Housecleaning often presents a near continuous flow of tasks to be done, as recently cleaned areas begin accumulating dust and dirt immediately. Allowing yourself to become stressed or disorganized in your housecleaning routine will tend to make the tasks seem more pressing and less enjoyable. One technique for helping you get your cleaning done quickly and effectively is to create a home housecleaning kit. Creating a kit will ensure that you have every necessary supply, and that they are all in one convenient place. The guide below will outline some of the essential components of a housecleaning kit.
#1. Purchase a cleaning caddy. A caddy is the essential foundation for a housecleaning kit, as it is used to store and carry all of your cleaning supplies. Plastic caddies are available in a variety of sizes from both general merchandise retailers and specialty stores that sell cleaning and organizing products.
#2. Select an all-purpose cleaner for your kit. Perhaps the most important and useful cleaning product in a kit is an all-purpose cleaning spray. This spray can be used for wiping down many surfaces, including walls, countertops, railings, vanities, tables, and other furniture. Many of these sprays are available in all-natural formulations with pleasing scents.
#3. Add a mild abrasive cleaner to your cleaning kit. Abrasive cleaners are often packaged as either powders or thick creams. This type of cleaner is suitable for areas that tend to build up thick grime and therefore need to be scrubbed rather than simply wiped down. Bathtubs, bathroom tile, toilet bowls, and utility sinks are all areas that are best cleaned using a mild abrasive.
#4. Consider adding a disinfecting product to your cleaning kit. Cleaning products designed specifically to kill microorganisms are available in both spray bottles and pre-moistened wipes. This type of cleaner is useful for cleaning bathroom surfaces (such as toilet flush handles) and areas of your kitchen countertop that have contacted uncooked meat or fish.
#5. Keep distilled vinegar and baking soda at hand. Vinegar and baking soda are 2 natural, inexpensive, and versatile products for cleaning. Vinegar can be diluted with water and used to clean windows or kill mold and mildew. Baking soda can be used alone as a scrub, added to other cleaning products, or used to absorb odors.
#6. Purchase several types of cleaning cloths for your kit. Microfiber cloths are great in conjunction with all-purpose cleaner for wiping down surfaces. You should also have several terrycloth towels on hand, as they are more absorbent than microfiber and can be used to clean up spills and other large messes.
#7. Save an old toothbrush for use in your housecleaning kit. Toothbrushes are effective for cleaning around hard-to-reach edges, such as around faucets and handles. They are generally cheaper than specialty brushes designed for cleaning these areas.
#8. Select a broom and dustpan for your kit. A broom has long been an essential tool for cleaning floors, although in many applications it can be replaced with a disposable microfiber cleaning tool. Long-handled brooms are best for general use, while a handheld brush is effective for cleaning hard-to-reach spots like underneath furniture.
#9. Use a mop and bucket for deep-cleaning floors. When buying a mop, make sure to buy a few replacement mop heads as well, as they get soiled quickly. Mops can also be replaced in many applications by disposable microfiber cleaning tools. I will recommend space saver mops which doesn’t need a bucket that are available in some stores.
#10. Get a vacuum cleaner for cleaning rugs, carpet, and upholstery. A vacuum cleaner is an indispensable tool for cleaning dust from soft surfaces like carpet. A small “stick” vacuum will usually be adequate for small apartments, but for cleaning a larger home you should opt for a more powerful upright vacuum.
Tips:
- Rubber gloves can be worn during cleaning to protect your hands from the drying effect of many cleaning products.
- An apron is handy for allowing you to carry around several cleaning products at once, but it will not be able to completely replace a caddy.
- Because large tools like brooms, mops, and vacuum cleaners will not fit in a portable caddy, it is a good idea to keep them all in one place. A laundry room, closet, or utility room is a good option.
Things You’ll Need for Checklist
- Caddy
- All-purpose cleaner
- Mild abrasive
- Disinfecting cleaner
- Distilled vinegar
- Baking soda
- Microfiber cloths
- Terrycloth towels
- Toothbrush
- Broom
- Dustpan
- Mop
- Bucket
- Vacuum cleaner
Source:
http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/bathroom/home-cleaning-supplies-checklist-00000000000205/index.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Home-Housecleaning-Kit
