Share your cleaning pearls of wisdom with Mr Muscle and you could win a £250 John Lewis voucher. NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

MNers have been testing the brand new Mr Muscle Touch-Up Cleaner. You can see what they thought of it here.

Here's what Mr Muscle say about the product: "Mr Muscle® Touch-Up Cleaner offers a fast and convenient solution to kill 99.99% of bacteria* and to clean the most frequently used surfaces in the home. The inventive new design makes it easy to clean surfaces and kill bacteria; simply push down on the pump to apply the formula onto a cleaning material such as a paper towel, cleaning cloth or sponge. Then, just wipe the surface clean."

As such, Mr Muscle would like to hear about Mumsnetters' top household cleaning tips and thoughts on alternative cleaning products.

So, what cleaning advice would you like to pass on to fellow MNers? Who takes responsibility for cleaning in your home? Do you have a secret to making taps shine like new? Or perhaps you have a fool-proof formula for streak free windows?

How do you/ your DP try to make cleaning more enjoyable/ less tiresome? Maybe you've developed an efficient time-saving routine? Do you take turns doing the most boring chores? Maybe you've even perfected some good tactics to avoid cleaning all together?

What features do you look for when buying a new cleaning product? Do you take into account how sustainable the product is?

Whatever your cleaning tips are, Mr Muscle would love to hear about them. Everyone who adds a comment to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 John Lewis voucher.

Please note your comments may be used (anonymously of course) by Mr Muscle in PR and marketing materials, their website and possibly elsewhere so please only comment if you're happy with this.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

(* When used as directed on the pack)

[ILoveAFullFridge]

I woke up thinking about this!

Cointreau undrinkable? Unthinkable!

[nerysw]

There are loads of expensive cleaning products on the market but like some of the other comments I find old fashioned ideas like newspaper and vinegar for windows and soda crystals work really well.
I have to have the radio on (Absolute 90s is a winner!) and I try and get the kids to help with things too. I love my house when it's clean and tidy but it's not like that very often as I work part time and have a 2 and 4 year old!
The only thing I don't do is hoover, can't stand it.

[domesticslattern]

My cleaning tip is to invite people round. It makes me do the clean of shame. We did a flat swap a few months back- my flat was spotless! Nothing like an incentive!

[GetStuffezd]

Aldi do a product called Scrubstone - I have never found anything half as good for crap jobs like getting baked-on grease off the oven, or limescale off the taps. I don't know if they still sell it but if you can find it anywhere, grab yourself some.

[pickofthepops]

Not sure if it counts but burning a nice candle when cooking something smelly. Masks the smell and is almost ! Like going to a spa.

[DontmindifIdo]

best tip, get a cleaner...

failing that, there are few things that can't be cleaned with baby wipes, keep a pack close at hand.

[CMOTDibbler]

I'm rubbish at cleaning. Well, no, I'm not, I'm rubbish at wanting to clean.
But I do keep on top of things on an everyday basis by small cleaning actions - I use a facial wipe in the morning, then run that over the sink and loo. Stack of microfibre cloths in the kitchen so a wet cloth will wipe over the surfaces nicely. 'dolphin' squirty microfibre mop (from ebay) makes a whiz round the hard floors really fast.

[is1]

I always clean the bathroom while the kids are in the bath and I use flushable wipes so I can clean the toilet immediately whenever it needs doing without having to go and get all the cleaning stuff. Another tip when cleaning the kitchen surfaces is to spray then leave for a few minutes. I always used to wipe off straight away but this makes life much easier.

[mbb1]

Meths and a sharp knife is great for limescale on black granite worktops.

[lottytheladybird]

Use a vacuum cleaner to suck up all the bits left trapped underneath the fabric of a highchair, before wiping with a cloth.

Use an old (or new and unused) toothbrush to clean the bottom of your shoe should you tread on something nasty!

[VivaLeBeaver]

I prefer throwaway type products such as disposable wipes. Can't be faffed with making sure cloths, etc are bleached like my mum used to do after cleaning.

So I'd use spray type stuff and then a kitchen roll or if I wasn't using spray I'd use wipes.

To be honest dh does most of the cleaning.

[DoItTooJulia]

Keep everywhere as tidy as possible first, then actual cleaning is much easier.

[PuppyMonkey]

Get a cleaner - £30 for 3 hours and you never have to think about it any more. I've started doing my weekly shop at Aldi. Saves me at least £30 a week. %23maths

[RachelHRD]

I use those washing up pads with the refillable handles and put anti-bac hand wash in them and use for cleaning sinks and showers - works really well!
Also use soda crystals for cleaning the washing machine and the sink drain.

[EauRouge]

I have different coloured gloves for cleaning the loo and the rest of the bathroom so I don't get poo particles everywhere. I use an old brillo pad for scrubbing the loo and then bin it afterwards (don't the flushable ones clog up the sewers?).

Salt is great for scrubbing. White vinegar for the windows to get them really shiny, I pour a little bit in a spray bottle.

Tea tree oil is great for cleaning, it's anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Smells nice too. Don't use it neat though! I dilute some in water in a spray bottle.

I clean my microwave by putting a couple of slices of lemon in a bowl of water and zapping it for a couple of minutes, then the grease just wipes off and any smells are gone. Don't put it in for 10 mins like my DH once did; all the water was gone, the lemon was a burnt lump and the bowl cracked in half

God, all that makes me sound like a right lentil weaver. I use bleach as well!

[ICutMyFootOnOccamsRazor]

I always try to clean as things get messy/grubby, as I hate the house being dirty but also hate cleaning and can't face doing the whole house in one go . DH and I more or less share the cleaning - he quite likes doing floors and emptying the dishwasher, which I loathe, but I do almost all the tidying and laundry.

[DontmindifIdo]

Viva, I'm a big fan of throw away wipes - agree it's too much hassle to remember to bleach cloths.

Also make sure you never put toys from the sandpit in the dishwasher - big, sandy, expensive mistake

[DontmindifIdo]

but other than sandpit toys, a lot go through the dishwasher, far easier than trying to clean them by hand

[chebella]

Lemon juice, white vinegar and hot water makes a mean floor cleaner and is Eco friendly if you have LO crawling.

[Wearytiger]

My best and only cleaning tip - keep two sets of wet wipes permanently on the high chair, one for the chair, one for the child. Wet food us far far easier to wipe off than dry, encrusted food!

[Mabelface]

If your microwave is a bit manky inside, put a bowl of lemon juice in water in there and nuke for a minute then leave in there for 10 minutes. It just wipes off.

[Furball]

If you have dishwasher - put your cloths in everywash, keeps them clean and stop them from festering.

use a blob of cheapo washing up liquid and a sponge with a scourer on one side (19p for 5 in tesco!) to clean bathroom sinks and bath, rinse, then dry with a microfibre cloth. takes a few minutes and come up like new with no chemical smells.

put a sheet of foil on the bottom of the oven to catch and spills etc, replace when needed.

[SisterMatic]

I use baby wipes a lot too, especially good for damp dusting

[Furball]

YY to denture tablets and they are also good down plugholes as well