A thread of favourite cleaning products/tips

[princesspxx]

Some of my fave products are -

Tesco Apple anti bac spray, it’s only about 70p smells really strong and is great for wiping down surfaces
Windolene, it’s the best glass cleaner I’ve tried
Dettol anti bac air freshener, only tried the purple and blue ones. I prefer the scent of the blue but they are really strong and also kill bacteria
Wilko bathroom spray, it just smells really nice and does the job! I clean the toilet and sink with it
Zoflora especially bouquet!

Some of my favourite tips are

Putting tumble dryer sheets in cushion covers to make them smell fresh
Mixing your favourite fabric softener with water in a spray bottle for fabric refresher
Using a lemon to clean the microwave
Wiping neat zoflora on the radiators whilst they are on low, turn them up and house smells amazing
Putting fabric softener and boiling water in the washing up bowl to make the house smell lovely, works well with Zoflora too
Putting a tissue soaked in zoflora in vacuum filter (double check to make sure this is safe with your vacuum!!) to release a nice scent whilst vacuuming
Before vacuuming your mattress sprinkle bicarb on and leave for an hour, it neutralises odours and leaves the mattress nice and soft then hoover off x

Method French lavender surfaces spray, I use it everywhere, floors, worktops, bathroom, skirting boards, doors, everywhere.
Zoflora twilight flowers (I think) for washing floors, doesn’t smell disinfectant-y at all.
White vinegar for removing water marks, it’s great on glass shower cubicles. I mix white vinegar, fairy liquid, and lemon juice, apply liberally, leave for 10 minutes, rinse, buff shower with some tumble drier sheets.
The cleaning products aisle is my favourite place in the supermarket that isn’t fattening. Buyingcleaning products makes me happy.

I’m normally one for buying brand cleaning products as they are generally better, but Lidl glass’s cleaner spray is amazing. Much better than windolene

I love this thread!

I use an old toothbrush to scrub round taps or in corners with Tesco value cream cleaner- which costs so little but works just as well I find.

I like Viakal for getting stainless steel super shiny and tried it on old limescale on the shower screen too but this is proving so hard to get off (there already when we moved in)

I clean the oven door by rubbing it with a dishwasher tablet.

OP I am not sure i’d manage your sprays as do they not affect you? I had to air the whole house as it was today just from cleaning with bathroom cleaner as it smelt all chemically!

Re: magic erasers, be careful about breathing in the debris, they work by literally abrading the surface with a very fine sandpaper of plastic particles. I would avoid in any area with pets or little ones.

Cif cream cleaner in loo seats (stinky boys wee on it all the time)

CIF cream cleaner - gets rust marks off my bath (DH works in a metal factory and theres filings everywhere!)

Scentsy scent pak in vacuum cleaner cylinder smells amazing

Dettol all in one spray - I use it everywhere and on everything, including the car seats/upholstery

Bicarb & white vinegar/lemon juice to clean my halogen hob. Literally watch the stains lift as it fizzes (great science experiment fir the kids)

Oven Pride oven cleaner leaves my oven sparkling

Soda crystals in the washing machine gets rid of funky smells

Cream cleaner for any ingrained dirt, I use it to clean paintwork, upvc doors... everything

Oh flash concentrated gel for cleaning floors, walls, everywhere else

All the method products are brilliant. Especially the almond wood floor cleaner.

The bathroom spray is really good for removing stains from carpets (found out by accident).

I also like MintKleen surface spray, it's safe to use around food. I use it for kitchen counter tops and the fridge.

A couple of sheets of kitchen roll at the bottom of the bin. If anything, spills, splits or drips you don't have a manky bottom in the bin. Just replace as required. I just pick up the used one with an empty carrier bag so no touching.

A heat proof matt that you put at the bottom of the oven to catch spillages. Easy to clean too.

E-mop. I love it. You don't need any soap or water, but sometimes I might spray a bit anti -bac on the floor and it folds away small.

A karcher. One of the best products I've ever had. I use it for windows, glass, mirrors, tiles. Takes seconds.

Some good tips here - keep them coming! Operation Kitchen has begun! Brilliant idea to use a mat on the bottom of the oven cellar! Going to have ours professionally cleaned () then do that. Tried the lemon in water tip for the microwave today & vinegar in the dishwasher.

Around my hob plates, every once in a while (when I remember) I use an old electric toothbrush and toothpaste and get HUGE satisfaction! Then there's a toothpick for gouging out the manky filth from creases everywhere - sink border, washing machine grooves etc. Sadly satisfying!

Agreed with pp on Method Rhubarb, it's gorgeous. I love having a good spray of that I'm the evening!

A tip I learnt on here, clean the loo and sink while the kids are in the bath. Such a good use of time.

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Yes @Cellardoor23 and @Blogwoman I have one of those oven mats, I bought it from Aldi about 4 years ago and it's still going strong. I just wish it would cover the entire oven so that I never had to clean it!!

I bought the Stardrops 4in1 pine disinfectant spray today - I love it! Smells like a hospital, very clean (might not be for everyone!)

Also tried Lavendar zoflora it smells lovely. I mixed a tiny bit with water in a spray bottle and sprayed it in the bathroom once I’d finished cleaning - the whole upstairs of the house smells AMAZING!

Bought the cif cream cleaner today too. Going to try It for cleaning the tiles in the bathroom and kitchen. Has anyone else used it?

@Cellardoor23 would you mind linking me up an e-mop? I just googled it but couldn't come up with anything

That should have said posting a link please!

The lint roller on lampshade is genius!!!

Multi surface furniture polish is good for getting toddler prints off windows that don’t need a full wash.

And I like borrowing DH’s Rain-x that he has for washing the car windows to do the outside of them on occasion - it’s always streak free.

@gdaymatey
This is it here

Bicarbonate of soda has worked a treat on greasy grouting (& tiles) behind the cooker, but made no impact on grouting in the shower - & nor has Astonish mould & mildew spray, or only a slight improvement. Nor has bicarb worked on an area of grouting with turmeric on it (behind a spice rack we removed). Haven’t yet discovered how to get turmeric off anything! Anyone else know?

@Blogwoman have you tried the astonish mould spray on the turmeric area? Worth a try if not. Turmeric is used as a natural dye but bleach or a bleach based spray may shift it!

Thanks Laucu I’ll try that. This is such a useful thread!

blogwoman turmeric will fade, eventually, so at least there's that...

I use as little bleach and disinfectant and spray polish as possible - they are so toxic! Also try and minimise my use of wipes and kitchen towels.

Boiling water and washing up liquid are really good cleaners in themselves.

I trickle a little bit of washing up liquid around on my stainless steel gas hob when it needs cleaning, then just cover with boiling water and leave for half an hour or so. Everything wipes off easily with a washing up sponge.

Every time we empty the food caddy we put a drop or two of washing up liquid in the bottom, then half fill with boiling water and close the lid. Swoosh it round a bit and the steam will clean the underside of the lid. Empty it out when the water has cooled down and leave to air dry.

A very weak solution of bio washing powder in hot water is great for cleaning walls, sticky marks, light switch surrounds, skirting boards, radiators etc.

Infact, the only cleaning products we have are washing up liquid, Ecover multi purpose spray for the kitchen, Flash original bathroom liquid in the big bottle, Pledge wooden floors cleaner, Toilet duck, and Lidl spray glass cleaner. And a feather duster and Pledge fluffy dusters. I cut up old towels and sheets to make cloths too.