Hacking kindle paperwhite

When it comes to cleaning, the kitchen is one of the worst rooms to tackle – perhaps second only to the bathroom.

I’m willing to bet even ardent cleaning fans hesitate when it comes to their microwave, oven, and hobs. After all, these are the areas most likely to accumulate stubborn stains.

I, for one, never enjoy scrubbing surfaces, even when they’ve been cleaned recently and shouldn’t be much of a chore.

It’s nevertheless important to wipe away any built-up food or spillages, whether or not you love pulling on rubber gloves.

So when people share tips and tricks to make these jobs easier, I’m all ears, and you can imagine my delight when influencer Mrs Hinch skyrocketed to fame.

Not only does she regularly share savvy recommendations, but the expert inspired fellow cleaning fans to follow suit. There’s even a Facebook group devoted to the topic. Aptly named Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips, it’s perfect for people like me who want to share in the wisdom of those magical beings who enjoy cleaning.

While I’ll admit I like having a neat and tidy kitchen, I’m less keen on the tidying up itself. So when I read about the below lemon hack, which has been praised as a great, simple way to clean your microwave, I was eager to give it a go.

The hack

Filled with citric acid and antibacterial properties, lemons are often touted as a form of ‘natural bleach’. So the idea is simple. Use a lemon to help clean away all those grubby bits which end up in your microwave – but shouldn’t go anywhere near your food.

If you’re a fan of natural remedies, then you’re in luck too, as you’d be hard-pressed to find a more natural cleaning solution. As to how you implement the tip, Mrs Hinch fans have varying preferences, though the overarching idea is the same regardless of who you ask.

For instance, one Facebook post dedicated to microwave cleaning tips revealed three variations of the lemon hack. One person advised: “Put half a lemon inside on the glass and turn for 30 seconds. Then wipe with kitchen towel.”

A second wrote: “Heat up water with lemon juice and let the steam start the process then wipe clean. Easy.” Meanwhile, another said: “It’s own steam works best. Dish with lemon sliced in it, microwave on high for five minutes and wipe everything away. Wash the glass turntable in hot soapy water then dry. Job done.”

So I decided to combine the recommendations – a method that has proved popular elsewhere on the internet.

I squeezed lemon juice into a bowl of water, added in the remaining lemon for good measure, and set my microwave going for five minutes. Then, once I left the bowl to cool, I returned in the hope the steam would help me to tackle any stubborn stains.

As I watched the lemon concoction whirl round in the appliance, I was willing it to work. As someone who doesn’t enjoy a weekend spent on a deep clean, I scrub my microwave after each use. But keen to put this hack through its paces, I deliberately heated up my leftovers in a bowl that splashed food onto the microwave walls, to see how it fared there.

Luckily, it didn’t matter that I’d made a lot of mess though, as when I returned to clean it up later in the evening the lemon hack delivered brilliant results.

The results

I don’t have much to say here, as I think it is clear to see how well this hack works. As you can see from the photos and video, every stain wiped away after I used a wet cloth. There were a few marks I had to wipe a couple of times, but it didn’t take too much work to leave my microwave sparkling once more thanks to the lemon.

The verdict

The method is very easy to execute, and so long as you’ve got the patience to wait for five minutes it’s relatively fast too. As I said, I prefer to clean as I go – washing up in small bursts – rather than wait until the end of the week. But it is simple enough to set the timer going and then come back once you’ve finished another chore if you’re keen to use it.

This hack is pretty cheap too. You can purchase a single lemon from Sainsbury’s for 30p, or less if you opt for a multipack, and since I used a lemon that was going off in the back of my fridge, it helped to reduce waste as well.

However, I don’t think it would save money in the long run if used instead of a couple of spritzes of microwave cleaner.

The big plus is that it is a natural remedy and a good one at that, so it is perfect for anyone who is looking to avoid store-bought chemicals.

