I might have called this post: Spring Cleaning Must Haves.
But that isn’t true. I’ve learned that the very best cleaning supplies to use are the things I already have. Whatever that stuff may be.
Because getting started is the hardest part of spring cleaning.
Getting dressed, finding my purse, and heading to the store is a sure way to drain every last drop of that elusive cleaning energy.
But if, just if, you’re thinking ahead about spring cleaning, or you’re cleaning now and feel determined to have better supplies ready the next time, here’s a best cleaning supplies list of my fave cleaning products for bigtime cleaning.
And fair warning, I’m using my affiliate links to get you to the products on Amazon. Partly so you’ll know what I’m talking about, but partly so I’ll get a teeny-tiny portion if you end up buying anything while you’re there.
Must. Be. Black.
Seriously, y’all. I get garbage happy during Spring Cleaning and I don’t need my kids crying over what I just threw away. They can’t see what’s in a black trash bag. So yay for that.
For real. If you need to tackle a strange sticky splatter that has completely hardened onto a surface, you just might be able to get it scraped up with much less effort than scrubbing would require. So many professional cleaners and the lady at Maytag who writes the instructions on cleaning glass cooktops have told me this trick. Be careful, and test/practice in an inconspicuous spot.
If you’re completely scared or don’t have a razor blade, an old gift card or credit card works well, too.
This is a must have for me. The spaces I’m dealing with during spring cleaning tend to be dustier than most, and I am oh-so-likely to use my aversion to flying-dust-induced bronchitis as a reason to not even start. The dust mask may not be comfortable (at first), but it frees me to get in and get the job done.
Right. If you need to knock down cobwebs or ceiling fan dust globs, one great excuse for not getting started is the fear of getting a glob in the eyeball. These are less ugly than the ones I have.
Bandana
If you tend to justify not cleaning because you just washed your hair (I totally understand), perhaps a headscarf/bandana would help you get going. I prefer pink, of course. There are lots of choices here, but you can get them at Walmart for cheap.
Cleaning glass? Microfiber cloths are great, but so are squeegees. And squeegies bring back that strange “Mom, can I please clean the windows??” thing that happens when kids see a window washer doing his or her job.
Rubbermaid Extendable Scrubber
Need to clean behind the toilets? (In case you’re not sure, yes, you do.) The Swiffer is great, but if the mess needs extra scrubbing (I won’t go into details, and you’re welcome for that), I love this extendable armed scrubber that lets me scrub what I need to scrub without my face needing to be right up on whatever needs scrubbing.
Dish Soap
I’m partial to Dawn, but use what you have. Dish soap is awesome for cleaning so many things. Kitchen counters, bathrooms, etc. Just be sure to buy multiple bottles and label the one that goes in the bathroom so it doesn’t accidentally end up back in your kitchen.
Officially, they’re to protect your hands. Unofficially, they’re to minimize the gross-out-ickiness issues that keep me from doing things like reaching into a drain and grabbing out a glob of hair. I kindof want to gag just thinking about that.
Could be a DustBuster, could be an attachment on your big vacuum cleaner. I have a cool vacuum-with-a-strap that came with my Oreck years ago that I love. For a big clean, I like to suck up the dust bunnies into oblivion with that thing before tackling detailed dusting.
I know. I’m I was technically a Swiffer “ambassador” but I’m saying this because I want to. There’s really nothing better for quickly, easily, and effectively dealing with dust, grime, and (my very least favorite) hair on hard surfaces. Even walls and ceilings.
The wet versions make bathroom floor cleaning so much easier because I can clean the floor (and walls) behind the toilet without bending down and putting my face near things I don’t want my face to be near. I’m also more willing to tackle the nasty stuff when I know I can throw them away.
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What are your Helpful Have Cleaning Products for spring cleaning?
I really love that you wrote “helpful haves” instead of “must haves”. Because, as you said, the best cleaning products are the ones you have right at that moment. That said, my favourite cleaning products are rags, vinegar and hot water. My mom told me–most things are cleaned with two things: water and/or friction. Makes sense.
The only thing I did not understand on your list was when you said that the dishwashing soap used in the bathroom shouldn’t be used in the kitchen. Why not? It’s not like you’d be rolling the bottle in nasty bathroom ick; you’re just squirting some soap on something. Eh, I guess that doesn’t bother me, but to each her own!
As for other great spring cleaning products that you didn’t list, I’d have to add an empty bottle of outdoor windex, filled with water and carpet cleaner. Attach the container to your house, hang up your rugs (the crappy ones and the indoor/outdoor ones) and spray them copiously with carpet cleaner/water. Let them bake in the sun for a while, and then rinse them with the hose. It works surprisingly well, and is way, way easier than any other kind of rug cleaning I’ve tried.
I think the reason to label the soap “bathroom” is so no one assumes it’s supposed to be in the kitchen. It’s not that it’s bad to use it in the kitchen – it’s just to make sure that it stays where you need it to be.
