In this series of Tips to Organising Your Home and Keeping it Clean, we were planning on writing a blog post on ‘How to Declutter Your Cupboards and Storage Spaces Around the Home.’  Instead, we have decided to interrupt the series with an Essential Home Cleaning Toolkit post.  That way, you will have the right tools at the ready for when you are organising and cleaning your home.

We all know there are thousands of effective cleaning tools and solutions you can buy and use, but we want to keep your toolkit simple.  Think practical, multi-purpose tools that can tackle jobs of any scale, while minimising your impact on the environment.

The Home Cleaning Tool Checklist

1. Microfibre Eco-Cloths

With approximately 200,000 fibres per square inch, microfibre cloths can clean, dust and polish.  They are useful dry and wet; in-fact they can hold up to six times their weight in water.  These super-absorbers will revolutionise the way you clean.  They are your powerhouse defence against liquids, dust and even soap scum in the bathroom.  Plus, microfibre is perfect on delicate surfaces and walls.

The magnetic-like structure of micro-fibre effortlessly attracts the dirt particles. The best part is, their versatility and strength mean they can be reused again and again for wet and dry jobs around the house without deterioration.

Try colour coordinating your cloths with different zones of the house to ensure no cross-contamination occurs across cleaning areas. For example, Blue for bathroom, green for kitchen, red for bedrooms, orange for pets etc.  For the home, we love White Magic Eco Cloth Value Multi Pack, which has a cloth for general purpose, windows and glass and a dust and polish cloth.

If looked after properly, microfibre cloths can be used thousands of times, which is better for you and better for the environment.  So, when they have done their cleaning job and need a good clean themselves, love them right back with these simple care instructions.  Simply soak them in a bucket of water before throwing them in the washing machine with a mild detergent.  They should be washed separately to other clothes and towels.  Avoid using fabric softener; it will clog up the fibres and significantly reduce the cloth’s effectiveness.

2. Scourers

Scourers are an essential tool for tackling built-up food on benches, grime and residue on your appliances.  There are some great eco-friendly bio-degradable options now made from bamboo or corn, so do your eco-research before you buy.  Try and avoid using the traditional, limited-use scourers that are often made of plastic and don’t last long.

3. Toothbrushes

As strange as it sounds, toothbrushes aren’t just good for brushing teeth.

In fact, they can be used to clean a whole range of household items and areas, including namely;

• Kitchen and bathroom sinks especially around taps.
• On the stove and microwave.
• Around the toilet in hard to reach places.

As with the microfibre cloths, we recommend using different coloured toothbrushes for specific purposes to avoid cross-contamination.  We love upcycling the family’s discarded “shaggy” toothbrushes.  And whenever we do buy new toothbrushes, we suggest trying bamboo biodegradable alternatives, like this awesome rainbow one from Great Earth.

4. Combination stick/hand-held vacuum

Say goodbye to your traditional bulky cord vac and hello to your cordless dual-purpose best friend.

Investing in a bag-less stick/ hand-held vacuum gives you the freedom to tackle mess of any size with the convenience of one device. Simply remove the stick extension to hand-vac smaller areas such as  pet beds, mattresses and upholstery. With the ability to move swiftly around the house without a large motor or cord, you’ll have the house sparkling in no time!  The most eco-friendly option is generally, the device with a great warranty.  The less vacuums you go through in time, the less discarded electrical appliances end up in landfill.

5. Bamboo Microfibre Mop

Investing in a mop with bio-degradable interchangeable, washable microfibre head extensions is a great way to expand your eco-friendly tool kit.  If possible, try opting for an all-in-one device that can accommodate a mop head for tiles and wood flooring, a window squeegee for glass and a duster for shelves and ceilings.  If it has a bamboo handle, rather than a plastic/metal one, it’s an even better eco-friendly option.

6. Eco-Friendly, Chemical Free, Cleaning Solutions

Sometimes just water and a microfibre cloth might leave you feeling like your home isn’t adequately cleaned or deodorised; For these times, we recommend the use of our, eco-friendly cost-effective, chemical free solutions.  See our article on How to Clear Your Office and Home Without Harsh Chemicals.  Better still, all our solutions won’t damage the microfibre tools in your kit.

At GT Cleaning, we are happy to come by your work and offer you an obligation free quote for organising and cleaning your workplace in an environmentally-friendly manner.  And, you can get a Week’s Free Clean on Us!  Contact us to find out how.