When choosing cleaning products for your home, there are countless brands, ingredients, and recommendations. So how can you know which ones are best for your home?
It’s important to remember that different surfaces in your home really do require different types of cleaners. Simply knowing the basics can help you choose the right cleaner for your home.
Below are a few essential cleaning solutions to keep on hand, as well as recommendations for where they should and shouldn’t be used.
DIY Cleaners
Homemade cleaners are great if you’re looking for a natural and affordable solution. Common ingredients in these solutions include water, vinegar, and lemon. The acidity of those ingredients is what makes DIY cleaners so effective at breaking down grease, soap scum, and hard water stains.
These cleaners are generally safe to use on tile, tubs, and showers but may dull the appearance of natural stone, such as limestone, marble, or granite. Homemade cleaners should not be used on grout, wood, or knives since they can tarnish the finish of these items.
Glass & Acrylic Cleaners
Glass surfaces can sometimes be tricky to clean. To avoid leaving scratches or streaks after cleaning, start by dusting the surface with a damp or microfiber cloth. Then mix two tablespoons ammonia for every 1 quart of water or specialty cleaner.
All-Purpose Cleaners
All-purpose cleaners usually come in either a liquid or powder form and are great for countertops, some appliances, tile, and linoleum or laminate floors.
While all-purpose cleaners are great for some appliances and surfaces, avoid using these solutions on your stainless steel appliances. All-purpose cleaners often leave streaks on steel. Try a specialty stainless steel cleaner for your steel appliances.
All-purpose cleaners should not be used on hardwood floors either. Try a cleaner made specifically for hardwood floors to get them clean without doing any damage to the wood or finish.
Avoid using all-purpose cleaners on areas with mold, mildew, or stains, as well. Try a stronger specialty cleaner for those tougher areas.
Abrasive Cleaners
Abrasive cleaners come in either liquid or powder and have a gritty texture. The grittiness comes from small minerals that are tougher on dirt and stains. They make cleaning utensils, pans, tile floors, ovens, stove burners, and bathtubs easier.
Abrasive cleaners can corrode or scratch some surfaces, such as metal. Avoid using this type of cleaner on any metal surfaces or other areas that could be ruined by scratches or corrosion.
Bleach
Bleach is a powerful cleaning solution that has a variety of uses around the house. Not only does it brighten discolored surfaces, but it effectively removes mildew. Bleach was designed for areas like tubs and toilet bowls. However, using bleach on porous grout, wood, or metal surfaces may damage or corrode them.
Bleach should be used with caution around your home. While it effectively removes mildew, it simply hides mold by whitening it, rather than removing it entirely. You will still need a cleaner specially formulated to remove mold.
Specialty Cleaners
Are you seeing a pattern with our cleaning solution recommendations? While there are a variety of different cleaners that can be used around your house, “specialty cleaners” are often the best choice.
Specialty cleaners are specifically designed for certain surfaces in your home, such as bathrooms, kitchen, glass, stainless steel, and hardwood floors. They are specially formulated to target things like hard water and dust without damaging the surface itself.
There are also specialty cleaners available for carpet and upholstery that should be carefully used with limited amounts of water. Professional carpet and upholstery cleaners can give you specific recommendations for your situation.
Professional Cleaning Services In Greensboro, California
Chem-Dry of Greensboro can clean a variety of surfaces in your home, everything from carpet, upholstery, and area rugs, to tile and grout. With Chem-Dry of Greensboro, you can be confident that your house will not only look clean but be clean!
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