Can you clean a house with just soap and water ?

[Nogg]

I wondered what Mumsnet thinks of this?
I have a new build house so everything is new. I lot of the item care instructions said only wash the surfaces ( kitchen bath fittings etc with soap and water only) .
I don’t really like the smell of multiple chemical cleaners etc or febreezing everything.
I used to use bleach and spray cleaners in my last house,
But now I don’t want to damage the surfaces of the house.
I have been using just fairy dish soap and water for all surfaces.
do you think this will keep the house clean smelling?
i want it to smell nice.

By ‘nice’ you mean artificially fragranced, like your house was by the products you used to use.
It will be clean, so it won’t smell dirty, but if you want a scent, maybe a couple of drops of essential oil. I did read a tip about dabbing on a cloth then wiping the lightbulbs, so when they are on the heat means you smell the oils more.

https://www.idealhome.co.uk/care-and-cleaning/cleaning-with-soap-247066

I don’t really want a sent .im just worried
it will start to smell like it’s unclean without heavy duty cleaners

You may need more than soap and water - vinegar and bicarb are great cleaners.

But air your house (as well as cleaning it) and it won’t smell.

I knew a cleaner of a large house back in the day and she said there was no need for sprays and hot soapy water was plenty.

I have to agree with her, I'll use cif cream
on the hob and in the bathroom but a wet cloth with washing up liquid is good for the rest.

Dish soap ? Do you mean washing up liquid?

Fairy is a detergent and very good at cleaning.

Soap as in a bar of soap is different and is amazing at cleaning off really nasty greasy stuff (above the cooker). It does leave a residue and that can be removed by using diluted vinegar.

Sprays make things smell of sprays, they are not necessarily the best cleaners.

Add vinegar, washing up liquid and some water to a spray bottle. That will clean most things. For window interiors I just use vinegar, for wooden surfaces I use furniture polish.

I do put bleach down the toilet from time to time and a purpose- made cleaner for the wooden floor

I keep meaning to add some citrus or peppermint essential oils.

I just use a damp microfibre cloth for most of my cleaning, the only place I use cleaning sprays is in the bathroom (shower and loo) and for the kitchen worktops and hob if I'm feeling particularly clean. I never prepare food directly on the worktops, so they don't get too dirty, just the occasional splash.

Washing up liquid isn't soap based, it's detergent, so more than enough to clean most of the time. It's pretty powerful on grease if used neat! We have really hard water, so I do use quite a bit of white vinegar - family hate it, but it works. I haven't used bleach for years, but I did buy some Zoflora when Covid hit and I did use it when we caught it, but not since.

I was worried bleach will damage the toilet surface so I have been scared to use it.

Yes proper old fashioned soap will be enough to keep your house clean. You definitely don't need bleach or anti-bac spray

It will be fine. I use diluted Dettol in a spray bottle or a bucket for everything

I’ve tried the white vinegar thing but it does smell of, well, vinegar.

Washing-up liquid in hot water works well for wipeable surfaces.

I think you need bleach for stains in toilets and the kitchen sink. It won’t damage them and you don’t need to use it every time.

I think you can clean a house with just a good quality washing up liquid (some smell lovely) and a disinfectant. I know it gets laughed at on MN but properly diluted, if you pick the scent carefully, Zoflora is not overpowering and it's great for mopping floors and disinfecting work surfaces after you've washed them. But I would get a proper glass cleaner for window, mirrors and shower - nothing else works properly on grass.

it’s difficult to say without knowing what kind of surfaces you are going to clean. Fairy, soda and vinegar can clean a lot but they are not suitable for everything.

The best thing for cleaning is this Stardrops orange bottle stuff

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/stardrops-all-purpose-cleaner-750ml/p/0080402

It's a quid. All the shops like Home Bargains and Asda sell it. I dilute it into an old trigger spray bottle, about a quarter of the Stardrops then top it up. Nice and "soapy", no strong smell, no antibac and bleach and nonsense you don't need.

@Nogg

I use fairy liquid for most things, I use bleach inside the toilet & a special window cleaning cloth with water. I use a steam mop on the hard floors.

if anything my house smells of soap (bars of olive oil soap) shampoo/conditioner and body lotion/perfume & laundry detergent when washing is dried inside. I think it's all just a general 'clean' smell, rather than anything in particular.

Im badly affected by scented sprays/air fresheners/candles etc. so although I'd like a nice jasmine/vanilla scent it's just not going to happen!!

Zoflora is evil, instant headache on opening the bottle.
I use vinegar a lot, especially on limescale, and washing up liquid, unperfumed only. House is fragrance free due to allergies and has been for some years.

I like an antibacterial spray for my worktops but my cats occasionally go up there. I like Harpic tablets for the loo.

Mine smells lovely but I am a scented candle fan! Open windows as much as possible too

For cleaning I use
Hot soapy water
White vinegar and washing up liquid
Method daily shower spray
Dregs of (or ones I don't like!) shower gel/shampoo for scrubbing the toilet/bath/sink
Vinegar based window and glass cleaner

Very occasionally
Viakal for limescale
Black harpic for the toilet
Flash spray and wipe (mostly for the scent but I don't need it really)
Mould remover for sealant

I guess it's like your body or clothes, if you use soap you smell well, clean or of nothing. If you use a heavily scented shower gel you will smell of that

I have severe allergies and we have to be very careful about what we bring into our house. We clean with a safe soap, vinegar, and bicarbonate soda.

I have tiled floors throughout my home (not in the UK) and just use hot soapy water to mop the floor. Anything else makes them look a bit scarmy. My old cleaner used to use soap powder in the water. Same for wiping counter tops and kitchen hood. I use a bathroom cleaner spray for sinks and toilets and then bleach the toilets. If doesn't smell heavily fragranced, but it's clean.

Vinegar only smells of vinegar for a couple of minutes. Doesn't linger like stronger detergents.

I understand vining at for glass.
I would be worried to use in on integer areas. Is it not just an acid so could be corrosive?

I used to work for an industrial hygiene company. Our very experienced training manager had a whole presentation about how you could keep premises clean with just washing up liquid. The key thing was how often you cleaned. So, the less frequently you cleaned, the heavier duty cleaning products you needed.