Create a cleaning kit which contains everything you need for cleaning all areas of your house. Keeping all your essential cleaning supplies together in a portable container, makes going from room to room to clean so much easier!
Whenever I am going to give my home a good clean, I am always appreciative of having my cleaning kit ready to go to carry around the house with me. It makes cleaning that one step easier. I have all my essential cleaning supplies together in a caddy which makes it easy to carry my cleaning kit around to each room in the house. It saves time not having to run back and forth for different cleaning products.
I am a huge fan of DIY Homemade Cleaners which I usually keep in my Cleaning Kit, but I’ve been a bit busy lately and haven’t had a chance to make any up. I’ve been using a few ready-made cleaners and find them really effective. There is an abundance of cleaning products available, it’s hard to know which ones you really need. I have curated at Organised HQ the very best cleaning products that I like and recommend. In my cleaning kit, I like to only keep on hand the absolute essential items that I use and need. I’ve put together a list below of Household Cleaning Kit Essentials.
What I have in my cleaning kit:
- Bicarbonate soda/baking soda, in a shaker – available here
- Vinegar, in spray bottle – spray bottle available here
- 50/50 water & vinegar, in spray bottle
- Pink Stuff Multi-Purpose Cleaner – available here
- Pink Stuff Foaming Bathroom Cleaner – available here
- Pink Stuff Cleaning Paste – available here
- Antibacterial cleaning wipes – available here
- Blind Duster – available here
- Grout Cleaning Brush – available here
- Window Track Cleaning Brush – available here
- Microfibre cleaning cloths – available here
- Microfibre Duster – available here
- Shower/Window Squeegee – available here
- Toothbrush
- Sock
- all kept tidily in a cleaning caddy
Bicarbonate soda/baking soda
Together bicarb soda and vinegar are a great combination for cleaning the shower, around the basin taps, the oven, really almost everywhere. I keep my bicarb in a powdered sugar shaker, which I purchased from Spotlight, but you can get them at most homeware stores. Shake out required amount onto the surface, then spray on vinegar; allow to sit for a few minutes before wiping away.
Read more: My homemade carpet cleaner.
Vinegar
I purchase a big bottle of white vinegar (the same variety as you get in the cooking isle) add equal parts water and vinegar into a spray bottle. Remember to label your bottles. Vinegar is such a versatile product. Don’t be put off by the odour I promise you it will disappear in a few minutes. I use a splash a of vinegar and hot water to clean my floors.
Read more: 20 uses for vinegar around the home.
Pink Stuff Multi-purpose and Bathroom Cleaners
The Pink Stuff Multi-purpose cleaner has become my go-to multi purpose cleaner when I don’t make my own. It is non-toxic and made from natural ingredients. I find it leaves everything streak free and it really works well on stains and grease. The same can be said for the Pink Stuff Bathroom Cleaner. I find the way it foams seems to be really effective in tackling stubborn bathroom issues like soap scum and limescale.
Read more: How to clean the walls.
Pink Stuff Cleaning Paste
This stuff is absolutely amazing on stubborn stains. It’s great for hard water stains around the bathroom sink and tub, stubborn marks on the walls, cleaning the ceramic stovetop, pots and pans – I couldn’t live without it now! Wipe the paste onto toothbrush or cloth to remove dirt and stains.
Shop here: Pink Stuff Cleaning Paste.
Antibacterial surface cleaning wipes
I use disposable surface cleaning wipes to clean the toilet lid, seat and top of the bowl, as the antibacterial wipes will kill germs. I also use my reusable homemade antibacterial wipes in the kitchen to clean up spills, find my reusable wipes recipe here.
Blind Duster
This is a very handy little cleaning tool as it makes cleaning the slats on blinds so quick and easy! It cleans both the top and bottom of each blind slat in one go.
Shop here: Blind Duster.
Microfibre duster
I love this duster as it actually picks up dust rather than spreading it. The handle bends which is helpful for dusting hard to get to spaces. You can throw the head part of the duster into the washing machine to clean it when needed.
Shop here: Microfibre Duster.
