I think the subreddit you're looking for is /r/CleaningTips/
Thanks, I’ll try there!
Hiya, I’m a teen living alone for the first time and I have no idea what products to use to clean my bathroom and kitchen counters. I was using dish soap for the shower and sink, and a generic Lysol spray for everything else, but I just found out that it isn’t disinfecting so I think that’s not what I want.
I took a look at the cleaning supplies section of the store and I just got overwhelmed because there are so many options. And multiple different types of everything, Windex original, Windex disinfectant, Windex vinegar; Lysol spray, Lysol bathroom foam, Lysol toilet bowl cleaner, etc.
Could I have a rundown of exactly what products and brands to use for each part of my bathroom, and what to use for my kitchen counter?
I think the subreddit you're looking for is /r/CleaningTips/
Thanks, I’ll try there!
The main concern is not mixing the different types of cleaners, as it can have an adverse chemical reaction.
I would keep it simple:
For the shower (I have a stand up glass walled shower) I use a Mr. Clean cleaning sponge for the floors and tiles, and dish soap for the glass walls. The dish soap will cut grease and the soap scum on the glass.
Okay, maybe not so simple, lol.
That seems pretty simple to me
You could go to the cleaning section and look, most of things say exactly what they are for. Snazzy answer aside, For toilets I like to use things that have a bit of chlorine in it, usually in gel form because it's easier to spread around with a sponge. If you have hard water I recommend to have something extra for the toilet bowl that has tartar removal, like those blue cleaning things. If you want fancier fresh you can buy those blue pills that go in the tank and deliver cleaners over time. If you need only the most basics, bathroom chlorine cleaner, a sponge and a toilet brush is more than enough.
The Pink Stuff is pretty good for surfaces and any nasty pots and pans and things like that. Method is a good surface cleaner that isn't too harsh. Bar Keeper's Friend is amazing for pots and greasy stuff too. Don't use anything strong like bleach or amonias for the kitchen, especially anything where food touches. But Clorox/Lysol type sprays are ok for the bathroom. Lysol toilet bowl cleaner works well. Sometimes simple solutions of some vinegar in water is all you need as well. And very safe.
I can tell you what not to use: Don't use acetone, muriatic acid, gasoline, concentrated bleach, ammonia, lye, glacial acetic acid, xylene, toluene, methanol or hexane... On a serious note, just buy a general cleaner solution. Or hell, put 2 drops of dish soap and a quarter cup of vinegar and dilute in gallon of water. It's not that deep. You'll be fine. Turn on a fan.
Ammonia is on the list? I thought it was fine as long as it doesn’t mix with anything like bleach or vinegar. The others make sense though.
Simple, but possibly not comprehensive answer: Get a toilet brush with a stand, and a bottle of Fabuloso. Pour the Fabuloso into the stand. It'll freshen the air and you'll always have cleaner on your brush. Fabuloso is also great for mopping. Lysol wipes are quick and easy to use for various surfaces, including countertops, outside of toilet, etc. Windex is another option for surfaces, and it's great on glass. For shower, Scrubbing Bubbles and melamine sponges (Magic Eraser). That'll take care of just about everything you need.
Which colour Windex do you use? There are many different options
Google it, chief. Or go on another subreddit. This isn’t the right place to ask about how to clean your bathroom
Don’t you think I tried googling it? Sue me for thinking a question and answer sub would be a good place to ask a question!
You want a disinfectant of some kind. There’s all sorts with varying power levels. Some are simple and good for some things. For dishes, since you don’t want toxic residue you want to use dish soap. It doesn’t technically kill bacteria but it will basically allow you to flush them down the drain For counters you can use Lysol, isopropyl, limonene and various others. All have pros and cons. Limonene is a 100% natural by product of many citrus fruits that is considered an s tier solvent and degreaser. It’s also a common terpene in cannabis and can safely be added to cannabis after cultivation in moderation to alter its terpene/flavour profile. Alcohol kills basically anything and is generally cheap and is a natural product; its main negative is it is an oxidizer and can ruin many products and will dry your bare skin out badly. Lysol is effective but it’s a manufactured product that can be incredibly hazardous, atleast compared to alcohol (imo)
Your best bet is going to be reading the packaging. If someone here tells you what to get, you’ll just get lost trying to find it anyway. Use some problem solving skills, go to the cleaning section, and read some bottles. I would start with a general purpose cleaner spray of some kind. You’ll notice how there are specific cleaning products for stuff like tiles and floors too. Again, read.
