Home Cleaning Supplies

When the time comes to clean house, it’s important that I get organized beforehand. This means removing clutter, moving furniture if necessary and gathering my home cleaning supplies. This saves time in the long run, as everything I need is gathered ahead of time. In this article, I’ll discuss what I use, why I use it, and some methods I use for cleaning.

When gathering my home cleaning supplies, I like to put everything in one central area, usually the kitchen. The reason for this is, other than it being obviously efficient; the kitchen is the last place that I’ll clean. So, in the kitchen, I’ll gather a bucket, two sponges, a mop, the vacuum, some glass cleaning solution (like Windex), some general-purpose cleaning solution (like 409), some tub and sink scrubbing solution (like Ajax) and some hardwood floor cleaning solution (like Pine Sol). Lastly, for mirrors, I’ll gather up some old newspapers, the use of which I’ll explain later.

I usually go from highest elevation in my house to lowest, meaning generally ceiling, ceiling fans, walls, horizontal furniture surfaces (like tables and furniture), and then the floors. To avoid having to go back and re-clean, this is the most efficient way. For the ceiling and fans, I’ll use the vacuum’s long hose attachment, going over most if not all of the surface area. A moist sponge works well for getting the top side of fan blades. Home cleaning supplies don’t need to be complicated or expensive, and a good sponge is still my preferred choice.

Continuing with the walls, and down to the furniture, the vacuum will again get most of this work done. Attachments for most situations are provided, and the key is thoroughness and attention to detail. For the windows I use regular Windex and paper towels. For the hard surfaces I use the general-purpose cleaner, usually 409, and paper towels. I’ve found that using rags or cloths results in built up residue, and more laundry to do later.

For mirrors, I learned a trick many years ago from my time in the military. For some reason, newspaper and Windex does a remarkable job cleaning these, leaving behind literally no streaks or wipe marks. I’ve yet to find a better way to clean mirrors. The remaining home cleaning supplies will be used in the kitchen, the bathroom and the floors. These are the bucket and mop, the Ajax and the Pine Sol.

Home cleaning supplies in the bathroom, I spread Ajax in the toilet, sink and tub. I scrub with a brush, and then rinse with warm water. Same in the kitchen sink. The 409 takes care of cabinets and counter tops, along with the appliances.

With everything else done, I mix a couple tablespoons of Pine Sol in hot water in the bucket. It’s important that I not use too much, as it’s very concentrated, and I have pets who I don’t want to overwhelm with the fumes. After a thorough vacuuming, I mop all the hardwood floor area, and usually rinse out and refill the bucket after each room.

With a little planning, and not much expense, utilizing home cleaning supplies doesn’t need to be a hassle.