We Got CleanTok Star Vanesa Amaro to Spill Her 10 Best Cleaning Secrets
Updated: Mar. 18, 2024
Meet Vanesa Amaro, TikTok's "Queen of Cleaning" and the woman turning housekeeping into a party
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
Want to inject some fun into your cleaning schedule? Check out TikTok’s “Queen of Clean,” Vanesa Amaro. This 31-year-old Latina ball of energy loves to clean, and she knows how to do it right. Plus, she isn’t a bit shy about revealing her favorite—and least favorite—cleaning products.
“I always had a passion for cleaning, which is part of my Latina culture,” she says. “I grew up with my grandmother and my mom teaching me how to clean properly and what things to use to clean. A lot of people didn’t have that grandmother or mom to show them. I wanted to be that friend to teach them how to clean in a fun and easy way.”
Considering she has 5.5 million followers on TikTok and is the new face of a Clorox ad campaign—along with cleaning “rival” Diane Amos—Amaro must be doing something right. In a recent interview with Reader’s Digest, she shared some of her best cleaning secrets and her go-to cleaning products. Ready for some fun? Turn on some salsa music and let’s get started!
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more cleaning, humor, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.
Vanesa Amaro’s best cleaning tips
Make like the cleaning queen and put these genius tidying-up tips into practice next time you tackle your daily cleaning checklist.
1. Clean the shower while you’re showering
“This is my all-time favorite cleaning tip. It is also my most popular video—I think it’s been viewed 35 million times!” Amaro says. There’s a reason it went viral: It helps you clean more with less effort (and fewer dirty clothes) by multitasking while showering. “You’re already in there. You’re already wet,” she says. “So clean your shower.”
You don’t have to commit to a weekly deep-cleaning. Simply give your shower a scrub a few times a week while you’re giving your skin a scrub too.
“I use the OXO Soap Dispensing Brush and fill it with equal parts Dawn Powerwash Dish Detergent and white vinegar,” she says. “Scrub and rinse. It removes all the gunk, leftover soap and slime.”
@vanesamaro91 #cleaningtip #cleaningtiktok #clean #tiktok #lifehack #learnontiktok #cleaning #cleaninghack #PepsiApplePieChallenge ♬ FEEL THE GROOVE – Queens Road, Fabian Graetz
2. Keep cleaning supplies under every sink in your house
“If I need to clean a room, I keep the supplies right there under the sink,” says Amaro. So, which of her favorites should you stock in your cabinets?
“I like to keep Clorox Scentiva Multi Surface Cleaner handy,” she says. “If you haven’t tried it, oh, it smells like coconut. It is my favorite. It is also a disinfectant. Makes me feel like I’m in Bora-Bora.”
3. Invest in a cordless vacuum
If your enthusiasm for vacuuming is dampened by the idea of dragging a vacuum around your home—plugging it in, re-plugging it as you go and attempting to avoid tripping over the cord—Amaro has a fix: Go cordless.
“I love cordless vacs,” she says. “They’re the best vacuums ever. They are easy to use, and you don’t have to bother with the cord. Just turn it on, vac and put it away.”
Invest in the right machine, and you can clean your entire home without recharging. “Hoover just came out with a really good one with a big battery that lasts long enough to do my whole house,” Amaro says.
4. Make fresh flowers last longer
Finishing off your spring cleaning with some fresh-picked flowers will help you better appreciate your spick-and-span home. And because you probably have bleach on hand after all that cleaning, try Amaro’s trick: “Add a few drops of Clorox to the water in a vase, and your fresh flowers will last so much longer,” she says. “I have a flower subscription that comes every two weeks. I couldn’t make my flowers last until the next flowers came until I started adding bleach to the water. Now the flowers are fresh even when the new ones arrive.”
5. Make glassware sparkle
Say “so long” to water-spotted glasses. “Add two teaspoons of Clorox Disinfecting Bleach to a gallon of dishwater, and your glasses will sparkle,” Amaro says. “Rinse well and dry.”
6. Stop toilet-brush tip-overs
What’s worse than water spilling around your toilet? Dirty toilet-brush water spilling. Ick! Thankfully, Amaro has a hack that’ll help you avoid the dreaded mess and clean the bathroom more easily.
“It seems like a small thing, but when you tip over the toilet brush holder, water spills, and it makes a mess,” she says. “I found a wall-mounted toilet brush holder, and I love it. Now I can sweep and mop around the toilet without the hassle.”
7. Keep dirt out of your house
Your shoes track a lot of dirt and grime in from the outdoors, leaving your floors a mess (even if you can’t see it). “Want to keep your floors cleaner? Take off your shoes when you enter the house,” Amaro says. “Keep ‘house shoes’ by the door. Every now and then, I spray the soles of the house shoes with Clorox Disinfecting Mist for extra help in fighting germs.”
8. Clean suitcase exteriors quickly
It’s a travel fact: The pristine suitcase that keeps your clothes clean and safe as you go from here to there is going to look a little worse for wear the more you use it. Thankfully, Amaro says it’s easy to clean.
“Suitcase scratches and marks wipe off easily with Eraser Daddy,” she says. “Use the eraser side for cleaning and the scrubbing side to remove stubborn marks. Wipe the body of the suitcase first, then clean the handles. Wipe the wheels last.”
9. Extend the life of your Scrub Daddy
They may look like novelty items, but Scrub Daddy sponges are must-have cleaning tools, according to pros like Amaro.
