Scrubbing your oven with a dishwasher tablet tops best cleaning hacks list

Are you after some foolproof cleaning hacks? It seems you're not alone, with Google searches for 'cleaning tips' up 200% this year.

While none of us love taking the bins out or washing up, it has to be done, which is why we're all keen to get the job done in a way that saves time and money, especially in the current climate.

This helps to explain why the average household uses three 'self-created' cleaning hacks and spends an hour each week on social media searching for the most effective tips for housework, decorating and DIY, and gardening, according to Wilko-led research.

But look no further, as the top 10 cleaning hacks have now been revealed by the brand, with the best advice collated from its in-house team, influencers and customers, ready to share with guests (and now you) as it hosted the world's first cleaning festival this week.

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The number one tip is to use a dishwasher tablet to clean the oven. Alll you need to do is dampen the tablet and then give the inside of the oven a good scrub to gently but effectively de-grease and remove food stains. Remember to rinse the inside of the stove a couple times afterwards with a damp cloth.

The next hack is to soak a paper towel in a little scented disinfectant and pop it underneath the black bin-liner bag at the bottom of the bin. This will keep it smelling fresher for longer, and while it might not make changing it enjoyable, it will definitely improve the experience.

For all the parents out there, the third top hack is to make sure you shop for washable paint. This easy switch will allow you to get rid of any marks or scuffs from excitable play times with complete ease. Say goodbye to paint-stained walls.

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Completing the top five hacks, Wilko also advises washing salad drawers in the dishwasher and using a cotton but to tackle trapped dirt or dust in the rubber seal, as well as lining them with kitchen paper to throw away leftover veggies or food debris with ease (if you've missed your chance to use them for something else, that is).

Other hacks on the list (found below) include creative tips to clean the carpet, transform washing up and save money in multiple ways.

“Everyone loves finding a new way to tackle a job around the house; be it a way to make it more fun, simpler to sort or more affordable, and I really enjoyed sharing my own advice with guests as well as getting some inspiration for new tips and tricks," 'cleanfluencer' Lynsey Crombie, aka Queen of Clean, said at the festival.

Read more: How to stop arguing about the heating and keep your home warm this winter

Here is the full list compiled by Wilko, ready for you to get stuck into today (if you can face it....):

Top 10 cleaning hacks

1. Use a dishwasher tablet to clean the oven. Simply dampen the tablet, then scrub the oven interior for a gently abrasive clean that gets rid of grease and food stains. Don’t forget to rinse the inside of the stove a few times afterwards with a damp cloth

2. Soak a paper towel in scented disinfectant to keep bin fresher. Just pop it beneath the black bag at the bottom of the bin

3. Shop for washable paint if you have kids. It means getting rid of any marks or scuffs from boisterous play will be a doddle

4. Make light work of keeping the fridge clean. Wash salad drawers in the dishwasher and use a cotton bud to lift any dirt or dust that’s trapped in the rubber seal

5. Line the salad drawers with kitchen paper. This is so it’s easy to dispose of any inedible vegetable debris and save you scooping out that gunk

6. After hoovering, slip on a rubber glove and wipe it along the carpet. This will quickly pick up any remaining hair (although a specific pet hair cleaner or dustpan and brush with rubber bristles is much more effective for a deep clean)

7. For smaller patches of damp, use moisture absorbers. This is as an alternative to dehumidifiers, which can be expensive to run. Using damp seal can also help to effectively disguise any patches of discolouration ahead of decorating with paper or fresh paint

8. Keep central heating working at its best and save money on energy bills. You just need to remember to bleed radiators at least twice a year using a key

9. Wash dishes heavy in starch or dairy in cold water. Soak something that's had a shepherd’s pie, for example, this way rather than in hot water as you would for other dishes. The cool water reacts with the ingredients to better lift them from the cooking equipment

10. Add a drop of laundry disinfectant if washing clothes at a lower temperature or on a cold wash. This will help you make an energy bill saving, as the liquid will kill germs without the need to switch to an option that’s set at 30 degrees or more

Watch: Make the most of an old toothbrush with these cleaning hacks