12 deep-cleaning hacks that you need in your life

Few people enjoy deep-cleaning their houses. That's why spring cleaning became so popular -- so people would only have to give their houses a thorough clean once a year. For some of us, we have to clean certain areas a little more often.

Deep-cleaning your house doesn't have to be a terrible ordeal. We've pulled together a number of ways to clean every inch of your house without wasting precious time and energy doing it. Check out the tips below for the simpler cleaning solutions you didn't know you needed.

Those with hardwood floors are always looking for a better, easier way to clean their floors. Here's a new solution for you to try: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 tablespoon Castile soap, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, and 2 cups warm water in a spray bottle. Spray this combination over your floors, and then let it dry.

While glass windows collect fingerprints and smudges, screen windows gather up pet hair, cobwebs and just general dust. You can use the vacuum hose to remove some of this, but a faster and more effective way to get rid of it is to take a lint roller across the screen.

You probably clean your toilet on a regular basis, but how often do you clean the toilet siphons? Trust me; it's time. You'll have to start by turning off the water to your toilet and flushing to empty out the remaining water in the bowl. Then cover all of your toilet siphons with duct tape and make sure it's on tightly. Pour vinegar into the toilet tank and flush, which will cause the vinegar to get trapped in the siphons. Let this sit overnight and in the morning, remove the duct tape and turn the water back on.

There's a good chance you didn't even realize you could clean your faucet handles other than just running a damp washcloth over them every once in awhile. You can actually remove them from your sink and soak them in warm, soapy water. You might need a toothbrush or a Q-tip to scrub the nooks and crannies, but this whole process shouldn't take more than a few minutes.

If you are raising boys, you may be struggling to keep your bathroom smelling fresh. Boys can often "miss the mark" and leave a mess. Use baking soda, fresh lemon juice, and vinegar to clean, disinfect, and freshen the area around your toilet.

If you don't keep your vents clean, then the dirt that builds up in there is eventually going to blow out into your house. A quick way to get a great clean is to wrap a rag around a butter knife, spray the vent with whatever cleaner you prefer and then insert the knife between the slats of the vent. Move it side to side and watch as the dirt disappears.

There are plenty of ways to make your garbage disposal smell better, most of which involve dropping chunks of fruit into it. But making it smell good won't matter much if you don't actually clean your disposal. To ensure you're giving it a deep clean, use a grease-cutting cleaner and a toothbrush to scrub under the splash guard. Just make sure the disposal is turned off so you don't chop up your hand.

If you have a glass cooktop, you don't have to deal with cleaning individual burners because you can clean the whole thing in one shot. The best way to do this is to squirt dish soap onto the cooktop, sprinkle baking soda over that, pour on a little hydrogen peroxide, and then scrub. After you've worked the three ingredients over the cooktop, let everything sit for about 3 minutes before wiping it clean.

Other than emptying it out after every few uses, you probably don't think too much about cleaning your vacuum. Have you ever noticed weird smells coming from it? You might just assume it's getting old and overheated, and then decide to buy a new one. A cheaper option is to use the hose attachment to vacuum up a handful of Downy Unstoppables or some ground cinnamon.

Cleaning your toilet is a fairly straightforward endeavor, but you can give it an even better clean if you take proper care of your toilet bowl brush. Do this by pouring lemon Pine-Sol into the brush holder. This will not only disinfect the brush between uses but also give it an extra boost when used to clean the toilet.

By far, the easiest way to clean your baseboards is with a Magic Eraser or baby wipe. Just spray a little water on a section of your baseboard and scrub over it with the eraser. Continue this process until you've reached the end of your baseboards. If you're having trouble cleaning in the corners, try a Q-tip.

Cleaning stove burners is way easier than people assume and requires almost no effort on your part. Just fill a Ziploc bag with ammonia, put a stove burner in the bag, seal it shut, then walk away for at least 12 hours. When you remove the burner from the bag, it should look as good as new.

When it's clean, stainless steel looks amazing. So you want to make sure it's always shining and clean. Start by making a paste of water and baking soda. Scrub this around with a sponge, let it dry, and then wipe it away with a damp cloth. When your sink is dry, sprinkle in a little flour and polish the steel with a cloth. Rinse out the flour and let the sink dry. Finally, put a few drops of olive oil on a clean cloth and use that to shine the steel in your sink.

Of all the ways to clean your shower door, this might be one of the most unusual. Wet a dryer sheet and scrub the door with it. Then take a wet cloth and wipe away the soapy residue. If it still needs a little extra work, spray on some Windex to finish.

How often do you open the toilet tank and peek inside? Many of the stains happening in the toilet bowl could be coming from your tank. It's recommended you clean the tank at least twice a year to ensure long-lasting toilet parts.