What Are the Necessary Cleaning Supplies?
August 13, 2009 by Stephanie
I have a weird hobby. I enjoy browsing for cleaning supplies, and enjoy trying out new ones on the market. If I wasn’t so gosh-darn-cheap, I’d gladly pick up the phone to order the newest (and best! and brightest! and fastest!) cleaning whatever-it-is advertised on late night TV. You know the Scrubbing Bubbles shower cleaner thing with the “magical cleaning fairies” that clean your shower after you leave it for the day? I bought it. I also have tried KaBoom, and have owned a Scooba.
Oh how I loved my Scooba. I used it every single day for the six months that it worked, and talked about it incessantly. I even wrote a glowing review on Amazon, I loved it so much. And then it died. Thrice. And the shipping cost for sending it in for repair (not to mention the 6-8 week turnaround time) turned my love into disgust. My Scooba now sits under the utility sink in the garage waiting for someone to love it again. I don’t think it will be me.
One of my favorite pastimes is to slowly walk the aisles at Target and ogle the new cleaning supplies on the shelves. I usually refrain from buying them, but I do love to read the labels and compare ingredients. I really shouldn’t share this outloud, huh?
The secret though, is that you don’t really need much to keep your home tidy and gleaming.
These are the items that I use in our home, and what I’d recommend getting if you are trying to streamline your cleaning process and materials.
Sponges
There are tons of different sponges that you can buy—some claim to keep bacteria from growing, some are sturdy enough to throw in the washing machine or dishwasher, some are all-natural, and some are synthetic. I buy these Scrub Buddies. I get them at the Dollar Tree, and have seen them in the 99 cent store, as well as non-name brand discount stores. I like that 6 come to a pack, and that I can switch them weekly (or more often, if they get terribly icky) or save them for non-kitchen use. I buy a dozen packs or so at a time, and then keep the old and used ones in a basket in the garage to use for scrubbing the floor, toilet bowls, the car tires, etc. Then they are thrown out for good.
Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
I love these cloths for dusting, and for wiping up spills. They are super absorbent, trap dust and grime, machine wash well, and don’t require a spritz with a cleaning solution (although you certainly could use one if you prefer). They are relatively inexpensive, and last a long time. They are also able to be used on a Swiffer or the like dust mop—just shove the corners into the slots made for the throw-away dusting sheets. I’d suggest having 4 or 6 on hand, depending on how large your home is, and how often you choose to dust. 4 serves my family quite well. If you’d rather not spend money on cleaning rags, you can use old cloth diapers, or soft T-shirts just fine, but you’ll need to have a larger stack because the absorbency is just not the same.
I am not a fan of feather dusters. Although they are fun for children to play with, the dust spreads around instead of getting trapped (even with the expensive fancy ostrich dusters) and the maintenance is not worth my time.
Broom and Dust Pan
This is a no-brainer. You need to have a broom to sweep any hard surfaces in the home. Most people choose to have more than one, and don’t bring an outdoor or garage broom into the house. I like having a dust pan and whisk broom in a few places throughout the house so children can quickly clean up spilled pencil shavings, the little dots from the hole punch, and crumbs from under their seat at the table.
For Small Hands is an online company that specializes in Montessori teaching supplies and tools. They have a fantastic selection of kid-size cleaning tools (gardening, too!)
Mop
Mops are controversial. Everyone seems to have one that they absolutely love, and no amount of persuasion will change their minds. That’s fine. Whatever works the best for you, use it. The Swiffer Wet Jet system is WILDLY popular, and for good reason. It’s simple, the refills are readily available, and it works. Some people swear by the cotton “yarn” mops that you can toss into the washing machine. Those are fine, too. I like the sponge mops or the microfiber dusters with removable terry-cloth heads for mopping my floors. Some housekeepers don’t even use a mop, and prefer to wet a towel and shuffle it around with thier feet. It really doesn’t matter—all that matters is that you have some sort of cleaning apparatus that you use on a routine basis to get the stick and ick off of your hard floors.
One trick to mopping is to let the cleaner that you’re using work for you. If you have a high-traffic area that attracts stuck on grime, spray your floor with an everyday de-greaser (409, Fantastik, vinegar and water, or something similar) and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then wet your mop with hot water, and wash as usual. There is no need to rinse the floor afterwards, since those cleaning supplies are meant to just spray and wipe. Your floor will be left clean and shiny.
