OS Cleaning materials - what should my basics be? 24 April 2007 at 9:23AM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Old Style MoneySaving 32 replies 16.5K views

atypicalblonde

Morning all!!

Well my title speaks for itself I think! As well as Stardrops and soda crystals, what should I be buying for my cleaning cupboards? Have just used up the millions of products I used before finding this board, and am now fully ready and willing to be converted!!

Any help appreciated for an OS-er in training xx

emmie1234

White Vinegar for cleaning glass/mirrors, Bicarbonate of Soda - you can make a paste with it and use it for the grout in your tiles, seals round your bath - I think!!! Get some kitchen cloths that you can chuck in the washer when they're dirty. Can't think of anything else at the mo, I'm quite new to this too, others will probably be able to give loads more ideas!!!!

Em

Ticklemouse

I would start with microfibre cloths - can be used for almost anything and often with just pain water.

Vinegar - for cleaning, descaling and in the WM. I use brown as I can't get hold of industrial quantities of white easily.

Bi-carb - for deodourising, cleaning, plughole unblocking.

I also admit to using bleach (not very environmentally friendly) but I don't use a lot.

If you have them, lemons are a useful cleaning and degreasing aid and are great for freshening microwaves etc.

HTH

belfastgirl23

Your local asian or chinese supermarket will sell bicarb and white wine vinegar in industrial quantities for pretty cheap.

Agree on the microfibre cloths, even without any other cleaning equipment this will bring up bathroom sinks etc. You'll need to spend about 99p or more per cloth to get decent ones - tesco value ones at 3 for £1 are rubbish.

My only non-os buys now are bleach mainly for the loo or for tea stains etc, and jif which I use once in a long while for the bath.

jcr16

baby oil for stainless steel.

Psykicpup

Dont forget those baby wipes that you use to take your make-up off (or heaven forbid on baby!) can also be used to clean finger prints off doorhandles, light switches & around plug sockets as they arent 'wet' as such - mine often get a 2nd' use (if still fairly clean) to swish & swipe while in in the bathroom!

Other than that I just buy stardrops, white vinegar, bleach & the very occasional bottle of cif with bleach (cif wit blek - love it lol)for those really stubborn jobs - actually it must have been best part of a yr since I bought that so go figure.....do have some Bi-carb but havent tried it on anything yet

poppie,s_dream

i buy
washing soda crystals
lemon juice
white vinegar
bicarb soda
stardops
supermarkets own make of sterilising fluid

i mix the bicarb with lemon for cleaning fridge ( smells nicer than vinegar) and
cooker door
washing soda down drains with half a cup of vinegar also use this in washing machine on empty once a month
stardrops and vinegar on shower screen to clean soap scum
then i try and get the family to spray a mixture of vinegar and water out of a plant spray gun after showers keeps the soap scum down
bicarb and vinegar as a paste on grouting to get rid of black marks or water marks (that orangey stuff )
that's it i think

isabellaUK

Hi just to say you can use salt to clean tea stains from cups/mugs put it in damp and just rub saves bleach taking surface off mugs

ClaireLR

Just wondered if anyone has any OS tips for cleaning laminate flooring?

Thanks x

Bollards

ClaireLR wrote: »

Just wondered if anyone has any OS tips for cleaning laminate flooring?

Thanks x

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=3218&highlight=laminate+flooring+clean

The above link has some tips - I hate cleaning mine!

atypicalblonde

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to respond. I am printing off this thread and taking it with me as my shopping list!!

Have a good day everyone xx