We’re covering the whole house and what you’ll need to keep it sparkling clean.
Whether you’re new to cleaning, or new to the US, chances are you’re confused by the many aisles of cleaning products in your local stores. We’ve put together a list of our favorites and how we use them.
Windex: We can all agree that windex is the leader in glass cleaning. It’s probably the one product that’s universal in most homes. Use it with paper towels or microfiber cloths for a lint-free shine.
Here, you have a few options, we all use different products. To start off, you’ll need a mop and bucket. This is a popular one. Most of these cleaners need to be diluted with water; read the instructions.
- All Purpose Floor Cleaners. Pine Sol Original, Mr. Clean, or Fabuloso are all different options we use. We all prefer different ones but they are interchangeable (make sure you can stand the scent before you buy the huge price club version).
- Bona is special for wood floors. See this post on using Bona. Another popular option would be Murphy Oil Soap.
- Dishwashing Detergent. Cascade Platinum Plus. We find these dishwasher pods to be the best in every test. Pop them into your dishwasher, no mess or measuring required.
- Dish Soap. Palmolive or Dawn are top choices for dishwashing. We also like the more stylish bottles from Method that aren’t an eyesore when they’re on the counter.
- All Purpose Spray Cleaner. Fantastik or 409 are top picks as an all-purpose cleaner – kitchen countertops, metal chair legs, etc. If you don’t like the chemical smells, Method also has a nice range of plant-based all purpose cleaners.
- You’ll also need sponges (it’s good to have 2 colors for meat and dairy) and steel wool for scrubbing those stubborn pots. Barkeeper’s Friend gives a good shine to the outside of your pots.
Clorox Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner: This is a great option for the whole bathroom, including fiberglass showers and bathtubs.
Soft Scrub or Barkeeper’s Friend: For sinks (stainless and porcelain) and enameled bathtubs, just scrub and rinse from the top down. Note: Soft Scrub comes in bleach and non-bleach versions. We save the bleach version for grout whitening and once-in-a-while scrubbing. This helps eliminate clothing mishaps.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Again, we turn to Clorox for a deep clean. You’ll need a stiff toilet brush to complete the job. Even better: You can go with the Clorox Toilet Wand instead of a brush and toss the head after each use.
- Detergent. Some prefer liquid and others prefer powder detergent. It’s a personal choice. No matter which version you use, Tide is the most popular.
- Stain Spray. It’s a good idea to spray stains to pretreat some stains that might prove to be stubborn. Oxi Clean is a basic, but we’ve also tried some other options on our more stubborn stains. See this post for more stain solutions.
- Optional: Fabric Softener (in the wash) and Dryer Sheets (in the dryer) are other items people use to enhance the results.
For a basic guide to laundry and some of our favorite laundry products, check out this post.
- You’ll also need a broom and dustpan. See this post for our favorite for large spaces and this post for another favorite that’s light and convenient.
- A vacuum! See this post for a cheap option and this for the most convenient and user-friendly option.
There are some extra products that aren’t quite necessary but we like to use:
- The Pink Stuff for tough stains on quartz countertops (or Barkeepers Friend Soft Cleanser Liquid), or to clean burnt or greasy pots/pans (or powdered Barkeepers Friend).
- Downy Wrinkle Release – for clothes and linens
- Swiffer Dusters. These are great for getting under appliances, above door/window frames, ceiling fans – basically anything you can’t easily reach with a rag.
There are more tips and cleaning favorites in these posts!
No Cleaning Help? The Easy, Quick, and Practical Way to Clean the Bathroom
A Small Apartment Cleaning Schedule: Newlywed Edition
How to Maintain and Clean Appliances
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