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You know you've reached a certain point in your life when you're excited by some good cleaning hacks. There's a product called Bar Keepers Friend Toilet Bowl Cleaner? Where can I buy it? Does the #leaveyourracks out trend - where people are leaving their oven racks out on the grass in the rain - really work? Why does my cleaning routine now include a Friday night? Am I that person? Yes, I am.

Which is why I'm kind of excited to talk to Katrina Springer, better known as The Organised Housewife, about her first book, The Clean Home. Springer started blogging in 2010, her site has millions of subscribers, she has more than 860,000 followers on Facebook and more than 150,000 on Instagram. Perhaps I'm not alone in my desire for a good hack, checklist or meal plan.

Springer says it all started when she began sharing tips and tricks with her friends. She'd gotten through a tough few years with twins and a baby not long after and she realised that having a routine was the most important thing for her family's sanity.

"I never expected it to get to this level," says Springer, whose children are now teenagers. (And she apologises for there being no entry on how to get teenagers excited about cleaning.)

"When my kids were growing up I just craved information, I just wanted to know things about how I could make our life easier, and I realised that other people wanted that information as well."

For Springer, it was all about creating calm among the chaos.

"The clutter in our lives, homes and heads can harm our happiness and our ability to focus and relax," she says.

"Keeping a clean home can help to improve our mental and physical wellbeing by reducing stress, increasing productivity and maintaining good health."

Her followers connect with Springer because her tone is never preachy. She realises everyone has different home lives, and different standards.

"I am not an expert, I'm just one mum sharing my stories about how we manage our family and home," she says.

"I'm not saying this is how it should be done and what works for one family might not work for another, but I hope people take things out of the book, try them and see if it will work for them."

See if this routine to get your shower spick and span works for you.

Here are some homemade cleaning solutions Springer swears by to get you started. You'll need them for the shower routine.

Cleaning spray: in a spray bottle combine one cup water, half cup of white vinegar, quarter cup dishwashing liquid.

Mould be gone spray: in a spray bottle combine one cup water, one cup white vinegar, one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid

Lemon soda paste: in a bowl combine half cup bicarb soda and two tablespoons lemon juice (or more to achieve the right consistency).

"All the dirt from our bodies falls onto the surface of the shower, which attracts mildew, bacteria and grime. You may even find your shower head squirting water at all angles if it is blocked. When you're cleaning the shower, open the bathroom windows to help with ventilation" Kat says.

"I get asked a lot, 'When is the best time to clean the shower?' I get in the shower, run the water, put on a body scrub, or wet my hair and add in a leave-in conditioner. Then I turn off the water, clean the shower and finish my shower routine. As the surface is already wet and the steam hits the shower walls, it makes this task that little bit easier, and I have beautifully soft skin or hair afterwards.

"The kids have their own shower, which they now mostly clean themselves. On the occasions I clean it, I go in fully clothed (activewear is best) and scrub it just after they have finished showering."

Kat's mould be gone spray (see main story) or mould remover

Kat's cleaning spray (see main story) or bathroom cleaner

Cleaning paste or lemon soda paste (see main story)

1. Empty the shower of all contents. Wipe over each item with a cleaning cloth dipped in warm soapy water to remove any soap build-up.

2. Deal with any mould. Spray mould be gone spray or mould remover onto visible mould patches. After five minutes, use the grout cleaning brush to remove. Rinse area.

Glass, walls, floors and tapware

1. Spray cleaning spray on the glass, walls and floor of the shower. Use a cleaning sponge to clean the glass. Use a sponge or scrubbing brush to clean the walls and floor. Alternatively, you could use a broom to scrub these areas if you have trouble bending.

2. To remove stubborn build-up around tapware, dab on cleaning paste and leave for 10 minutes. If using lemon soda paste, spray with vinegar and leave for a further five minutes. Use a mini brush to remove build-up. Rinse with a damp cloth.

3. Rinse the glass, walls and floor from top to bottom with water using the showerhead or bucket filled with water. To prevent water spots, use a squeegee to remove any water from the surface.

1. Fill the bathroom sink with soapy water. Remove the rubber seal from the bottom of the shower door; it should slip off quite easily.

2. Dip a mini brush or cleaning cloth into the soapy water and clean the seal.

3. Spritz a dry cloth with vinegar and wipe over the seal.

4. Wait until the seal is completely dry before putting back into place.

1. Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid down the drain. Sprinkle in one cup bicarb soda and pour in one cup vinegar.

2. Allow to sit for five minutes. If using lemon soda paste, spritz with vinegar and leave for a further five minutes, then pour boiling water down the drain. This method should effectively clear away most of the hair clogging up the drain. Alternatively, if your drain has a removable cover, you can remove hair by hand.

1. Dab cleaning paste over the showerhead and leave for five minutes. If using lemon soda paste, spritz with vinegar and leave for a further five minutes. Scrub with a mini brush to remove debris. Rinse.

2. Half-fill a bag (or bucket if the showerhead is detachable) with vinegar. Insert the showerhead in the bag, immersing it in the vinegar. Tie the bag with a rubber band to secure onto showerhead and sit overnight (if you have a brass or gold showerhead, remove after 30 minutes).

3. Remove the showerhead from the bag and use the mini brush to clean build-up. Turn on the water to flush out any mineral deposits. Use a toothpick to poke the holes to help remove mineral deposits, if needed. Rinse with water.

4. Polish the showerhead with a dry cleaning cloth.

Kat's tip: Need to fix a rust ring? Use a cleaning cloth with cleaning paste, dab onto the spot, leave for two minutes, then wipe away. Alternatively, cover the stain with lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and soak for three to four hours. Use a cleaning cloth to gently scrub the area.

How often? Weekly - mould; glass, walls, floor and tapware. Monthly - shower door seal; shower drain. Seasonally - showerhead.

I've covered a few things here at The Canberra Times over the years, from sport to education. But now I get to write about the fun stuff - where to eat, what to do, places to go, people to see. Let me know about your favourite things. Email: karen.hardy@canberratimes.com.au

I've covered a few things here at The Canberra Times over the years, from sport to education. But now I get to write about the fun stuff - where to eat, what to do, places to go, people to see. Let me know about your favourite things. Email: karen.hardy@canberratimes.com.au

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