Cleaning Brushes
I keep a couple of handy cleaning brushes and toothbrush in my cleaning kit to help tackle those tricky hard to clean spots. I really love this grout cleaning brush as it works perfectly to use to really scrub the grout between tiles. This window track cleaning brush really speeds up cleaning those tricky spots, I find I can get those areas cleaner much more quickly. I find a toothbrush is also a handy addition to a cleaning kit as well for those tough to reach spots.
Microfibre cloths
I have used microfibre cleaning cloths for quite some time now. It’s much more eco-friendly as they are reusable and you can just pop them in the washing machine once they are dirty. They work well for all general purpose cleaning tasks, as dusters and there are glass specific cloths.
Shop here: Household Value Pack Microfibre Cloths.
Cleaning Caddy
I found this caddy recently at Bunnings, very reasonably priced at $6.99.
I also carry a plastic shopping bag with my cleaning kit, to pop in rubbish and wipes as I have finished using them.
CLEANING CHECKLIST
A cleaning checklist which includes daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tasks. This checklist will help you remember cleaning tasks and create a routine to suit the time you have available.
What do you put in your cleaning kit?
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117 comments
Thank you I am going out to get all this stuff this morning and spend my day spring cleaning.
Hello. What is Sugar Soap? I have never heard of it. I used Vinegar, Water and Peppermint EO as my AP Cleaner. I also make my own window cleaner, Antibacterial Cleaner and tub/ toilet cleaner. All made of all natural products. Thank you for sharing.
Did anyone find out what sugar soap is made of yet?
You just buy at the supermarket in Australia. It’s in a blue or yellow bottle/container.
Its powder form resembles sugar, hence the name Sugar Soap. It is made of sodium carbonate, sodium phosphate, and sodium silicate, while some companies in the US include some form of sugar on their products.
Yes my cleaning caddy is similar to yours but I also use stockings as cleaning cloths and oil of cloves spray to remove/prevent mould 🙂
Hate to tell you but the chemicals are in your wipes too.
Yes i use microfiber clothes reject shop have bulk packs for like $6 & just leave a seperate wash for them
I use vinegar in the rinse cycle of every wash I do. It removes all traces of soap and makes the clothes really fresh.
Hi Kandie Thorn. Do you have a top loader or front loader washing machine? Regards, Stephanie
love hearing this – I too have removed everything except vinegar, lemons, clove oil, bicarb soda, clove oil, eucalyptus oil and I must admit I occasionally use jof as nothing else gets my bath as clean
I also run a sales & hire business of camper trailers form home and don’t use anything more powerful than a bit of detergent on them – also coverted to soap nuts – they actually work a treat in my crappy washing machine
If you are truly looking for completely non-toxic, PH neutral, all natural products look into Nature Direct – am a bit fan of soapnuts however for my laundry and dishes
opps that should have said “I am a big fan”!
Sorry i am probably silly but as I have never used it – what is gumption used for??
@tracey gumption is like jif but non toxic & the most useful cleaner I own…..Love it, if gumption doesnt move it nothing will.
I have just converted to vinegar as a household cleaner but I put lemon or orange rind in it & let it sit for a couple of week then strain & dilute with water (1 part vinegar 4 parts water) in a spray bottle.
The commercial wipes do make life easy but don’t they have chemicals in??? Old stockings are great to use as a scrubber. I make my own laundry powder and soap. A trick for a freshner for the toilet is a couple of drops of lavendar oil on the carboard toliet roll, it soaks in to the carboard and leaves the room with a delightful smell
I love gumption for those tough jobs too… Most of my cleaning products I buy from http://www.trinature.com.. they have a great range of all natural, non-toxic cleaning products – that actually do clean! As a bonus they also smell great (not sure what it is but I need things to smell clean! 🙂 )
i use homebrand wool wash a lot — wash my floors with it and great for getting grass stains out of clothes and socks – and cheap
When you use baking soda WITH vinegar… you’re really not doing much. The acid and the base cancel each other out giving you… nothing. Sure, it’ll fizz all nice… but you’re better off using either backing soda with a little water to make a nice abrasive (and odor absorbing) paste or just the vinegar (which is great on windows).
Just a little basic science.
