• Scrub the grout between bathroom tiles with a mouthwash that has tooth-whitening ingredients for an extra sparkly clean.

• Use a pencil eraser to clean the grout. The small size is perfect for crevices.

• Wash your toilet bowl with a can of soda. Dump the cola (dark colored) into the toilet bowl and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Scrub and flush.

• Use canned air to blow dust out of ceiling vents in the bathroom.

• Use a piece of stainless steel to clean the metal portions of your curling iron. It will remove hairspray residue in a snap.

• Clean makeup brushes with baby shampoo and rinse. Hang them with binder clips to prevent mold build-up.

Emergency Cleaning Hacks

• Remove candle wax from your carpet or clothing in a snap! Grab a brown paper grocery bag and your iron. Place the paper bag over the spilled wax and then iron the bag with your warmed iron set to low. The heat will melt the wax and the paper bag will suck it right up.

• You can remove candle-wax splashes in the wall with paper towels and warm iron. Just place two or three paper towels over the wax and run your warm iron over the paper towels for a quick clean-up.

• To remove gum from your carpet, heat the gum with a blow dryer to loosen it. Using a plastic bag, press it against the gum. Remove as much gum as possible. To get the last stubborn bits, rub a bit of peanut butter into the area and let set for a few minutes. The oil will help loosen the gum further. Wipe up with a damp cloth and rub the area with a little soap and water to remove the remaining oils.

• If you spill a bit of paint on your carpet, head to the kitchen and mix 1½ teaspoons of vinegar, 1½ teaspoons of laundry soap, and about 2 cups of hot water. Use this to sponge away the paint. You will have to use some elbow grease, and it may take a while, but the paint should disappear.

• If you just spilled some wine or juice on the carpet, grab the shaving cream and apply liberally. This works best on very new spills. Let the shaving cream sit for a few minutes and wipe away with a damp rag.

• If you have ever spilled wine or another drink on your blouse at the bar, you are probably familiar with the allure of club soda. You can use this same drink to get stains out of your carpet. Pour club soda onto the stained area and let sit for about 5 minutes. Soak up with a sponge.

Cleaning Hacks for Pets and Kids

• You can easily remove pencil marks from your walls with a slice of rye bread. Simply rub the bread over the pencil marks and watch them disappear.

• Remove crayon from your wall using a few different tricks including gently wiping the area with a fabric softener sheet. You can also try applying a liberal amount of shaving cream and scrubbing with a toothbrush.

• For stubborn crayon art, heat the area with a blow dryer to soften the crayon and use a baby-oil-moistened cloth to wipe the crayon away.

• Clean bath toys by squeezing as much water from each item as possible. Then use a mild bleach mixture (1 part bleach to 15 parts water) and squeeze each toy so it sucks in the bleach mixture. Shake and let soak for 10 minutes. Rinse with clean water.

• Use a large produce mesh bag to store bath toys. The mesh will allow water to drain and helps prevent mildew.

• Remove permanent marker from hardwood floors with toothpaste (use the non-gel type).

• Clean up vomit from the carpet by pouring baking soda onto the area you have cleaned up. Any remnants will clump and vacuum up easily.

• Use a shoe holder (anywhere) to keep toys and other items organized.

• Use a lint roller to pick up any glitter your vacuum didn’t catch.

• Clean Legos in a laundry sack. Toss them in the washer.

• Use playdough to pick up glitter

• Prevent litter box odors with a piece of cardboard cut to fit the litter box. Line the cardboard with tin foil and swab with vinegar and baking soda. You should be able to reuse this two or three times if you clean it between changes.

• Cut a lemon in half and place it in a saucer near the kitty’s litter box to help eliminate odors.

• Sprinkle 1/3 cup of baby powder into a litter box or add dried parsley to the litter box to keep odors away.

• Keep your floors dust free with a small piece of carpeting or mat. Place it next to the litter box where your cat exits so the litter box dust drops there instead of on your floors.

• Keep cat hair at bay by putting the pet brush into the pantyhose. Make sure the bristles poke through the hose. After brushing, remove the nylons and dispose. (The nylon should catch all the hair for easy clean up).

• Use a rubber glove to rub pet hair on your furniture into a ball for easy removal

• Wrap masking tape around your hand (sticky side out) and use the tape to collect pet fur from couches, chairs, and clothing.

• Toss an old (clean) shower liner onto your furniture to keep pets away. They won’t like the uncomfortable feel or sound of the plastic liner. And if they do sleep there, it’s much easier to clean than your furniture.

