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Cleaning 101 update history

We correct Cleaning 101 guides when we find a better source, a clearer method or a mistake. This page keeps that record in one place, newest first within each guide. Each guide shows the date it was last reviewed and links here.

A 10-Minute Nightly Cleaning Routine

  • Correction, 22 September 2026: the routine was described as 10, 15 and 15–20 minutes in different places; it is now stated once as a 10-minute essentials reset with a 15–20-minute full version. Two research citations were reworded to describe what the studies actually measured, and an unsourced claim that bleach damages porcelain was replaced with the never-mix safety rule.

Bathroom Cleaning Tips That Save Real Time

  • 23 September 2026: Bathroom Cleaning Tips is now a list of 13 time-saving tips with a verdict on bicarb, vinegar and other hacks. Vinegar for hard-water marks is now dabbed on with a cloth rather than sprayed, so it stays off grout, and bicarb is no longer suggested for any bath.
  • Correction, 23 September 2026: Wall tiles now get warm soapy water instead of a vinegar spray, which ran onto cement grout, and bicarb is for enamel or porcelain baths only, because some acrylic bath makers rule out powders. A bathroom spray goes on one area at a time within its label's stand time, and toilet vinegar is skipped when a bleach cistern block is in use.
  • Earlier corrections: 22 September 2026, replaced an acidic grout paste, a petroleum-jelly tapware polish and a cola toilet method, and removed a claim that vinegar improves hygiene.

Cleaning With Toothpaste: What Works and What Doesn't

  • 23 September 2026: Toothpaste Cleaning Hacks now rates 12 popular uses, including headlights, sneaker soles, silver, iron soleplates, water rings on timber and phone screens, each with a verdict and a better option. Silver jewellery, iron soleplates and timber water rings are new "don't" verdicts.
  • Correction, 23 September 2026: This guide said no maker approves toothpaste for household cleaning, but Laminex lists two or three rubs of white toothpaste as a last resort for a stubborn stain on standard laminate.
  • Earlier corrections: 20 September 2026, removed unsupported toothpaste methods for basins, appliances, walls, plastic and chrome, and replaced screen-polishing tips with the makers' care guidance.

Hard Water in Australian Homes — Signs, Effects and Fixes

  • 23 September 2026: Hard Water in Australia: added Darwin and Hobart, updated Adelaide to SA Water's 2024–25 results, and added a signs checklist, what the research says about hair, and answers for Sydney and Perth. The bath and shower-head rows now match those guides.
  • Correction, 23 September 2026: the utilities' own figures don't support ranking Perth and Adelaide as among Australia's hardest water, so that ranking is replaced with those figures. A bicarb-and-lemon bath paste and one-size vinegar recipes (including vinegar in dishwashers and washing machines) are replaced with methods matched to each surface, and claims that softeners improve water pressure and shower filters help skin are removed.

How to Clean Aluminium Cookware, Frames and Furniture

  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: Replaced the universal acid-boiling and lemon-and-salt recipes with finish-specific care. Removed unsupported contact-time limits, scratch-free and restoration guarantees, the fixed outdoor schedule and the claim that dietary-exposure research proves cleaned cookware safe. Clarified dishwasher exceptions, coating damage and the limits of brightening.

How to Clean Chrome Taps — What the Makers Allow

  • 22 September 2026: this guide previously recommended diluted vinegar, a bicarb paste, lemon juice and an aluminium-foil-and-cola rust method with a universal contact limit, and misquoted a plating source. Between them, the makers whose Australian care pages we checked (Caroma, Dorf, Methven, Phoenix, GROHE, hansgrohe, Reece) rule out vinegar (Phoenix, GROHE, hansgrohe), citrus cleaners (Phoenix), bicarb (hansgrohe) and abrasive or metal pads (all of them), and none describes any of the withdrawn methods. The guide now follows their care instructions and matches the video above.

How to Clean Grout — and Keep It Looking Clean

  • Correction, 22 September 2026: the fixed resealing interval ("annually", "every two to three years") was replaced with the makers' condition test, because no grout or sealer maker publishes a fixed interval; the acid-damage source is now ARDEX Australia's technical bulletin rather than a product landing page; the mould section cites NSW Health's bleach dilution rather than Better Health Victoria, whose page recommends detergent or vinegar; and the colour safety of oxygen bleach is now qualified.

How to Clean Makeup Brushes and Beauty Sponges

  • 23 September 2026: How to Clean Makeup Brushes and Beauty Sponges: added verdicts on dish soap (fine at a pinch on brushes, not on sponges), alcohol sprays and microwaving sponges, a baby-shampoo method for sponges without a sponge cleanser, and how to tell when a brush is dry.

