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Post by MichyM on Aug 23, 2021 18:01:34 GMT
I had to let my house cleaner of 4 years go <tears.> Even though she did a good job, she just was so consistantly unreliable that I just could not continue on with her any longer. Finding a new house cleaner (that is not a big company employee) seems to be an exercise in futility right now, so I'm returning to cleaning my own place again. I have to say that these four years have been truly A-mazing, and I do hope to return to having a house cleaner again once things in covid-world subside a bit more. Anyhow, I'm looking for tools for cleaning. I have an upright vacuum, steamer for tile floors, and a carper cleaner as well as basic cleaning supplies. I need suggestions for a cleaning wand for high things (my ceilings are 14' high), also something for cleaning basebords relatively easily, and any other tools that you feel help make your cleaning day a little easier. I've been poking around online this morning and ran across THIS cleaning wand. Does anyone use this or something similar, and if so, do you love it? I have allergies and can feel congested and sick the day after cleaning, so I need tools that actually pickup dust, pollen, etc up, not just spread it around. I'm also considering a canister vac, maybe later in the fall when there are decent sales on them. So, if you have a lightweight one that you like a lot that is also easy to use on stairs, that will hold up for years and years, I'd love to hear about it too. Nothing like swiffers or anything disposable, as I don't want to add to the landfill. So reusable/washable, etc. Also, if you have any particular cleaning solutions that you like that are environmentally friendly, I'm all ears. Thanks so much Peas! |
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Post by papersilly on Aug 23, 2021 18:40:38 GMT
a mixture of blue Dawn, vinegar and water in a spray bottle is a great all purpose cleanser for kitchen and bath.
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Post by tommygirl on Aug 23, 2021 18:53:13 GMT
Windowsills, baseboards, etc should be vacuumed first with a horsehair attachment on your vacuum prior to wiping them down with your cleaning mixture. GoCleanCo on Instagram has tips and some recommendations on products they use in their commercial cleaning business.
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Post by tommygirl on Aug 23, 2021 18:56:33 GMT
While looking at the cleaning wand you linked Amazon shows this one if you want a different option. I have neither but I like the fact that heads can be removed and put in the washing machine. |
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Post by bbkeef on Aug 23, 2021 19:02:44 GMT
This is what I use: O Cedar dusterI also try to remember to turn on my air purifier when I dust. |
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Post by CardBoxer on Aug 23, 2021 19:09:04 GMT
Melissa Maker has great ideas and some excellent products plus videos. I’d joined an on-line organizing program (not free) with live sessions and she’s the speaker/question answerer now and then. She’s a firm believer in not doing more than you have to and is very straight forward. She’s on youtube too. I really like her mop! lol cleanmyspace.com/ |
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Post by Basket1lady on Aug 23, 2021 19:18:33 GMT
This is what I use: O Cedar dusterI also try to remember to turn on my air purifier when I dust. I like the looks of this one better. It looks lighter and more maneuverable. Do you want a vacuum on each level? One should really be enough otherwise. Canister or upright doesn’t really matter. It’s just preference. If you have non-carpeted floors, I like a mop that is similar to this. It collects pet hair well and gets into the nooks and crannies. Dust the high stuff monthly unless you have your windows open a lot. Wear a mask if you feel like the dust bothers you. It’s probably not very environmentally friendly, but Kaboom shower cleaner does the job. If you clean your shower weekly, vinegar will probably do the job. But I used to make the kids clean their shower and then I’d go in once or twice a year and scrub it down. I do windows yearly and then touch up as needed. I’ll use a bucket of water and a rag to clean out the window sills and then an old tea towel and Windex on the glass. I know people swear by old newspapers and ammonia, but I don’t like all the ink on my hands and Windex is just easy. That’s about it. There isn’t a lot to cleaning if you do it regularly. I cut up old cotton tees to dust/clean with. |
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Post by katiekaty on Aug 23, 2021 20:20:03 GMT
I like the cleaning pads that you use with a small rechargeable drill. They were recommended by someone here on the board.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Aug 23, 2021 20:20:27 GMT
For cleaners, I use the Method products. They are about the only thing I've found that don't make me wheeze. We swear by Miele vacuum cleaners. I've had both the canister and the upright. They make a Cat/Dog version you might want to consider. A set of these deep clean brushes by OXO are really handy to have. I use mine all the time for various cleaning chores. A few months ago I bought one of these Weiman Microfiber Cloth for Stainless. Just wet it and wipe down your stainless appliances. We rarely use the stainless cleaning spray now. For mopping, since we have all wood or tile in the house, it's Bona and the washable pads for us. |
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,446 
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Post by amom23 on Aug 23, 2021 21:29:48 GMT
Norwex all the way for me.
