“I’m Mbali Nhlapo, and I’m a housekeeper” is a sentence that has become very popular on the social media streets. In fact, hearing these words is a sign that you’re in for some really good cleaning tips and tricks.

With her contagious beaming smile and high energy, Mbali Nhlapo makes the often daunting task of cleaning seem like a breeze. The content creator, wife, mother of two, author and founder of Sisters @ Work shares easy, relatable and effective cleaning tips to thousands of social media users.

Raised in Diepkloof, Soweto, Mbali‘s love for cleaning was instilled by her grandmother. She was a very clean lady and swore by the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar combination.

“When we were growing up, you would not go and play in the streets of the house is not clean. My grandmother knew a lot of DIY hacks, for instance, making furniture polish and floor polish. That is how I got to know all the cleaning tips and tricks,” she shared.

A Social Media Sensation
Although she has always enjoyed cleaning, sharing cleaning content on social media is not something Mbali had thought of until her youngest son suggested it.

“I’ve got two sons, one is 19 and the other is 14 years old. The youngest one asked me why I was not sharing my cleaning knowledge on TikTok. He said I might be helping a lot of people because not everyone knows how to clean. People also don’t always have the needed cleaning products at the time but they may have vinegar and dishwashing liquid.”

As soon as she warmed up to the idea, her eldest son then suggested that it would not be wise to simply post footage of her cleaning. She would need an introduction, and so her catchphrase “I am Mbali Nhlapo and I’m a housekeeper” was born.

Since then, the Mbali Nhlapo brand has grown immensely and is the go-to for many who seek easy and effective cleaning tips online.

Mbali has also authored a book which contains different cleaning hacks and advice.

“The point of the book is to make all the readers know how to work smart and not hard, and to know how to use things that they have. For instance, when you want to remove a bubblegum stain, you use ice cubes. If you don’t know this, you would go out and look for stain removers whereas what you need is in your fridge.”

On the 13th of April, she will be hosting a Housekeepers’ High Tea where a good time, as well as useful cleaning information will be the order of the day.

“We will be having guest speakers and all that. And then I’ll be sharing most of the cleaning tips that I don’t even share on social media. It is not only for people who work as housekeepers. As long as you are someone who cleans then you are welcome.”

When Mbali is not cleaning, she can be found cooking, relaxing in her home or simply curled up with a good book.

“I think my time is needed where I just relax, because during the week I am always busy with cleaning. I read a lot of books by John C Maxwell. He has shaped my life so much.”

Tips to make cleaning less tedious
For those who find cleaning to be boring, daunting or even overwhelming, Mbali suggests taking it one step at a time.

“Some people were not taught how to clean. Some people know how to clean but just don’t enjoy it. Firstly, do not overwhelm yourself. Do it using baby steps. Tidy up and make it a point that you do not have clutter.”

She also emphasised the importance of cleaning floors and ensuring that dishes are always washed.

“You can clean your floors after two days but dishes need to be cleaned everyday.”

Lastly, she recommends making the task fun and enjoyable, “Make it a point that you listen to great music or podcasts when you clean. Get
something that will keep you going.”