Hit or Miss? TikTok Cleaning Hacks That Work, and the Ones That Don’t

January is Get Organized Month, and with it comes trending TikTok cleaning hacks. Whether you’re giving your home a complete makeover or just trying to declutter, these popular tips have become an unlikely ally. Find out which TikTok cleaning hacks are worth your time and which are better left in the digital dust.

Are TikTok Cleaning Hacks Worth the Hype?

Using Get Organized Month or GO Month this January to get your life together sounds like the perfect excuse to declutter and organize, allowing you to take control of your environment and personal space. But the thought of moving those holiday doom boxes can be daunting, and winging everything before bed is never a wise choice.

A December 2024 Talker Research survey published in Newsweek revealed that 33% of Americans dedicate three to four hours to cleaning their homes every week, with 24% saying that keeping a tidy house is harder than their full-time job. It’s no wonder that some seek smarter and easier ways to do chores with viral TikTok cleaning hacks, but are they worth the hype? It’s time to find out.

Deep Clean Your Dishwasher with Vinegar

Your vinegar sitting in the pantry is not just for cooking. It can also clean your dishwasher. Give your dishwasher a fresh start after making low-carb egg noodles by placing a cup of vinegar on the top rack and running a hot cycle. Sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and see how your dishwasher cleans itself.

If you’re wondering if this works, the answer is yes. The magic lies in vinegar’s acidity, which cuts through stubborn hard water deposits, grease, and lingering food particles. This viral TikTok cleaning hack also eliminates unpleasant odors, leaving your dishwasher sparkling clean and ready for the next load of dirty dishes.

Vacuum with Baking Soda and Essential Oil

Derwynn Matthews, known as @derwhynnwho on social media, is one of the top #CleanTok influencers for his natural DIY tips. Boasting nearly 1.2 million followers on TikTok and Instagram combined, Matthews has become a go-to guru for cleaning inspiration.

One of his standout tips involves sprinkling baking soda on carpets or rugs to remove stains and neutralize odors. He takes it up a notch by adding a few drops of essential oils to cotton balls and placing them in the vacuum bin. Remember to let the baking soda sit for 10 minutes before vacuuming. It undeniably works, leaving the room with a fresh, subtle scent from the oils. It’s a simple trick, but it will make your vacuum routine enjoyable.

Baking Soda Paste for Burnt Pots and Pans

A Time Magazine article revealed that spending on non-electric cookware and tableware jumped 33% from the first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of 2024 based on data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. You might not feel it now, but taking care of your pots and pans will help you save a couple of bucks this year.

Burned your beef stew? How do you deal with burnt pots or pans? Here’s an effective TikTok cleaning hack: Sprinkle baking soda over the burnt area, add enough water to make a paste, and let it sit for a few hours before scrubbing. The secret lies in baking soda’s mild abrasiveness and alkaline properties, which neutralize acids and loosen stubborn burnt-on food. It also eliminates lingering burnt smells, leaving your cookware clean and fresh.

Clean Your Countertops the Right Way

Expecting all the hacks you see on TikTok to work may cause more harm than good. Before trying every #CleanTok tip you see, do your research first. An example of this is using vinegar and lemon to clean your countertops. These ingredients might seem like miracle cleaners, but their high pH levels can damage stone or wood countertops. So, act with caution and know the material you’re about to scrub before you get into the nitty-gritty.

Vinegar’s germ-killing abilities aren’t as powerful as you might think. Use a clean disinfectant towel paired with gentle dish soap and warm water for a safer and more reliable solution.

No More Scrubbing Your Air Fryer

A viral TikTok cleaning hack by @hello_happy_mom takes the hustle out of scrubbing your air fryer. The trick? Run it with water and dish soap. It’s quick, easy, and best of all, no elbow grease required. If you haven’t tried this yet, now might be the time before causing another mess making that homemade casserole.

A May 2024 Food Dive report has found that, according to the data analytics firm Circana, roughly two-thirds of American homes today have one air fryer. “The future is all about the air fryer. It’s just a generational shift that you’re going to see,” said Adam Graves, the president of Nestlé U.S. pizza and snacking division. So, keeping your air fryer in top shape is a must for your convenience and efficiency in the kitchen.

Potato and Salt to Scrub Away Rust

Use a potato and some salt to scrub rust away from your cookware, like cast-iron pans or carbon steel knives. This TikTok cleaning hack might sound like an interesting discovery, but it doesn’t work unless you’ve got nothing else on hand and you’re prepared for a lot of elbow grease. This potato and salt hack is too much work and can feel like a punishment rather than a chore.

The 15-minute Rule

Another interesting TikTok cleaning hack is to break your cleaning into 15-minute increments and set a timer to make chores less overwhelming. This is not necessarily for deep cleaning, but this can help if your home tends to spiral into chaos. Does it work for everyone? Not so much as some prefer a more methodical approach to cleaning, so the 15-minute timer may not stick. It’s still a great way to break tasks down and tackle clutter a little at a time.

Tongs and Blinds?

This TikTok cleaning hack might sound ridiculous, but you can clean your horizontal blinds by slicing a sponge in half and slipping them onto tongs. It seems oddly fun, but it’s overcomplicating the job. Some may not have the patience to build this contraption, and you can just close the blinds and use a cleaning mitt or dust rag to clean either side. It’s quicker, easier and just as useful.

Tidy Up Without Losing Your Mind

Using Get Organized Month as an excuse to declutter and organize your space is a great idea, but resorting completely to TikTok cleaning hacks may not be as helpful as it seems. While some of these tips deliver, others miss the mark, leaving you with more effort than results. It’s important to do your research before getting your hands dirty, and there’s nothing wrong with asking for a little help.

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This article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.