Vacuum Cleaner
Much like mops, many people love their vacuum and wouldn’t switch brands or models, ever. If you are in the market for a new vacuum, I’d suggest reading the reviews on Amazon, and at Consumer Reports to find one in your price range and with your personal specifications. I have never owned a Dyson. Many of my friends have one, and I’ve used it a few times at their houses to see what the fuss is. My favorite feature is that you can get it in purple or pink. Otherwise, my $99 Dirt Devil seems to do just fine, and has lasted a good 5 years. I, personally, just can’t justify spending much more on a vacuum (says the woman who plunked down $250 for a Scooba which died 6 months later…)
If you are in the market, I’d suggest getting one that has a canister instead of bags, so you aren’t trying to ration bags. Most vacuums come now with an air filter, which is a huge plus for anyone with dust or mite allergies. Vacuum your flooring regularly to keep carpeting looking the best, and to keep sand and dirt from scratching your hardwood, Pergo, or tile. All of the new vacuums are perfectly safe to use on a variety of floor surfaces, and they do such a better job than sweeping or dust-mopping to keep the dust level of your home in check.
One trick I do with my vacuum is to attach the cord to a 30-foot extension cord and plug in at a central location in the house. That way I can move from room to room without turning off the machine or taking the time to find a new outlet in every room.
Scrub Brush
Gotta have one. The stiff bristles are great for cleaning tile, grout, and sticky jelly off of the kitchen floor.
Toothpicks
Yes, toothpicks. I promise I’m not losing it. Toothpicks are the exact perfect size and pointyness to get into little cracks where you can’t get to the dirt and scum. In the kitchen, you’ll find them useful around stove knobs, around the control panel on your microwave and dishwasher, and around the buttons on the ice dispenser on the fridge. In the bathroom, they are ideal for getting the ick out of the crack around the white flappy-thing that hides the toilet seat bolt. Toothpicks are cheap, and do a great job. If you have a particularly dry grit that’s stuck, wrap a corner of a clorox or baby wipe around the toothpick point for an itty bitty cleaning tool.
And then there are the cleaning products…
I’m not a name brand girl when it comes to the powders, sprays, and goops. I gladly get off-brand products from the dollar store, if they fit my needs.
Glass Cleaner: yes, you can use vinegar and water, but I happen to like the smell of the blue stuff. There are many new products available that are friendlier to the environment than the old standbys, which is fantastic.
Degreaser: Spic and Span, 409, Fantastik and the like. These will cut through grease quickly, saving your back and elbow. Let these products do their job–spray them on, and let them sit. Then wipe with a scrubby sponge or microfiber cloth. You can buy large bottles of concentrate and pour into your own spray bottles, diluting with water to save money. These products will work just fine sprayed directly onto flooring, saving a separate cleanser purchase. If prefered, vinegar and water can be used instead.
Powdered Abrasive: Baking soda works just fine, as do the standard powdered cleansers. Some have a bleach in them, take care to not let the dust get in your eyes, or sprinkles on nice towels or bathmats. A powdered abrasive is helpful to get tough stains out of porcelain sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets.
Bleach: Sometimes you just need bleach. It works phenomenally and is inexpensive. (now I’m off to make a sacrifice to Mother Nature…) I like the bleach pens, too.
Disinfectant Wipes/Baby Wipes: The convenience factor of these products beats out any uncomfortableness I have about using disposable products. If these bother you, opt for cleaning rags instead.
Magic Erasers: The “magic” in these is that they are abrasive, and will scrub away any surface dirt, grime, or grease. They work great on walls, refrigerator doors, soap scum, and floors. They will take the finish off painted banisters, or on delicate wood, please be careful and check on a “hidden” spot. Due to the abrasive quality, watch children carefully so they don’t scrub their skin—their skin will come right off.
Lemon Oil: Lemon oil is a great product to use in small doses for polishing hard wood furniture or flooring. It also works great in the shower to wipe down shower doors—the built up soap scum will come right off, and the remaining slick surface will deter future build up. Do not use on stainless steel faucets or fixtures, lemon can cause pitting.
What are you favorite cleaning supplies? Anything particular I should try out and add to the list?
for further reading:
for powdered cleaners, i swear by bar keeper’s friend – it works like magic, and better than many of the other brands.
also, a trick that i picked up from my grandmother – if you have a dishwasher, toss your sponges in the silverware basket when you run the washer. keeps the sponges clean and ick free.