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teddyw
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,158
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Post by teddyw on Aug 23, 2021 22:18:56 GMT
GoClean on Instagram has all kinds of suggestions & videos
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Post by natscraps on Aug 23, 2021 22:41:29 GMT
To help with the allergies I actually vacuum everything before wiping it down. I use the hose and attachments on the window sills, blinds, dressers, fireplace mantle, you name it. Then I go back and wipe everything down with a rag and cleaner/polish if needed.
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ddly
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,022
Jul 10, 2014 19:36:28 GMT
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Post by ddly on Aug 23, 2021 23:34:16 GMT
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Post by malibou on Aug 24, 2021 1:12:08 GMT
I love love love my miele canister vacuum. It's over 20 years old. I take it in for service every couple of years and have never had a problem with him. His name is James.
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Post by calgaryscrapper on Aug 24, 2021 1:24:23 GMT
I use the bag of yellow cleaning cloths from Costco. Do not use fabric softener when you wash them as they will not be as absorbent. I hang them to dry. I sometimes put one on the bottom of a swiffer mop to wipe the walls down. I have a re-usable pad that I wash on the swiffer mop.
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Post by hookturnian on Aug 24, 2021 4:34:53 GMT
I would go for a cordless stick vacuum. Great for quick clean ups because you don't have to haul out a big machine. And you can do baseboards, window sills, cobwebs, etc.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Nov 22, 2024 14:44:05 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2021 13:38:26 GMT
Ecover does a variety of cleaning products , general cleaning, loo, dishwasher, laundry etc and work well for us. They use natural scents but their ZERO range has no scent at all.
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Post by bearmom on Aug 24, 2021 15:00:51 GMT
Re the swiffer, I put a microfiber cloth on the bottom of mine and it works better than the actual swiffer cloths for pet hair.
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Post by MichyM on Aug 24, 2021 17:18:42 GMT
This is what I use: O Cedar dusterI also try to remember to turn on my air purifier when I dust. Thank you, I ended up buying that one. And yes, my air purifier runs 24/7! I've been debating a second one. |
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Post by MichyM on Aug 24, 2021 17:24:44 GMT
This is what I use: O Cedar dusterI also try to remember to turn on my air purifier when I dust. I like the looks of this one better. It looks lighter and more maneuverable. Do you want a vacuum on each level? One should really be enough otherwise. Canister or upright doesn’t really matter. It’s just preference. If you have non-carpeted floors, I like a mop that is similar to this. It collects pet hair well and gets into the nooks and crannies. Dust the high stuff monthly unless you have your windows open a lot. Wear a mask if you feel like the dust bothers you. It’s probably not very environmentally friendly, but Kaboom shower cleaner does the job. If you clean your shower weekly, vinegar will probably do the job. But I used to make the kids clean their shower and then I’d go in once or twice a year and scrub it down. I do windows yearly and then touch up as needed. I’ll use a bucket of water and a rag to clean out the window sills and then an old tea towel and Windex on the glass. I know people swear by old newspapers and ammonia, but I don’t like all the ink on my hands and Windex is just easy. That’s about it. There isn’t a lot to cleaning if you do it regularly. I cut up old cotton tees to dust/clean with. The upright worked fine when I'm just vacuuming between house cleaner visits. However, the upright won't get under furniture (sofa, chairs, media cabinet, dresser, nightstands, etc) so that's why I'm thinking cannister. Plus the upright is a PIA to use on the stairs (I have a poorly behaved back) and doesn't work at all on the risers IMO. Thank you for all the tips, I appreciate them! Prior to 4 years ago, I always did the household cleaning, but I am definitely out of practice. If it helps you at all, I've always done my windows and use a squeegee and a little bit of a liquid window cleaner (a bottle last me years) diluted in a bucket of water. It works beautifully! |
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Post by MichyM on Aug 24, 2021 17:29:08 GMT
