Dozens of different cleaning products are used in everyday life. Some people prefer to wash all surfaces with one solution. But in fact, there are better cleaning products for all types of materials and products. They are made specifically to clean as efficiently as possible without damaging the texture or color. Therefore, if cleanliness in your home and the durability of furniture and decor items are important to you, it is important to carefully select them.
In this article we will compile the top cleaning products for different materials and surfaces.
Types of household cleaning products and detergents
Some products require a specific approach when cleaning dirt. For example, it is difficult to wash some materials, so strong chemicals are required, while others, on the contrary, are easy to clean, but are sensitive to aggressive influences, which is why you need to use weaker products. Let's consider the most popular compositions that can be useful in everyday life.
Glass cleaning: effective products for windows and mirrors
Washing a mirror or glass is easy: dirt can be easily wiped off even with a wet cloth. The problem is that after this they often leave stains. Therefore, the best glass cleaner should minimize them. It is important that it contains alcohol and that it foams well. The absence of this component will cause the remaining solution to dry out on the glass. And due to the small amount of foam, stains form.
It is also recommended to wash glass in cloudy weather or in the evening. The fact is that the heat and bright rays of the sun contribute to the rapid drying of the product on the windows, which is why stains form.
For the most effective cleaning, follow this plan:
- Wet the entire surface of the glass with water and product.
- Extra clean especially dirty areas.
- Clean the window completely.
- If you are using a special squeegee for cleaning windows, move it only from top to bottom, collecting dirt and water in a certain corner. After this, wipe it with a dry cloth.
Caring for cabinet furniture
In this case, aggressive chemicals should not be used. They can damage the natural structure of the tree, causing it to lose its beauty. It is best to choose solutions based on oils and waxes. Wet a rag with it and rub it along the grain of the wood so as not to damage it. However, you should not clean too often. A large amount of oil and wax will cause a lot of dust to accumulate on the furniture, and its appearance will deteriorate.
Cleaning Upholstered Furniture: Best Practices
A stain on a soft sofa spoils the entire interior, so you definitely need to get rid of such a defect. But this must be done carefully.The materials from which upholstered furniture is made are susceptible to household chemicals, so they can lose color or become damaged under such influence.
There are no universal options here, but you can test the purchased product yourself:
- Read the instructions to find out in what proportions the solution should be diluted with water.
- Take a pillow or other piece of furniture that can be turned inside out. Dampen the microfiber with the composition and apply a little of it to the back of the material. In this case, you will not spoil the furniture, but you will learn how the product affects it.
- Wait for the effect to appear. If you want to test several concentrates, take a break of two hours to prevent a chemical reaction.
The best upholstery cleaning products come in foam form. They are suitable for most materials and do a good job of removing stains. Despite this, it is better to test them before applying them to the outside of furniture.
Floor cleaning products
To clean a particularly dirty floor, you may need a strong cleaner. In most cases, a universal solution for all surfaces, for example from Domestos, is sufficient. The main thing is that the concentrate does not have a strong unpleasant odor, otherwise you will have to open the windows during each cleaning.
Pay attention to the type of flooring. Washing laminate flooring is especially dangerous - due to the large amount of moisture it can become deformed, swell or burst. Therefore, wipe it with a slightly dampened cloth, and then dry it thoroughly. It is recommended to wash parquet only with cold water. High temperatures can damage it.
The best solutions for washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen
Greasy dishes in the kitchen cause a lot of problems if you don’t wash them right away. But this is not always possible, so it is recommended to at least soak it in a cleaning product. When choosing it, proceed from the following criteria:
- No allergens. The solution must be hypoallergenic. They often add substances that can cause an allergic reaction, for example, citric acid extract. Some of them may remain on the dishes, becoming a problem for the allergy sufferer in the future.
- No smell. Extra odors from dishes will be unpleasant, especially if they are not combined with food.
- Safe for skin. Consider gentle cleansers that contain plant-based surfactants. And to remove particularly strong dirt, use special iron sponges.
Cleaning products for stoves, ovens and microwaves
The choice of funds for this category is individual. The fact is that hob surfaces can be made of ceramics, metal, artificial stone, glass, enamel and so on. Therefore, you need to look for solutions specifically for working with these materials. Some of them, for example, glass or metal, are not afraid of chemical attack. But if the cooking surface of the stove is made of stone, it is better to pay attention to mild herbal remedies.
Cleaning products for earthenware sanitary ware
To clean toilets, sinks and bathtubs, products from the corresponding line from manufacturers of cleaning solutions are suitable. Earthenware is not afraid of chemical attack, but you should not use strong concentrates for it. Focus on medium strength substances. They will effectively clean all surfaces of dirt without leaving any odor or other marks on them.
Choose gels or other liquids according to the PH indicator: it should be up to 10 points. If rust has formed on your plumbing, use special products to combat it. It is recommended not to use hard sponges that can scratch the surface of the earthenware.
Specialized products for acrylic bathtubs
The peculiarity of bathtubs and other acrylic surfaces is their vulnerability to strong chemicals. At the same time, they can become quite dirty, making cleaning using simple methods difficult. Pay attention to PH: it should not be low; the minimum for household chemicals is 5. The best solution would be neutral products with a weak effect. They can be supplemented with sprays that change when they hit the surface. Such concentrates soften dirt well, simplifying further cleaning. At the same time, the impact on acrylic remains minimal.
There are several neutral solutions on the market that have an anti-rust effect. This is a great solution if you want comprehensive cleaning and protection for your plumbing. These products include LOC Amway, made specifically for acrylic bathtubs.
Effective cleaning and cleaning of tiles
Tile is a fairly unpretentious material that is easy to clean. It is usually found in the bathroom or kitchen. Therefore, a lot of water gets on it. In the first case, it is mixed with detergent. In the second, it is supplemented with fat from food. In both cases, plaque, traces of dark-colored liquid that has flowed down, and other dirt remain on the tiles.
The tiles are not afraid of chemical exposure, so you don’t have to limit yourself in your choice. But it cleans quite easily, so you shouldn’t buy particularly strong products. The problem with cleaning is the seams between the tiles.It is inconvenient to wash them, and aggressive chemicals can damage the connecting material, which will lead to peeling of the tiles. Therefore, we recommend cleaning them with weak compounds. There is also a popular method - baking soda with hydrogen peroxide. They are applied to a toothbrush, and after a couple of strokes the seams become perfectly clean.
Multifunctional cleaning products: universal solutions
Buying detergent for every room or item in the house is expensive. And with a large number of solutions, it’s easy to get confused and choose the wrong one, ruining furniture or other surfaces. Therefore, it is worth finding a multi-purpose solution for most of the house and buying two or three solutions for special sensitive materials.
Here are some selection tips:
- Choose a floor cleaner based on the most sensitive coating. If it does not damage the laminate, then it is definitely not harmful to tiles or tiles.
- Solutions that can remove grease stains are generally suitable for cleaning most surfaces. But they should not contain abrasives: such compositions cannot be used for cleaning glass or acrylic.
- Choose products with medium acidity, preferably environmentally friendly ones made from plant substances.
- Many manufacturers of household chemicals have a line of universal products. Pay attention to what materials they are intended for and which ones you will have to wash.
To effectively and safely clean your home, it is advisable to have many different products for different surfaces and materials. This approach will protect them from accidental damage and preserve color and texture. But there are cleaning products that can be called universal. They usually do not do their job perfectly, but they are suitable in most cases.
