The essential products I never clean with out.
As a professional cleaner, I often get asked what cleaning products I use. These days, there are so many options available in the supermarket, and choosing the right products can be hard!
Through years of experience, I’ve identified certain products that are a must-have in my cleaning bucket. They do the job well, and they provide a huge bang for your buck.
So today, I’m going to share with you the 7 products that I swear by as a professional cleaner. With these 7 things in your cleaning bucket, you can pretty much clean just about anything.
1. Lemon Pine Sol
Lemon Pine Sol is hands down my favorite cleaner, and I have never cleaned with out it. It is my “hero” product one could say. It is a multi-surface cleaner and deodorizer with a fresh lemon scent. I use this product for its deodorizing element and sanitizing capabilities. Although it’s not a disinfectant (only regular pine sol is), the deodorizing element breaks down urine and neutralizes odors.
This product works well on a variety of surfaces. I use it to clean baseboards, furniture, hardwood and regular flooring, toilets, sinks, and even wipe down walls.
Also, Lemon Pine Sol is a concentrated cleaner that can be diluted for most cleaning jobs, so one bottle goes a long way!
It’s budget-friendly and leaves your home smelling nice and fresh. It is one of the only non toxic products that never give me a headache.
2. Microfiber cloth
Who needs disposable paper towels when you can buy reusable microfiber cloths for everyday cleaning?
These soft microfiber cloths are great for cleaning virtually any surface. Since they’re non-abrasive, you can use them to clean windows and glass surfaces without worrying about causing scratches.
They also capture tiny dust particles, so you can wipe down surfaces without leaving streaks. Plus, they come in a variety of colors, so I often get different colors for different rooms. This way, I don’t mix up the rags used for cleaning the bathroom with other rooms.
3. Windex Multi-Surface Cleaner
This is the next must-have in my bucket. This product is great for cleaning bathrooms, tiles, and flooring. In addition to regular flooring, Windex is an excellent cleaner for hardwood and laminate flooring as well. I mix this with Pine Sol for almost all my floor cleaning.
People often feel that they need to buy different cleaners for different flooring, be it tiles or hardwood, but this simply isn’t the case. Windex is a great all-in-one cleaner that you can use across different types of flooring. The only flooring it cannot be used on is marble.
4. Clorox Clean Up
I use Clorox Clean Up to get rid of tough shower mold, coffee stains from sinks, and as a disinfectant for toilets. It removes bacteria as well as neutralizes odors.
I try not to clean with it until after I’ve let it sit for a while. I usually spray it in the shower and toilet, open a window (or turn on the vent), leave the room and let it do its work for 30 minutes.
The fumes can be very strong, but unfortunately there are just some things natural cleaners won’t get out, no matter how hard you scrub!
5. Reusable rubber gloves
When using strong cleaners like Clorox Clean Up, it’s always best to wear rubber gloves to avoid any direct contact with your skin. These rubber gloves are reusable, and they literally fit like a glove, so you can work comfortably in them.
When buying gloves for cleaning, try to get ones with non-slip embossed palms. This gives you a good grip, especially when you’re working with soap and water, and things get slippery!
6. Stainless Steel Cleaner
This is a must if I’m cleaning a kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Windex will not work, it will just streak.
One of my favorites is Weiman Wipes. In fact, I keep them handy in my own kitchen for daily cleaning! These wipes clean and shine any stainless steel surface. You can use them on stainless steel refrigerators, microwave ovens, and range hoods.
Other than that, Zep Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish also works well. It can be used to clean and polish stainless steel, aluminum and other metal surfaces in your home. However, avoid using this on natural stone surfaces.
7. Dish soap
Believe it or not, I use this for every single gas range I have to clean!
After days of cooking, our gas range tends to accumulate oil splatters and grease. Regular cleaning products aren’t as effective at cutting through the grease build-up quite like dish soap.
Think about it this way – when we have super greasy dishes, we reach for the dish soap to clean them. Likewise, dish soap is a home cleaner’s best friend when it comes to cleaning a greasy gas range!
Dish soap is also great for cleaning microwaves. Add some dish soap to a bowl of warm water, then using this solution and a sponge, wipe down the interior and exterior of your microwave. Once you’re done, make sure to wipe down with a damp rag to remove any suds.
Likewise, you can also use dish soap and water to clean the exterior and filter of your range hood.
I’m always so amazed by how much use we can get out of a bottle of dish soap. So if you think dish soap is just for washing dishes, think again!
Conclusion
These 7 products have helped me to keep my customers happy and their homes spotless!
So, the next time you’re standing in the cleaning supplies aisle of the supermarket, feeling confused about what to get, look back on this list. You can’t go wrong with these 7 must-have essentials!
Sending you squeeky clean thoughts,
Michelle M
The Squeeky Clean Method 