We’ve all been there: you have some cleaning to do, you don’t want to do it, and you just wish there was an easier way to get it done. That’s where cleaning hacks come in—they’re genius, thinking-outside-the-box ways to get things done efficiently. And who better to teach us about cleaning hacks than the people who teach us everything: our parents.

We asked our editors for the top cleaning hacks they learned from their parents and still use today.

Let the Products Do the Work For You

“My mom taught me to multitask while ‘letting things sit’—so my favorite hack is spreading cleaning products on surfaces like my tub, sinks, and toilet and letting those do the work for me while I move on to something else. It saves me a lot of time!” – Aliyah Rodriguez, Associate Editor

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Always Multitask

“My mom always says that laundry is not a stationary task. Instead of putting in a load and waiting for it to come out while reading or watching TV, it’s the perfect opportunity to get to other tasks you’ve been putting off around the house. Then, folding laundry when it comes out of the dryer doesn’t feel so daunting because it’s just another task in your cleaning frenzy. It also works as a good way to bookend cleaning spurts when you don’t have it in you to do everything that needs to be done; you start with putting clothes in the wash, get done whatever you possibly can, and call it quits when you’re done folding everything.” – Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano, Associate Editor

Use a Dishwasher Tablet to Clean Your Oven

“I’ve learned literally everything I know about cleaning from my mum. Just when I thought she’d shared all of her tricks with me, she told me about the one weird hack she swears by: cleaning her oven door with a dishwasher tablet. I tried it myself recently and it totally works—and I’ll never use baking soda and vinegar again.” – Kate McKenna, Senior Editor

Don’t Give Up on Stains

“My mom taught me that just because a stain doesn’t come out the first time you run it through the wash doesn’t mean you should give up on it. I will never forget when I spilled an entire half gallon of chocolate soy milk on my new shirt, and she ran it through the wash with different stain removers four times until it was fully out. As long as you don’t put the item in the dryer, you can keep working at getting it out.” – Jenny Hughes, Associate Editorial Director

Give Old T-Shirts a New Life

“I cut up old t-shirts and use them as cleaning rags. My mom picked up the trick from her mom, and it’s a great way to repurpose tired shirts. Plus, the jersey material is typically lint-free so they’re perfect for wiping off mirrors and dusting!” – Emma Phelps, Associate Editor, Commerce

Use Baby Powder for Stains

“This one actually comes from my grandmother, who has incredible cleaning sensibilities. She doesn’t think you need any fancy products to get the job done. Her hack is for stain removal—add a bit of baby powder on top right when it happens, let it sit and dry up, and then toss it in the wash. It instantly vanishes!” – Mia Ingui, Editor, Commerce

Swap Standard Paper Towels for Reusable Ones

“I’m a mom to three teenage boys and they were always making a mess growing up. We used to go through a roll of paper towels every day. But, 10+ years ago I switched to reusable white rags and I will never go back! You can buy a pack of 18 for $6 at any box store. We use them to clean everything around the house, wash on hot (with bleach as needed), and reuse. They last for years!” – Brynn Baker, Senior Editor, Newsletters