They are great for making those volcano science experiments 🙂 But you’re absolutely correct about their cleaning powers when combined. All I can think is that people see the fizz, assume it is working and then cheerfully apply some elbow grease to the task.
The wipes still contain chemicals but at least your not spraying them around for all to inhale! All very similar to what I use, except I swear by plain old vinegar on the mirrors with a paper towel to wipe off. 🙂
Fibreteq.com.au
Cleaning cloths, no need for chemicals, they just need to be slightly dampened! Works a treat.
I make the citrus vinegar to.. great stuff, just vinegar and a MF cloth for mirrors. The other thing i could not be with out is terry flat nappies, i have 2dozen stacked in the laundry cupboard..spills, getting the wrorst of the floor with hot water before i mop, the outside of the toilet ect and straight in the wash after, use them for everything our grandmothers used to boil their cotton cloths after all.
I started using product called Norwex and have never looked back. They have a range of Microfibe antibacterial cloths that you generally using only water and also a couple of sprays that do not contain harsh chemicals. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
where do you buy clove oil from ? just food stores?
Even clove all from health food shops can be diluted and not of high quality. Young Living essential oils are therapeutic grade which provides the purest of quality. They also have a cleaner (has clove in it) which will actually kill mould, is easy to use and leaves no toxic residue.
Love your cleaning box. mine is similar and I have gone to vinegar and Bicarb as well. Although not necessarily a chemical free option, I have replaced Windex in my cleaning box with a spray bottle with 50/50 water and methlayted spririts. I clean my bathroom morrors and taps and sink with it, so easy and so clean and SO CHEAP!!
I am so glad you posted this, have been wanting to do something similar for ages, but I just never know where to start on what exactly I need – thanks!
Fabulous… I absolutely swear by vinegar and lavender, in a bucket of water for mopping floors, cleaning walls, pretty much anything
I have a couple of smaller ones. One I leave in the kids bathroom and another for the rest of the house. Love the sugar and soap sock idea!
I’m not a fan of toxic cleaning products (including cloths – always check warning labels, they won’t have them if they don’t have toxic substances in them). I love vinegar, but not such a fan of the amount of water required to remove bicarb residue in general cleaning. I use a fabulous range of natural, non-toxic cleaning products from http://www.naturedirect.com.au combined with microfibre cloths/ mop.
You forgot to mention that vinegar has wonderful antibacterial properties. I splosh a little into a sink of water when I bring fruit and veg home from the shops.
I can’t fathom why people spend so much money on chemical cleaning products, when we can use much cheaper, non-toxic ones. I also use an Oates glove for my mirrors – quick and easy. Sugar soap and sock idea is nifty 😀
I’m a vinegar and bicarb soda convert. I also add essential oils: lemon, orange, clove and lavender for different purposes. I find the best things for cleaning soap scum in the shower is SOAP! I use my everlasting supply of Kris Kringle shower gel presents. No nasty chemicals means I can scrub down the screens while I’m waiting for my conditioner then finish off with a rubber squeedge. Easy!
I like using sugar soap, but it’s bright blue and it sometimes stains things (like grout). I see your spray bottle of sugar soap is clear?! Is there more than one brand of sugar soap?
I’m only new to this site – truly inspiring. I’m also new to cleaning house (sad to say). I love things to be clean but have hated cleaning in the past. Now I’m converted. I’m finding house-cleaning to be so cathartic. I’ve seen your cleaning kit, and it looks really streamlined. Just wondering if any of you have tried Enjo and the Method products? It is all very environmentally friendly. No I’m not one of their consultants. LOL! But I do love the stuff. My bathroom looks amazing. I only wish I had taken a before photo. The Enjo cleaning products are the original micro-fibre fabrics and so much more effective than the micro-fibre products they sell in the supermarkets. Mind you, in saying that I was recently reminded that the best way to clean your house is REGULARLY! Thanks for the great tips ladies! I’m off to do my daily clean. <3
ok..I am new here & been looking or better ways to clean…I dk what bicarb or sugar soap is or gumption…where do you get all this from In the stores or make urself? And if someone wld be so kind as to explain how to use vinegar to clean everything…thx!