I enjoy collecting cleaning products too, as well as, exercise equipment and workout tapes. I’m hoping that just their presence in the house will magically clean the dirt and work off my fat butt… so far not working! Now I know what to do with them!! Hope you are well – I saw you go by the other day and your belly is getting cute
This may be a silly question, but where are some places to get lemon oil or other essential oils? I see them referenced a lot, especially in cleaning tips, but I don’t even know where to start looking for them.
I heard that the Magic Eraser thingies can actually be bought in sheets at Home Depot as they are used as insulation or some such. Under a different name (Melamine Foam, I think), of course, but much cheaper, and you get to cut them up in the size you want.
ooh, I agree with Beth about the Bar Keeper’s Friend. It’s good for so many things!
And dish scrubbing brushes clean nicely in the dishwasher’s silverware basket too.
I love Bar Keeper’s Friend! It’s great in our sink, for our smooth cooktop, and even for our pots and pans (when they need a little extra scrubbing)! And, I do use dish soap afterwards…).
Thanks for the tip on the lemon oil. I’d been told it would do wonders for our shower, but didn’t know where to look for it.
I have a steam mop that I love — because I no longer have to use chemicals on my floors. It’s just water, it’s easy, and the cleaning capability can’t be beat as far as I am concerned. Best of all, though — no chemicals.
When we came home recently from being away for SIX weeks, there was no ‘ranky’ smell in the house (which had NOT been air-conditioned in our absence).
I threw out my floor cleaning chemicals and my mop. I love my Haan.
Be sure to be super careful with sponges. They really do hold bacteria. I participated in a study where we cleaned a kitchen with cleansers and brand new sponges that were pre-treated with an anti-bacterial component. Later we used special test-lights and such to see the bacteria left behind on the counters and in the sponges. We then cleaned the sponges different ways (dishwasher, washing machine & micro-wave) to see if we could rid the sponge of the bacteria. Yuck is all I have to say. I will not use a sponge EVER! Gross! And to be clear this was for a chain restaurant’s internal food safety school. It was not for a company that sold cleansers or cleaning products of any kind. It was also not “impossible to get clean” as in some tests. We used wet towels that were soaked in a sanitizer solution (bleach water). I now have an entire drawer of washcloths in my kitchen and of course my clorox wipes!
The product I live by is my Fantastik de-greaser! Love it! I clean everything with it. Somedays I wish I had a sprinkler system in my kitchen that just showered everything with it. (ok maybe not but it sure seems like it would be easier!!)
BTW, love your sites, and am very bummed about your book! Following your household tips have really made a difference in my day-to-day routines. I have a pre-schooler and toddler and work 30 hours a week and go to school, so having little easy tips really makes a difference in my life.
I use old toothbrushes to clean small, hard-to-reach things, like the edge of the sink (my next sink will be undermount, NOT drop-in).
Baby-wipes are amazing for cleaning stains from carpets. Kinda makes me wonder what they do to our babies’ tushies, though…
I have a Scunci steamer that is great for decreasing the amount of chemicals I use.
And we just got a laminate floor that I LOVE and will never live with tile again. I also want to rip out all the carpeting in the house and replace with laminate (Quick-step
light maple, if anyone is interested)–that saves a TON of cleaning.
I will confess that I have been a laundry product and cleaning product snob… I always wanted the newest, coolest thing… the thing with the best commercials… you know what I am talking about I’m sure. I had a cleaning product for everything under the sun and they all had a different smell. Then, once everything was clean, I would light candles… because I am a candle snob too. I realized that I was paying all this money for all of these smells and you couldn’t smell any of them!!!!
In the last few weeks I have started to purge myself of the cleaning product frenzy that was consuming my under-sink cabinet!!! I actually got the idea from LeannIam (hi Leann!) to try making my own laundry detergent! I did, and it works, and it was CHEAP. So I looked online and found other cheap ways to clean. I mopped with peroxide and water… it was awesome. It felt so clean but there was no smell afterward. And with peroxide, you just KNOW it was clean! I shined my sink with vinegar. I sprinkled my carpets with baking soda… and it did the most amazing thing! My vacuum usually STINKS because it mainly sucks up large amounts of dog hair (we have 2 large, hairy dogs)… but when I vacuumed the baking soda, the smell was gone. My usual routine was to vacuum, then spray as much air freshener as I could to cover the smell from the vacuum…. I didn’t need to do this. That was amazing.
