What household cleaning product essentials do you really need to have on hand for optimal house cleaning success?
It’s time to get prepared and ready to take on the new commitment of keeping your house clean, but a walk down the cleaning aisle at the supermarket is overwhelming and frankly really expensive.
Maybe this “house cleaning thing” you decided to commit to isn’t so necessary after all. With all the options, brands, types (green, not green etc.)- how can one possibly choose?
If cleaning isn’t your profession (or favorite hobby), choosing what supplies to stock for general housekeeping certainly is a daunting chore:
- Window cleaners (with or without ammonia or vinegar? Multipurpose or regular? Name brand or store label?)
- Kitchen cleaners (sanitizer or degreaser or both? Which are safe?)
- Bathroom cleaners (tub cleaner, shower cleaner, toilet cleaner… oh my!)
- Dusting polishes and furniture oils (are they really necessary?)
- Other polishes (stainless steel, wood/cabinet, stove top and more)
- Dish soaps (with citrus, with lavender, with vinegar with….)
- Cleansers and stain removers….
The list gets longer and longer with no real answer in sight.
What do you really need to have on hand to clean your home?
The dirty secret (pardon the pun) is that very few of the products you see on those shelves are necessary at all. There are two essentials that if you have on hand, will do just about any cleaning job you need done and they will save you time and money. Better yet they are totally safe to use, and you can be confident in their effectiveness: Peroxide and dish detergent (my favorite is the original Dawn)
Peroxide
Peroxide sanitizes and is extraordinarily effective and safe for cleaning just about anything.
There are professional brands out there you can get online, but believe it or not, the medical grade peroxide (you know, those brown bottles from mom’s first aid kit) work just great, especially in conjunction with dish soap:
- Bathrooms: including tile, sinks, grout and toilets! (It is very effective with a small brush at cleaning tile grout- just put in a spray bottle and add a little dish soap if you want and then spray on)
- Kitchen counters, sinks
- Put in your water to mop any floors (even wood, but always when mopping wood floors, it is important to use a barely damp mop)
- Add a few swigs to your small bucket of water and use a microfiber rag to dust furniture and wipe down surfaces (again, really squeeze the rag so it is barely damp)
Dish Soap
Dish soap, especially Dawn original as I previously mentioned, is great for a whole list of cleaning projects too as well as safe and effective for cleaning most any area.
- Clean windows and mirrors like magic (soap up a microfiber rag or use the soft side of sponge and suds up the mirror or glass and either squeegee off, or use a paper towel to dry off the suds)
- Clean greasy stove, counters, cabinets etc. (use hot water and suds up the greasy area in question and then rinse with a hot, clean rag or sponge)
- Spot treat most fabrics, especially for greasy stains- I have had great success using it as a spot treatment for laundry
- Safe and effective for cleaning specialty stone such as marble
- A few drops in your bucket of water and it is great for cleaning floors
- Our dog groomer uses Dawn Original for washing dogs! Its safe and effective even on our precious pets!
There probably will be an occasion where you might find a specialty cleaning product necessary (oven cleaner for after that roast spilled all over the bottom of the oven or furniture oil for the occasional polishing of that old antique wooden hutch)… but generally speaking, you can maintain a very clean home and take care of even some of the toughest cleaning chores, with these two essential cleaners for your home cleaning and maintenance.
If cleaning isn’t your cup of tea, and would love some reliable professionals to care for your home, give us a call!
