NEW YORK, April 20 — As spring comes around, many people feel a sudden urge to clean and tidy their home. And while spring cleaning is nothing new, it has taken on a whole new dimension since the emergence of the #CleanTok hashtag on TikTok.
Some people take advantage of springtime to clear out their homes — sorting, throwing away and reorganising — while others see it as an opportunity to start over with new, better habits. Taking the plunge can be easier said than done, as the task at hand can seem daunting. But help is at hand from “cleanfluencers,” the cleaning and tidying pros who share their tips and tricks on social media.
While they once shared their expertise on Instagram, cleaning influencers have really found their audience on TikTok. The Chinese social network is full of #CleanTok-tagged short videos in which internet users discover all sorts of tips for cleaning their home, from the bedroom to the bathroom to the kitchen.
The kitchen is often the most time-consuming room to clean. Mold, mildew, grime and grease can build up in no time, which can affect the shelf life of food products. But for marks, stains and other dirt on the hob, simply wipe them away with dish soap — simple!
Cleaning the oven can be more complicated... unless you follow Auri Kananen’s tutorial. This Finnish woman, better known under the pseudonym @aurikatariina, recommends applying a generous amount of oven cleaner to dirty surfaces, then covering them with plastic wrapping film to prevent the product from drying too quickly. This tip seems to have impressed TikTok users, as Auri Kananen’s video has more than 1.3 million views. Those seeking to avoid harsh chemical products can use baking soda, black soap or white vinegar to give a new lease on life to a dirty oven.
The art of tidying
The #CleanTok hashtag also provides fresh tips for making your bathroom sparkle. First step: the bathtub. Brazilian expert Carolina McCauley has devised a four-step method to deep clean the tub, using natural cleaning products. Soak dish towels in white vinegar and wrap them around your faucet to restore its shine. Use baking soda and white vinegar to unclog your bathtub’s pipes and facilitate drainage. And finally, cover the sides with a mixture of baking soda and dish soap to better scrub them clean with a sponge. Result: a bathtub that looks just like new, and nearly 314,000 views for Carolina McCauley.
Spring cleaning means clearing out your closets, shelves, drawers and other cluttered up parts of your home. To get your drawers in order, empty everything out and sort through the lot. This may take some time. Marie Kondo, the famous Japanese storage consultant, recommends keeping only the objects that bring us joy. Keep that in mind as you work through the piles of stuff, lightening the load by ditching full notebooks, dusty candle bases, old pens and flat batteries. Now comes the “tidying” part. American expert Kaeli Mae swears by using boxes of different sizes to maximise drawer storage. This method can be applied to any room in the home, whether it’s the bedroom, the kitchen or the office.
Once the main rooms have been cleaned and tidied, why not tackle the nooks and crannies often neglected during your cleaning sessions? Radiators are at the top of the list. They often collect a lot of dust, which prevents them from working properly. British user @cleanwithabbi recommends pouring a mixture of water and disinfectant between the fins of the unit, which should obviously be turned off. A container placed under the radiator will catch the water and dust that has accumulated over the months. If you’re worried about your radiator rusting, clean it with a hair dryer or a microfiber cloth instead — a great way to finish off your spring clean. — ETX Studio