While I didn’t think it was any better than my usual method, it was no worse. As such, it’s not something I’d go out of my way to try again, but I’d certainly give it another go when I’ve got an old lemon to spare, and it’s great if you’re looking for a natural remedy.

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If you drop flowers with pollen onto a carpet, your heart will no doubt sink. It can feel like an impossible task to try and remove the staining from the floor. But rather than scrubbing and potentially making the stain work deeper into the carpet, there’s a better way to remove it – and you may already have the product in your house.

Fans of the online cleaning sensation Sophie Hinchliffe have taken to the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook group to share their wisdom with one stressed woman who dropped Lilies onto her carpet. They shared an unusual method with her that could help in the future, because the damage had likely already been done.

She wrote: “Help! A whole vase of lilies (stamen) has been knocked onto my light grey carpet.

“I have tried a carpet cleaning spray and also an oxi foam. Nothing has shifted it. It has also been rubbed in (not by me). Is there anything else out there please, I am desperate!”

In the comments, people suggested that rather than rubbing it, it should be lifted whilst it’s dusty with sellotape.

One wrote: “Oh noooo, you shouldn’t have used anything other than sellotape lightly on the dust to lift it.

“You’ve probably rubbed it into the carpet. Unfortunately, it’s not going to come out. That stuff stains. If you have any carpet left you could cut out the stain and replace it.”

Another agreed, saying: “Once wet pollen turns into a dye and this has now dyed the fibres.

“A professional cleaner may be able to remove the stain or you may have to have the area re-dyed or repaired.

“Always remove pollen while dry with sellotape.”

Someone else had a similar tip, writing: “I’ve always hoovered any up gently without touching or rubbing in.”

“Not a lot you are going to be able to do I’m afraid”, someone sympathised. “Lily pollen is lethal, especially once it’s been rubbed in and got wet (florist speaking here) If it ever happens again, try and get as much off using sellotape as you can.”

Sellotape can be bought from as little as 79p from many retailers.

Have you ever tried the sellotape method? Let us know in the comments.

It can be all too easy to ignore the fact that your pillows are no longer gleaming white like they used to be – but it’s something that can be fixed if you embrace the task at hand.

A much loved cleaning guru, also known as ‘internet mum’ Babs on TikTok, has got the perfect solution, but first, you’re going to have to accept the grossness that’s “trapped in your pillows.”

Don’t panic though, because you don’t have to get all new pillows every 12 months like experts recommend – you can strip the pillows of all the grime and dirt by simply giving them a bath with the right ingredients.

In the caption on her @brunchwithbabs page, she wrote: “You should strip your pillows at least once a year in order to rid them of all the build-up, grime, and body oils that a washing machine can not get out.”

Babs then detailed the method of stripping the pillows to ensure they “stay clean and fluffy.”

She told cleaning fans to fill the bathtub with the hottest water possible, then you need to dissolve the stripping mix in hot tub water with ¼ cup baking soda, ¼ cup borax, two cups liquid laundry detergent.

Babs wrote: “Add the pillows and submerge. Soak pillows for up to 24 hours. Flip pillows in the tub every once in a while during the soak.

“Drain tub and squeeze out excess water from pillows. Immediately following stripping, wash pillows on normal cycle without detergent.

“Dry without dryer sheets. Use tennis or dryer balls instead and toss in the dryer until the pillows are dry and fluffy.”

She also added a disclaimer that it’s important to always check your pillow label first, as it may not be the best method for down or memory foam pillows.

In the comments, people said it was much better to clean something, rather than replace. Someone else pointed out that Borax is banned in Europe, however, so asked for alternatives, to which someone commented: “Washing soda/soda crystals are similar and will work fine!”

One wrote: “Apart from the cost, imagine the strain on the environment!! Just clean them properly and use pillow protectors.”

Another said: “I double pillowcase all my pillows they are several years old and still white. Yeah, I wash the pillowcases weekly. Just thought I’d share.”

Will you be deep cleaning your pillows? Let us know in the comments.