When it comes to keeping your house clean, having a large selection of cleaning products is not an indication of a cleaner house. Shopping and stocking up name brand cleaners is easy, but sparing the time and effort to utilize all your cleaning products is a different ball game altogether.
Still, there are a number of cleaning essentials that every household should have to help keep dirt away. You don’t want to be improvising a homemade concoction when you have an urgent cleaning need.
Essential Cleaning Supplies For Every Household
Unless you are a seasoned cleaner who knows what to use for every type of surface, they may all be the same to you. It doesn’t help that the market is inundated with a gazillion options when it comes to cleaning supplies with every brand claiming its products offer the best cleaning outcomes. At the end of the day, most somewhat work hence your choice determines whether you will do the job well or poorly.
Most households and apartments will need some basic ‘must-have’ cleaning supplies to achieve at least some minimum upkeep. There are jobs that might require specialized cleaning products, too.
You should at least have an all-purpose cleaner that you can count on for a wide scope of cleaning jobs. This will come in handy even in places where a specialized cleaner isn’t available. You also need a mildly abrasive cleaner that you can use on all the surfaces in your home. Some specialized tools and materials for cleaning glass are also required. There are cleaning jobs where a disinfectant will be handy although you can improvise with some easily accessible supplies such as vinegar.
Below, we offer you a breakdown of all the cleaning supplies that you should at least stock up on to ensure your home is spic and span.
Dishwashing Liquid
Stocking up on dishwashing liquid is a no-brainer. Not only do you need it for your daily utensil cleaning chores in your kitchen but, thanks to its mildness, you can put it to other clever uses such as cleaning your carpets or patio furniture. The dishwashing liquid can be a reliable all-purpose cleaning supply that goes into a multiplicity of uses.
Baking Soda
Yes, baking soda can also be a dependable cleaning item. You can use it as a scrubbing powder without the risk of scratching or damaging delicate surfaces. A paste made out of baking powder and warm water can be used to scratch kitchen stains and to clean your ovens. Baking soda mixed with vinegar can clear up stubborn mineralized stains in your sinks and toilet bowls.
An all-purpose cleaner
An all-purpose cleaner is essential in any household. You can use it to clean up pretty much everything in the house includes sinks, kitchen countertops, surfaces, appliances as well as the fixtures in the bathroom such as sinks, toilets, and tubs. An all-purpose cleaner will also wear flooring, linoleum, walls as well as tile backsplashes.
Vinegar
Vinegar, a sour and acidic condiment, has so many uses that it is unimaginable not having one in your household. Less known on its benefits is the fact that you can use it for your cleaning needs when mixed with other supplies such as baking soda and lemon juice. A mixture of vinegar and baking soda or borax can strip away some of the toughest mineralized stains in your sinks or toilet bowls. When mixed with lemon juice, vinegar can work as a mild bleach and have a deodorizing effect. Due to their acidic property, vinegar can also strip away soap scum in bathrooms or shower drains where layers of soap scum on the walls and drains can create hideous stains. A mixture of vinegar and water will help keep your mirrors and glass surfaces spotlessly clean.
Toilet brush
This is another indispensable household cleaning accessory. Made of plastic and with tough plastic bristles, you can use these to scrub stains off the toilet bowls. Over time, toilet brushes tend to lose their bristles and become less effective so you may have to replace them from time to time or go for the more durable industrial options. There are wooden toilet brushes designed with a ring of propylene for cleaning the inner part of a toilet bowl.
However, a toilet brush isn’t just for use in toilets. You can also buy some for your kitchen and bathroom sinks. Sinks can accumulate some tough stains and you will need a separate brush for scrubbing them clean. Preferably, you should choose different colors and designs that are easily distinguishable from one another.
Spray Bottles
Some cleaning supplies may simply be poured with a small cup but there are instances when you may need to spray such as when spot cleaning a stain. Besides, if you are dipping a cloth or sponge into a cleaning solution repeatedly when cleaning a stain, you are unwittingly adding the stain into the cleaning solution. Spray bottles enable you to easily apply the detergent without bringing it into contact with a cloth or duster. A spray bottle also enables you to use the right amount of detergent and avoid wastage. Go for the glass spray models as these are generally more durable.
Sponges
Avoid using a random cloth to get rid of stains. Sponges are more effective and do not leave any pieces of fabric on the surface being cleaned. It is also advisable to have a large set of sponges that you can use for the different cleaning tasks in your household. There are sponges made from renewable and plant-based materials that clean properly and are biodegradable. They also generate a good lather on the softer surfaces in your home.
Glass Cleaner
You will get spotlessly clean glass surfaces when you use the right glass cleaners. While all-purpose cleaners can do the job, a specialized glass cleaner can also give you impressive results.
Bottlebrush
How do you clean your bottles? Do you just pour in warm water and detergent and shake the bottle? Do you insert a piece of sponge, add water and detergent and shake the bottle? Cleaning reusable bottles and glassware is usually challenging, especially if you are improvising the cleaning. The right way to go about it is with a bottlebrush which will go to all the nooks and crannies of your bottles and ensure it is spotlessly clean.
Scouring Pads
Scouring pads are used on different kinds of dirt in the kitchen. Most of us will be familiar with the almost ubiquitous green nylon for scrubbing off the grease, rust, and dirt from cookware and other kitchen surfaces. There are also white nylon scouring pads that are generally less abrasive and are ideal for scrubbing delicate items.
White Cloths
You will never have enough of these. There is always a surface somewhere in your household that needs some wiping. Ensure you have enough stacks of soft and absorbent white cloths for use in the kitchen and the bathroom.
Squeegee
You need to be proactive about keeping the inside parts of your bathtubs and showers spotlessly clean but the job is somewhat cumbersome when you are using a piece of cloth. Rather than toweling down the doors and tiled tub wall in your showers, apply a more effective method such as a squeegee. This removes the excess water and wetness that, if left uncleaned, will likely cause stains, mildew, and even mineralized layers and discoloration. You can also use the squeegee to clean the outer parts of your bathrooms. The squeegee does an incredible job of keeping all the surfaces ultra clean and dry.
Rubber Gloves
Rubber gloves are important for a number of tasks such as when cleaning exceedingly dirty areas or using harsher chemicals like bleach. Most buyers prefer latex rubber gloves but if you suffer some allergies, you can go for non-latex gloves that will also come in handy in sudsy water.
