There’s nothing more exciting than moving into your own place for the first time. Sure, you may have had some independence when you lived in the dorm in college or with roommates in campus housing. But now, you have your own place. Or maybe, you finally got approval on that mortgage loan and you bought your first house.
Regardless of the circumstances, we’ve put together a list of 23 must-have cleaning supplies to keep your new place spotless. Before you head out to the store to purchase your cleaning supplies, it’s a good idea to think about how you’re going to store your supplies and in what rooms you will use them most often.
Many people find it easier to keep a bucket or basket of cleaning supplies in several places throughout the house to reduce the time spent “looking” for the supplies you need.
If your budget won’t hold up to purchasing multiples of the same floor vacuum cleaner, purchase a couple empty spray bottles, label them clearly, and split the product half in the bathroom and half in the kitchen.
Tools & Equipment
If you’ve never had your own place before or if you haven’t been responsible for obtaining the tools and equipment needed to keep a home clean, you may be surprised at all that you can do with a just a small number of tools and equipment.
You don’t have to get fancy equipment to keep your new place spotless. But there are some basic tools and supplies you’ll want to keep on hand to make cleaning easier. Below are a few things to make sure to buy before you move in or within the first few days.
Cleaning Supplies to Keep Floors Spotless
Whether you have old wooden floors, high quality tile, or wall to wall carpet, a broom, dustpan, and vacuum cleaner can go a long way toward keeping your home spotless. All those great folks who showed up to help you move in will track lots of dirt and leaves into your place on the first day. And trust me, welcome mat at the door and a mop and bucket are among the must have supplies to keep your new place spotless.
- Broom & Dustpan
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Mop & Bucket
- Welcome Mat
Inexpensive Cleaning Supplies
There are a number of cleaning supplies you can purchase inexpensively at discount stores or dollar stores. These products will do the trick and can be replaced easily when they wear out or your decor changes.
No bathroom should be without a toilet brush and holder as well as a toilet plunger, you’ll be glad to have them on hand when you need them.
Microfibre cloths are great for washing dishes. Thin cotton kitchen towels dry quickly when hung and thick plush towels are great for in the bathroom. Keep old or stained towels tucked away to use for those really messy jobs or spills.
Another of the must-have cleaning supplies to keep your new place spotless is a small scrub brush or two. These come in handy for a variety of cleaning tasks in the kitchen and bathroom as well as to spot clean carpet and upholstery throughout the house.
Colour code your sponges, green for dishes, yellow for floors, orange for bathrooms, and red for the really messy jobs. Sanitise all your sponges regularly using soap and water, bleach, and/or high heat. Replace red sponges frequently. This system of colour coding is simple to remember and can go a long way toward preventing germs from spreading throughout your house.
Old-fashioned feather dusters or a microfibre duster with a handle will come in handy for cleaning things such as ceiling fans, window blinds, and for dusting the tops of bookshelves or cabinets.
Part of keeping your new place spotless is keeping all those dirty clothes in a hamper until you can get them washed and put away. Pick up a clothes hamper, basket, detergent, and fabric softener, etc. at your local dollar or discount store.
Natural Cleaning Supplies
One of the ways to keep your new place spotless, especially if budget is an issue, is to use natural ingredients to make your own cleaning supplies. Natural ingredients are inexpensive, easy to stockpile, and leave your home smelling fresh and clean.
You can find a ton of DIY cleaning solution recipes online. Additional benefits of using natural cleaning supplies are that it’s better for the health of your family and for the environment.
There is truly no end to the ways vinegar can help you to keep your new place spotless. Use it to clean windows, remove odours, or even unclog your drain!
Lemon juice is a common citrus cleaner that can be used to remove stains, sanitise kitchen utensils and cutting boards, or to mix with water to clean windows.
This trusted pantry ingredient can be used in a wide variety of DIY cleaning recipes. Mix with water to make a scrubbing paste to spot treat clothing, carpets or upholstery, pour in the drain, with equal parts vinegar, and let sit overnight to unclog a drain, or use it to deodorise your fridge.
Believe it or not, hydrogen peroxide can be a great asset as one of your must-have cleaning supplies for your new home. The reaction that occurs with hydrogen peroxide makes it a great natural option for stain removal on carpets, counters, and clothing.
Other Cleaning Supplies
In addition to your basic cleaning tools and equipment we listed above, there are some pretty basic cleaning supplies you’ll want to have on hand to keep your new place spotless. Whether you DIY some of these or buy them from the local retail store, is totally a matter of preference.
Unless you have an unlimited budget for take-out and restaurants, you’re going to have to do dishes to keep your place spotless. Make sure you get a dish soap with grease cutter added to cut through that tough film on dishes, and make cleaning pots and pans easier.
These are going to come in handy for cleaning up all kinds of spills and messes in your new place. If your budget allows, get top quality paper towels that are perforated so you can only tear off the portion you need for the mess at hand.
These are so handy to have on hand. Keep them in the bathroom and the kitchen. Use them to frequently disinfect counters, faucets, toilet handle, etc. to keep germs at bay. Check Pinterest for great DIY recipes to make your own all-natural disinfectant wipes.
Invariably when cleaning your home, there will be trash that needs to be thrown out, given away or recycled. Keep various sizes of trash bags handy for this purpose to help remove clutter and keep your new place spotless. Many trash bags come unscented but you can also buy scented or odour fighting trash bags to help keep your home odour free.
Cleaning Solutions to Keep Place Spotless
Making your own all-natural cleaners is better for your home and the environment, but for those us with busy, hectic lifestyles, convenience is a priority too. If you don’t have the time or motivation to DIY cleaning solutions from natural products, you have to use maid & house cleaning service or need some, if not all, of these types of cleaners below:
For those that enjoy sunshine pouring into their apartment during the daylight hours, (who doesn’t?) glass cleaner is a must have cleaning supply to keep your new place spotless.
The type of floor cleaner you use to keep your new place spotless will largely depend on the type of floors you have. Make sure to follow manufacturer instructions for each type of floor to get the perfect floor cleaner for your new home.
No cleaning supply closet is complete without at least one bottle of all-purpose grease cleaner. If budget allows, keep a bottle in the bathroom, kitchen, and garage or workshop to keep your new place spotless. Storing cleaners where they are used makes it more likely that you will do quick spot cleaning when you are in the room and cuts down on time spent searching for supplies.
There’s no getting around it, you’ll need a bathroom cleaner with bleach or at least a scum & mildew remover to add to the cleaning supplies for your bathroom.
Wood furniture is one way to give your new home that luxurious feel without breaking the bank furnishing your home. Make sure you care for your wood furniture with the perfect wood sealer when you dust.
Did we forget one of your must-have cleaning supplies? Tell us your favourite cleaning product and how you use it to keep your new place spotless in the comments below.