urgent! - basic cleaning kit

Tondella · 31 October 2006 at 1:18PM

Ok, I've been reading Clare Coulson's house rules, which is a good little book about establishing habits to keep your house clean and your kitchen stocked. I've realised that, even though i love cleaning, I just don't have the right equipment.

I live in a tiny studio flat, all one room, with a galley kitchen, small shower room with sink,toilet & washing machine, and space for a bed above the bathroom. I have those slatted blinds which I periodically wipe down but haven't yet figured how to unattach from the windows to clean properly. The floors are laminate, with one large rug in the middle. The bedroom space is carpeted but I don't have a hoover. Because it is in London I have problems with hard water deposits in the shower. There are always hairs (from my head!) lurking around the bathroom and wet cloths only redistribute them!

In my cleaning kit I have:
stardrops!
soda crystals (but i only use them to add to the washing at the moment)
supermarket own brand bleach
a cotton dishcloth for the kitchen
two very cheap and tired yellow dusters
laminate furniture polish
old cloth for mopping the floor
half a lemon to bring the shower screen up

I was thinking of buying:
a good quality duster
a lint free cloth for wiping down walls etc
some ironing water

do i need anything else?

jessicamb · 31 October 2006 at 1:57PM

I wouldnt buy the ironing water - seems like a bit of a waste. Maybe a couple of microfibre cloths for all round use - and you already have stardrops.

I dont think you need to splash out a lot of money

lynzpower · 31 October 2006 at 1:59PM

Id get hold of some of the flat scourers or those plastic ones that are shaped a bit like a cloud ( sorry tough to explain) great for tiles.

You can use soda crystals in water with a splash of bleach for your tiles too

have you got a hoover? I have laminate as well and I bought a Vaxwet/dry laminate floor cleaner for about 20 quid, but it was rubbish on the rugs, so I went to robert dyas and got one of these the other day http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=311&storeId=91&productId=23257&langId=-1&cache_entry=-1&parent_category_rn=&parents_parent_category_rn=&top_category_rn=&showSubCategory=&top=Y&fromPage=SearchResults and its really pretty powerful , im impressed nad I also got a five pound RD voucher when I got it as well.

I did buy a JML microfibre mitt the other day which is great on cleaning down anything, floors, tiles, work surfaces etc 3.99 woolies

jessicamb · 31 October 2006 at 2:10PM

I did read a tip somewhere about using old socks/gloves to clean blind slats. Never tried it myself though

angeluk69_2 · 31 October 2006 at 2:18PM

don't forget to keep 2 clothes separate::

Pink for the sink (kitchen)
Blue for the Loo

Basically one for the kitchen and one for the bathroom, Microfibre is best!!!

The socks can be tied onto a old set of tongs (like salad tong things) and used on slatted blinds.....works wonders!!!!

Don;t forget vinegar for windows

Tondella · 31 October 2006 at 2:24PM

I haven't got a hoover, in fact i haven't even got anywhere to store one!

Because I dry my clothes indoors I find that they start to smell musty, so I'm trying to counteract that.

culpepper · 31 October 2006 at 2:30PM

one of those squeegees you see in poundshops for cleaning car windows is excellent for cleaning your inside windows of your house. A squirt of washing up liquid in a bucket of hot water,apply with sponge on squeegee if it has one or just any sponge.
squeegee off starting at top like the shop window cleaners do.Wipe rubber blade with cloth to get off any little bits and repeat for next window.

Tondella · 31 October 2006 at 3:15PM

culpepper wrote:

one of those squeegees you see in poundshops for cleaning car windows is excellent for cleaning your inside windows of your house. A squirt of washing up liquid in a bucket of hot water,apply with sponge on squeegee if it has one or just any sponge.
squeegee off starting at top like the shop window cleaners do.Wipe rubber blade with cloth to get off any little bits and repeat for next window.

Actually I have huge troubles with my windows, they're old fashioned sash ones, and although I'm on the ground floor because there is a basement flat beneath me it is like being on the first floor. They're absolutely filthy. Lord knows how much a window cleaner costs in london, but I have seen someone using what looked like a specialised extendable sponge mop to lean out of their sash and clean the outsides - anyone got any info on such a contraption?

topgranny · 31 October 2006 at 4:00PM

Tondella wrote:

I haven't got a hoover, in fact i haven't even got anywhere to store one!

I have a Gtech Cordless electronic sweeper which is ace. It is rechargeable and the handle comes off so that you could easily store it in a cupboard under the sink or even under the bed. I can't remember what I paid for mine, possibly about £30:eek: , but I have to say it's worth every penny. I'm sure you can get something similar from Lakeland but I did a websearch for "Gtech" and this came up, direct from the makers.

culpepper · 31 October 2006 at 4:01PM

I think betterware have extentable window squeegees.

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urgent! - basic cleaning kit

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