14 Essential Things For Effective House Cleaning

House cleaning is a huge part of life. No matter what, I don’t think there’s any household that doesn’t take part in some form of cleaning or the other. Some people may clean more than others and one person’s house cleaning might be more effective than the other person.

Whether you clean regularly or not, I bet you’d find this list of essential things for effective house cleaning useful.

1) Microfibre Cloths

Microfibre cloths perform better than cotton cloths because they hold more water, they do not leave scratches or lint, they grab more dirt and are easier to clean and maintain. Use them dry for dusting and wet for cleaning. They clean almost everything such as toilets, sinks, countertops, floors, walls, stainless steel appliances and even mirrors or glass.

2) Brushes

We all need different types of brushes for cleaning our homes. Personally, I feel that the least anyone should have should include toilet brushes, scrubbing brushes, dusting brushes, bottle brushes, and toothbrushes. Yes, toothbrushes! They are very convenient for cleaning not only our teeth but also small and hidden corners that larger brushes cannot reach.

3) Spray Bottles

Spray bottles are always convenient for cleaning. You could use them for only water or for refilling cleaning products that come in larger containers which are only good for storage and not day to day use. There are times when you might need to mix different products together like vinegar and water or any other products you like to mix. The spray bottles are very useful for such.

4) White Vinegar

I’m a huge fan of using white vinegar for different things around the house and cleaning happens to be one of them. Vinegar is a very good and handy cleaning agent and it is quite affordable. It could be used to clean a whole lot of things such as windows, washing machines, towels, carpet, glue, and dishwashers. I also use it to wash fruits and veggies because it is very good with removing bacteria and pesticides from farm products. It is acidic and should however not be used on marble countertops, stone floors, wooden floors and walls, and iron as it could etch them.

5) Multi-surface Cleaners

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of multi-surface cleaners to choose from. These are cleaners that are used to clean different surfaces such as the kitchen sinks, stoves, countertops, windows, bathrooms, and floors, just to mention a few actually. Some popular brands include Clorox, Mr. Clean, Purell, and Honest. There are lots of organic options out there too.

6) Pure Baking Soda

Yes. Baking soda. This little white powder does more magic than leavening your baked snacks. It is powerful and cleans so well without leaving scratches. Sometimes, it is even more magical when combines with vinegar. Some of the things that baking soda could clean include the oven, washing machine, burned pots, cutlery, grease, coffee stains on cups, stinky air and stained marble. Baking soda could also be used to unclog a sink drain.

7) Dishwashing & Washing Liquid

Every household needs dishwashing liquid to wash their dirty dishes. It is used both with hands or in the dishwasher. The washing liquid is also needed for laundry and for washing other household items, especially cleaning items. In this case, you could decide to go for either the washing liquid or washing powder, whichever works best for you.

8) Mop/Bucket

Mops and buckets are used for cleaning majorly floors. There are a number of different types of mops but the most popular is the wet mop that cleans floors. After mopping the floors, they are washed and kept to dry.

9) Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is the solution you need for all your everyday cleaning. The good thing is that you can use it anywhere around the house from cleaning the kitchen to the bathroom to the living room. It is a very good substitute for bleach as it also kills germs and serves as a disinfectant. It can easily be used to sanitize your toilets as well as make your sinks and countertops shiny again.

10) Duster

Different items could be used as dusters. Dusting is a way of getting rid of dust or any other like particles from surfaces. Some people prefer to use microfibre cloths or regular cotton cloths. Other people like to use the feather dusters or the bendable extendable duster. Whatever works for you.

11) Furniture Polish

Furniture polish is a cleaning fluid used for polishing mainly wooden furniture. It gives it the shine it needs and also protects it from wear and tear thereby increasing longevity.

12) Vacuum Cleaner

For those who have carpets and rugs, vacuum cleaners are essential. A vacuum cleaner uses air to suck up dirt and dust. It is very easy and convenient. and helps in keeping the carpet free from particles and dust. There are so many types with different functions, but a typical vacuum cleaner would clean dirt and dust by sucking it up. Some have brushes that brush up the carpet too.

13)Disinfecting Cleaning Wipes

These wipes are very convenient, handy and effective. They pick the dirt, clean and sanitize. They are good for the house, our cars, offices and almost everything. You can use them to wipe counters, door handles, lap, phones, computer, tv and lots of things. Sometimes, I use them to clean some of my kid’s toys.

14) Paper Towel

Paper towels are mostly used to dry hands and wipe out messes. It could be used to clean the fridge, cooker, countertops, sink area as well as wipe wet dishes. It is easy and convenient because all you have to do is discard after use.

I know everyone uses almost all of these items, but I hope you found at least one thing new and useful. I would love to hear what on this list is your favorite and which one you don’t really use. Please leave your comments in the comment box below.