Guys, look, I recognize this is not exactly my sexiest blog post. If you’re looking for glamour, might I suggest this post containing images from my extremely sexy photo shoot on the beach.
But listen! We all got houses to clean. And I don’t have a whole lot of skills, but keeping my house pretty dang clean for pretty minimal effort is kind of my specialty.
I used to hoard cleaning supplies, and go through about 10 spray bottles and a roll of paper towels just to end up with a chemical-smelling house that didn’t even feel all that clean. I’ve since wised up, and super simplified my cleaning routine and supplies. This is literally all you need to get your house sparkling.
I am a germaphobe. I want my house to be CLEAN. But I also have small children who live in my house, who can not be trusted to not lick floors or drink bath water. There are a lot of ways to seriously clean your house, and a lot of ways to very safely clean your house without chemicals, but finding things that are both very effective and very kid friendly has been a struggle.
But with Amazon reviews and a love for deep cleaning on my side, I believe have done some serious work on the front.
Microfiber cloths
If you don’t use microfiber cloths, no offense, but what are you even doing with your life? I purchased a set of microfiber cloths years ago, from a company called H20 At Home. My friend was a rep at the time. You can also purchase through Norwex. If you are looking for the most economical option, these particular cloths linked from Amazon are amazing.
Wherever you get your microfiber cloths, make sure to get one with an ultra tight weave for cleaning windows and mirrors. Life changing! I use the glass one for my stainless steel appliances, all mirrors, and all glass. Just water, wring it out until it’s just barely damp, and it cleans better than anything else I’ve ever tried.
I use my microfiber cloths to clean: Everything.
But seriously. Everything. I clean my counters, floors, walls, doors, sinks, shower walls, bath tub, vanities- everything! The only thing I don’t use them for is the actual toilet. You probably could, but I am a germaphobe and I just don’t want to use anything reusable on the john.
If this blog post inspires one person to get some microfiber cloths, I can sleep well knowing I have changed someone’s life.
Magic Eraser
I know I’m not the first to expound on their love for this mysterious white sponge. I’m not sure how it cleans, but boy does it. I use this bad boy to clean walls, baseboards, shower floors, scuffed furniture, and really anything that needs more than a microfiber cloth. My most recent discovery is using it on my sneakers- it instantly refreshes beat up shoes and keeps my converse kickin’.
Hydrogen Peroxide Spray
… Speaking of being a germaphobe. I used to clean every surface of my house with Clorox wipes. But once I had babies, I didn’t like the idea of them crawling around on so many chemicals, especially in their tub, and I didn’t like wiping down counters and seeing that cleaner-residue. I also learned that Clorox wipes are not always effective if used improperly.
After reading way too many internet articles and comments, this is the cleaner I converted to. Hydrogen peroxide is extremely effective at killing germs, and also very eco friendly. It kills Norovirus, which is very rare for cleaners. The smell isn’t overpowering, and it even comes in wipe form!
For everything that doesn’t need to be sanitized, I use a microfiber cloth. It took my germaphobe self a long time to realize that the tub doesn’t need to be sanitized after every use, that counters don’t need to be wiped down with bleach twice daily, and most surfaces in my home just need to be clean; not sterile.
For the times that I need things to be sanitized, this is my go to. I use this for bathroom floors, toilets, kitchen counters after handling raw meat, anything that has been exposed to any bodily fluids, and for cleaning the bathtubs and showers when they need a good cleaning. Microfiber cloths take care of any soap scum, hard water build up, and general bathroom cleaning, and this is for getting rid of germs.
I do still use some Clorox wipes, because no one prepared me for the amount of pee that would constantly be on my bathroom floor as a mom of boys, and it’s the best I’ve come up with for wiping down the toilet and floor 300 times per day.
Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Speaking of things that need to be sanitized… Toilet time. I have tried all sorts of things you put into your toilet to keep it clean. Most leave weird streaks in the bowl, don’t work, or aren’t any less work than just cleaning it. But these things? Game changer. Once a month, you give your toilet a good scrub down. I always use just your normal Clorox Bowl Cleaner. After that, drop one of these discs into the tank of your toilet, and boom baby. You’re in sparkling toilet business for a month.
If you encounter any, ahem, evidence toilet events, usually a flush or two will get rid of everything. Or a real quick scrub with a brush, and it’s like no one has ever done anything disgusting in your toilet before.
Look, I know there are less chemical-ridden ways to clean a toilet. But I don’t want to hear about them. No one is drinking the toilet water, no one is licking the toilet seat. Gimme the bleach, baby.
Steam Mop
I hate cleaning my floors. No matter how much I clean, they still seem dirty. This steam mop is the only thing I feel like truly cleans and doesn’t leave residue. I love that it is just water. Once again, having babies changed my cleaning routines. I previously used a spray mop, but I couldn’t stand my babies crawling all over the floor, eating stuff off the floor, and licking the floor (why do they do that??), knowing that there was a residue of cleaning spray. A spray mop is effective AND safe.
Want more on being OCD but rocking it?
Check out this OCD Guide to Life: Packing A Car Kit
and An OCD Guide To House Cleaning
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