This Genius Vacuum Hack Lets You Clean Hard To Reach Areas - And It's Free

These days, vacuums come with all the bells and whistles you could possibly need to clean every inch of your house. Brushes, small plastic attachments, and even special pet hair tools are popular accessories. While these are super handy when it comes to vacuuming corners and tight spaces, they likely can't get to all of the hard-to-reach areas in your home. Luckily there's a free hack you can probably find right in your kitchen — an empty paper towel roll. You can simply attach one to the end of your vacuum hose to reach tight corners and high-up surfaces.

There are tons of fun and clever hacks that make cleaning easier. This trick is no exception, and thanks to the pliable cardboard paper towel rolls are made of, this might be the best way to work your way around tight corners and into crevices. Plus, you can simply recycle the tube when you're done and grab a new one for your next deep clean.

It takes very little effort to make this hack a reality. All you need is an empty paper towel roll and a vacuum that features a hose. Push the roll securely onto the end of your hose. The suction will help keep the roll secured while it acts as an extension of the tool. You can then carefully work it into tight spots like under appliances and in narrow spots behind furniture.

One of the key benefits of this hack is that you can reshape the cardboard for every item and area you clean, narrowing or widening it to accommodate your needs. For example, when cleaning window and door tracks, hard plastic can't get beyond the higher barriers, leaving dirt in the deep valleys and divots. A flattened end of a paper towel roll can squeeze into these and pick up all the buildup, leaving behind nothing but clean metal. 

You can also use this on a handheld device as seen in One Good Thing By Jillee's video. This is the perfect way to clean between your car seats and in consoles, cup holders, and door compartments. You can even squeeze the end of the tube narrowly enough to vacuum the slots between your car's heat and AC vents. 

LifeSavvy recommends using this hack as a solution for cleaning crown molding too, since the cardboard will be gentler on the material than plastic attachments. They also suggest cutting the sides of your cardboard and pinching the ends together into a cone shape to focus the suction even more. This is a great way to get into super narrow crevices like ornate woodwork or detailed furniture that is prone to collecting dust. Or, keep a hand vac with a cardboard tube attachment near your desk. The focused suction is a stellar way to remove dust and crumbs from your keyboard and computer speakers. You can even use this hack to remove stubborn lint deep in your dryer as TikTokker tipsandtrickswithq demonstrates.

Is your current roll of paper towels not quite used up yet? These empty rolls aren't the only option. You can also use a toilet paper roll for a shorter option that still yields the same results but without too much length to navigate.