Of my many flaws, one that should be easy to fix, is that I use too much of a product in single sitting: Lotion, shampoo, hot sauce—I always use a little bit more than I need to, thereby wasting some of it (excess lotion gets washed off), or having excessively spicy food.

Great news for people who hate doing dishes: if you have a dishwasher, washing your dishes by hand is a colossal waste of water, energy, time, and money, and you can prove it with maths.

Zealous cleaners, beware: there is an area in your kitchen where filth has accumulated, and you can’t even see it. What’s particularly alarming about it is that it’s much worse if you have pets. (Or if the previous tenant had pets.)

Certain glass products have a tendency to shatter into a billion little pieces that can easily cut someone when they get dropped or knocked down. Don't let that happen! Instead of waiting for those tiny shards of glass to find their way into your foot, try this trick instead.

The holidays will be here soon, and for some, that means breaking out the “good” dishes. “Good” dishes are different in every household, but one thing is a constant: You do not want to break the “good” dishes, for doing so would cause much yelling and displeasure, and it’s best to limit those things during the holidays.

Don’t bother inviting me to a dinner party, because I don’t have to snoop in your bathroom to tell you this: You have a mess in your medicine cabinet... or whatever you use for storage in there. Hundreds of plasters, but none where you need them? Expired medications? Yeah, I’ve been there too.

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist and author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag ... And Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Her flagship column, “Ask a Clean Person”, debuted in 2011. Here on Lifehacker, we’ve launched a new iteration of it, focusing on parenting and all the messes it brings.

I develop recipes for a living, which means my stovetop is basically always a disaster. Cleaning sucks, and even though I know it creates more work in the long run, I’ll find any excuse to avoid wiping oil spatters off my stove.

You may have tried chore charts. Perhaps you’ve turned the task of tidying up into a game. Maybe you’ve offered pocket money or attempted strict routines or belted out the “Clean Up Song” 27 times in a row (hey, it miraculously works when your kid’s teacher sings it, right?).

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist, and author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag ... And Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Her flagship column, “Ask a Clean Person”, debuted in 2011. Here on Lifehacker, we’ve launched a new iteration of it, focusing on parenting and all the messes it brings. 

Little kids are much like cats — zealous in their simple pursuits. (And they’ll always play in the toilet if given the opportunity, but that’s a different story.) If you’re a parent, why not have their natural tendencies work for the greater good?

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist, and author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag ... And Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Her flagship column, “Ask a Clean Person”, debuted in 2011. Here on Lifehacker, we’ve launched a new iteration of it, focusing on parenting and all the messes it brings.

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist, and author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag ... And Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Her flagship column, “Ask a Clean Person”, debuted in 2011. Here on Lifehacker, we’ve launched a new iteration of it, focusing on parenting and all the messes it brings. 

After our post How to Clean Up Before the Housekeeper Comes, readers wanted to know so much more about how to hire a cleaner and how to handle any sensitive or awkward situations. We talked to Beatriz Rojas, owner of San Antonio cleaning company C&B Facility Services, and she answered all our questions.

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist and author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag ... And Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Her flagship column, “Ask a Clean Person”, debuted in 2011. Here on Lifehacker, we’ve launched a new iteration of it, focusing on parenting and all the messes it brings. 

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist, and author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag ... And Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Her flagship column, “Ask a Clean Person”, debuted in 2011. Here on Lifehacker, we’ve launched a new iteration of it, focusing on parenting and all the messes it brings. 

Your floor is dirty. Your rubbish bin is overflowing. You need to change a light bulb and do the laundry. You're always busy and household errands fall through the cracks. Here's an idea: get drunk.

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist, and author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag ... And Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha. Her flagship column, “Ask a Clean Person”, debuted in 2011. Here on Lifehacker, we’ve launched a new iteration of it, focusing on parenting and all the messes it brings. 

If you've ever suffered gastrointestinal distress after a barbecue, it might not have been the potato salad — it might have been someone's terrible food safety practices. Specifically, they probably didn't wash their hands.