It’s spring {ok, ok LATE spring} and that means the dreaded cleaning must begin. It doesn’t help that for the last few months, we’ve been bunking with Finn while our bedroom is overhauled AND my nesting is kicking into high gear. The combination is a recipe for scrubbing down every surface in sight and just in time too because this house is a DISASTER area right now.
I must confess, I have tried an impressive amount of cleaning products. Much to my mom’s dismay, I am not a neat freak or a cleaning maniac by nature, but somehow the lure of a new product kicks me into cleaning gear. I am a marketers dream. Something new? Ooooooh shiny. Even better if it makes my cleaning routine faster.
Ha! You see there? I don’t even have a cleaning routine! But, if a product is so good that it gets me out to lunch with my friends faster or an extra half an hour of nap time, I’m all about it. Even better if it smells luscious and makes Dave think that he married someone that sort of knows what they are doing. You know… a miracle product.
Ok, so there are no miracle products or we would all be using them. There are, however a few products I absolutely love and to which I am extremely loyal.
Microfiber Cleaning Cloths. Oh my love for these, is undeniable they are so useful for cleaning everything and they are re-usable. I use them for dusting, for cleaning glass, for cleaning stainless steel, for wiping down counters, and for scrubbing floors. We bought ours at Costco, a giant pack of them for super cheap. {I think they were in the auto section actually.} Just pitch them into the washer and voila, good as new. You’re not supposed to put them in the dryer with fabric softener, but I always do and they’ve still lasted 3 years and are going strong.
Arm & Hammer Oxy Laundry Detergent in Fresh Scent. This laundry detergent is my absolute favorite for a few reasons. Dave is allergic to some other brands, I absolutely love the scent, and unlike some other detergents, I feel like this rinses very clean and never leaves a residue on our clothes. I also love that they frequently have coupons and their regular prices aren’t outrageous to begin with.
Method Stainless Steel Cleaner. I’ve tried a few things over the years for our {perpetually fingerprinted} fridge and our stainless worktable that we use as an extension of our counter. We’ve used wipes and three or four other brands of cleaner, but Method smells really, really good and in combination with the microfiber cloths, takes just a minute to spray on and wipe away all those prints. Method products can be a little pricey, but one bottle of this stuff lasts forever.
Mr Clean Magic Eraser. This is just an occasional use item in our house, but one that I always have on hand. I don’t even need to know what makes this ‘magic’ I just want to enjoy the awesomeness. Crayon, scuffs, all kinds of random weird marks… they DISAPPEAR people, with just a swipe or two of the eraser. Truly magic.
Honorable Mentions: Mrs Meyers Clean Day Lemon Verbena countertop spray smells SO good it feels like a room freshener rather than a cleaner. Plain old Clorox Bleach mixed with water for disinfecting the entire bathroom & kitchen sink. Windex for my mirrors & windows. Our Dyson also gets a mention, it’s so fun to see all the junk you’re vacuuming up {and makes you feel like you should be doing it more often} plus, I love all the tools it comes with, great for cobwebs and pet hair!
Your turn, tell me your faves! Have you done any spring cleaning?
Disclosure: Just so we’re clear, the opinions stated are my own, I have not been compensated in any way by any of these companies.
We love the Method brand Granite counter wipes as well as the stainless steel wipes. I use clorox wipes daily to wipe down the bathroom counters and sink. Love, love, love our Dyson and my newest favorite is my Bissell steam and sweep for our hardwood. I as well, LOVE cleaning products.
ReplyDeleteI swear by good old fashioned baking soda. I get the jumbo bag at Costco and it really gets the greasy mess on the stovetop - and gets the kitchen sink sparkling and fresh. I also put it in with smelly laundry loads and we use it to freshen the hot tub water between changes.
ReplyDeleteI also use plain old hydrogen peroxide for tough sink stains and in the toilet. ;)
But I will TOTALLY look into the cloths and Method stainless steel cleaner for my fridge and dishwaser!
Magic Erasers get anything clean. For reals.
ReplyDeleteDemented story of the week: I was watching the news and they mentioned in this missing couples case there was a smell of bleach in the house. I actually caught myself thinking... do murderers not realize Magic Erasers clean EVERYTHING? And there's no scent. Duh.
*Just to clarify, I'm really not as big a weirdo as that statement just made me sound.
I second baking soda and vinegar! I sprinkle baking soda on my stove top and then spray vinegar water on it. It bubbles and makes a sizzle noise and feels kind of like a science experiment instead of cleaning. Another household item I use for cleaning...wax paper! After cleaning the faucets, rub wax paper on the chrome. It makes the water bead off and keeps it shiny and new for a little longer.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Shaklee fan - Basic H diluted down to different levels for cleaning everything from windows to cabinets to the stovetop. But if I had 1 product I couldn't live without, it would be Shaklee's Nature's Bright. Cleans up any stain off clothes or carpet. Just used it to scrub down my car floor mats and upholstery.(Not that I had gone 6 months without cleaning them and had to scrub an orange smoothee off the area by the toddler carseat....) Ditto on the microfiber washcloths! For cleaning kids hands/faces, I picked up a remnant of flannel from the fabric store and cut it into a dozen squares. I also love the Shark steam mop.
ReplyDeleteI am in LOVE with my Bissell Magic Vac! It is sooo amazing. A lightweight vacuum that works perfectly to get those dust bunnies on my laminate. It also detaches and becomes a handy hand vac that can get the crumbs in the couch at the click of a button. Doesn't take new filters, you just dump the canister and go again...I LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteI also really like the Method Eucalyptus bath cleaner. It leaves my bathtub nice and clean and smelling amazing as well!
I love baking soda down and vinegar down the drains followed by hot water. It is like the old volcano! Awesome!
Last but not least, I am with you on the microfibre cloths. AMAZING!
I only use method products as the traditional stuff smells so bad it makes me gag. In the tub I add 20 mule team borax with the Method Spray -- its similar to baking soda. Our tub is 60 years old so its hard to keep it clean. For the toilet -- only 'the works' works but its hard to find.
ReplyDeleteThere must be something wrong with me. Not even amazing cleaning product recommendations are enough to make me want to clean. My parents are coming to visit today and I'm trying to decide whether to clean the toilet in the guest bath or sweep the kitchen floor because I'm not sure I can work up the energy to do both. My name is Tricia and I'm pathetic.
ReplyDeleteOMG, I would totally marry a magic eraser. They are amazing! Thanks for sharing, You are making me want to clean! :)
ReplyDeleteI've been looking EVERYWHERE for good stainless cleaner, I'm running to Target at lunch to grab the Method brand! Thank you!
ReplyDelete