I’m a cleaning expert – the TikTok viral Coke hack really works but a £1.50 buy will only burn your house down
TIKTOK is brimming with tips on how to clean everything from windows to ovens and shower heads.
In fact, #cleantok content has had more than 114 BILLION views, while #cleaninghack has had almost four billion.
Many hacks involve items you already have at home, but which ones work best?
Heidi Phillips, owner of Tergo Specialist Cleaning Services, says: “Although social media can be an amazing place to find useful cleaning hacks, remember that not every one will work.
“And some are actually dangerous.”
Mum-of-three Lynsey Hope compares popular tricks and marks them out of ten while Heidi delivers her expert verdicts.
Supercharge your shower head:
COCA-COLA V WHITE VINEGAR
HACK 1: Soak in Coca-Cola.
Remove your shower head, place it in a freezer bag, then fill the bag with the fizzy drink.
Seal it and let the shower head soak for an hour.
Next, use an old toothbrush to clean the head.
After replacing the the shower head, run it on hot to flush all the cola through.
Lynsey says: “This was incredibly effective. After soaking for an hour, nearly all the limescale had disappeared, with no scrubbing involved whatsoever. Impressive.”
RATING: 9.
Heidi says: “The acids in Coca-Cola can break down dirt, grime and limescale. But if your shower head is very dirty, it may not be strong enough.”
HACK 2: White vinegar.
As above, but soak the shower head in distilled white vinegar mixed with water instead.
Lynsey says: “I loved this method too. It worked well and the vinegar was even cheaper than Coke. No scrubbing involved.”
RATING: 10.
Heidi says: “White vinegar is acidic and will break down limescale build-up. But if your shower head is damaged, then soaking it in an acidic product may cause further harm.”
Make your windows sparkle:
NEWSPAPER V BLACK TEA
HACK 1: Use newspaper.
Try newspapers to clean glass for a smudge-free surface.
Use gloves to keep hands free of ink.
Lynsey says: “I thought my windows would be filthy after doing this, but they came up well. It was my hands that were filthy, so do use gloves.”
RATING: 6.
Heidi says: “Fibres used to make newspaper are soft enough to be safe to use on glass, but ink may leak and you’ll be left with streaky marks. It’s a lot easier to spend £1 on a window-cleaning spray.”
HACK 2: Black tea.
Tea contains tannic acid and will work in a similar way to vinegar.
Brew a big pot and let it cool before you get to work on windows and mirrors.
Lynsey says: “Surprisingly, this worked really well. My windows have never been shinier.”
RATING: 8.
Heidi says: “A cheap and effective hack that really works. The tannin in the tea is great at making glass super shiny. Use a soft cloth though, as kitchen towel can be rough and cause scratches.”
Blitz grimy saucepans:
BIO WASHING POWDER V BAKING SODA
HACK 1: Boil bio washing powder.
Once your dirty pan has cooled, fill with water and add 1 tbsp of biological washing powder.
Put the pan back on the hob and bring to the boil.
Leave to simmer for ten minutes, then rinse.
Lynsey says: “A great hack for really filthy pans that you can’t get clean in the sink alone.”
RATING: 10.
Heidi says: “Bio washing powder contains enzymes that break down food and stains, so combined with the heat of boiling water, this hack really works. Alternatively, you could use a dishwasher tablet.”
HACK 2: Baking soda.
Heat some water on a low-medium heat for five minutes, then add some baking soda.
If the pan is severely burnt, try adding 2 tsp of lemon juice too to create a fizz reaction and break down any grime.
Lynsey says: “This took a long time and didn’t work as well as I’d hoped.
RATING: 2.
Heidi says: “The active ingredients – baking soda and lemon – will likely be too diluted to remove food.”
Spruce up plants:
MAYO V WASHING-UP LIQUID
HACK 1: Rub with mayo.
Clean dusty houseplants with some mild soap and water, then use a paper towel and rub a drop of mayo into the tops of leaves to make them extra vibrant.
Lynsey says: “It did bring the leaves up nice and shiny, but it was a bit messy, so I doubt I’d do this again.”
RATING: 3.
Heidi says: “Although the oil in the mayo will make leaves shine, it could damage them by clogging up the plant stomata, which can result in the plant not being able to absorb enough water. I wouldn’t recommend it.”
HACK 2: Washing-up liquid.
Add a squirt of washing up liquid to a bowl and gently clean your plant’s leaves with a damp cloth.
Lynsey says: “My plants looked cleaner than ever after doing this, all the leaves were really shiny.”
RATING: 9.
Heidi says: “I’m a big fan of using washing up liquid for almost everything cleaning-related and yes, you can safely use it on houseplants too.”
Make your hob gleam:
BABY OIL V WD40
HACK 1: Baby oil.
Put a dab of baby oil on to a clean cloth and rub the whole surface clean on your stainless steel or ceramic hob.
Lynsey says: “This did a great job of getting rid of finger marks and smudges from my hob, but the fire risk was a worry though. I had no idea baby oil was flammable, but it is, as it contains paraffin. This puts me off using it again.”
RATING: 1.
Heidi says: “Although baby oil will give stainless steel a lovely shine, it won’t clean it. You also need to bear in mind that it needs to be thoroughly polished off, or you are risking fire next time your hob heats up.”
HACK 2: WD-40.
Use a squirt of WD-40 and wipe your hob with a microfibre cloth.
Lynsey says: “The smell was off-putting, but it did bring the hob up well. In all honesty, even though it seemed to work, I wouldn’t use this trick again because WD-40 is flammable.”
RATING: 3.
Heidi says: “Although WD-40 is safe to use on stainless steel, it shouldn’t be used in food preparation areas, and it is also flammable.”