How to Clean Mould From a Coffee Machine

  • Sources and correction
  • Manufacturer guidance, original studies and the community discussion are linked beside the advice they inform. Model examples explain differences between procedures; they are not a universal mould-removal protocol.
  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: Removed the universal vinegar cycle and soak, unsupported internal-mould removal claims, health-department cleaning schedule, five-year replacement rule and unverified price range. Clarified the study populations and test methods, added model-specific care examples and separated routine maintenance from suspected contamination.

How to Clean Shower Glass (and Keep Soap Scum Off It)

  • Correction, 22 September 2026: removed a bacteria-count figure taken from a news report, removed the promise that the film "will not come back", qualified the shower-filter suggestion, and aligned the chrome tapware advice with our manufacturer-based chrome guide.

How to Clean Stainless Steel Without Streaks

  • Corrections
  • 20 September 2026: restored the three-cloth wash, rinse and dry method and the surface-by-surface guidance from the stainless steel associations, an Australian appliance manual and a cookware guide; added the mandatory safety box; kept the earlier removal of universal vinegar times, solvent and abrasive recommendations and the cookware-method-on-appliances error.

How to Clean a Bathroom Properly — The Full Order of Operations

  • 23 September 2026: How to Clean a Bathroom now says how long the weekly clean takes (about 30–40 minutes, waits included) and makes clear the shower spray shown in the video is for glass and glazed tile only. The exhaust-fan clean moved to the monthly jobs.
  • Correction, 23 September 2026: The shower spray in the video contains lactic acid, so keep it off aluminium frames, cement grout and chrome tapware, and never use the acidic toilet gel alongside a bleach cistern block. For grey cement grout, use a bicarb soda paste.

How to Clean a Bathtub Without Damaging It

  • 23 September 2026: How to Clean a Bathtub: added a quick way to tell an acrylic bath from an enamel one, and answers on removing a bath ring, why a bath turns yellow, and why bicarb, vinegar-and-bicarb and magic erasers don't belong on most baths.
  • Correction, 23 September 2026: this guide said both Australian bath makers allow a mild cream cleanser on acrylic, but Caroma's care booklet rules out cream cleaners, powders and pastes, so stubborn-mark advice now follows each maker and the bicarb and peroxide pastes are gone. Vinegar descaling is now for enamel baths only, and mould on an acrylic bath gets detergent rather than a vinegar mix.
  • Earlier corrections: 4 September 2026 — removed a rubbing-alcohol "sanitiser" method, an unsupported germ claim for vinegar, and a bacteria comparison from a commercial website.

How to Clean a Dishwasher — Filters, Seals and Odours

  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: removed universal vinegar and seal-bleaching advice, unsupported odour guarantees and the fixed 20-minute claim. Clarified model-specific parts, programmes and maintenance intervals, and the limits of the cited fungal study. Images illustrate cleaning actions and do not document a Simply Maid product test.

How to Clean a Microwave Inside and Out

  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: removed the universal steam recipe, scratched-bowl and tapping advice, repeated-heating guarantee and unsupported burnt-smell diagnosis. Added model-specific cleaning exceptions and updated the quick answer, FAQs and summaries. Images illustrate the process; they are not evidence of a measured cleaning test.

How to Clean a Shower Head (Chrome and Other Finishes)

  • 23 September 2026: How to Clean a Shower Head: a citric-acid descaler for 5 to 10 minutes is now the default when you don't know the brand, and a new table shows which brands accept vinegar and which ban it. New answers cover black gunk, brass, brushed nickel and matte black finishes, and strong limescale removers.
  • Correction, 23 September 2026: use a soft cotton cloth, because hansgrohe rules out microfibre on its showers, and check that a descaler's label lists citric acid, because some kettle and coffee-machine descalers are mainly other acids. hansgrohe, like Methven, limits descaler contact to 10 minutes.
  • Earlier corrections: 20 September 2026, descaling advice rewritten around what each maker permits; earlier in September 2026, generic vinegar soak times and the advice to clear nozzles with pins removed.

How to Clean a Split System Air Conditioner

  • Sources and correction
  • Manufacturer care instructions and official safety guidance are linked beside the relevant advice. The model examples illustrate why procedures differ; they do not replace your owner’s manual or report a Simply Maid equipment test.
  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: Removed DIY casing and electrical-compartment access, generic coil spraying, drain suction, hosing and fin-straightening instructions. Corrected filter replacement and service intervals, distinguished internal drying from DRY mode, and removed unsupported health-cost, price, completion-time and universal-clearance claims.

