Essential Cleaning Supplies We Can’t Live Without

Rose Morrison

Aug 26, 2020

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Ready to stock up on essential cleaning supplies?

You want your home to stay sparkling clean, but you need the right gear. Plain water only goes so far when it comes to removing stains and germs. 

What should every well-stocked home keep in its cleaning closet? The 18 items below will help your home look like new. We can’t live without these essential cleaning supplies. 

1. White Distilled Vinegar 

White vinegar in a glass jar with a green sponge, yellow rags, and a bottle brush

When it comes to eco-friendly cleaning, you can’t get much better than distilled white vinegar. If you visit your local hardware store, you’ll find it comes in various strengths so you can pick the toughest one for your greasiest messes. 

However, if anyone in your household contracts the novel coronavirus, look to a different cleanser. Vinegar kills mold, but it doesn’t work as effectively against viruses. 

2. Bleach 

A person holding a spray bottle of bleach while wearing blue rubber gloves

Bleach does kill viruses, although some people find the smell objectionable. Make sure you make your concentrate strong enough —  you’ll need 1/3 cup of this liquid per gallon of water to maximize germ-busting. 

3. Essential Oil

A woman pouring essential oils in her hands

If you make homemade cleaners, a few drops of essential oil can leave your house smelling divine. Even if you prefer commercial products, aromatherapy oils won’t release toxins like toluene into the air the way paraffin wax candles can. 

4. Wood Refinishing Oil 

Hand applying oil and wax on a old wood furniture

Does your dining room table reflect tons of spills and scratches? Instead of replacing it, make it look new at a fraction of the cost with a quality wood refinishing oil. Finish with a coat of wax to protect your new mar-free surface, and your furniture won’t show the blemishes imposed by your 2-year-old. 

5. Bar Keepers Friend 

This product should more rightfully be called “miracle stove cream,” because that’s what it is. If you recently moved into an apartment with a filthy flat-top stove, a few applications of this amazing cleaning product will restore its shine. It also works well to clean dirt-coated outdoor glass tabletops. 

6. A Handheld Steam Cleaner

Steam cleaner mop cleaning on a wooden floor as a cleaning supply essential

What do you do when your kitty picks the upholstery to vomit on? Don’t let odors seep into your fabrics — steam them out naturally with a handheld steamer that won’t break your bank. It will, however, make your most disagreeable chores a snap. 

7. A Ceiling Fan Blade Tool 

A still, dirty beige ceiling fan against a beige ceiling

Do you let your ceiling fans blow debris around your home because you can’t reach the blades? A microfiber cloth tool with an extendable rod solves your problem, and spritzing it with a dust repellent keeps it cleaner longer. 

8. A Lint Remover Tool

French bulldog shedding, owner dealing with excessive hairs by using lint remover

A lint trap brush helps you to prevent dryer fires from all that sweater fuzz. It keeps your home safer, but it also enables you to retrieve the ring you dropped between the stove and countertop. 

9. A Gap Stopper 

A silver and black stove in a green kitchen

Why keep letting bits of debris like veggie clippings fall through the cracks? This practice only invites ants to come into your kitchen for an impromptu picnic. A gap stopper may not be a cleaning tool per se, but it will spare your back the agony of moving appliances to clean up that peeled carrot curl. 

10. A Broom and Dustpan 

Handheld dust broom with a teal dustpan

If your front and back porch get filthy, your family tracks that dirt in every time they enter. Even if they remove their shoes, the wind still blows in dust and leaves. Keep that dirt safely away from entryways with a broom and dustpan set. 

11. A Stepladder

A wooden ladder in a bare white room witha white chair and a houseplant

If you only stand 5 feet 2 inches tall, the top of your refrigerator could become a dust magnet without your knowledge. Keep the places you can’t reach tidy with a stepladder that folds to fit neatly in a closet. 

12. An Angry Mama 

An Angry Mama microwave cleaner with a demo featured

Did your 3-year-old explode Spaghetti-O’s all over the microwave? You need to loosen the gunk before you can clean it — let this Angry Mama vent the steam for you. 

13. Water Bottle Cleaning Tablets

Does the inside of your favorite water bottle smell suspiciously like a germ factory? Make it sparkle and protect your health with a set of cleaning tablets that do the dirty work. 

14. A Vertical Blind Cleaner 

A sunset peeking through open vertical blinds

Dusting your vertical blinds can take forever. However, you can make this taxing chore less time-consuming with the help of a cleaner that lets you get between the slats. 

15. Nature’s Miracle Pet Stain Remover

A puppy and a kitten cuddling on the grass
A dog and cat laying on the grass

You love your pets, but they can leave quite the unsightly messes. However, you can make your white carpet as good as new with Nature’s Miracle Stain and Odor Remover the next time Fido has an oops. 

16. A Set of Bra Saver Bags

A teal laundry basket with neutral-colored clothes in it

Those who wear them know that bras cost a pretty penny, and having them come out of your dryer with the underwire warped causes justifiable anger. Spare yourself the frustration with a set of bra-saver bags that will keep your straps from tangling during the spin cycle. 

17. A Vacuum Sealer

Vacuum packing airtight sealing

Do your sweaters get moth holes despite the cedar in your closet? Keep your winter clothes damage-free with a set of vacuum sealing bags that attach to your device’s hose to keep pests at bay. 

18. A Pressure Washer

Man cleaning red, concrete pavement block using high pressure water cleaner

When it comes time to clean your garage floor, deck, or driveway, there’s no substitute for a pressure washer. Use it on your aluminum siding, and you may discover you don’t need to paint your home’s exterior — only shine it up a bit. 

Keep Your House Tidy with These Essential Cleaning Supplies

We can’t live without the top 18 essential cleaning supplies above. Give them a try — we bet you’ll feel the same way. 

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