If someone is concerned about using metal razor blades, you can get plastic ones. (Amazon has many to choose from) They are, of course, not as sturdy as the metal ones, but they are far, far less likely to scratch your glass cooktop, or whatever else you might be scraping.
I just finished spring cleaning my house on Saturday. It was a *big* job, and I totally agree that it works better for me to just get going with the stuff I have on hand and at least get something done. For my kitchen, I use dish soap and hot water to wash down all of the shelves, the inside of the microwave, the fridge, etc. It’s food safe, nontoxic and I always have some on hand. Plus, it removes grease very easily, which is necessary in the kitchen.
I totally agree about the black trashbags too. We ran out on day 1, and I sent my daughter to the store to get more. She got kitchen-style white ones. Yeah, I made do with those for that day, but the next day I picked up some good old black ones. I do not need the kids sorting through the trash after it’s out of the house!
One other “good to have” thing is to have a donate bin handy. I know that you suggest a “donatable” donate bin, but I use a big plastic tote without the lid because I have one handy. It really works well for me. I fill it up, put it in the car right away and then drive to the donate place the next morning. We took it 3 times during this round of spring cleaning (probably less than we would have if I hadn’t done a massive toy go-through before Christmas), and it was great to have the bin go room to room with me so that anything that was a “donate” item went straight into the bin.
My favorite cleaning tools are Magic Erasers. They work wonders on almost everything!
Webster! Funny how I never see a spider in my house, but they sure leave a lot of cobwebs to be dealt with! Webster does the job.
I like to use microfiber clothes on my Swiffer. Works great for dusting ceilings, walls, floors as well as wet mopping. For mopping, I spray the area with my favorite all-purpose cleaner and wipe the dirt & spills away. Then I wash and re-use the microfiber clothes.
When my daughter was about five years old, she wanted her own broom and mop. I bought a child-size toy cleaning set for her that quickly fell apart. After looking for a different set, I had the great idea – and a coupon 🙂 – to buy her a Swiffer and I left out one of the rod pieces to make it shorter. She loved it and we still have it if any short people take a notion to help Mom clean!
Absolutely love this! So sweet. It seems kids really do want to help (sometimes). Note I do not have kids, but have seen nieces, etc. get into the cleaning spirit. But as a short person myself, I also like the idea of leaving a section out of the stick mop type products to make them more usable.
The very best bathroom cleaner I have found is 50% Blue Dawn and 50% White Vinegar. I usually do 2 cups of each. Heat the vinegar in the microwave for a couple of minutes then pour it into an empty spray bottle. Immediately add the Dawn and put the spray lid back on. Shake the bottle a little to mix the stuff up. We have really hard water here so soap creates a scum that closely resembles concrete. Nothing I had tried before would get rid of that scum. I sprayed the tub and shower with my Dawn/Vinegar Wonder Spray and let it sit for about 45 minutes. When I rinsed it off, I didn’t even have to scrub. I just wiped it away with cool water. The scum was completely gone!!!!! I took the empty Dawn bottle and put some of the mixture in it to use to clean the toilet bowl. ( much easier to get under the rim with the squeeze bottle and it was free!) The D/VWS worked just as well in the toilet. As a bonus, if your drains are sluggish the D/VWS seems to help that as well.
Thanks for this tip!
For a long time I didn’t wanna get a Swiffer sweeper, but I caved in last week. I was too tired to vaccum (thanks chronic illness) but I really had to do something with the dust and hair (hello allergies). WOW, why didn’t I get one earlier!
Oh and yeah on black bags. I’ve seen neighbours use the transparent ones meant for recycling. EWWW I don’t wanna see your junk!
I also got something that looks like the Rubbermaid scubber (it was a private label of the hardware store) and this thing is just amazing, specially when your back aches!
I just bought a new vacuum with a removable option. I’m gonna strap that sucker on next time!
New reader here – I love the black trash bag idea but alas not doable here. Our municipality has gone to strictly clear bags so they can see what you put in there. We’re allowed one grocery bag we can fill with ‘unmentionables’ each week along with two large (but clear!) bags.
Just finished reading your new book and that’s why I’m here.
You have a photo with the “snap on” style dustpan attached to your broom handle. That is one of my favorite things because I can FIND it when I get ready to sweep. and the little crumb brush that I found at Big Lots–a whisk broom will work too, but sometimes it is just a small space that I need to get to, and that little sucker does it right.
Also big on the Swiffer due to pets in the house and my aversion to regular sweeping. I know, Dana, I know. I’m working on it.
I am a huge fan of using what I have on hand, especially if they are non toxic, or 🌎 friendly. That being said, I just bought a Bissell Crosswave . I am telling you,so far…this is the best thing since sliced bread! I have a huge dislike of shoes, and that goes along with my even bigger aversion to dirty floors. I also hate sweeping and mopping and have some back issues…..lol. And even though this is not a spring cleaning tool, I just want to share how helpful it is in keeping the floors nice and clean fast and easy!!!