How to Clean a Washing Machine (Front Loader and Top Loader)

  • Sources and correction
  • The linked manufacturer documents describe particular products and models. They are examples to help you identify the right procedure, not reports of Simply Maid testing or a substitute for your manual.
  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: Removed universal vinegar doses, hot-cycle and soaking recipes, unsupported smell diagnoses and guarantees about biofilm prevention. Corrected pump-filter access and drainage precautions, detergent dosing, bleach-mixing wording and the interpretation of hospital research. Added model-specific maintenance examples and child/pet precautions.

How to Clean and Sanitise Kids' Toys

  • Sources and correction
  • Care instructions are linked beside each example. Brand examples illustrate differences between toys; they are not claims that we tested those products. The Reddit quote is reproduced verbatim and linked to its original comment.
  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: Removed blanket machine-washing, dishwasher, heat, vinegar, freezing and disinfection schedules. The earlier bacteria statistic came from a study of 70 toys in a paediatric hospital, not ordinary homes. The cited 2016 virus experiment tested bacteriophage Φ6, not influenza. Neither supports the previous claims about a child’s household illness risk.
  • If keeping on top of the toys, the laundry, and everything else feels like one thing too many, our friendly team is always here to help.
  • Care for your home. Respect for the people behind every clean.

How to Deep Clean Your Laundry

  • Correction, 22 September 2026: the two-cup vinegar hot cycle was replaced with the maintenance cycle and product each machine maker names, because Bosch, Samsung, Fisher & Paykel, LG, Electrolux, Westinghouse and Miele all exclude vinegar or say to add nothing. The QBE statistic, the NSW Health mould note, the dryer filter and vent steps, the CHOICE attribution and the humidity figures were corrected against their sources.

How to Descale a Kettle (and Clean the Rest of It)

  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: We replaced the universal acid recipe and MIN-only rule with model-specific instructions, removed unsupported city-based schedules and product rankings, and clarified the dates and limits of water-hardness figures. The images illustrate routine cleaning; they are not evidence of a Simply Maid appliance test.

How to Get Oil Stains Out of Clothes — Fresh, Set-In and Already Dried

  • Corrections
  • 20 September 2026: restored the dishwashing-liquid pre-treatment method with manufacturer sources, and added the cornflour absorbent step, the wool method from Woolmark and a clearer explanation of the dryer fire risk. Kept the earlier removal of the WD-40 and eucalyptus-oil recipes, the overnight treatment, the "permanent after three attempts" claim and the blanket fabric-temperature table.

How to Get Rid of Dust — and Stop It Coming Straight Back

  • Correction, 22 September 2026: an earlier version said that dusting surfaces "manages a third of the supply". Dusting removes settled dust from every source; what the two-thirds figure changes is where prevention pays off. The wording was corrected, and a formatting fault in the safety note was repaired.

How to Get Rid of Mould in Your Home

  • 23 September 2026: How to Get Rid of Shower Mould and Mildew: added a verdict on vinegar, bleach, clove oil, tea tree oil, alcohol and mould sprays, a 10-minute contact time for the bleach mix, and a clearer rule for painted walls (vinegar after a spot test; bleach only on washable paint).
  • Correction, 23 September 2026: This guide now gives a specific method, detergent first and then NSW Health's 250 ml of bleach in 4 litres of water, and advises against diluted vinegar in showers, where it runs onto cement grout, stone and chrome that acid damages.
  • Earlier corrections: 20 September 2026, removed unverified oil and chemical recipes and the claim that a deep clean covers mould treatment.

How to Make Natural Cleaning Products: 4 Simple Mixes

  • 23 September 2026: How to Make Natural Cleaning Products now gives 10 recipes with quantities, safe and no-go surfaces and how long each keeps, including a glass spray, scouring cream, oven paste, citric-acid toilet soak and a floor wash for each floor type. Mirrors now get a few drops of methylated spirits on a cloth instead of vinegar, which can damage the silvering.
  • Correction, 20 September 2026: Removed claims that five pantry ingredients replace most cleaners, blanket child-safety assurances and a homemade alcohol carpet spray, and corrected how the vinegar research and a laundry-whitening test were described.

How to Remove Mould from Walls and Ceilings

  • 23 September 2026: How to Remove Mould from Ceilings and Walls: added why mould keeps coming back on bathroom ceilings, how to choose a mould spray for painted surfaces, answers on vinegar and clove oil, and a 10-minute contact time for the bleach mix on washable paint.
  • Correction, 23 September 2026: Added NSW Health's vinegar and bleach dilutions as a step-up after detergent, with a hidden-spot test, no bleach on flat paint, and a warning to keep vinegar drips off grout, stone and chrome in bathrooms.
  • Earlier corrections: 20 September 2026, removed a one-hour vinegar soak, firm scrubbing, a leave-on bleach step and a fortnightly vinegar spray.

