As a caregiver, one of your many tasks would be to maintain the cleanliness of the household and ensuring that you and your loved ones are in a sanitary and hygienic environment. However, we understand that cleaning can be a chore. Here are some must-have cleaning supplies that you should always have on hand to make cleaning more effective and efficient for yourself.
Must-have cleaning supplies
1. Vacuum cleaner
Using a vacuum cleaner is the most efficient and effective way to pick up all the dust, hair, and dirt from the floor. This step prepares the floor for a good mop thereafter, to make it squeaky clean.
If you’re the traditional type and prefer to use a broom, it works as well. But we believe using a vacuum cleaner would be quicker and more thorough.
One thing to note is to make sure your vacuum cleaner is fully charged if you’re using a wireless one.
2. Mop
After vacuuming the floor, the next step would be mopping. The common types of mops include rag mops, roller mops, and steam mops. But it doesn’t really matter which one you prefer, as long as you have a mop at home.
If you’re thinking of using a cloth to “hand mop” the entire house, we recommend not to as not only is it tiring, it is also time-consuming.
3. Pails
When it comes to cleaning, you’ll definitely need a couple of pails. One with a handle would be great so that you can carry it around instead of always walking back and forth to the bathroom to rinse the mop or cloth.
4. Cloths
It is advisable to prepare a few different cloths for different uses. For example, microfibre cloths would be the best for cleaning windows and glass panels as they are soft enough and don’t leave streaks.
For general cleaning of other surfaces such as tabletops and cupboards, a normal cloth will do.
Also, you might want to have separate cloths for the kitchen and the rest of the house. Cloths used in the kitchen are dirtier and oilier and you wouldn’t want to transfer the grime to other surfaces of your home.
5. Bathroom brushes
The bathroom is a dirty area and needs its own set of cleaning tools. Minimally, you should have a toilet bowl brush and a brush for the floor and walls.
You wouldn’t want to use the same brush that was used to clean the toilet bowl to scrub your floor and walls.
For the toilet floor and walls, you can get a brush with slightly stiffer bristles so that the tiles get a good clean. A brush with a handle would make it more efficient and easy to use.
6. Cleaning products
Last but definitely not the least, you’ll need a range of cleaning products. After all, cleaning with just water and some cleaning tools wouldn’t be clean enough.
Some basic cleaning products are:
- Floor cleaner
- Glass cleaner
- Toilet bowl cleaner
If you would like to clean areas such as your stove, you can also prepare more targeted cleaning products like a kitchen stove cleaner.
Other good-to-have supplies
Stiff bristle floor brush
This item is basically a larger and longer version of the toilet brush. Not only will it be easier to use, it’s more efficient as it can cover a larger area.
We recommend stiff bristles because this will be used for the floor, and can clean tougher stains or grime.
Squeegee
If you’ve never used a squeegee before, you have to try it for yourself. It’s an effective tool to remove cleaning products, grime, and water. Plus it’s easy to wash since it’s made of rubber.
This is especially useful if you need to clean your windows, glass panels, and mirrors. With a longer squeegee, you can even use it for the floor.
Pro tip: Use a squeegee to clean your shower panels and mirrors after bathing. It’ll help prevent mould, mildew, water spots, and rust stains in your bathroom.
Mould or mildew remover
In the bathroom where there’s lots of moisture, it’s common for mould and mildew to build up, especially between the tiles. These aren’t easy to clean because they’re thin and narrow.
Some may recommend using Bleach to clean and scrub them but mould or mildew removers are a better choice. These removers come in spray or gel forms so you can get whichever type you prefer.
Cleaning supplies you must have
With this list of must-have cleaning supplies, we hope you are ready to clean and spruce up your home!
If you would like to get additional help to clean your home, you can engage Helpling, the #1 home services provider in Singapore, trusted by both locals and expats.
This article first appeared on Helpling. Helpling is a digital home concierge service with a vision to provide quality living for everyone through their tech-enabled platform and dedicated home advisors. They take care of the time-consuming and dreadful household tasks for you so that you can spend time on other things that matter.
