Tried & Tested Cleaning Tips to Keep Your Indian Home Spotless
Keep your home spotless with simple baking soda, vinegar and lemon hacks that clean shower heads, tile gaps, microwaves, fridges, kitchen napkins and even smelly shoes — using things already in your kitchen.
These are tried-and-tested cleaning tips for Indian homes, focused on the small things that daily wiping never reaches: clogged shower holes, water-stained taps, grimy tile grooves, lingering microwave smells. The same two ingredients — baking soda and white vinegar — solve most of them.
How do I unclog a shower head with weak water force?
If the water pressure from your shower has dropped, the most likely reason is mineral buildup blocking the tiny holes in the shower head. Soap and a brush won’t clear it.
- Mix baking soda and vinegar into a paste-like solution.
- Pour the mixture into a plastic bag.
- Tie the bag around the shower head so the holes are fully submerged.
- Leave it for a few hours.
- Remove the bag and scrub the head with any old brush.
The holes reopen and water force returns to normal.
How should I clean toothbrushes and the brush holder?
Bathroom items like toothbrushes and their holders need weekly attention — they sit in moisture all day and collect residue.
- Brushes: once a week, place each brush separately in its own glass of hot water. This sanitises the bristles.
- Holder: clean with the baking soda and vinegar mixture, or with regular dishwashing soap. Baking soda cleans more thoroughly and needs minimal scrubbing.
What’s the best way to clean a wash basin and remove tap water stains?
We wipe the wash basin daily, but stubborn water stains on taps don’t lift with normal soap. When you’re already cleaning the shower with the baking soda and vinegar mixture, use the same mixture on the wash basin and tap. Hard-water marks, soap scum, and dullness all clear up, and the fittings shine again.
How do I clean the dirty gaps between bathroom and kitchen tiles?
The grooves between tiles trap dirt that daily mopping never reaches.
- Mix baking soda with vinegar.
- Apply along the tile gaps.
- Scrub with any old brush — an unused toothbrush works perfectly.
The fizzing reaction loosens the buildup, and a few minutes of brushing brings the white grout back.
How do I remove food smell from the microwave?
Even a freshly cleaned microwave can hold the smell of a particular food. The fix is free: lemon peels you’d otherwise throw away.
- Drop used lemon peels into a bowl of water.
- Microwave for one minute — ideally at night before bed.
- Leave it closed overnight.
By morning, the microwave smells fresh and faintly of lemon.
Can I use the same trick for smelly glass tumblers?
Yes. Glass tumblers sometimes hold a stale smell. Either rub the inside with lemon peels and wash, or fill them with hot water and a peel and let them sit for a while. The smell disappears completely.
How often should I wash kitchen napkins and how do I clean them properly?
Kitchen napkins do the heaviest lifting in any Indian kitchen — wiping oil, masala splashes, wet hands, and counter spills all day. A normal rinse won’t fully clean them.
Once a week, soak them in hot water with a little dishwashing liquid. The hot water + detergent combination breaks down the trapped oil and removes any lingering smell. They come out almost like new.
Why should I clean the rubber seal on the fridge door?
The rubber gasket on the fridge door is one of the most ignored parts of the kitchen. Grime accumulates in its folds and affects how well the door seals. Cleaning the inside of the fridge daily isn’t realistic — but whenever you do clean the fridge, take a scrubber, apply a little soap, scrub the rubber, and wipe it down with a damp cloth. It cleans up easily and stays hygienic.
How do I remove bad smell from shoes in summer without spending money?
In hot weather, shoes pick up odour that even sun-drying doesn’t always fix. Two zero-cost solutions you already have at home:
- Used tea bags — drop a couple of dried, used tea bags inside each shoe and leave them overnight.
- Silica sachets — the small sachets that come packed inside a new thermos, water bottle, or shoe box. Save them and reuse them inside shoes.
Both absorb moisture and smell, completely solving the shoe-odour problem without any product purchase.
What’s the one cleaning mixture worth keeping ready in an Indian home?
A simple baking soda + vinegar mix. From this single video alone, it cleans:
- Shower heads
- Toothbrush holders
- Wash basins
- Taps with hard-water stains
- Kitchen and bathroom tile grout
Keep both ingredients stocked and you’ll rarely need a specialised bathroom cleaner.
📺 About this video. This post draws on Jasmine Choudhari’s YouTube video इस तरह से रहेगा घर बिलकुल साफ़ सुथरा चमकता हुआ | With These Tried & Tested Tips Keep Your Home Clean. Watch the full video for visual demonstrations of every tip.
Watch the video
Frequently asked questions
How can I clean a clogged shower head at home?
Mix baking soda and vinegar, pour the mixture into a plastic bag, and tie it around the shower head so the holes are submerged. Leave it for a few hours, then scrub with any old brush. The blocked holes open up and the water force returns to normal — regular soap and brushing alone won't unclog them.
Why should I clean my toothbrush holder regularly?
Toothbrush holders collect water residue and grime that can make brushes unhygienic. Once a week, soak each brush separately in a glass of hot water, and clean the holder itself with a baking soda and vinegar mixture. You can also use regular dishwashing soap, but baking soda cleans more thoroughly with far less scrubbing.
What is the best way to remove water stains from a wash basin and tap?
Use the same baking soda and vinegar mixture you use for the shower. Apply it to the wash basin and tap, let it sit briefly, then scrub. Stubborn water stains on taps that don't come off with regular soap lift away cleanly with this mixture, leaving the fittings shiny.
How do I clean the dirty gaps between kitchen and bathroom tiles?
Mix baking soda with vinegar and scrub the tile gaps with any old brush. Daily cleaning rarely reaches these grooves, so dirt accumulates over time. The fizzing reaction loosens grime, and a few minutes of brushing restores the gaps to a clean white finish.
How can I remove food smell from the microwave?
Don't throw away lemon peels — put them in a bowl of water and microwave for one minute, ideally overnight before bed. The steam infused with lemon oils neutralises lingering food odours, and the microwave smells fresh by morning. The same lemon-peel trick also removes smells from glass tumblers.
How often should I wash kitchen napkins and how?
Wash kitchen napkins once a week in hot water with a little dishwashing liquid. Kitchen napkins absorb oil and odours from constant daily wiping, and a normal rinse won't fully clean them. Soaking in hot soapy water removes the trapped oil and smells, and the napkins come out fresh, almost like new.
Should I clean the rubber gasket on the fridge door?
Yes — the rubber seal on the fridge door collects grime and is easy to overlook. Whenever you clean the fridge, scrub the rubber with a scrubber and a little soap, then wipe it down with a damp cloth. This keeps the seal hygienic and helps the door close properly.
How do I get rid of bad smell from shoes without buying anything?
Place used tea bags inside the shoes overnight to absorb odour. The silica sachets that come packed with thermos flasks or new products work just as well. Sun-drying alone often doesn't remove summer shoe smell, but tea bags and sachets neutralise it completely — a zero-cost fix using items you already have.
About Jasmine Choudhari
Jasmine Choudhari shares practical, no-frills ideas for organising small Indian kitchens and homes. Follow her on YouTube (600K+ subscribers · Silver Play Button), Instagram and Facebook. For collaborations: collab@jasminechoudhari.com.