Shower door soap scum, greasy dirt on lamps and kitchen cabinets…some things around the house just don’t come clean. We talked to professional house cleaners and got them to spill their best-kept cleaning secrets. Use these tips to simplify your housecleaning—and save time and effort.

Use chandelier cleaning spray

Cleaning a chandelier the old-fashioned way—spraying and wiping each piece by hand—takes forever. And it doesn’t help that you’re standing on a ladder. Want an easier way? Try a spray-on chandelier cleaner. First spread a plastic tarp on the floor under the chandelier to catch the drips. Then turn off the light and spray the solution on the chandelier until liquid beads start to run (you’ll use a lot of spray, but it beats wiping). The spray rinses off the dust. The solution that’s left evaporates quickly and doesn’t leave water spots. The spray works well on hanging crystals, but don’t expect it to remove dust from crevices.

Cut Grease with a Hot Rag

Grease and dirt build up on kitchen cabinets over time. To clean your cabinets, first heat a slightly damp sponge or cloth in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds until it’s hot. Put on a pair of rubber gloves, spray the cabinets with an all-purpose cleaner containing orange oil, then wipe off the cleaner with the hot sponge.