What do you use to clean the toilet? Bicarb and vinegar? How do you do it under the rim?
Love this post. Thanks! 🙂
I use dishwashing liquid on the bath tub and shower. It helps to get rid of any grease. Works a treat!
Sorry, I don’t do spring cleaning. I clean my house regularly, so it is easier to clean.
I see Spring Cleaning as a different kind of cleaning…. moving all the furniture, pulling out the fridge and cleaning behind, cleaning out all draws and cupboards, high dusting, washing walls, etc… It is amazing how dirty places get even if they look clean. This is evident when we do exit/end of lease cleans. It might look clean, but once someone moves out… you can then really see how dirty a place is.
thanks so much for this one. It was exactly what I was after. I’m going to look up the kids toys one too
Thanks
Hi your link to the cleaning brush in your blog is broken
Hi Rebecca
I don’t have any brushes left in stock, they are available from Tupperware, contact your local demonstrator and she will be able to give you one. i know a few that may be happy to help 🙂
Hi Katrina,
I absolutely adore your blog post & you have inspired both myself & my cousin. I saw this post last night & couldnt get it out of my mind until I went to Woolies today & bought everything mentioned to make my own ‘little kit’ The buckets are currently on special as too are the Duck loo discs. I somehow ended up unwittingly with a purple & black/grey theme lol My son & I are both excited about taking on the challenge to keep the house clean especially as over summer, he has had many friends unexpectedly show up but was too embarrassed to invite them in because of the clutter that has managed to get a stranglehold over the house. Im really hoping that we will soon turn this around & get things back down to a manageable level especially as Im working full time & studying whilst raising him alone. For now we are taking baby steps and slowly turning things around with your help. Thank you ever so much!! Your blog has been a lifesaver xx
ENJO is all I use in my house. Even hubby is converted. I also use vinegar and bi carb. Vinegar is the best fabric softener I swear by it. For $1.49 a bottle you can’t beat it for value!! ENJO is a very quick and easy way to clean! I love it! For the record I’m not a sales rep just a convert!!!! Thanks for you blog I really enjoy reading it.
Hi Katrina, do you know if you can use Vinegar instead of washing powder? Ive looked online and cant seem to find an answer, just wondered if you (or anyone else) new? Im trying to be more eco friendly 😀
Hi with your mirror wipes do u reuse them as they say on the packet?i purchased some yesterday think there great also the shower wipes to.
do the mirror wipes really work? I tried cleaning my double wardrobe mirrors with Windex Streak Free (NOT) and they look worse than before. My aunt and uncle swear by pure white vinegar but that too has left streaks! As a result, it would be easier looking through a fogged up window than using my mirror.
If you rub a cake of soap over the mirror and then wipe it off with a cloth, it will stop your mirror from fogging up 🙂 the less liquid/water/windex you use, the less streaks you will have. it’s like when you chamois a car, the drier the surface and the cloth, the better your result will be. get an ENJO cloth it will work better and last for years
Answers to some of your questions fellow commenters:
I use vinegar in place of fabric softener, I still use a bio laundry liquid though – check out Nutrimetics CLC it’s fantastic. Do be careful about combining vinegar with other products, especially in the washing machine – I just about gassed myself out when I mixed bleach and vinegar! Also some natural fibres like bamboo and cotton can break down faster if you use baking soda and vinegar together to clean them.
In regards to windows and mirrors, the only thing that gets rid of streaks is good old fashioned elbow grease and a clean, dry, non-fluffy cloth or paper towel.
It worries me to see so many “wipes” these are typically made of plastic, which does not break down and are covered in numerous chemicals. It would be better to use a cloth that you can wash in the machine, wash it with some vinegar and eucalyptus oil which are both anti-bacterial. Most of the chemical based/commercial anti-bacterial products do not kill the last 1% and this is the most dangerous part. Anti-bacterial products such as hand wash have lots of toxic chemicals in them and one of these chemicals can mix with tap water to form… chloroform…. If you have children using these sorts of products around the house can actually aid development of chronic conditions such as asthma. Eucalyptus oil, tea-tree oil, lemon juice, vinegar and many more non-tocix products will have the same, if not better results in the cleansing process.