How to Sanitise Your Home, Room by Room

  • 23 September 2026: How to Sanitise and Disinfect Your Home: the germiest-room answer now matches the NSF study it cites (the kitchen, with the dish sponge first and the sink second), the gastro clean-up gives Health Victoria's bleach strength with a worked mix for 4% bleach, and new sections cover high-touch spots, laundry and which popular methods actually disinfect.
  • Correction, 20 September 2026: we corrected the NSF sponge figures and removed a two-minute microwave sponge method, blanket wash temperatures, a mattress-sanitising claim and fixed disinfection schedules.

How to Wash Pillows — Every Type, Step by Step

  • Corrections
  • 20 September 2026: restored practical washing and drying instructions for fibre, down and feather pillows, sourced to Tontine and IKEA, and added a filling-by-filling table. Latex guidance now follows Sheridan's current Dunlopillo care label (do not wash) rather than an older hand-wash instruction. Kept the earlier removal of the foam-immersion method, the essential-oil recipe, the universal bleach dose and the fixed replacement timelines.

Is House Cleaning Tax Deductible in Australia? (2025–26 Guide)

  • Correction, 22 September 2026: an earlier version said cleaning was included in the ATO's fixed rate method and could not be claimed separately. The ATO's fixed rate covers energy, internet, phone and stationery; cleaning of a dedicated home office can be claimed in addition to it. Two worked examples, the FAQ, the short-stay apportionment and several rental details were corrected against the ATO pages listed below.

Natural Pest Control for Australian Homes

  • Editorial correction, 20 September 2026: Removed unsupported homemade pesticide recipes, broad family-safety claims and the sunny-mattress method. Corrected the scope and attribution of the fly and bed-bug studies, added source-specific prevention steps and a clearly attributed household tip, and clarified when professional help is needed.

The Great Australian Clean: What 56,712 Home Cleans Reveal About How Australia Really Lives

  • Corrections
  • 20 September 2026: every figure was re-computed from the production booking database. Most reproduced. The corrections: the day-of-week table had been computed with a time-zone offset that shifted afternoon cleans onto the next day, which overstated Sunday (now 0.2%, not 2%) and understated Monday and Thursday; the Christmas Day count is four cleans, not 21; Mosman was the busiest postcode for four years (2016–2019), not five; the decade-wide average price is about $185, not $195 ($195 is Sydney's recent average); the "single busiest day" claim could not be reproduced and was removed; and the average duration of 101 minutes and the 95,772-hours total were removed because the historical records contain no reliable duration. Financial-year and city averages were updated to the re-computed values (differences of $1–4).
  • 22 September 2026: the CPI comparison now uses the same five financial years as the price series (ABS financial-year averages, about 20%) instead of a June-2018-to-June-2024 figure (22.8%) that covered six years; the real-terms conclusion is unchanged. A duplicated fragment in the quick answer was removed, and several headings that said "Australia" now say what the data can support: our own customers. A second read-only reproduction from the production table the same day adjusted five details: about 9,240 households (not 9,260); July joins April and January among the quietest months; Mosman led for three years (2017–2019), not four, and Marrickville first reached the top ten in 2024; the 9am figure is the 9am hour (9:00 sharp alone is 17.7%); 1,345 and 207 in the loyalty tail (not 1,346 and 208); and the records do carry a booked duration (about 100 minutes on average), just not the time actually spent on site.

What End of Lease Cleaning Costs in Australia

  • Method and corrections
  • 20 September 2026: re-ran every figure in this article against the production booking database and the historical export. The totals (56,885 completed, 1,724 move-related, 1,716 imported plus 8 current), the bedroom distribution, the 82% Sydney share, the balcony, carpet, fridge and blinds counts and the 2016–2019 versus 2020–2024 comparison all reproduce exactly; wall cleaning and window-glass counts reproduce within one and two records. Tightened the prose and the state-by-state tenancy section against the current NSW, Queensland, Victorian and South Australian pages.
  • 19 September 2026: reproduced the original 5 September cohort cutoff; removed inferred property types, national moving claims and unreproduced ratios; stated the historical denominators; corrected the 2020–2024 subset to 860 records; separated dated baseline quotes from final booking prices; clarified the 48-hour reporting window.
  • 6 September 2026: withdrew the claim that 87.2% of customers purchased extras, and the related oven, cupboard and median-extra figures, after finding that bundle inclusions had been split at commas and counted as extras.
  • The analysis uses read-only production records, a matched historical export and recorded booking selections. It is a Simply Maid editorial analysis of our own operational data, not an independent market survey or a study of bond outcomes. The illustrations on this page are AI-generated concepts and do not document a customer visit or a timed clean.