Think your carpets are clean? This $5 cleaning hack is freaking out everyone who tries it.

Vacuuming is one of those chores that, while annoying, at least can be satisfying when you look at all the dust, hair and dirt caught in the vacuum and the nice clean floor left behind.

At least we thought.

Until we, along with thousands of others, learned of the $5 cleaning hack that exposes just how clean our carpets really… aren’t.

When UK cleaning guru Sophie Hinchliffe shared her top tip for cleaning carpets with her 1.8 million followers, many were surprised at just how much their vacuum cleaners weren’t picking up.

Mrs Hinch, as she goes by, explained in her InstagramStories earlier this month that she runs a clean, dry squeegee over her seemingly clean carpets, which pick up dirt, dust and pet hair that her vacuum leaves behind.

And it’s a lot.

With a good squeegee, like this one from Big W, costing around $5, it's a very small price to pay for clean carpets.

Inspired Mrs Hinch devotees have since been sharing the results of their own squeegee once-over on social media.

 

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#HINCHHACK @mrshinchhome! Using a squeegee on the stairs gets up all the hair/fluff that your hoover doesn’t! Gross I know but a great hack! #hinchhack

A post shared by Jade Hart ???? (@jadehart24) on Feb 7, 2019 at 1:20pm PST

 

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Omg I am shocked. Decided to try @mrshinchhome trick of using a, Squeegee on carpet. I hoovered today!!! Unbelievable ???????????????????????? #hinched #hincharmy #hinching #mrshinchhome

A post shared by Michelle (@sat_nav2) on Feb 17, 2019 at 1:52pm PST

 

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Getting our #hinch on. What a hack! There is only a certain amount of pet hair the hoover can get off the stair carpet... along comes the squeegee and voila! #hinchhack #hincharmy #hinching #housework #homeimprovements #home

A post shared by ally_e86 (@ally_e86) on Feb 11, 2019 at 2:22pm PST

Some suggested spraying carpet cleaner before using the squeegee to help the hairs to clump together.

 

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I can’t believe how much this works!! And can’t believe all the dirt ???? @mrshinchhome what a genius you are! Got to admit I do love this one! It’s not only creating another pooch but also taking all the dirt out of the carpet ???? #hinching #hinchhack

A post shared by A.K&GIGI (@gigiand_a.k) on Feb 7, 2019 at 1:35pm PST

Mrs Hinch said she didn't invent the hack herself, and it has been around "for years".

The author and lifestyle enthusiast also told her followers (as paranoid as we might all be right now) not to use the squeegee every day as it could "damage the fibres" in your carpet.

Of course, squeegees are great at their intended purpose too - cleaning glass.

By using one every single time you have a shower, you can avoid soap scum build-up, says Clean My Space YouTuber Melissa Maker.

"This little tool and the habit of using the squeegee on your shower after each shower means you basically don’t ever have to scrub your shower again," she said in a video about cleaning habits.

Melissa also suggests squeegeeing your mirror next time you forget to turn the fan on and it fogs up.

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