Household Hacks
Welcome to My Favourite Household Hacks
Keeping a home running smoothly can feel like a full-time job — especially when you’re juggling meals, mess, and a mountain of laundry. Over the years, I’ve picked up clever, budget-friendly household hacks that actually work — and most are eco-friendly too. This page is my go-to place to store them all in one spot.
I hope they save you time, money, and stress… and maybe even make cleaning a little less boring. 😉
– Jolene 🌱
Cleaning Hacks:
🌀 Microwave Magic
To clean the microwave with ease, heat a microwave-safe bowl of water with a few slices of lemon for about three minutes. The steam will loosen all the grime—just sponge it down afterward. No elbow grease, no harsh chemicals, and fresh-smelling too!
Bonus Tip: If your microwave’s smelling funky, pop a bowl of vinegar in and heat for five minutes. Wipe down afterward and say goodbye to nasty odours.
🍋 Voila, Vinegar!
Did you know white vinegar is a superstar cleaner in so many household hacks?
For counters and stainless steel: Mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water in a spray bottle. Spray and wipe like a regular cleaner. For stainless steel, dry immediately to avoid spotting.
To scent it up: Infuse vinegar with citrus peels and herbs (like rosemary, pine, or cinnamon sticks) in a jar for two weeks. Strain and use—now you’ve got a powerful, fresh-smelling cleaner.
Vinegar can tackle dirt, grease, grime, and even bacteria—and it’s totally eco and animal-friendly. 🌱
🚽 Toilet Bababoom Bombs
Ditch the harsh loo cleaners and try this homemade toilet bomb:
What You’ll Need:
½ cup baking soda (bicarb)
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup lemon juice
2–3 tbsp water
15 drops of essential oil (your choice!)
How To:
Mix the dry ingredients in a ziplock bag.
Add lemon juice and water until it forms a dough.
Add essential oils and knead again.
Press into an ice tray and let dry for 2–3 days.
Drop one in the toilet, let it fizz, then flush!
🔥 Brilliant Oven Cleaner Household Hacks
Here’s a safe, money-saving way to clean your oven:
Remove the racks and soak in hot soapy water.
Make a paste of ¾ cup bicarb + ¼ cup warm water.
Spread it all over the oven interior (not the door) using a paintbrush or toothbrush for corners. Leave overnight.
Wipe away excess.
Spray white vinegar onto any bicarb left—watch it foam!
Wipe it all down. Repeat if needed.
For the door/glass: Use equal parts vinegar and water, with optional lemon oil, and wipe with a soft cloth.
🪵 Shiny Wood, Silicone-Free
Avoid commercial wood cleaners with silicone—over time, it can dull and damage your furniture.
Instead:
Wipe wood with a plain damp cloth for everyday cleaning.
Want shine? Mix 2 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon juice, apply with a soft cloth, and buff your furniture to a beautiful glow.
🛏 Green Mattress Cleaner
Tackle mattress stains the eco-friendly way:
Sprinkle baking soda directly on the stain.
Rub it in and leave for an hour.
Vacuum it up—stain and smell should be gone!
Simple, safe, and no toxic residue where you sleep.
🚰 Banish Stinky Drains
Smelly drains? Here’s how to freshen them up naturally:
Pour ¼ cup baking soda down the drain.
Add ¼ cup white vinegar—it’ll fizz and bubble (great science moment for the kids).
Let it sit 5–10 minutes.
Pour in boiling water from a kettle to flush everything out.
Finish with a splash of hot water mixed with a few teaspoons of vanilla essence for a sweet-smelling finish.
Food & Kitchen
Going Bananas!
Here’s a brilliant little kitchen hack for all of you savvy shoppers who buy bananas in bulk when they’re on special (like I do)… only to find them all turning spotty and brown at once. Sound familiar?
Well, here’s the trick:
Wrap the crown (the top/stem bit) of the banana bunch in cling film or tin foil.
That simple step slows down the release of ethylene gas, which is what causes bananas to ripen too quickly. You’ll get an extra 3 to 5 days out of your bananas this way!
Less waste. Less freezer space sacrificed to overripe banana chaos.
And fewer frantic batches of smoothies and banana bread. 🍌
Simple. Clever. Done!
DIY & Organisation
Pipe Cleaners to the Rescue
Here’s a hack that’s clever, quick, cheap, and oh-so-easy.
Got plastic coat hangers that aren’t anti-slip? You know the ones—your favourite jacket or that pretty dress keeps sliding off and landing in a crumpled heap on the cupboard floor?
Well, no more!
Simply wrap pipe cleaners around the top arms of the hanger.
That fuzzy little twist adds just enough grip to hold clothes in place—and voilà!
You’ve just transformed a basic hanger into a fancy anti-slip one. No sewing, no glue, no fuss.
Who knew pipe cleaners could be so posh?
Pest Control & Safety
Keeping the Cockroaches at Bay
Here’s a simple and natural way to deal with those unwelcome little visitors (and sometimes not-so-little—ugh!).
Cockroach deterrent hack:
Crush up some bay leaves and sprinkle them under the kitchen sink, behind appliances, or along door and window edges. Roaches hate the smell, so it sends them scurrying in the other direction!
Extra tip:
You can also mop your kitchen and bathroom floors with a homemade bay leaf and water solution for added protection. Just boil a handful of bay leaves in water, let it cool, then use it like a normal mop solution.
No chemicals, no fuss—just a cleaner home and fewer creepy-crawlies.
This page will be updated with household hacks on a regular basis, so keep checking back, and perhaps even bookmark this page.
These natural ideas also fit in perfectly with our Green Living Tips…
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