text: CNY 2020 is right around the corner! But before you can start chowing down on pineapple tarts or collecting red packets, you'll need to do some Chinese New Year cleaning. Da sao chu, or the home cleaning tradition, begins days before CNY and is believed to sweep away the bad luck of the previous year. Hoping to welcome Chinese New Year 2020 with better fortune? Today's your day. We've got a list of easy CNY preparation home hacks, so read on.
  1. DIY Home Hack: Make Your Stainless Steel Surfaces Shine Again
  Wondering how to get rid of stubborn sauce or hard water stains? You're not alone. Before splurging on expensive over-the-counter cleaners, try using something that you likely already have in the kitchen: a lemon.
  Not only can this fruit remove rust from stubborn stains in the kitchen, but it also doubles as a natural fragrance. Think about that fresh, natural citrus scent that lingers long after you're done cleaning.
  In the bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 cup of water
  Use a cloth to rub the mixture onto the stainless steel surface
  Wipe the area clean with a dry towel
  Dampen the cloth with lemon juice to clean any limescale deposits off the surface
  Apply water to the area and wipe dry with a clean cloth
  2. DIY Home Hack: Remove Microwave Stains
  Look inside your microwave. Spot any food stains?
  Most of us use the microwave daily but when it comes to cleaning it, this is one appliance that is often overlooked.
  Fill a bowl with water, 2 teaspoons of white vinegar, and a few drops of essential oil
  Microwave the bowl for a few minutes to let the inside of your microwave 'steam'
  Create a lemon-water mixture
  Dip your hand towel in the mixture and wipe the insides of your microwave
  Another easy way to clean your microwave:
  Place the orange peels in a bowl with water
  Heat the mixture in the microwave for 1 minute
  Wipe the inside of your microwave with a clean cloth
  3. DIY Home Hack: Get Rid of Stubborn Stove Stains
  If you're frying up some dumplings, you'll be left with a layer of grease stains. You can scrub all you want, but they won't go away easily.
  Scrub the stain with a surface cleaner
  Cover the area with cling wrap while it's still wet
  Use a hairdryer to blow dry the area for about 2 minutes
  Remove the plastic and give the surface a wipe
  Living Room and Bedroom Tips
  4. DIY Home Hack: Declutter Your Home
  There's a reason that decluttering is the single most important task when staging your home: it makes a huge difference to the atmosphere of the place. Clearing out all that junk should be your topmost priority for the New Year.
  Start by getting rid of expired items around your home
  Sort through old show pieces that have faded or show signs of ageing, like dull photo frames
  Sort through old clothes that no longer fit
  Sort through the shoes you haven't worn in months
  Sort through old children's books and toys your family has outgrown
  Instead of letting these things collect dust and take up space in the closet, donate them to someone in need. Once you declutter, you'll have less to clean and your room may even feel more spacious.
  In the words of Marie Kondo, "Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest."
  5. DIY Home Hack: Get Rid of Dust Bunnies
  These pesky little buggers don't quite deserve such a cute name: dust bunnies are a household nuisance and not easy to get rid of.
  Nylon fabric (optional)
  Run a vacuum through the room
  Wrap tape around your hand with the sticky side facing outward
  Pat this on carpets and in corners to pick up dust bunnies and left-over dirt
  Another easy way to get rid of dust bunnies:
  Wrap nylon fabric or sticky tape at the end of a clothes hanger
  Reach into the nooks and crannies of your home
  Pull out dust bunnies and dirt particles that have collected over the years
  6. DIY Home Hack: Clean All That Glass
  Cleaning glass, especially that of windows and sliding balcony doors, is definitely a once-a-year affair that you can't miss. Try making this homemade glass cleaner as an eco-friendly and less toxic solution compared to store-bought alternatives.
  Clean cloth or old newspaper pages
  Combine white vinegar and warm water in a 1:1 ratio
  Squirt the mixture onto your glass surfaces
  Use a cloth or old newspaper to wipe the area clean
  7. DIY Home Hack: Remove Watermarks from Wooden Surfaces
  Ah, those dreaded white water rings. Make your coffee table look like new with just a few household items and a quick wipe.
  Use a blow dryer to heat up the stained area until the watermarks start to disappear
  If the watermarks don't fade naturally, use a dry cloth to rub the marks while the area is being heated
  Once the watermarks are gone, rub olive oil on the area. This will recondition the wood and also give it a shine
  8. DIY Home Hack: Make Leather Furniture Look New Again
  After you've shined the wooden table with olive oil, leave the bottle out for the leather couch.
  Pour a small amount of olive oil onto a hand towel
  Wipe your leather furniture (this will add a shine)
  Use a paper towel to wipe away excess oil
  Bathroom and Laundry Room Tips
  9. DIY Home Hack: Remove Rust from Pipes
  Aluminium foil isn't just for the kitchen; it's for the bathroom too. It's only natural for the pipes under your bathroom sink to disintegrate with time. If these aren't taken care of soon enough, you'll be faced with leaky pipes and you won't be able to avoid a hefty plumbing bill. Try our easy method to avoid letting the rust on your pipes spread.
  Place a small strip of aluminium foil (similar size to the area you'd like to clean) in water
  Gently rub the wet foil on the areas with rust
  Use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe away any remaining rust
  Do this quick maintenance once a year to keep your pipes rust-free.
  10. DIY Home Hack: Clean the Toilet Without Scrubbing
  We've all heard of bath bombs, but how many of you have tried a toilet bomb? Yes, these really do exist. And they're quick and easy to make at home.
  Mix baking soda and citric acid (2:1 ratio)
  Spray on a few squirts of white vinegar and mix it all together. You want a somewhat "sticky" but not an overly crumbly consistency.
  Pour this into an ice cube tray
  Let the toilet bomb dry (it may take a day or two), then store it in an airtight container until ready to use
  The next day, drop one of these into the toilet and watch it fizz away
  This is the quickest way to deodorise and clean your toilet bowl of any light stains without scrubbing. Just note that with harder stains, you might need to scrub after the toilet bomb dissolves.
  11. DIY Home Hack: Deep Clean Your Washing Machine
  We're always throwing in dirty clothes into the washing machine. But what good is a washing machine if it's dirty to begin with? With all the new clothes you'll be wearing for your family visits, it's the best time to give your washing machine a good cleaning.
  Start your washing machine and set it to a 10-20 minute washing cycle
  Pour in some distilled white vinegar and let the cycle complete
  Now that you're armed with our favourite Chinese New Year home cleaning hacks, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Happy CNY 2020, everyone!