Lemons in the oven and salt in the bin: Cleaning tips I wish everyone knew

Recommended Home Cleaning Lemons in the oven and salt in the bin: Cleaning tips I wish everyone knew I clean businesses for a living, but these money-saving hacks can be used in every home Save Comment speech bubble icon Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Sarah-Jane Hoadley Show biography Sarah-Jane Hoadley is a professional cleaner and founder of The Clean Group, a UK-based commercial cleaning company specialising in office, end-of-tenancy and deep cleaning. Alongside running her business, Sarah-Jane has built a highly engaged online audience by sharing straightforward, experience-led cleaning advice. Drawing on over a decade of hands-on experience, she tests cleaning products for The Telegraph's Recommended channel, focusing on what genuinely works for readers and their homes.   Published 10 July 2026 6:00am BST Save Comment speech bubble icon Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Credit: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph Sarah-Jane Hoadley Show biography Sarah-Jane Hoadley is a professional cleaner and founder of The Clean Group, a UK-based commercial cleaning company specialising in office, end-of-tenancy and deep cleaning. Alongside running her business, Sarah-Jane has built a highly engaged online audience by sharing straightforward, experience-led cleaning advice. Drawing on over a decade of hands-on experience, she tests cleaning products for The Telegraph's Recommended channel, focusing on what genuinely works for readers and their homes.   Published 10 July 2026 6:00am BST Over the past decade, working as a cleaner and having founded a commercial cleaning business, I’ve discovered shortcuts for even the most hated jobs. From cleaning the oven to banishing bathroom mould, my day-to-day methods remove the need for both hard scrubbing and overpriced products. Some of them are so satisfying, I think they may convert the staunchest of cleaning haters. I’d go as far as saying that everyone should know these techniques. Here’s a short video showing my hacks in action. Below, I explain in more detail how they work. Let me know in the comments section if you’ve tried them out. Tip one: Clean the oven using lemons Credit: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph The question I am asked the most is how to clean an oven without it becoming a three-hour operation. The good news is, I have a tip which means you can clean it without scrubbing a thing. It’s my favourite hack of all time: Fill a baking tray with water and six to eight halved lemons.Put it into your oven on a high heat of about 220C.After about 45 minutes or when you see plenty of steam, remove the tray.Pour away the water and lemons.Use a damp microfibre cloth to wipe everything down.The heat softens burnt-on grime while the lemons cut through grease. Use a grimy tray for the water and lemons and it tackles two jobs in one. It is one of the most effortless ways to make your oven look dramatically cleaner and it makes your kitchen smell amazing. Tip two: Clean oven racks with the help of a vacuum Credit: Amanda James / Telegraph This hack works on cleaning kits, like Oven Pride’s above, that come with a plastic bag to put your dirty oven racks into alongside cleaning fluid. (Our guide to the best oven cleaners shows how these work.) Do it this way and you’ll avoid half an hour of scrubbing: Place your rack in the plastic bag and cover it with cleaning fluid, as you normally would.Before sealing the bag completely, take your vacuum and suck out any remaining air. This forces the liquid up against every surface of the tray.To supercharge the kit’s results, leave the bag outside in direct sunlight for at least an hour. The heat helps to break down burnt-on grease.Afterwards, I like to use a garden hose to rinse the racks off, as the cleaning solutions in these kits are strong and can damage unsealed and porous kitchen surfaces, as well as decorative finishes like brass. Tip three: Keep bins maggot-free using salt Credit: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph Nobody likes to open their outdoor food bin and find maggots, but in warmer weather they thrive. This simple trick stops the problem before it even starts: If there are already maggots or eggs in your bin, pour in boiling water to kill them and clean it.Swirl the water around and then pour it away.Sprinkle a generous layer of table salt into the base of the bin and around the lid.Line the bin with old newspaper for an extra layer of protection. It can soak up any future bin juice and is easy to swap out when needed.Flies hate salt, meaning they stay away and don’t lay any eggs. Plus, it absorbs moisture and creates a drier environment where larvae are less likely to survive. Tip four: Remove black mould with baking soda and bleach Credit: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph Cleaning grout is another hated job. But if yours is discoloured or you see the beginnings of black mould, this homemade paste will restore all the original colour without you having to individually scrub every line. You will need the following ingredients: 1/2 a cup of bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda)2 to 3 tbsp hydrogen peroxide1 tsp washing up liquidMix the ingredients together until they form a thick paste; add more bicarb if it’s too runny and a splash of peroxide if it’s too thick. Then, do the following: Apply the paste directly onto grout lines using an old toothbrush or cleaning brush.Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.Scrub any stubborn stains with the brush.Remove the paste with a damp cloth.Rinse the area thoroughly with warm water.Bicarbonate of soda lifts grime and acts as a mild abrasive while hydrogen peroxide breaks down staining, mould and mildew. The washing up liquid cuts through grease and soap scum too, meaning the paste doesn’t sit on top of bathroom residue. Tip five: Clean shower doors with a magic eraser Credit: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph You won’t find hotel housekeepers scrubbing at shower doors or even using lots of different sprays. We just use a damp Magic Eraser. These melamine sponges will power through limescale, water marks and soap scum without the need for excessive bathroom and limescale sprays, or endless scrubbing. To take off dirt, simply rub the damp Magic Eraser over the surface and finish with a dry microfibre cloth. Join the conversation Show comments The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. 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