I am on the hunt for more ideas, but I just wanted to share these with you! There is tons of info to be found out there! I, too, have been mesmerized by the shiney bottles that promise wonderful results… and there is nothing wrong with that. But sometimes simple is good too…. I am still a candle snob, but now I can smell the candles because they aren’t competing with everything else!
I love my Lotus. I really do wonder if it cleans or if the whole thing is a bunch of bunk, but it has gotten some tough stains out of the carpet and does a number on a greasy stove.
Have you ever reviewed it? I’m dying to know what an unbiased source thinks, especially someone like you who really has tried everything.
Sol-U-Mel is the most amazing cleaning product to get rid of ink, crayon, blood (I have boys), berry stains, wine, etc, etc, on carpets, furniture, clothes. And the best thing is No chlorine, NO ammonia, NO phosphates. Its from a company called Melaleuca. Seriously THE BEST home cleaning products you will ever use! No yucky ranky smells, no gasping for air while cleaning & sanitizing. I got rid of 409, Fantastik, Tide, Soft Scrub – - all those things with harsh chemicals that may clean my house, but totally contaminate my lungs and my skin. This isn’t a sales pitch…you’ve got to try them for yourself. I’d love to hear what you think! I can’t believe I’m the first person who’s posted about them.
I’m a fan of Basic-H by Shaklee. It is relatively inexpensive for the concentrate and you can dilute it down to clean the windows, floors, counters, etc. Best of all? NO SMELL! Our allergies have decreased significantly since we started using Shaklee products (they also have dishwasher detergent, wipes, laundry detergent, and more for convenience). I will never use anything else again!
I use toothpicks too! They are cheap, don’t scratch and biodegradable. I also use a lot of vinegar and baking soda. Thanks
I use Borax to help my laundry detergent. Sometimes when I wash darks in my front-loader, they get a musty smell, but not when I use Borax.
Also, I make a gentle cleaner for my kids to use to clean bathrooms. I use vinegar, borax, dish detergent and hot water mixed together. It isn’t harmful and I don’t worry if they touch it or inhale it. This is the recipe I use: 1 tsp. Borax 1/2 tsp. liquid detergent (like Ivory Dish Soap) 1/4 cup vinegar 2 cups hot water
Combine in a spray bottle and shake. Spray on counter surfaces, sinks, tubs etc. and wipe clean.
Lastly, I love my Bona cleaner and mop for the hardwoods. Never any residue and easy.
I thought I was the only one who got excited about buying new cleaning products! I think my favorite cleaning tool is my Wonder Mop. I love how fast and easy it makes mopping my floors! I love going to Target and just browsing the cleaning supply aisles to see what is new.
Okay, so I found a recipe for HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP a few months ago. I love it! It saves me a TON of money and I don’t miss my Tide at all! I saved a few of the Tide bottles and it makes just over three gallons for just a few dollars! It’s not concentrated like the newer stuff you buy in the stores so it takes a little more…but it does the job nicely! I also started making my own fabric softener, but I have yet to find just the perfect recipe. Here’s the link to my blog about making the laundry soap:
http://ishouldhavebrediguanas.blogspot.com/2009/07/due-to-current-economy-part-1.html
I am also in LOVE with the Method window cleaner. It’s blue…and it smells like MINT! I am stuck on the Scotch-Brite sponges, the normal yellow and green ones. I buy giant packages of them at Costco and Sam’s Club and change them out weekly…or when they just don’t look or feel clean anymore! They are usually just for dishes but I keep a few of the old ones on hand for floors. Ooooh…and the Method Wood for Good cleaner…smells like almonds and I feel good about the kids helping me with the dusting using something non-toxic.
I also love to try a new product that promises to do the work for me. But, much like the Scooba in your case, it often ends up being too good to be true!
Due to our allergies, we use Shaklee cleaning products. They are super concentrated, natural and don’t choke me when I use them. They are very effective as well. They are a little on the pricey side, but (to us) well worth it.
I am a HUGE fan of Fabulouso! I do some watered down fabulous on my floors when i mop and my whole house smells…well… fabulous! I use this for almost everything in my house. I will do fabulouso in the bathroom, on the counters ect. if i need something a little tougher for grease and what not i will use bleach too.