• Put a ball in your dog’s food bowl to keep them from eating too fast and making a huge mess. They have to move the ball to eat which will slow them down.

• Wash pet bed covers with baking soda to help get rid of odors.

• Use a squeegee to remove pet hair from the carpet.

• Let the kids help you! Here is how

Organizational/Storage Hacks

• Use a spice rack in the bathroom to store hair products and lotions.

• Attach a magazine holder to the inside of your cabinet door to store your hair dryer or curling irons.

• Use a coat rack in place of towel rods to hang more towels. Hang the rack on the back of the bathroom door to save space.

• Attach an extra shower curtain rod to your tub for hanging storage inside the shower.

• Use a magnetic board to organize makeup and brushes (attach small magnets to the back of items).

• Reuse wet wipe (or baby wipe) containers to store plastic grocery bags.

• Hang tall boots on pant hangers to keep your closet floor clutter-free.

• Have a lot of nail polish? Try a spice rack shelf to keep them organized.

• Add Velcro to the backs of your remotes and the side of your TV stand to keep remotes in one place.

• Use a fishing line or thin wire to create storage for wrapping paper on your closet ceiling.

• Use tall shoe bags to hold paper towels or other cleaning items.

• Store yard tools (rake, brooms, hoes, etc.) in a tall garbage can.

• Use a hanging fruit basket to store bath toys.

• Invest in a (short) heavy shelf to add storage space under your washer and dryer, by placing the washing and dryer on top.

• Get more storage under your sink by attaching shoe pockets to the inside of the doors.

• Hang a tension rod under the sink to hang cleaning products.

• Use magazine holders to hold small cutting boards, cake-decorating gear, and/or tin foil.

• Empty glass pop bottles are a cute way to store bracelets or hair ties.

• Attach a magnet strip under raised cupboards and hang spices (with metal lids).

• Reuse a hanging planter to store stuffed animals in the playroom

• You can find here even more cool tips to keep your bedroom organized

Miscellaneous Cleaning Hacks:

• Believe it or not, you can actually shine silver with a banana! Simply remove the banana from the peel (enjoy your snack) and massage the silver pieces with the inside of the banana peel. If you have stubbornly tarnishes, you can mash the peel in a blender and rub the paste on your silver. Wipe down with a soft cloth.

• Add a little extra glimmer to brass pieces by boiling them in ketchup. Put the items in a large pan, cover with ketchup, and turn up the heat. When the ketchup begins to boil, lower the heat and simmer until shiny. Rinse with water and dry.

• Use baking soda and vegetable oil to remove the gunk from kitchen cupboard fronts. Scrub with a toothbrush.

• Use shoe polish to remove scratches and scuffs from a leather couch.

• Use white school chalk to remove grease from clothing. Just rub the chalk over the grease stain. The chalk will absorb the oil.

• Clean your charcoal grill with white onion. Peel the onion, cut it in half, and stab it with a fork. Run the onion over the hot grill grates. Your grates will get deglazed and you’ll have extra flavor.

• Grate a raw potato to remove the cheese.

• Use a lint roller to wipe the dust from your lamp shades.

• Pour a can of Coke on oil stains in the garage. The soda will break down the grease. Rinse with water.

• Put a bowl with ½ cup of ammonia into your cold oven. Let it set overnight. The fumes will soften the gunk. Wipe out with a damp rag the next morning.

• Use a vacuum hose to clean out your dryer tube. You can also use the vacuum hose to remove dust and build-up from the wall port and dryer ports.

• Use rubbing alcohol and a (white) sponge to clean stains off your microfiber couch. Spray the area with rubbing alcohol and wipe with a sponge.

• Mix two parts water and 1 part alcohol in a spray bottle. Use the mixture to clean computer screens and smartphone screens.

• Slip an old sock on your hand, dip it into a bowl of water/vinegar, and use it to wipe down horizontal blinds.

• Take a hair dryer to the water rings on your wood furniture. Turn the blow dryer on high and hold it close to the water ring. It should disappear within a few minutes. Add a little oil to recondition the wood.

• Grab a ketchup/mustard bottle from the store (an empty condiment bottle with a pointy tip) and remove the lid. Attach the lid to the hose of your vacuum. You can secure it with a little tape if necessary. Now you can vacuum the tiniest spaces (even your computer keyboard!)

• Keep track of clothes you wear by hanging all of your clothing with the hanger facing outwards at the beginning of the year. As you wear each item, turn the hanger around the other way. Any clothes that are still