Contents
Household Cleaning Basics
Household Cleaning Tools
Cleaners and Cleaning Solutions
How to Eliminate Household Clutter
How to Clean Ceilings
How to Clean Walls
How to Wash Windows and Glass
How to Dust
How to Clean Floors
How to Clean Your Bathroom
How to Clean Your Kitchen
How to Clean Bedrooms
How to Clean Living Areas
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Cleaners and Cleaning Solutions
All the elbow grease in the world won’t get your house clean if you don’t use the right cleaning solutions.
Commercial Cleaners
Most people use commercial cleaners in their homes. You’ll need several different products for the different surfaces in your home.
- All-purpose cleaner: A general-use cleaner for countertops, wood, enamel, and linoleum, and for wiping appliances and spot-cleaning washable floors. Not for use on granite, stone, or tile, which it can damage. (Those surfaces should be cleaned with water or a cleaner formulated specifically for them.) All-purpose cleaners come in spray form or as concentrates that you mix with water and pour into a spray bottle. Popular brands: Mr. Clean® and Lysol®.
- Glass cleaner: Cleaner designed for windows and mirrors. Many glass cleaners contain ammonia, which should never be mixed with bleach—the resulting fumes are highly toxic. Popular brand: Windex®.
- Mildew cleaner: Bleach is used to remove mildew. Always dilute bleach with water, following the instructions on the bottle, and never mix bleach with ammonia. Avoid using bleach on metal—it will cause discoloration. You can dilute pure bleach, such as Clorox®, to clean mildew, or buy a mildew cleaner such as Scrubbing Bubbles Mildew Cleaner®.
- Scouring cleansers: Powdered cleaning products used to clean sinks and toilets. They contain abrasive particles that scrub dirt and grime off surfaces. Popular brands: Ajax®, Comet®, Bon Ami®.
- Tub-and-tile cleaners: These products break up soap scum and hard water stains in tubs, showers, and tiles so that they can be scrubbed away with ease. Popular brand: Tilex®.
- Oven cleaner: Used to clean the inside of your oven.
- Dishwasher detergent: A detergent designed for use in a dishwasher. Popular brand: Cascade®.
- Dishwashing hand soap: Liquid soap used to clean dishes. Diluted with water, it can also be used as an effective all-purpose cleaner. Avoid detergents that contain water-polluting phosphates. Popular brands: Dawn®, Ivory®.
- Specialty cleaners: Depending on the housewares you own, you may also want to keep cleaners for silver, brass, crystal, copper, and fine wood.
“Green” Cleaners
Most mainstream commercial cleaners contain harsh chemicals that can harm your health and the environment. One way to avoid these harsh chemicals is to buy commercial “green” cleaners, though these cleaners are generally much pricier than regular commercial cleaners. The best way to get cleaning solutions without the harsh chemicals is to make them yourself. You can easily concoct virtually any kind of cleaner you need, and homemade cleaners often cost much less than commercial brands.
How to Make Your Own Cleaning Solutions
To make your own cleaners, you’ll need the following ingredients, which are all available in most supermarkets and drugstores:
- Borax
- White vinegar
- Rubbing alcohol
- Baking soda
- Orange cleaner (concentrated, and without petroleum distillates or limonene)
- Hydrogen peroxide (3% solution)
You might also need to buy spray bottles to hold and apply the cleaners you make.
Cleaning-Solution Recipes
Cleaner |
Recipe |
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All-purpose cleaner |
For a mild cleaner, mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. For a harder-working product, mix one tablespoon of non-sudsing ammonia, one tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent, and two cups of water. |
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Glass cleaner |
Mix equal parts rubbing alcohol, water, and white vinegar. |
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Mildew cleaner |
Mix equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide. |
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Scouring cleanser |
Use straight baking soda—it makes a great scouring cleanser. |
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Tub-and-tile cleaner |
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water. To soften soap scum, make a baking soda/water paste, apply it to your tub or tiles, let it sit for about 10 minutes, then scrub. |
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Oven cleaner |
Mix a bit of orange cleaner into a paste with baking soda. |
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Dishwasher detergent |
Mix 1 tablespoon borax and 1 tablespoon baking soda. Add white vinegar for the rinse cycle. |
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Dishwashing hand soap |
Grate a half-pound of flakes from a white bar soap into 1/2 gallon of water. Stir until flakes dissolve, then boil for 10 minutes while continuing to stir. Allow to cool uncovered, then store covered. The solution will be gel-like. To use, fill a squirt bottle about 1/4 of the way with the gel, add hot water, and shake. |
Cleaners and Safety
Cleaners can be dangerous if used incorrectly or if accessed by pets or children. To practice proper cleaner safety:
- Store all cleaners out of reach of children and pets.
- Keep cleaners away from heat or fire, as many are flammable.
- Never mix cleaners that contain bleach with those that contain ammonia.
- Avoid cleaners that contain the chemical TSP (trisodium phosphate), as it can be hazardous to your health and the environment.
- Provide appropriate ventilation when using commercial cleaning products.
- Dispose of unused commercial cleaners according to the instructions on the product’s label.
| Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
