We put 8 TikTok cleaning hacks to the test to see if they really work — and the results were mixed

Watch the hack: @vanesamaro91

A little context: I'm typically busy performing other hygiene tasks in the shower, including brushing my teeth. So cleaning the shower while showering wasn't really a time-saver. That said, I liked how easy it was to clean my shower using the OXO Soap Dispensing Dish Brush. In the TikTok video, Vanesa Amaro doesn't specify the soap-to-vinegar ratio. I went with 2:1, and that seemed to work well. The hair dye stains were noticeably duller after scrubbing, and the brush diminished, if not completely removed, other blemishes. I have a full shower/tub, and it took five minutes for me to clean it all. I plan on keeping the brush next to my shower so I can make a weekly habit of cleaning. — James Brains, reporter

Watch the hack: @cleanthatup

I love this little tool. It's widely known that you can use a good razor blade to scrape residue from surfaces, whether that's grime on your oven door or dried paint on a window. But this tool makes the task much easier and safer. The included blades are nice and sharp and the tool itself is sturdy and easy to grip. It has a little bit of weight to it, which is good for control. Just be sure to push away from, rather than toward, yourself. – Lisa Sabatini, senior editor 

Watch the hack: @webbiefoot

I really wanted this to be magic, but it's just a heavy-duty dish soap in a convenient spray bottle. The Dawn Powerwash was definitely more effective on dirty dishes and burnt pans than my regular soap was. Unfortunately, I still needed to scrub, instead of just spraying and rinsing as advertised. I will say that I loved having it in a spray bottle — the soap came out already sudsy, so I ended up using less water when washing. — Lily Alig, reporter

Watch the hack: @carolina.mccauley

I usually buy a bottle of Pledge to wipe and shine surfaces from built-up dust, so it was great to try this DIY dust cleaning hack. I mixed olive oil, water, white vinegar, two drops of dish soap, and 10 drops of essential oil and used a microfiber towel to clean my lamp, which was filthy with dust. I was surprised by how much shinier my iron floor lamp was in just one wipe with this mixture. The 10 drops of essential oil also left my room smelling amazing. — Kenedee Fowler, reporting fellow

Watch the hack: @vanesamaro91

I've seen this cute and handy soap dispenser all over Tik Tok, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on one. When it comes to washing dishes, I'm either adding water to the last few drops of dish detergent and squeezing the bottle for my life or using too much dish soap. The Soap Daddy allows me to dispense the perfect amount onto my sponge with its push-down feature or squeeze to add dish soap straight on the dishes. It's easy to refill and looks great beside my kitchen sink. — Kenedee Fowler, reporting fellow

Watch the hack: @cleanthatup

Insider Review's senior home and kitchen reporter Owen Burke put distilled white vinegar to the test by using it to clean several surfaces and messes around the house. Burke said using baking soda, hot water, and white vinegar works like a charm for unclogging drains. 

"Pouring a quart of boiling-hot water down the drain followed by ½ cup of baking soda and ½ cup of vinegar works almost as well as pricey name-brand solutions," Burke said in his review.

Watch the hack: @cleanthatup

One of the main reasons why I hate dusting my fan is that the dust ends up on my bed and even in my eyes, but this Tik Tok cleaning hack makes cleaning my fan blades so much easier and less of a hassle. After two passes with a pillowcase, my fan was completely free of dust, with no leftover dust particles on my comforter or in my eyes. — Kenedee Fowler, reporting fellow

Watch the hack: @restyleliving

I tested this hack twice at both of my parents' homes, and to my surprise, I didn't get any dirty disposal residue. We don't clean our garbage disposal often, so I was shocked I didn't see anything. — Kenedee Fowler, reporting fellow