Favorite Cleaners
 

I've had someone else clean my house every other week for the last 13 years. I finally decided to stop being so lazy and start cleaning it myself, but I'm rather rusty.

What are your favorite cleaner brands, and what do you clean with them? I need suggestions for everything... tile floors, bathrooms, kitchens, walls, windows, mirrors, light fixtures, etc.

I like Bon ami or Barkeepers friend for tub, sinks, or anything else that needs scrubbing. The former is less expensive but they both work well and are safe.
I also use vinegar for floors and counter tops and for cutting grease.
The store brand of scrubbing bubbles for shower tiles and grout.

I have an expensive, heavy-duty steam cleaner that is my preference for deep-cleaning bathrooms.

For general cleaning up in bathrooms, I always reach for Kaboom. It's an inexpensive spray that works better than anything else I have tried. I like the Kaboom granules for cleaning the toilet too.

Got tired of using Windex for mirrors and just bought some Invisible Glass to try out. I think there will be less streaking with it. When cleaning mirrors, *be sure* to spray whatever you are using on the paper towel, not directly on the mirror. This protects the mirror.

I like vinegar for cleaning but, since my dh can't stand the smell of it, I use it only when he isn't around. The smell dissipates completely, so it doesn't bother him if there are a few hours before he comes home.

We have stainless steel appliances that do not have the "fingerprint" protection on them. After cleaning, they are always streaky. To get rid of the streaks, I have found a few drops of baby-weight mineral oil on a soft cloth works wonders. Do not use regular-weight mineral oil, as it is too heavy for this purpose.

If you are not familiar with cleaning, you should try out new cleaners in a small inconspicuous spot before going whole hog. Different cleaners can absolutely permanently damage different surfaces. I have to avoid vinegar for our shower tile, for example, because the tile is natural limestone and vinegar will eat holes in it! Similarly, vinegar is a great cleaner for many surfaces, but it will permanently mar the finish on our hardwood floors. (Diluted vinegar works great on many hardwood floors, but not mine.)

My favorite cleaner to get rid of lime deposits (those whitish deposits left near faucets after water evaporates) is LemiShine. It is great for cleaning dishwashers too, BUT it will permanently damage expensive enamel-coated bakeware if you try to use it to clean that type of thing.

I buy both LemiShine and Kaboom at Walmart.

I use vinegar & water for everything but the toilets. Steam cleaner for porcelain tile kitchen floor. For a closed up house, you should use as few chemicals as possible. Years ago, I ended up in the ER after using ammonia to clean my linoleum floor. For heavy duty cleaning I use the Dollar store "Awesome" cleaner which is inexpensive & works great. Dawn dish detergent removes grease on anything.

My general go to is Softscrub...formica counters; (gas) stove top; tub/shower (recommended by tub manufacturer). I use comet on my s/s sink; toilets. Ceramic tile floors...Mr. Clean or just about any cleaner...they are pretty indestructible. I was recently introduced to 'Awesome' at the dollar store. Originally suggested as a laundry spot/pre-treater which I was not overly impressed with. BUT it does do an amazing job on kitchen/cooking grease. Had some really tough greasy areas that it worked a charm. On my sheet vinyl flooring, manufacturer recommended nothing stronger than liquid dish soap. My vinyl plank flooring a dust mop and clear water with damp mop. For walls I would probably go with pine sol or TSP. I agree the pine sol is getting very difficult to find. TSP might be my go to for heavy stuff. Also recently recommended (here) as a laundry additive and it works very well for that with our hard water.

I hate cleaning. I'm a thorough, if not frequent cleaner. I really wish I could justify having a cleaning person again. But being home for the last 5+ years it's kind of difficult from both a moral as well as $$ perspective.

I have a vinyl floor in the bathroom and kitchen. It has a rock design so has a grooved surface. I use Once and Done to clean it. It's made by Armstrong and is strong on ammonia but I can use a sponge mop and nothing sticks in the grooves of the vinyl. At one time I tried another product that allowed dirt to collect and harden in those grooves so it required a brush and getting down on my knees to get the floor looking good again. I've used this product for more than 15 years and my floor still looks good. It's a bit on the pricey side but well worth it if I have good results with a sponge mop and don't have to rinse.

I am chemically sensitive and will get a severe headache using strong smelling chemicals. I use vinegar a lot. Use as few products as possible for health purposes as well as environmental issues.

Years ago, I read somewhere that all you need to clean mirrors is a wet hand and a dry towel. I've been using that method ever since for mirrors. I use a mix of 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1 oz Dawn dish soap in a spray bottle for floors. I have laminate so can't use the steam cleaners (wish I could). I use a mix of 1/2 water 1/2 vinegar for cleaning and disinfecting counter tops. For pretty much everything else, it is just soap and water and kosher salt or baking soda if I need an abrasive. The one exception I make is I use the disposable Clorox toilet wands.

Oh, and white vinegar makes an excellent fabric softener in your wash. :D

I have a favorite "tool" that isn't normally used for bathroom or kitchen sink cleaning - the round or square cosmetic puffs made of cottony fiber. They grab and hold the hair, dust and grime that paper towel will just push around.
The thicker scrubby ones are good for cleaning too!