Minimalist Cleaning Supplies: My Essential List
Today, I’m sharing my minimalist cleaning supplies with you. I’ve always liked to keep things simple and clutter-free, so I don’t keep many cleaning products at home.
Every single item on this cleaning supplies list is basic and easy to use. I use them regularly and they’re more than enough to clean our entire house.
Let me tell you… Many years ago, I wasn’t doing it like this. I bought many different bottles and sprays of cleaning solutions to clean our home. However, our home wasn’t clean and tidy, even though we had so many cleaning supplies and tools. It’s not because the cleaning products were not effective. The truth is, I didn’t have a regular cleaning routine.
If you want to have a clean house, you need to have a regular cleaning routine and use simple and effective cleaning products that are easily accessible.
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Our experience told us that so many half-empty bottles were overcrowding the cabinet under the sink. It made it harder to find the cleaner I wanted to use.
Though a cleaning schedule is important for the family, making cleaning products easily accessible is also a key part of a clean home. If you need to dig through the cabinet to find the product you want, you’ll have less desire to clean.
Now, I remember the days when I was a child and saw my mom using only one thing to clean almost the entire house. Do you know what it was? Yes, dish soap paired with water and a cleaning rug! It was just that simple and kept the whole house clean.
Since I wanted to streamline every area of life to make life easier, I changed my approach to cleaning. In this article, I’m sharing my minimalist cleaning supplies list and the tools that I actually use.
Though cleaning is not an enjoyable chore for me, establishing a cleaning schedule and a handful of versatile, effective products makes the job easier.
I began to pare down the cleaning supplies and tried simpler alternatives. Some of them are DIY cleaning solutions and the rest are commercial products.
Simplifying my cleaning supply checklist makes my life easier and makes me less reluctant to clean.
Why are minimal cleaning supplies good for normal families?
Go check under your kitchen sink. How many cleaning products are stashed away there? Are you using them all? Are those products solving problems or creating problems?
I hope they are not overflowing your cleaning cabinet. If you need to dig through the bottles each time to get the right cleaner, you have too many. It’s time to purge.
I’m not talking about getting rid of everything you’re using and only keeping one bottle of cleaner. I just want to tell you to keep less, to have just enough to get the job done without feeling overwhelmed.
In our home, we cut the qualities and shifted from complexity to simplicity. Choosing a versatile, multi-purpose cleaner is way better than a single-use cleaner.
Why is that? If I can use a multi-purpose cleaner for different areas like a kitchen counter, a bathroom sink, and a dining table, I don’t need to buy and store three different ones.
Fewer products make it easier to store and save space. Of course, save money as well. I can now put all the cleaning bottles in one caddy that I can carry around the house to clean.
When the cleaning supplies are simple to use and easy to access, you’ll be more willing to take them out to use.
This minimal approach helps to simplify the cleaning routine and also helps to cut down on clutter. It makes the cleaning process simpler and faster.
More Cleaning Tips for a Spotless Home:
7 Tips to Make Spring Cleaning Easier
My Minimalist Cleaning Schedule
16 Easy Deep Cleaning Tips for a Sparkling Home
My Minimalist Cleaning Supplies List
We have DIY cleaning solutions, so we keep baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap stocked at home. Homemade cleaners eliminate the use of harsh chemicals in store-bought cleaning products. Don’t judge me. I’m not perfect, and I also buy store-bought cleaning products as a convenience.
Anyway, here are my go-to minimalist cleaning supplies. These are the cleaning products and tools I use regularly. They are all easy to use and effective.
Homemade Cleaning Solutions:
1// Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
Add 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of Dawn dish soap to a glass spray bottle. (Optional: Add 10 drops of your favorite scent essential oil) Shake gently before each use.
2// Homemade Glass and Window Cleaner
Add 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to a glass spray bottle. Shake well before use.
3// Soap Scum Remover
Add 1 cup of white vinegar with ⅔ cup of Dawn dish soap in a glass spray bottle. Gently shake well to mix them up. If you use this cleaning recipe, be sure to rinse thoroughly because of the slippery residue.
4// Laminate Floor Cleaner
Mix ½ cup of white vinegar, ½ cup of rubbing alcohol and ½ cup of water in a spray bottle or refillable mop.
Warning: Some homemade cleaner ingredients should never be mixed and can be dangerous. For example, bleach should not be mixed with vinegar, ammonia, or rubbing alcohol. Vinegar should not be mixed with hydrogen peroxide.
Aside from the homemade cleaner, I also use store-bought cleaning products. The following products I can’t live without, as they’re so convenient and effective to use:
5// Swiffer Duster
The extendable handles can help clean high shelves, ceiling fans, and hard-to-reach spots, which saves me a lot of time and effort. You can even use them to dust the blinds, baseboards, and underneath furniture. I love that they can trap and lock dust, which makes dusting easier and faster.
6// Baby Wipes
I keep baby wipes for a variety of household uses. They are so handy for removing dirt and stains effectively. I use them to remove deodorant stains on clothing, for quick cleanup on baseboards, door handles, and to lift stains from carpets and upholstery. I even use the dried baby wipes to dust shelves and surfaces.
7// Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
A cordless vacuum is so handy for daily use. I use it to quickly tackle messes like kitchen crumbs and daily clean-up after meals. If you like a lightweight, cordless and great suction vacuum cleaner, this one won’t disappoint you. However, if you look for a corded vacuum, I highly recommend this corded stick vacuum. I’ve used this for many years already and it still goes strong. Powerful suction on carpet and hard floor, and the filter is so easy to clean under the kitchen sink. This saves me time and makes my life much easier.
My Essential Household Items for Cleaning:
- Dawn dish soap
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Rubbing alcohol
My Minimalist Cleaning Tools and Supplies Checklist:
- Cleaning caddy
- Microfiber cloths
- All-Purpose Cleaner
- Glass and Window Cleaner
- Soap Scum Remover
- Floor Cleaner
- Disinfectant
- Roll of paper towels
- Glass spray bottles
- Rubber gloves
- Vacuum cleaner
- O-Cedar Mop or Steam Mop
- Squeegee
- Swiffer Sweeper
- Swiffer Duster Extendable Handle
- Magic Eraser
- Clorox Wipes / Clorox Disinfecting Mist
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- Toilet brush
- Swedish Dishcloths
- Scrub Brush
- Laundry detergent
- Lint roller
- Trash bags
More cleaning tips and ideas to inspire you:
30 Day Spring Cleaning Challenge Checklist
5 Laundry Habits as a Minimalist
The Quick Way I Cleaned Our Kitchen Blinds
Be sure to read cleaning product labels carefully for instructions and safety. Test an inconspicuous area before any spot cleaning.
I hope this article inspires you to keep your cleaning supplies minimal so you can make the most use of them. Remember, if you want to keep your home clean and tidy, stick to a regular cleaning routine. This can help you clean faster and easier each time.
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