My Favorite Cleaning Products to Disguise in Plain Sight
I keep yapping about putting everything in containers and keeping it in a designated area, out of sight. This is all well and good, but sometimes we live in small spaces and having that much storage space is simply not possible. Cleaning products can be tricky to store – they need to be accessible, but they can be bulky and irritating and often need to be kept in a designated area, away from things they might damage. But what if you store them right out in the open? In some cases this is possible. Here are some options.
Making cleaning products more beautiful to look at
First, consider transferring your cleaning products into more attractive containers. Decanting has many benefits , such as making your items more uniform so you can stack or store them all together. Plus, custom containers look better than the branded bottles and jars that most store-bought items come in. Would you rather have a bright blue bottle of Windex or something on the shelf?
Find sprayers that match the color or theme of your decor. They can sit on a shelf, look completely unobtrusive, but within easy reach. By pouring glass cleaner, all-purpose spray, floor cleaning solution, and all other cleaning products into these bottles, you won’t have to worry about them looking unsightly. You can mark the bottoms of the bottles in case the products look the same, or choose different bottles for different products so you don’t lose track.
I’m also a big proponent of wet wipe pouches. The wipes come in unsightly packaging, usually bright yellow or with pictures of a smiling child. It’s just not the right atmosphere. Plain white cases (usually around $9) make it easy to disguise wet wipes, baby wipes, and disinfectant wipes, so you can store them right on the counter where you need them most. They also come in a variety of colors and patterns to match any room.
If you’re tired of looking at the roll of paper towels on the counter, consider changing the roll entirely and purchasing disposable paper towels instead. They fit into a sleek holder and pop out like facial tissues.
Ready-made hidden cleaning options
There are several options for cleaning products that are hidden in advance. Squatty Potty, for example, makes a toilet brush that is completely hidden behind the toilet itself ($16.74) and attaches behind the toilet. Contrary to the whole point of this post, it’s not even “in plain sight”, but in some ways it’s even better! As an alternative, consider a cute toilet brush case like this one, which also includes a plunger but looks like a set of cacti. Sure, it’s a little cheeky, but if you don’t mind a little kitsch here and there, it’s a fun option.
The humble cactus is actually quite popular in the cleaning product storage industry. For example, this potted faux cactus actually contains four different brushes for cleaning bottles and other small kitchen items.
Lastly, I really like the Biom All-Purpose Wipes. You get a compact dispenser and can fill it with wipes, which come in hand sanitizer and ambient sanitizer versions in grapefruit and lavender scents. This is a greener option than continuing to buy packs of wipes because the wipes are compostable and the refills come in eco-friendly packaging.