For cleaners, I use the Method products. They are about the only thing I've found that don't make me wheeze. We swear by Miele vacuum cleaners. I've had both the canister and the upright. They make a Cat/Dog version you might want to consider. A set of these deep clean brushes by OXO are really handy to have. I use mine all the time for various cleaning chores. A few months ago I bought one of these Weiman Microfiber Cloth for Stainless. Just wet it and wipe down your stainless appliances. We rarely use the stainless cleaning spray now. For mopping, since we have all wood or tile in the house, it's Bona and the washable pads for us. My BF has a Miele cannister. I may ask to borrow it before I buy. I have an Oreck upright that was my mother's that is still running like a charm all these years later. I definitely believe in buying quaity to last. I have some small little brushes like the ones you linked. Love the idea of the Weiman cloth and use their spray but would love to streamline the process, thank you! |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Aug 24, 2021 18:39:16 GMT
And yes, my air purifier runs 24/7! I've been debating a second one. What air purifier does everyone use and recommend? I am looking for one that filters out pollen, dust and dog hair. Thanks! |
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Post by MichyM on Aug 24, 2021 18:50:43 GMT
And yes, my air purifier runs 24/7! I've been debating a second one. What air purifier does everyone use and recommend? I am looking for one that filters out pollen, dust and dog hair. Thanks! I had a couple of Winix brand that finally gave out about a year ago. I replaced with THIS ONE in March of this year. It's quieter, and a lot easier to move room to room. I have it downstairs during the day, and next to my bed at night. When you're comparing, make sure to factor in the cost of relacement filters. That ends up to be the most expensive part of the deal over time. |
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,613
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on Aug 24, 2021 19:42:43 GMT
Vacuum everything first, especially if you have allergies. Don't kick up the dust and don't make muck with a wet rag. Vacuum everything from windowsills to tv stands to baseboards. Then clean them. I pretty much clean everything with dish soap and water in a spray bottle or powdered detergent and water in a bucket. Everything from kitchen counters to showers to wiping baseboards can be done with one of those two cleaning solutions. I use a Norwex cloth for windows and mirrors.
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Post by MichyM on Aug 25, 2021 3:50:00 GMT
Oh, another question. What are y’all using these days to clean your shower doors? I squeegee after every shower, but I haven't personally had to clean them myself since I moved in. Thank you!
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Aug 25, 2021 4:36:05 GMT
Oh, another question. What are y’all using these days to clean your shower doors? I squeegee after every shower, but I haven't personally had to clean them myself since I moved in. Thank you! What type of doors do you have? The all glass enclosure we installed called for specific cleaners. The housekeeper uses Soft Scrub and a sponge. In between we use Method Shower cleaner and a squeegee |
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peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,390
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Post by peaname on Aug 25, 2021 11:05:43 GMT
Oh, another question. What are y’all using these days to clean your shower doors? I squeegee after every shower, but I haven't personally had to clean them myself since I moved in. Thank you! Blue Dawn and hot white vinegar. |
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Post by mikklynn on Aug 25, 2021 12:05:12 GMT
I squeegee every time I use my shower, then use Rejuvenate on my glass shower enclosure weekly. Once in a while I use a 50/50 vinegar and water solution, if I feel like it is getting cloudy.
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Post by mrsp on Aug 25, 2021 13:08:56 GMT
I have the OXO wand duster linked in the first post. I also purchased everlasting additional cloth dusters because I am a binge duster, lol. They wash up very well and I have had mine several years. I like that the handle extends to reach high or low.
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Kerri W
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,793
Location: Kentucky
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Post by Kerri W on Aug 25, 2021 13:26:53 GMT
Check out gocleanco on Instagram. What she does with powdered Tide is amazing! Other than that I use Norwex cloths or Dawn for just about everything.
Since Covid I’ve tried several products from Microban and loved all of them.
I’ve always been a Dyson fan but replaced my last one with a Shark Upright Canister and I can’t tell you enough good about it. Lightweight and works far better than my Dyson ever did.
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