WHATS IN YOUR CLEANING KIT?

If you’ve been to the supermarket lately, looking for a cleaner of sorts, you will find glass cleaner, tile cleaner, mirror cleaner, bathroom cleaner, kitchen cleaner, multi-surface cleaner and the list is endless. And then there are cloths…dish cloth, tea cloth, microfiber cloth, polishing cloth…
and there are all sorts of mops and brushes and scrubs and suddenly…you don’t know what to buy and what to leave. It’s overwhelming! So I’ve tried to narrow it down to just the basic things you should have in your home cleaning kit.

1.     Cloths: Microfibre cloths are the best thing that happened to cleaning. Just like a gecko sticks to the wall using gazillion tiny hairs on their feet, so does a microfibre cloth hold on to dirt with its millions of hairs (hence "Microfibre"). So when you’re wiping dusty surfaces, you won’t be pushing dust around, you'll be attracting them. Microfibre cloths are also absorbent and are great for cleaning glass, polished tiles and stainless steel. You can keep about a dozen for your home. Although these are expensive cloths, they are highly efficient and last a very long time. Just don’t wipe grease as it will lose its static powers. And since they come in so many colours, you could assign specific colours for specific areas. I use red in the bathroom. Also keep a couple of dusters (small towel rags) for tough jobs like cleaning mud or grease, and a floor rag to handle spills.

Microfibre mop (Image source)

2.     Mops: If you have ceramic tiled floors you can use common mops also known as deck mops. They carry plenty of water and are cheap. Keep two of these so that you alternate their use; using the first mop one day as the second one is drying up and then switching again the following day. If you have wooden floors, however, you know water is not your friend. The microfibre mop is perfect for this, since you can wring it completely, leaving it just damp enough to clean your hardwood floors. What type of mop are you currently using in your home? Please share in the comments so we know how many people actually use the microfibre mop.

3.     Scrubbing Pads: When cleaning your bath tub, you’ll probably need to scrub it. If it's only a shower only and no tub, you can use a brush to scrub the floor. For the bath tub or tiles, however, it's easier to use a scrubbing pad since is works well with a scouring agent like Vim. They come in many colours. Some are non-scratch others are course and tough. I find scrubbing pads more efficient than hand brushes, but of course it all depends on what you are cleaning.

Cleaning supplies (Image source)

4.     Cleaning Products: Get a multipurpose liquid soap for general cleaning such as ceramic floors and counter tops. Remember to add just a few drops into your water since it can be harsh and may require more water to rinse off. Dish liquid soap is perfect for dishes of course, as well as natural stone finishes such a granite and marble counter tops. You also need a disinfectant like Dettol or Savlon and a scouring powder like Vim or Pride, which are great of bathtubs and sinks. Of course these are all manufactured or artificial products. If you want to use home made products, then see this post which gives a few pointers.

5.     Spray Bottles: I love spray bottles. When cleaning windows, it's a lot quicker and easier to spritz solution onto the windowpanes and wipe clean using a microfiber cloth or good ol’ newspaper. You don’t need a bucket or rag which will that just add streaks. You can use spray bottles to evenly distribute soap onto your bathroom tiles or counter tops then wipe clean – less water, less soap, less rinsing, less time to clean, more time for yourself.

Nitrile gloves (Image source)

6.     Cleaning Gloves: You’ll need these in the bathroom. There are many types; from industrial, gardening and cotton gloves to disposable, latex and Nitrile cleaning gloves. I prefer Nitrile gloves since they last longer than the latex gloves we find in our supermarkets. Nitrile gloves are usually green or is it blue? Turquoise? Aqua?! You may have to get these from a cleaning supplies distributor.

7.     Brushes: Sometimes you need something with more direct or focused impact. A Toothbrush is sometimes necessary for cleaning the grout between the bathroom tiles, toilet seat hinges and round the base of faucets. Nail brushes can also be used here but they would be even more useful when cleaning sliding door tracks…which almost never get cleaned (for those of you with shower booths or sliding windows). A small hand brush would be useful to clean the area where the back splash meets your kitchen counter-top or perhaps your plastic dish dish- or spice-rack.  A bigger brush is necessary for outdoor cleaning of concrete slabs or terrazzo floors. A broom and dust pan to sweep your floors is an absolute must-have.

8. Buckets: With all the variety, sizes ad colours available, you are really spoilt for choice here. Perhaps I could mention that you should keep your cleaning buckets separate from your laundry buckets!

With these tools and supplies, you're well-equipped to keep your home clean and classy. If your budget allows, go forth and get a vacuum cleaner. New ones don't cost too much or you could consider checking olx or Facebook for a used one. Stay clean. Love your home and it will love you back!

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