What and How Much to buy for 6 months cleaning?

Norman_Bean

Morning gang.

I'm off to the UK for Christmas and want to stock up on cleaning 'stuff'.
I'm a bit confused as to what to get and hope you can help ....

I'm going to buy:

Stardrops - is it a liquid? Is is concentrated? what do you clean with it? I know I can get it in Sainsburys x How much should I get for 6 months of cleaning? Can I use this instead of my anti-bac spray for kitchen surfaces etc?

White Vinegar - cleaning windows? get it in supermarket I guess x

Bicarbonate of soda - How much for 6 months? does it come in anything bigger than the little baking pot size?

Microfibre cloths - I'm going to buy them as you all rave about them but I've no idea what you use them for or what they do??!!

What do OSers clean toilets with? I use Toilet Duck at the moment!

Is there anything I need for my OS cleaning kit?

We have a large house with bathrooms, shower and 3 toilets...bamboo flooring in lounge and slate in the kitchen ... wooden staricase and floorbaords on landing, carpet in bedrooms... I'm not big on cleaning but all that's going to change in 2010 House is pretty dusty as we also have some exposed stone walls and beams .... I just hoover those once in a blue moon

I won't be back in UK until summer so want to make sure I have everything i need and enough of it x

Sorry for all the questions! Thanks so much fo your help :A I want to get a list compiled in next day or so x

Norman x

Olliebeak

I use Asda SmartPrice Toilet Cleaner - 24p a bottle which lasts me around 3wks. As it doesn't have a 'bendy nozzle', I keep an old Toilet Duck bottle to decant it into - just makes using it that bit easier .

Soda Crystals are good for cleaning with - great for unblocking drains and adding to soap powder for laundry.

Norman_Bean

Thanks Olliebeak ... never heard of soda crystals - I'll get those too then. Supermarket? I don't use powder I buy Aldi washing liquid ... is it more economical?
I forgot to say ASDA is the only supermarket I won't have access to :mad:

Maybe I'll get Tesco etc equivilant of TD then.

Thanks again and sorry once more for the cleaning ignorance - as you can probably tell I'm a domestic sloven

Norman x

morwenna

Morning Norman

Stardrops are concentrated, you don't need to use much. In fact I did put a lot in my mop bucket once and it left the floor sticky, so go easy. You can use them on any hard surface, floors, baths & basins and we have even washed the car with them! Makes a good emergency washing up liquid too, although I know a lady who never uses anything else to wash her dishes..

I use a damp microfibre cloth for dusting - no other product required. The fibres of the cloth pick up dust, sort of "grabs" it and doesn't just spread it around. If you want a shine, you can buff afterward with a dry cloth too. Good for buffing up the taps in the bathroom too.

I would second Olliebeaks suggestion of soda crystals, excellent for shifting grease. I use them about once a month down the kitchen sink too, cover the plughole with crystals and rinse them down with a kettle of hot water. gets rid of any grease build up in the pipes.

Norman_Bean

Thanks Morwenna

Where do I get SC from? How much/many for 6 months cleaning?

Got to go out now so I'll check back later!

Ohhh getting excited about cleaning now!!

Norm x

cyclingyorkie

soda crystals are fantstic! I halve the amount of detergent used and add soda crystals to the wash - its brill. Once a month I put a cup of soda crystals in the washer and run it through on the hottest wash! One machine degunked!

Trazy

I was in Iceland yesterday and they have the stardrops range - bathroom, kitchen and gen purpose cleaner as well as the original. For 6 months I would probably buy 6 of each even though that may be too much, better than not enough
Trace

rosieben

Soda crystals are usually on the bottom cleaning shelf amd I've found them in all the supermarkets. Here's a pic so you know what to look for

I only buy the original stardrops. I think when the company was taken over a couple of years ago, they decided to try the same old ploy to get us to spend more money - selling different cleaners for different purposes. Its not necessary. The only other one of their products I've bought is the Starclens which has ammonia in it for really tough cleaning jobs like my oven

Norman_Bean

Thanks Rosieben - now know what I'm looking for :beer:

Thanks Trace! That sounds like a lot of cleaning Will check out Iceland x

Cyclingyorkie - Thanks x so you put the soda crystals in the drawer with the washing powder? <thicko icon>

So do I need to get the white vinegar and bicarb or not? Does anyone use those?

Norman x

easy

Trazy wrote: »

I was in Iceland yesterday and they have the stardrops range - bathroom, kitchen and gen purpose cleaner as well as the original. For 6 months I would probably buy 6 of each even though that may be too much, better than not enough
Trace

I didn't know stardrops came in different varieties, I only ever use the original, and agree that it can be used for all hard-surface cleaning. Plus, I use it in a bucket of water if I have to mop up dog-sick (or worse) from the carpet.

I have to say that "For 6 months I would probably buy 6 of each" sounds like an AWFUL lot of cleaning products. I guess I get thru about one bottle of original stardrops per month, and don't buy the other stuff at all. Perhaps I'm just a slattern?

cyclingyorkie

i Use white vinegar instead of fabric conditioner! Brilliant and cheap!

After the WM has had a soda crystal hot wash I give it a white vinegar one to ensure all the pipes are sparkling.

Soda crystals - i put them either in the drawer..or in the drum in a dosing ball!

I put half a cup of bicarb in the fridge - it's brill at absorbing smells.

If I have milk spill on the carpet I wash it - then if it still smells I sprinkle bicarb on the dry carpet...;eave overnight...then hoover the next day!