I love your blog, for the organising side of it, but it scares me how many chemical and plastic solutions you offer to your many avid readers. I live in a never-ill household and we do not use any chemicals. The body, especially when young, requires the build-up of natural immune defences and it is extremely important that we stop looking for sterile environments and start thinking about our, and our children’s long-term health. I really would love to see you moving away from nasty, toxic chemicals and offering your avid readers more healthy, safe, cheaper and sustainable options.
Remember that everything you flush down the sink/toilet goes back into our eco-system. If you wouldn’t eat it or use it on your skin, it’s probably not a good product to have around the house.
p.s. regarding comments below:
Dry cloth and vinegar will sort out the windows, use a micro-fibre cloth to reduce fluff, works a treat. If there are water marks orange oil work brilliantly to remove this with minimal effort.
Washing powder replacer vinegar will work best when used as a fabric softener and or an anti-bacterial aid. If you want to go eco, there are a few options, for those of you who like the washing liquid use Earth Choice, it’s available at Coles etc and works brilliantly. If you want to go all natural, buy Soap Nuts, you can find them online and at eco-shops. They are naturally anti-bacterial and are the most cost-effective way to go.
And bleach… it’s a shocker, it’s so toxic that I can’t even begin to explain. It is not a product you want in your house if you have kids.
A great alternative is: Soaking stained clothes with eucalyptus oil. Putting whites out in the sun (best bleach around) and using lemon juice on surfaces (fresh squeezed), this is also great on walls and other hard surfaces. For the toilet Aldi and Coles both sell eco-toilet cleaner, which I personally think works better than bleach, you do not need to air out the bathroom and it is grey water safe.
A great book for starters is: Chemical Free Kids another one is Baby Green. Two fascinating reads. Well worth the read whether you have kids or not. Chemical Free Kids has great easy to read charts about the contents of food and products and their dangers. Baby Green has work-through tasks to help make the transition easier.
I agree wholeheartedly with you. I have recently purchased an awesome book, completely spotless, by shannon lush. I love it. all natural cleaning solutions and no need for any chemicals. and i find it all works BETTER than the nasties you buy at the shops. 🙂
The whole world and everything in it is made of chemicals. There’s no such thing as chemical free cleaning! I agree that we should look for non-toxic alternatives to cleaning products full of toxic nasties, but it bugs the hell out of me when people claim things are chemical free. Even water is made of chemicals!
I agree with go green,I only use Earth Choice products,grey water safe,plant based,Australian owned and made 🙂
great prices as well,I never use fabric softener as it’s not good for the machine I use vinegar instead
whats the sock for?
I like to use a sock to clean the walls, much easier to put on my hand and just wipe.
I agree with Go Green regarding the various wipes you use – how many of these are disposable? and why is that better than toiletpaper or paper towel??
Why do you use toilet discs? in my experience they just colour the water, make a smell (not always pleasant) and make the gunge to scrub blue insted of brown…
Regarding bathroom smells, I always prefer to leave a window open near the toilet, even a little bit on a nasty day, than add a fake smell, though I have been known to sprinkle lavender essential oils when the smell is just too much (like when toilet training little boys…) But a good wipe most days, scrub the bowl and wipe over the floor usually does the trick.
I also prefer to use my dishwashing liquid as a cleaner for almost everything, rather than lots of different soaps and stuff.
Hi,
Thank you for all your tips, I love them. For all those really busy mum’s out there (aren’t we all) who don’t have time to mix natural ingredient’s. I buy premixed non toxic cleaning plus bath and body product’s online and they get delivered to my door! I am happy to show anyone who is interested in checking them out 🙂 just email me at [email protected].