I just use CLR bathroom cleaner which is also biodegradable. There’s lots of choice but most of us, most of the time, just need a simple cleaner. Abrasiveness is another big part of cleaning so a good scrub brush and sponge.
You'll find cleaning strength vinegar can do a lot ( 7% acid or higher ). For bathroom stuff, Vim cream.cleaner with bleach + sponge will suds away a lot. Microfiber cloth for your mirror, dry or with vinegar. Try to avoid paper towels as it's unsustainable and unnecessary. My kitchen floor ( tile ) gets a very small amount of industrial degreaser once a month. That stuff is not environmentally friendly but will clean almost anything. Dishes get dish liquid. Counters and appliances get vinegar or vim depending on their grime level.
The best smells and cleanest bathrooms are always with fabuloso.
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Whoever downvoted this is a monster.
Here is a good video for beginners on how to clean everything in your home, including bathroom stuff: https://youtu.be/hE_6O96wVmw?si=lCEbmuXLIxgVde1M
You want at least toilet bowl cleaner, a toilet scrubber, a vinegar or bleach based disinfectant, and an "all purpose cleaner".
Use the all purpose cleaner for all porous material, like wood and marble, and the harsher disinfectant for tile, ceramics, and hard plastic. You can use the bleach for tile grout.
Two things to keep in mind: Clean every surface you can, and the more often you clean the easier it is.
Thank you :)
Scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner for sinks and shower. Glass cleaner for glass or mirror. Toilet bowl cleaner gel with bleach for toilet. Lysol wipes for outside of toilet. Swiffer mop for floor. Sponge, paper towels, magic eraser. Pretty much covers it
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I came across a product called germaphobe and it is really good it's mostly like really strong hydrogen peroxide but it's great for getting out stains and Mark's on walls and bathtubs or anywhere as well as general cleaning. One thing I love about this product is I can spray it directly on my stained pillows and it will lighten and whiten them up of course you will need to wash them to get rid of the smell afterwards and you wash them either by hand in the tub or on the gentle cycle in the machine and usually only I put two because their pillows they puff up and swell up with the water too many just don't do anything in the washer so you have to do it gradually two or three at a time. I have king size pillows that's why it's only two. Okay good luck to you thanks
Depends. If cleaning frequently you don’t need much! If you swish the out with the toilet brush daily you don’t need cleaner at all. If weekly get a toilet bowl cleaner. If toilet has no big stains you can use whatever is cheap- dollar store is fine. If you have hard water stains get one labeled for that- I swear by Lysol Lime and Rust. For kitchen and living spaces I use Method spray because it smells nice. I use Lysol wipes in the bathroom to wipe down toilet and counters. For bath:showe again depends on if you are dealing with soap scum vs hard water stains vs mildew vs just maintenance cleaning.
Gloves to protect them hands. I recommend reusable nitrile or neoprene gloves with long cuffs. They hold up well against common bathroom cleaners, protect your forearms from splashes, and last much longer than thin disposable gloves. Also, look into enzyme cleaners or formulas with enzymatic solutions. They seem to work better than Lysol at killing nasty human residues and stuff of that nature.
Dish soap is one of the most versatile soaps. And yes, technically it is not disinfecting but it still gets rid of all the bugs. When dishsoap is good enough to clean your plates, glasses and utensils it should be good enough to clean countertops, floors, windows, sinks, toilets, etc. Most of what you find that claims to be disinfectant is alcohol based. This is toxic but evaporates quickly. However it leaves the dead bugs behind as well as any toxins. A simple dry microfiber cloth will take away most of the bugs and make sure there is no food left for the remaining bugs so it can be more effective. The dish soap is needed for fats that the microfiber cloth can not deal with. From time to time you may want to clean the limescale as well. This is a mineral that is dissolved in your drinking water and will deposit wherever you leave water to dry. In order to clean it you need anything acidic. You can literally just pick up the cheapest vinegar at the store and use it to clean with. But be careful about using it on metals. Another common bathroom cleaner is chlorine based. These disinfect as well as deals with some of the limescale. But a big warning about these, do not mix them with other soaps. It forms a deadly cloud of neurotoxin. So use it on its own.