I’m with the Shaklee fans. The level of toxins in most household cleaners are really harmful. I love Basic H – I use all their laundry products and dish detergents. Some of the products are a bit more expensive, but the Basic H is so cost effective since you add water to it yourself. I rarely use bleach wipes – only on the toliet and when I get raw meat on the counter.
This reminds me of an episode Simpons episode in which Marge blends several household cleaners and then gets intoxicated and faints, and then she gets amnesia, hahaha.
Love this site.
Regards from Argentina
oops! didn’t proofread what I wrote above (episode Simpsons episode). Sorry for my rusty English.
I love, love. love Basic H from Shacklee. I can say this because I don’t sell it.
It cleans everything and it’s so inexpensive. It’s a concentrate. I bought a bottle 6 months ago and have enough to last the next 2 years. It’s amazing.
Hi Stephanie, Thanks for the nice comment about our kids cleaning tools. The page you linked to has moved. You can still reach it through the left navigation on the home page though. We like your blog. Thanks again!
I clean homes and these are a couple of my faves:
MicroFiber clothes
MicroFiber mops and removeable heads
Sparkle Glass Cleaner…I use it on EVERYTHING!
Oreck Vac
I just found your two blogs and love them! Thanks for being so real and giving us such great information! I am bookmarking both of them!
Karilee
I have used both Shaklee and Melaleuca in the past and would reccommend either! I am looking at trying these new Norwex products, they are totally chem free and all my friends swear by them. A google search will provide you with info!
Have bought a turbi-twist microfiber hair drying towel and found out a regular terrycloth towel worked better. in fact, I used the turbi-twist as a pattern for one out of a old terry towel
Bought a sham-wow and it didn’t soak up the water and wring out like it did for the man on TV.
I love fabulouso, too. But also like plain old sudsy ammonia for the floors: pour it out and use a swiffer mop with a old wash rag with a scotchgard non abrasive cleaner pad (you know, the dark green ones) sewn on the wash rag and take each corner of the rag and poke it in the holes of the swiffer mop, mop the floor with it starting at one end of the kitchen to the other end and then toss the rag in the wash.
I love my Oreck and it is worth ever cent! I now don’t procrastinate to vacuum my floors. I did like my Phantom Thunder and my Hoover Wind Tunnel, because they were bagless, but as you get older, they are so heavy to push around. It’s so nice to be able to pick up my Oreck with one finger. Yes, you really can!
I’d never get a Dyson. Not after I was in the line at a Best Buy and a woman in front of me was complaining to the repair man that the rotating brush was STILL not touching the floor after the repair and I figured something that cost somewhere about $500 should be able to at least work like it should. It convinced me then and there: NO Dyson.
Also please read the ingredients on anti-bacterial wipes and hand soaps. If it has TRICLOSAN as the active anti-baterial agent in it, I wouldn’t use it. My hubby is well versed in chemistry and he says that when triclosan is exposed to ultraviolet light (the sun emits ultraviolet light waves) it turns the triclosan into dioxin, which is a poison. I don’t know if the dry residue of the treated surface would still be affected, but I’d steer clear of that ingredient in wipes and hand soaps.
Also love Kirkland Powdered Laundry Detergent at Costco that you buy in buckets. It’s industrial strength, wonderfully cleans ALL of your clothes in COLD water, thus saving you money, even the whites (I have a front loader and small amount of bleach in the dispenser for the disinfecting agent for the underwear and towels in the white loads), a little goes a long way, so a bucket last a long time and you can reuse the bucket!
Hi Sarah,
not a silly question. It’s with the cleaning supplies in your supermarket, or at your hardware store. It’s not expensive at all. Here’s a picture.
I have some on hand, too. The dollar store carries it!
LOL, Jenny!! xoxo steph
huh! I haven’t heard of that, I’m going to look into it. Very interesting…
xox steph
Shari, thanks for the tip on sponges! I never realized how yucky they stay even if you clean them. I’m trying to use dishcloths as opposed to consuming & wasting paper towels.
I love my sponges with the scrubbies, but hate the germs. ….but you can microwave them and it kills all the bacteria. Get them wet, then microwave on regular power. (high) I do mine for 3 minutes. As a bonus – the steam causes all the splashes in the microwave to loosen and you can wipe right off.
Read about it here —-> http://www.webmd.com/news/20070124/microwave-kills-germs-sponges