My Favorite Unexpected Kitchen and Bathroom Cleaners
This is a site about hacks, so you know I won’t advocate a cleaner unless it actually gets the job done. Lifehacker has years of archives explaining how mostly common items like hydrogen peroxide , baking soda , and vinegar can handle basic cleaning jobs, and all you need is a rag or sponge to tackle them.
However, there are more specialized products that are worth having on hand. This is what I use to make cleaning easier and faster.
Helpful Cleaning Supplies You May Not Have
First of all, you will need a small squeegee. In fact, I think you should have several. The first one should be kept in the shower and after you are done washing up, you should use it to remove mist, scum and water from the shower doors and walls. Doing this every time you take a bath only takes a few seconds, but it significantly reduces the amount and frequency of cleaning your shower tiles and glass. Get one with an adhesive holder so it dries straight up and down, then attach it to the shower wall. This one costs $9.59 .
Secondly, you should keep it in the kitchen. Use it to scrape wet messes off countertops or catch spills on the floor. Why waste a bunch of paper towels or get a dirty rag when you can just dump the wet dirt off the counter into a container and then throw it in the trash? Grab a pack of two for $9.98 .
Next, let’s look at brushes for dispensing soap. You may have seen them for washing dishes, which is great, but they’re also perfect for cleaning floors, tiles, and hard-to-reach areas, all without having to fill an entire container with soapy water and lug it around. Of course, keep the one you use to clean the house away from the one you use to wash the dishes, so get at least two. What’s even better is that this $8.44 one comes with removable heads, so you only need one handle.
Speaking of brushes, it’s time to switch to electric. Stop getting down on all fours, putting too much pressure on your elbows, or overexerting yourself when you can outsource the hard work to technology. You can purchase an electric scrubber with a telescoping handle and eight different attachments for $39.99, then use it as a handheld device or a long-reach solution for when you just don’t feel like scrubbing.