Help with basic cleaning supplies

ZenLikeBalance · 10 March 2017 at 11:52AM

Hi all,

I'm finally about to move and I’m looking for help. At my last place (rented) the entire under sink cupboard in the kitchen, and the under sink unit in the bathroom were dedicated to cleaning products. Then the only other big cupboard was filled with the hoover, mops, brooms etc… The place was no cleaner for it I hasten to add. I just want simple things that clean well, I’m not avoiding chemicals or anything. Everything is pretty much brand new so there should be no built up anything to contend with. I’ve read all the glowing reviews for e-cloths so I was tempted to get:

Glass and polishing cloth for use on stainless only
Window cloth
Hob and oven cloth (I have an induction hob)
Shower pack x2, one for the bathroom, and one for the kitchen tiles
Bathroom pack
Kitchen pack
Dusters x2
Deep clean mop

Other supplies:
Stardrops spray (for the kitchen surfaces, toilet seat etc…)
Bleach
Washing-up liquid
Sponge
Rubber gloves, x2
Water spray bottle

Equipment (already have):
Hoover
Steamer
Floor dust swoosher thingy
Dustpan and brush
Toilet brush

That would give me 16 different cleaning cloths!!! I’d likely have to sew on labels for what each one was for, and make some sort of system to hang them up after use. They're expensive at the start, but pay for themselves over time (apparently??).

Is this sensible? Have I missed anything?

I have a completely clean slate as it were, so may as well start right.

Thanks in advance

jackyann · 10 March 2017 at 11:58AM

I am a great fan of e-clean cloths. I use a colour code system.

I pretty well have what you have listed. I keep one stardrops in the bathroom, and have 1 diluted to spray in the kitchen if needed, but the kitchen e-cloth I use is brilliant at cleaning work surfaces.

I also have a rag bag and use that for ordinary dusters, loo seat cleaners, mopping up spills insyead of 'proper' cloths

Out,_Vile_Jelly · 10 March 2017 at 12:22PM

I spent a summer working in an American motel cleaning up to ten bedrooms daily before check in. This is the equipment we used:

-towel rags
-sheet rags
-general cleaner
-glass cleaner
-hoover

They made up their own cleaning fluids on site from bulk-bought chemicals, but I keep the same principles.

You most definitely do not need separate products for kitchen and bathroom- what a marketing scam!

rosie383 · 10 March 2017 at 12:33PM

Agreed that you don't need loads.
Also, life is too short to sew labels on cleaning cloths. Just have different colours.
My friend is an amazing cleaner and recommended that I follow this. Blue or green for the bathroom, pink or whatever for the kitchen. Star drops spray (home made of course) for pretty much anything including the induction hob.

jk0 · 10 March 2017 at 12:53PM

Here I have:

Dishcloths that are boil washed weekly for most cleaning jobs.
Chammy leather for windows.
Cif cream
Ecover cleaner diluted in a spray bottle does most things.
Ecover toilet cleaner.
Oven pride
Green scourers.
For cleaning ceramic hobs I use Bar Keeper's Friend powder.
Edit: Forgot Limelite.

ZenLikeBalance · 10 March 2017 at 1:26PM

Like the idea of a simple colour code system. I'm glad you said that as i'm not a very good at sewing.

ZenLikeBalance · 10 March 2017 at 1:38PM

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I spent a summer working in an American motel cleaning up to ten bedrooms daily before check in. This is the equipment we used:

-towel rags
-sheet rags
-general cleaner
-glass cleaner
-hoover

They made up their own cleaning fluids on site from bulk-bought chemicals, but I keep the same principles.

You most definitely do not need separate products for kitchen and bathroom- what a marketing scam!

Interesting how they used so little and nothing fancy. Yes, they probably cleaned more often, but still it goes to show that those 17 different types of cleaner I used to have were not necessary.

caronc · 10 March 2017 at 1:49PM

Stardrops, vinegar, zoflora, "Elbow Grease" are my mainstays for most everything. Bleach for the loos and drains and that's about it

Ilona · 10 March 2017 at 3:52PM

Unless your hobby is cleaning, or you have a phobia about germs, you don't need half of what's on that list. Fancy cleaners for different jobs are a marketing ploy, they seem to be forever inventing new bottles of this and that, just to increase sales. Most of it is not needed.

Under my sink I have a bottle of cheap wash up liquid, use it sparingly for the dishes in the sink, and dilute it with water in a spray bottle and use it to wipe surfaces down in the kitchen and bathroom. A bottle of cheap bleach to clean the toilets. I clean windows outside twice a year with water. I wash my car with bath water. One can of spray polish lasts me a year.

My cloths are cut up old towels, pillowcases, and sheets. I would never buy a cleaning cloth.

Housework is at the bottom of my priority list, I do just enough to keep it reasonably clean and tidy.

Ilona

ZenLikeBalance · 10 March 2017 at 4:57PM

Thanks everyone,

Perhaps i'm switching 17 products for 17 cloths. I want a more simple life, my natural way is to complicate everything though.

rach_k · 10 March 2017 at 6:52PM

You don't need all the different packs of e-cloths. Just a couple of the cloths will do the same things - they're just different colours and marketed differently! I have a couple of the stainless steel ones for the oven and hob, a few of the glass ones (windows, mirrors, microwave door, kettle, polishing the hob, tiles in the kitchen and bathroom plus anything else shiny) and two mop pad things. I only have multiples of the same ones because I tend to use them and then put them in the washing basket rather than rinsing them out and hanging them to dry ready to use again, so you could definitely manage with fewer.

In addition to those, I have some dusters and some general purpose cotton cloths (we use these instead of paper kitchen roll), plus a couple of scourer sponges for pans and the bathroom (different ones!).

Unless you plan to keep a set in each room, you don't need to buy all of the packs. I'd suggest something a bit scrubby and a glass cloth to see how you go, plus some supermarket dusters and scourers.

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Help with basic cleaning supplies

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