Hi Katrina
Love your hints & tip recipes r fantastic. I use ENJO products and they work fantastic no chemicals in my home at all. Its been 10 years now that I have been using ENJO and it’s the easiest cleaning system and over time has saved me a bundle of money. Have a look at their web site http://www.enjo.com.au. The other thing I love about ENJO is you are only using water so therefore doesn’t leave any residue and surfaces stay cleaner longer
Thank you for all your tips, I love them..thanks for this vital post
I use to use vinegar in water I think how scroungy it got in spray bottle, the smell and still scrubbing put me off.. In all my cleaning products abodes surface spray beats anything . Seriously one spray and wipe and no extra muscle to lift surface grime. The smell is mild , natural and I think the secret ingredient is the lavender oil
can you send me some sugar soap and gumption and bicarb……for they dont sell it here …
[email protected]@sympatico:disqus .ca thank you….Maria
All the pre-impregnated cloths are full of chemicals. You have to be so careful when mixing chemicals at home- especially if you have children in the house and you don’t use original child-resistant packaging.
We have also just switched to Enjo products and love it. Our house is cleaner, we no longer buy chemicals, disposable cloths or cheap microfibres, and it’s much quicker when we do clean up, because we don’t have to remove chemical residues. We also have the Enjo mop and broom- its so quick to mop over the floors, we can use it every day.
For an apathetic housewife, I’m quite excited to get started and have also ‘enrolled’ my daughter who is now out of home and becoming house-proud!
However, I have to agree with those commenting on the use of numerous wipes… When I do get to work, I use microfibre cloths. After cleaning or dusting, they are rinsed and go in the wash with a grubby load.
Costco sells packs of 36 in the car cleaning section that are great.
And as someone working with glass as a craft, I happily sing Windex’s virtues… cleans laminate benchtops, stovetops, bathroom surfaces and of course mirrors and windows.
Costco has 5L containers.
There is another issue here with the use of those antibacterial wipes. Aiming for a sterile home environment removes even the everyday bugs that give the young immune system a chance to develop. Experts have suggested it’s one of the reasons allergic problems have risen over the last generation. A sterilised toilet is unnecessary and unachievable.
And door handles and phones are far dirtier anyhow!…
Does anyone know where you can find this wonderful bucket?! I went to my local Woolies but they didn’t have any?
what a great idea for cleaning window tracks- I’ve just ordered a tupperware cleaning brush!
Thank you Katrina for your advice…. the purpose of this blog has got through to me and I have created a little caddy for myself today… and at the same time cleaned under the sink, laundry cupboards and top of the fridge…
Looking forward to the Challenge… have jumped the gun a bit and sorted out our thousands of electrical cables and labelled them for future reference….
Thank you for your inspiration…
In the U.S. we don’t have some of these products. Any chance you can recommend similar products that work like these.
This is much like my cleaning kit. The main items I use are sugar soap in a spray bottle & morning fresh dish liquid. I use sugar soap for my kitchen bench, bathroom including to clean the mirror & fill a bucket of warm water ad a teaspoon on morning fresh using this to rise off sugar soap & keep my cloth free of dirt. I do same to clean mirror them run a squeegee over them even for glass shower screen. To wash floor I again use morning fresh. Use microfiber cloth wipes for everything & then just throw them in the wash. The toilet I sprinkle some Bicarb & ad a bit of tea tree oil to cloth to give it that fresh smell
Hey Katrina, is it straight sugar soap in the spray bottle or do you dilute it to clean the walls with?
I live in the U.S. and have never heard of “sugar soap.” Do you know of any similar products?
Hey Katrina.
With ur sugar soap, do you dilute it to what the packaging says, or do you spray it un diluted. My aim today, is to wash all walls. If the kids give me grief I may wait till they start daycare next week. We have white wall, and they are real grotty.
Hi Mel
I dilute it following the instructions on the bottle. Get the kids to help you, kids love spraying and what fun to put a ‘clean’ sock on their hands and wipe over the walls, make a fun game of it??? That’s if they are young, the older ones, well they should help because you asked 🙂
If you want to get the smaller kids to help with cleaning why not decorate a cleaning sock with a face and perhaps a bit of bling? A ‘family’ of socks would be even better. Turn it into a productive game.
Is it sick that some of us ENJOY cleaning? Twisted? A bit. I get my ergo-handled scrubber from IKEA. They come in four colours and last ages. There’s a suction on the end so the scrubber can stand up. Once it’s done duty in the kitchen it’s promoted to bathroom (tub, tiles, sink) then it’s final months are spent doing toilet duty (pun intended). They are a great price @ $1 (Canadian).