“I really like using Scrub Daddy sponges, so I wanted to pass along a couple of tips for making them last longer,” she says. First up? “Rinse the sponge after each use, then let it dry on a paper towel or slip it into the Daddy Caddy (the water drips off while the sponge stays dry). One more tip: Don’t use bleach with the Scrub Daddy. I love both products, but they don’t get along well together.”
10. Turn on the tunes while you’re cleaning
Cleaning may never truly spark joy for you, but some good cleaning songs can make it much more fun. “Before your cleaning chores, put on your favorite music,” she says. “It will boost your energy and keep you smiling. Plus, if you need a quick break, the mop makes a great dance partner.”
Vanesa Amaro’s go-to cleaning products
The right supplies can make all the difference when it comes to cleaning your house. Whether you’re planning to clean your mirrors, tile floors or stainless steel sink, these are the products Amaro loves.
Clorox Disinfecting Bleach
“I use Clorox Disinfecting Bleach in the kitchen, the bathrooms, the laundry room and on floors,” she says. “I even sanitize my pet’s toys with it. Mix a half cup [of] Clorox Disinfecting Bleach in a gallon of water, and let the toys sit in the solution for 10 minutes.”
A word of caution: There are certain cleaning products you should never mix with bleach. “Remember to always follow the directions on the bottle when using bleach,” she says. “It should never be mixed with ammonia, vinegar or similar cleaning products because doing so produces a dangerous gas.”
Scrub Daddy
“I love everything about Scrub Daddy sponges,” she says. “They’re ergonomically designed, so they’re easy to grab onto. Plus, they change texture depending on the temperature of the water you’re using. For more scrubbing power, use cold water. For gentler scrubbing, use warm water.”
Swiffer Dusters
Not only does dust buildup make your home look messy, but dust mites are allergens that can bother those with asthma or allergies. Dusting is the solution, but that, too, can leave you scratchy-eyed and sneezing.
“If you’re using a feather duster, you’re just kicking the dust everywhere,” Amaro says. “They’re pointless. Use Swiffer dusters instead. They trap dust. Look for one with handles that come in different lengths to accommodate all your dusting needs.”
Sprayway Glass Cleaner
“I like a good glass cleaner, so I’m a Sprayway kind of girl. It is the best glass cleaner ever,” she says. “I tell my family, if they are using something else, they’re not my friends. Just kidding. Really, you should try Sprayway Glass Cleaner for your mirrors and glass. You’ll be impressed.”
Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray
Fans of homemade cleaners are going to want to stock up on dish detergent—Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray to be exact. It’s a great addition to a whole bunch of DIY cleaning solutions.
“Sure, it’s dish soap, but I use Dawn Powerwash dish detergent for everything,” Amaro says. “It is a heavy-duty degreaser, the best for dishes and sinks. I even use it for cleaning outside rugs and for scrubbing the shower.”
Clorox Bathroom Ultra Foamer
“Every time you use your shower, you add soap scum to the walls and the floor,” she says. “Over time, that really builds up and is hard to remove. Clorox Bathroom Ultra Foamer cleaning spray removes 10 times the soap scum as other cleaners.”
Cif Cream Cleaner
Before you invest in any old bathroom cleaning, give Cif’s Cream Cleaner a try—Amaro is a major fan. “Even though it has millions of microparticles for scrubbing, it is not gritty,” she says. “It’s perfect for cleaning sinks and tubs.”
Sprayway Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish
“If you have stainless steel appliances, you know how hard it is to keep them looking good,” Amaro says. “Not only does Sprayway Stainless Steel Cleaner make my stainless steel appliances shine, but it’s not too oily, like some stainless steel cleaners. It polishes, preserves and protects—and leaves no fingerprints or streaks. It’s the best stainless steel cleaner ever.”
Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner
Your washing machine keeps your clothes fresh and clean. And if you want it to keep doing its job, you need to clean your washing machine regularly.
“You may not realize that your washing machine needs cleaning until it starts to stink,” Amaro says. “Once that happens, you’ll never forget to clean your washer again. I like Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner and use it every month. Just drop in a tablet and run the washer with hot water. That’s it! It works in top-loading and front-loading HE washers and is safe for septic tanks.”
Pine-Sol
Just call her the Pine-Sol Lady. “I really like this product,” says Amaro. “When I want to make sure high-touch items like door knobs, light switches and faucet handles are germ-free, I clean them with Original Pine-Sol. It’s got a nice, fresh fragrance that tells me something’s really clean.”
Zep Neutral pH Floor Cleaner
“If you have natural stone, granite, vinyl or marble floors, you’ll love Zep Neutral pH Floor Cleaner,” she says. “It is low-foaming, cleans floors quickly and leaves them shining too.”
Cleaning with kindness
Vanesa Amaro started her meteoric rise to fame by doing what she loves: cleaning houses. While she no longer has a housecleaning business, she and her husband still pursue her passion. The only difference is that now they don’t charge their customers.
“We have been doing free cleanings for about a year and a half,” says Amaro. “We specialize in families that have terminally ill children, but we also help the elderly and the disabled—anybody who is in need. It doesn’t matter why.”
And that’s why this cleaning queen is also the Queen of Hearts.
Source:
- Vanesa Amaro, housecleaner and CleanTok personality
Originally Published: March 18, 2024
