Some of you may know I used to be a professional cleaner, and I still keep a couple homes sparking clean. One thing I am passionate about is cleaning products. It is absolutely incredible the difference using the right products can make. It’s the difference between 20 minutes scrubbing with unsatisfactory results and two minutes scrubbing and the shine so blinding, you can’t wait to put on sunglasses and keep cleaning! Using the right products can make cleaning addictive, because of the results. Seeing your home, foot by foot, be transformed into a shining sparkling masterpiece will put a smile on your face, boost endorphins and help you get the most value for your home. This blog post is not green and it isn’t meant for maintenance. Today’s post is about how to tackle some of the tough grime and dirt involved in a move in or move out clean, with a focus on those areas that rarely get cleaned in most homes. (tops of cupboards, behind furniture etc). If you have a question about cleaning something please don’t hesitate to ask! This blog post is written with the homes of southern Vancouver Island in mind.
Note 1:The cleaning stage should be completed after de-cluttering. In general, work from the top to bottom. There is no sense cleaning the floors and only to have debris from cleaning higher up fall onto them.
Essential note: It is vital to test every new cleaning product! It could react differently to your furniture, counter, stove etc. Always read and follow the instructions.
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers:
These are my all time top favourite cleaning product. They are truly magic. However, as with any powerful product caution MUST be used. These will not only remove dirt, they will remove your paint and finishing! They are powerful tools in the kitchen and bathroom. Never use them on mirrors, glass, stainless steel appliances or painted surfaces.
Use them for (only after testing!):
Walls, frames, and doors
Bathtubs
Sinks
Showers
Counters
Glass stove top
2. Murphey’s Oil Soap:
This is one of my favourite products for very specific things. The smell is quite powerful so you’ll want to open windows!
Use it for:
Wooden, particle board and painted cupboards. Using a soft sponge, mix a dollop of Murpheys in a bucket of hot water. Scrub, and then dry with a clean microfibre cloth. You won't believe how shiny those grimy old cupboards can look!
leather and pleather grimy furniture. Use it very diluted to scrub with sponge and then dry with microfibre cloth. This isn't a maintenance treatment, and generally dirty couches should just be removed from the home. However, if there is sentimental attachment or you want to try to restore them, Murphey's a great way to go.
3. Mr. Clean Multi-Surface Cleaner: This is a great general all-purpose cleaner that cuts grime very effectively. I recommend having a separate spray bottle with a diluted version for general use and then use straight from the bottle for serious grime. For heavy grime that is sticky (like dust on the tops of kitchen cupboards use a soft sponge and a bucket of hot water with Mr.Clean, scrub and then wipe with paper towel.
Use it for:
Heavy dust and grime (think of behind your refrigerator etc)
Mirrors, stainless steel appliances, and windows (very diluted)
Inside fridge and freezer
Window ledges, baseboards, door frames, walls and doors
Dusting, wood and painted furniture
Toilets, sinks, showers
Vinyl flooring
Blinds
Inside and outside kitchen and bathroom cupboards
4. Microfiber Cloths
These are truly the ultimate all purpose cleaning tool. They are perfect for heavy dirt and delicate surfaces. The trick to making them last is to wash them separately in cold water. They work by having all their little tiny microfibers that grab and hold onto everything they come in contact with. If you wash them in your regular laundry, their little fibres will get all clogged up with the cotton and fabric particles from the wash. Make sure to buy quality microfibre, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Canadian Tire has big packs of microfibre clothes that are of decent quality. The magical thing about microfibre is that scientific research has shown that those little microscopic fibers remove 99.9% of dirt, bacteria and anything else, all on their own!
Use them for
Dusting electronics (you can dampen with a little diluted Mr.Clean if needed)
Wood floors
Anything delicate including items you can’t get wet
Entire house, top to bottom, inside and out with water and other cleaning products
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