Essential Home Cleaning Kit List

Posted on 19 April 2017

Essential Home Cleaning Kit List

We all need the right kit to do the best job; professional cleaners have kit bags or cleaning trolleys depending on their job requirements so why shouldn’t you have more than just a bottle polish in the cupboard? That’s why we have compiled the essential home cleaning kit list to ensure you have the go to product or equipment to tackle that cleaning task be it a daily task or emergency clean up.

Cleaning Kit Tray

First thing you need is something to put everything in, whatever suites you really be it a bucket, a tack box or something else but a simple deep kit tray with a good tall handle works great, and can be picked up from most bargain stores these days.

Cleaning Sprays

Every cleaning kit needs to start with cleaning sprays, and we’re not talking simple polish you want cleaners that clean and do a specific job.

All Purpose Cleaner

Whether you want to buy a general cleaner or make your own with a simple recipe, a general purpose spray is essential. It is essential a general use soap and will remove general build up, if you want to use a disinfectant you can but will need to make sure you buy one that is specifically states it disinfects.

Glass Cleaner & Mirror Cleaner

One spray will clean glass and mirrors but it should be different to your general purpose cleaner or it could leave streaks. I find few people that like cleaning glass or mirrors so having a good quality glass cleaner is essential for a quick streak free finish.

Kitchen Cleaner or Degreaser

Kitchens build up greasy layers from all that cooking and even if you clean everyday at least some areas will need a little more than a general cleaner and some elbow grease. These don’t have to be toxic and if you’re inclined you can use white vinegar to make your own.

Bathroom & Sink Descaler

Anything that comes in to contact with water regularly is at risk of lime scale build up. Hard water areas are particularly at risk and will quickly build up traces of lime scale. The best form of removal is prevention, regular cleaning with a good quality lime scale remover be it a simple DIY recipe, using citric juices, a vinegar mixture or a shop bought option, combat lime scale by preventing it.

Disinfectant Cleaner

I’m not personally a fan of disinfecting everything; I believe we need to come in contact with some germs to build a resistance but having said that some areas should be disinfected, for example the bathroom, or kitchen worktops.

Specialist Cleaning Products

You always need those specialist products for when the everyday cleaners are just not quite enough.

Baking Soda

There are so many uses for baking soda why wouldn’t you have it in your cleaning kit? It works as a deodoriser on carpets, (simply sprinkle on leave for a few minutes and vacuum off)mix with a small amount of dish soap and you can use it to clean soap scum and grout or even removing scuff marks from the walls.

Rubbing Alcohol

Can act as a disinfectant so you can make your own disinfectant spray but can also help to remove sticky marks, tape etc.

The Cleaning Tools

So you have your essential solutions and products now you need to back it up with the right tools to fit the job.

Spray bottles

Unless you have gone shop bought you will need to have some spray bottles for the cleaning solutions, very cheap and reusable ones are very simple to pick up these days.

 Double Sided Sponges

Make sure you have the “non scratching” type and always carry at least two preferably in different colours, one for the bathroom one for the kitchen. They are always handy when you need that extra abrasiveness.

Toothbrush

Don’t buy them use your old one but they will come in very handy for the hard to reach corners and edges, you will be surprised how often you will reach for it, but remember clean it afterwards and always disinfect them regularly.

Rubber Gloves

Not everyone’s cup of tea and of course they are optional but I always recommend them, reduce the risk of spread of germs and keeps too many chemicals off your hands if your using shop bought solutions.

Microfiber Cloths

One of the best inventions in the cleaning industry for years, and always an essential item, they will pick up dirt as you wipe over the surface trapping it between the fibres. You must always fold them in to quarters and rotate and refold as you go to get the most out of them, it is also best to buy different colours to make sure you can identify which ones your using where, red for toilets for example. They last for ages some even up to 1000 washes but there are cheaper ones which one last as long, normally meaning their not quite as good.

Vacuum Cleaner

Most people in the UK these days own a vacuum, I know with hard floors it is tempting to just sweep it up but sweeping pushes dust in to the air and moves it around the home meaning it has to settle somewhere. When buying a vacuum though always choose the right one, if you have hard floors a non-brush type vacuum such as a Henry is fine but if you have carpets these are not as effective as an upright one with a brush such as a Dyson or Vax upright. This is because the dust and dirt gets deep in to the fibres and the rush moves those fibres around before sucking the soil up, most these days have a button to turn the brush off too, which can make them more effective on hard floors.

Mop

I’m not going to include a bucket in this one as these days you don’t always need them, Vileda and some other brands now have a detachable Microfiber mop head which you can wash in the sink or throw in the washing machine with some other items. Plus they now do the spray handle, meaning you put the floor cleaner in the mop reducing the amount of water you need and the space required for storage.

(Optional) Steam Mop

If you have a lot of tiled or hard floors I would always recommend a steam mop, once you have mopped a floor the standard way, if you run a steam mop over you will typically by amazed at the condition of the mop head, a definite recommendation for someone who like to keep a very clean home.

No you have your kit sorted you need to store it, always try and fine a good space out of the way but consistent, this kit keeps everything to a minimum but will still take up some room. The cupboard under the sink always seems to be the normal place for the cleaning supplied and if that is your intention make sure your bottles and kit tray are not too big that they fit, and there is no harm in keeping your mop elsewhere just make sure it’s always in the same place.