10 Tricks Everyone Should Steal from This Famous Professional Cleaner
With more than 1.5 million followers (plus, more than 81,000 on Instagram!), Vanesa Amaro, a professional housekeeper, is making waves on TikTok. Amaro, who’s based near Austin, Texas, isn’t taking new clients — but you don’t have to live in Texas to benefit from her expertise! If you have the internet, you can learn from Amaro’s ingenious cleaning tips and use them in your own space. Here are some of Amaro’s best tips, sourced straight from her TikTok account.
1. Use Zep products for … everything!
In a recent post, Amaro takes her followers with her to Lowe’s to stock up on cleaning supplies. And boy, did we learn something new! Amaro swears by Zep’s carpet and upholstery cleaner, foaming wall cleaner (safe on both painted surfaces and wall coverings!), stainless steel polish, and heavy-duty degreaser. Perfect for deep-cleaning your kitchen!
2. Use boiling water to clean stove hood filters.
Stove hood filters can get greasy fast — and Amaro has a super-smart solution. Here goes: Remove the filters from the hood, remove excess grease with a paper towel, then apply a degreaser of your choice (Amaro likes Zep and Dawn). Next, pour boiling water over the filter and clean with the degreaser and a sturdy brush.
3. Use Dawn dish soap to clean your walls.
No fancy tools or strong chemicals needed for super-clean walls: Instead, Amaro suggests simply dusting them, then dipping a textured cloth in a soapy water for a deeper clean. You’ll know it’s working when the rag has dirt on it!
4. Use vinegar and dish soap to clean your sink’s drain.
5. Use vinegar and a zip-top baggie to clean faucets.
Another smart way to use white vinegar in your kitchen: to clean hard water buildup and other grime from your faucet. In a recent TikTok, Amaro starts by filling a large Ziploc bag partway with white vinegar. Then, she immerses the faucet in vinegar and secures the bag with a rubber band. Try it yourself. A soak for just 10 to 20 minutes will loosen the built-up grime!
6. Use Method Daily Granite Spray on counters.
Restore shine to your granite, marble, or quartz countertops with Method’s Daily Granite Spray and a microfiber cloth, Amaro’s number-one choice for granite counters. Can’t get your hands on it? Try Pledge’s Multi Surface Cleaner, which is granite-, marble-, and quartz-safe.
7. Buy tiny brushes for detail work.
Cleaning corners, crevices, fixtures, or grout? Amaro’s a big fan of OXO’s detail brushes, which come with a silicone scraper to easily remove gunk from surfaces. For extra effect, pair with your favorite cleaner. You can also use old toothbrushes!
8. Use Bar Keepers Friend on stainless steel appliances.
The right tools are everything when you’re dealing with stainless steel, which is easy to scratch but also prone to marks, scuffs, and rust. Banish rust stains from stainless steel appliances with Bar Keeper’s Friend powder or liquid cleaner.
9. Use an SOS pad to banish stains from mugs.
Amaro makes removing coffee stains from a light-colored mug look super simple in this TikTok. If a normal wash doesn’t do the job, wet an SOS pad and scrub the stained area while there’s still a little soapy water in the cup.
10. Flick your mop as you go.
If you’re mopping floors, start with the corners and sides, which Amaro says are often forgotten (and they also tend to harbor dust and other debris). Also, make sure to “flick” your mop as you cover the floor’s surface to remove dirt and other particles from the mop fibers. Otherwise, you’re just spreading it around! Check out the video to see what she means.
Got your own smart tips to add? Leave them in the comments below!