I was curious about SUGAR SOAP. After a bit of research it turns out sugar soap for house cleaning is most commonly known as TSP in North America (I’m in Canada). We also have sugar soap for bathing and this is much different. TSP should NEVER be used to clean your body. TSP stands for TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE. There is a heated debate about phosphates going into our sewage and ground water systems. I use TSP for cleaning walls before painting or after wall paper removal. I always wear gloves. It’s a harsh, abrasive chemical.
There is a host of products which contain sodium bicarbonate, sodium phosphate and either sodium or silica(?). I generally stick to baking soda and vinegar paste but have be known to use VIM cleansers. They had a terrific gel liquid with baking soda beads that had a WOW scent of lime. A wee squirt and not only was the kitchen clean but it smelled great. There was a “no rinse” formula which I imagine had vinegar in it. The sad news…..they no longer make it. DAMN! Had I known I would have bought several cases as nothing is the same. So it’s bicarb and vinegar for me.
Last quick tip: Large spray bottle
1/2 with water
1/2 with rubbing alcohol
7-10 drops of essential oil (I use lavender)
Give a light shake before using each time to mix the oil.
I spray the mattresses, pillows and duvets on linen day.
Kills germs and freshens things up.
PS Works to kill ants!
Can you please tell me where you got your bucket and caddy from??? I’ve looked everywhere for one and can only find them overseas!! Help!!
I purchased mine at Woolworths supermarket – they come in various colours and are very practical.
Maryanne, you can find them at Bunnings or any other hardware store that stocks cleaning stuff.
Hi Katrina
I found you website by chance a few weeks ago and am now completely obsessed with it. Ive started the 20 day challenge and the declutter challenge on Monday, and have decided that im doing each room of the house.
Im find when i use a mixture of white vinegar and water to clean that a white powder is left behind, is there anything/way to stop this?
Cool, thanks for this! PS I think “Gumption” has to be one of my favourite brand names ever. Personally I think we all need a lot more gumption, in all areas of our life!!
Can I ask, is there any reason that you don’t use Vinegar for the Mirrors and shower glass? It works wonders and is all natural. Also, I notice you have Dettol, why so? Do you know what is in Gumption, I would love to know.
Gumption and Dettol both test on animals so I would never use them. There are plenty of natural, chemical free products ranges. I personally use ecologic which is made up of organic herbs, plant extracts and pure essential oils! It’s gorgeous and very effective!
I’ve recently discovered Enjo cleaning cloths. They are an initial cost that recoups itself as you never need to buy another ‘cleaning spray’ again. I cant believe just how quickly my bathroom is clean, using plain old cold water. It sparkles in 10 minutes, top to bottom, and I dont even work up a sweat. 12 months ago I would have called you a liar if you suggested that it was this easy. But I am converted. I will never need to go down the cleaning aisle again 🙂
i always have vinegar in my cleaning list 🙂
Vanish Power O2
Vinegar and bi-carb is the best, that’s all I use. Also is you have ants inside spray with vinegar and they won’t come back.
I work as a cleaner in a best western motel and as i clean every day i went chemical free and my skin n lungs are better ,i use enjo cloth and vinegar mixed with water for bathrooms and floors and i use eucalyptus oil in a water for dusting and wiping down microwaves and bench tops and we use old cut up towels and we have never had one complaint every one comments how nice and fresh our rooms smell
What do you use to clean the toilet? Bicarb and vinegar? How do you do it under the rim?
Love this post. Thanks
Hi Carey, here is a detail post about how I clean the toilet: https://theorganisedhousewife.com.au/cleaning-2/cleaning-a-smelly-toilet/ this should help 🙂
I purchased mine at Woolworths supermarket – they come in various colours and are very practical.
Fantastic cleaning kit! I am going to use vinegar for cleaning for first time. I promised myself that I am going to clean with natural ingredients. Thank you for sharing your post! Best regards!
That is fantastic Flora! It works so well and is so much cheaper and healthier than other products.
