October 27, 2015
Keeping It Clean – Essential Products for a Spotless Home
Now that you’re a homeowner (or about to be one), you’ll need to lay in some important items that you may not have considered when you either lived with roommates who handled the day-to-day workings of the household or with your family. There are so many things that you would just reach for, never thinking about where they came from or how they got there.
In a new series of blog posts, we’re going to talk about some of the everyday things you use all the time, but won’t be provided when you purchase a new home. You’ll need to put aside some additional cash around closing time – not just to get through the closing process itself, but also to outfit your new place.
Today we’re going to talk about the essential cleaning products that you’ll need to have on hand to keep your home spic and span:
- All-purpose spray cleaner or pre-moistened cleaning wipes
- Glass cleaner
- Scouring cleanser (Many housekeepers have two – a more powerful one for tougher surfaces such as bathtubs, and a gentle one for cleaning stoves, stainless steel and other scratch-prone surfaces.)
- Furniture polish
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- All-purpose bathroom cleaner or wipes
- Shower cleaner/mildew remover
- Goo-gone (for removing sticky residues)
- Mr. Clean Erasers (for difficult to remove stains)
- Oven cleaner
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Dish Soap (If you have a dishwasher, make sure you always have both the automatic and hand-wash varieties on hand…)
- Laundry Soap
- Laundry Stain Remover
- Fabric Softener
- Bleach (Chlorine bleach for white laundry and general cleaning, non-chlorine bleach for colored laundry)
- Air Fresheners
- Fabric Fresheners (including carpet fresheners)
- Disinfectant cleaner such as Pine-Sol
- Floor/wood cleaner such as Murphy’s Oil Soap
- Broom and Dustpan
- Mop or floor cleaning machine – The old-fashioned mop and mop-squishing bucket your grandma and mom used for years might still be your choice, or you may prefer a handy device such as a Swiffer Wet Jet or Bissel Steam Floor Cleaner. It’s entirely up to you which one you go with, but unless your entire home is wall-to-wall carpet, something to tackle dirty floors is a must!
- Vacuum Cleaner – If you have pets that shed, make sure to pick up one of the units designed to combat pet hair!
- Feather duster or Swiffer dusting system
- Toilet Brush and Plunger
- Trash bags
- Sponges/Cleaning Cloths/Scrubbers/Scrub Brush
- Paper Towels
- Microfiber Towels
- Bucket
- Rubber Gloves