By Gemma Strong
White vinegar might be the hero product of the cleaning world, but there's a new challenger to the crown.
Those of us who live in hard water areas will know how quickly limescale can build up - particularly on shower screen doors. And it can be really tough to remove if left untreated for too long.
But instead of turning to pricey chemical solutions, or white vinegar, we should be using another far more effective option, according to one cleaning enthusiast.
Taking to the Mrs Hinch Army Cleaning Tips page, user Sam Hill shared a picture of her shower screen, with spotless, gleaming glass, and no sign of limescale or streaking in sight.
In the caption, she wrote: "I know a lot of people always ask on here what's best to clean the shower screen with. I've literally tried everything to get the limescale off like white vinegar but it never works this well.
"I've found the best thing to use - soda crystals. I make a paste and apply it in circles with a microfibre cloth. Leave for a couple of hours, then rub it off with a microfibre cloth and rinse to finish. It's like new."
Soda crystals are a great natural cleaning product with a multitude of uses, from removing stains to unclogging drains. Curious to know how to use the crystals on her shower screen, one follower asked: "How do you make the paste with soda crystals?"
Sam replied: "Add around half a quarter of the bag [125g] to a bowl with just enough water to form a paste."
Soda crystals are a much cheaper alternative to chemical alternatives. You can pick up a 1kg bag of Dri Pak Soda Crystals from Tesco and Ocado for just £2 - which means that this cleaning tip will only cost you 25p a go.
When it comes to dreaded household chores, cleaning the oven is high on the list. Just recently, another Mrs Hinch fan asked the group for their advice on removing the grease and dirt from her oven door - and the response was unanimous.
"Use a dishwasher tablet on the glass with hot water. I did this and it came up like new. Wear rubber gloves though," one person advised. She then shared a photo of her own sparklingly clean oven door, saying it previously "looked like yours" and "took like 10 minutes to get like this".
Explaining how to do the hack, the woman advised: "I dip it to make it wet, then I rub around but it kind of dissolves so I add more water to make it like a paste. I use like the little rectangle powder ones, not a liquid one (hope that makes sense). I own a cleaning company and find it the best way."
When it comes to cleaning the rest of the oven, she revealed: "I use Mr Muscle all over the inside and leave for an hour or so and then I use a scrub daddy and boiling hot water. Oven Pride is good for the oven racks, to soak in the bag but that's all I use.
"If your racks are bad I would soak them overnight in the bag with a towel under it on the draining board next to the sink, or even soak them for a few hours if you can't do overnight."
You can purchase 30 dishwasher tablets from Sainsbury's for £1.49, which works out at about 5p per tab. You can also purchase them from Tesco for £3.39 for 40, which works out at about 8p per tablet.
Do you have a cleaning hack to share? Let us know in the comments.
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