Hi,
Just curious as to what goes in the “All Purpose Cleaner” bottle. Is it just the water/vinegar mix or am I missing something?
Thanks 🙂
What does the Tupperware cleaning brush you use, look like?
Like a very big toothbrush. They use it to clean the drink bottles 🙂
Some great tips! The carry caddy is an awesome idea and would make a big clean much easier. We’ve written a post (http://www.abremovals.com.au/5-cleaning-tips-for-moving-house/) with some tips for cleaning when moving house, a kit like this would compliment them perfectly!
Two thumbs up! This is worth sharing to #carpetcleaningkingscross customer 🙂 Ecofriendly and easy to make or use. Awesome!!! Keep it up!!!
Loving all the comments. I must admit I too love Nature direct. Great article thank you and love reading others tips. The only products I need now I dish washing liquid, laundry wash. I won’t be using toxic chemicals again. If you haven’t trained nature direct. I’m sure you’ll love it.
I usually use vinegar to clean everything, however our house has recently been renovated and we now have floorboards which I’ve heard vinegar can damage. Any alternative suggestions for cleaning the floors? We also have stone kitchen bench tops which is apparently another no no with vinegar?
Hi Katrina, love love love the cleaning kit and caddy idea. I’ve bought one myself from Bunnings and just love how easy it is to utilise into cleaning. It’s so much easier to have it all in one caddy as opposed to having to keep going back to the kitchen sink everytime you need to clean something else.
I’m also going green with my cleaning and love your ideas.
Thanks again for sharing
That makes me so happy, Janine 🙂 I too love having everything in the one place and simply being able to carry it around the house as you go. I’m so glad I could help! Have a great day
I am new to your website, been looking through your website for 4 days now, and I am really liking everything I am reading. Every since coming onto your website, I have changed with the way I run my home, my home for the past few months was looking like it was in the very early stages of becoming a hoarders house, but after reading some of your tips and been getting myself stuck into the cleaning of my home, my home is starting to look like an actual home now.
Thursday, I created myself 2 cleaning kits similar to yours, the only slight difference is I’m using a cleaning bucket as an alternative to a caddy, 1 is in my kitchen for cleaning of the kitchen which I store in the cleaning cupboard underneath the kitchen sink and 1 in my bathroom for cleaning of the bathroom which I store on the highest hard to reach shelf in my towels cupboard (just so it is out of reach of kids hands).
I have also used another one of your tips which was to use a window squeegee to wipe off the excess water from the shower screens after finishing having showers which has been pretty handy, as well as using an old toothbrush to clean the hard to reach areas which I did when cleaning floors and walls in my bathroom.
I am just wondering if there are other alternatives to making your own cleaning sprays without bi-card and vinegar, as I do not have any bi-card and vinegar in my house at all, so what other household ingredients can I potentially use as an alternative? can I use salt? sugar? anything else that I may already have at home that could be used?
Hi Macey, do you own any essential oils? If so, I will send you through a recipe
I have been using bicarb in a shaker for all cleaning jobs around the house for over 30 yrs. stated when our daughter was born and didn’t want harsh chemicals near her skin. If a mark on cook top doesn’t shift easily I just leave damp cloth on top of powder an mark for a few minutes. Bicarb on the bottom of your oven means it’s always ready to wipe over and helps absorb any spatter. Vinegar and bicarb are the only things I use to clean toilet and wipe over seat etc with eucalyptus oil. I don’t use a caddy, have a shaker under every sink/basin and have a face cloth (we don’t use them for bathing) handy for splashes and then use it to clean and into the washing machine it goes.
Love your efficiency Suzanne! I like to keep my reusable wipes under every sink for easy clean ups too. Thank you for sharing your tips 🙂 Kat x
Vinegar and bicarb soda never get old. In my case, I add lemon juice to tone down the smell of vinegar, and since it also antibacterial and antiseptic – it’s a plus for me.
I love to add in a little lemon too! I often use this lemon essential oil, but fresh lemon would also work wonders 🙂
Thank you for the amazing inspiration!
Fantastic ideas
Glad to hear it was helpful.
well written post
Thanks
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing,