You know when you discover something so brilliant you just have to share it with everyone? Yes, you’re right. Most people use Facebook for sharing items that shouldn’t be overlooked. And, amongst all the pictures and quotes and silly videos - you’ll probably find some useful household tips for moms.

Or, you can continue reading. I’ve decided to share what I think are the most brilliant household tricks every mom should know. I hope you’ll find them as useful as I have.

Cleaning the goopy laundry detergent cup. If you use liquid laundry detergent, you know how goopy the pouring cup gets. No matter how hard you try to get all the liquid out, some of it stays in. It collects during future washes and - soon - the cup is so goopy (that’s the only word I can think of to describe it) you don’t want to touch it.

My mother in law and my husband taught me a trick that works perfectly to clean that detergent cup. The simple solution is: Throw the cup in with the load of laundry. It comes out clean, empty, and ready for your next load.

Rid your home of fruit flies. Ugh! I hate fruit flies - the little buggers have no fear and flit around landing on food and counters with no respect. For years, I’ve used the apple cider vinegar trick. Simple. You fill a small bowl with apple cider vinegar, cover it with plastic wrap, and poke a few small holes in it (with the prongs of a fork). The flies - who love vinegar - get in but not out.

Recently, however, I learned of an even easier remedy. You still use the vinegar in the bowl, but if you add a few drops of dishwashing soap, the flies will not be able to fly and will sink to the bottom of your bowl. No need for the plastic wrap and wondering if your holes are too large or too small. Good riddance!

Cleaning a stained dry erase board Some of us use our dry erase boards frequently and constantly write and erase grocery lists, to do’s, and other important information. But, sometimes, even the best of us forget about our beloved dry erase board and when we return to it, we find the writing very difficult to clean. I’ve tried everything to clean my dirty boards including eye glass cleaning wipes, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and the Mr Clean Magic Eraser sponge. These solutions all work, but I like the easy way when it comes to cleaning - and they still require some muscle power.

Hand sanitizer is the magic cleaning solution for the dry erase board. I can’t remember where I learned about this trick, but it is definitely one that I remember. The next time you have some hard to erase writing on your dry erase board, try the hand sanitizer. I don’t use it on my children’s hands, but I do use it on the dry erase boards.

The magic powder: Baking Soda The many uses of baking soda go far beyond baking. Combine equal parts of salt and baking soda and you have a solution for clogged drains. Pour in boiling water and let it sit overnight, then rinse through in the morning.

Use baking soda instead of the chemical-laden carpet cleaning powders. Baking soda neutralizes yucky carpet odors. You can also use it in smelly shoes, near pet cages, and to freshen your dishwasher.

My favorite use for baking soda, however, happens to be for cleaning my engagement ring. Every time I clean my ring, someone notices it. It gets so sparkly, and it’s so simple to clean. Using a soft-bristle toothbrush (like you used when you taught your children how to brush their teeth), baking soda, and water - you just brush gently. That’s it.

Anything to make my motherly duties easier is welcome in my house. These cleaning tricks have helped me immensely and are now second nature in my cleaning routines.