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Now that it's post-Christmas and the New Year is approaching, it's time to do a good spring cleaning for your home.
Before you start purchasing expensive cleaning appliances, make sure you have (and try out) these 10 basic cleaning items first.
10 Basic Home Cleaning Tools
Whether you are moving into a new home or are spring cleaning for the new year, make sure you have these cleaning essentials.
1. A designated space
It’s much easier to clean when you are not scrambling around your cleaning products. Keep all your cleaning tools in one place, neat and organised, either on a small trolley cart or in a clear container.
2. Lots of kitchen towels & rags
Use them to clean up spills and wipe down surfaces. Recycling old tees into rags is one eco-friendly option.
3. Get magic sponges
Also called melamine sponge or eraser sponge, this miracle worker can remove or clean anything in mere seconds, including scuff marks and leftover adhesive. As they wear out easily, save them for the tough jobs.
4. Buy liquid cleaners
Having an all-purpose cleaner saves time, space, and cost – but don’t forget cleaners that are specially formulated for things like leather sofas and hardwood floors.
5. Baking soda
When mixed with water, it dissolves dirt and grime without being too acidic or abrasive on most surfaces. This affordable ingredient also rids bad odours.
6. Toothbrush
To scrub smaller surfaces, of course!
10 cleaning tools you need for a spotless home
10 cleaning tools you need for a spotless home
7. Microfibre cloth
The tight weave of microfibres pick up dust easily, so you do not need detergents or water. Microfibre cloths are also water-repellant and do not leave lints or streakiness.
8. Rubber gloves
The grime and chemicals from cleaning may irritate your hands, so have slip-resistant (and latex-free, if you are allergic) gloves on.
9. Spray bottle
Fill it with plain water for easy reach.
10. Squeegee
Whether handheld or a professional squeegee, it is the fastest and most streak-free way to clean your windows.
8 Best Cleaning Appliances For Your Home
Whether you're contending with a wine stain on the carpet that just won't budge, or cleaning up the debris in your kitchen, having the right appliance makes spring cleaning so much easier.
Here, we've rounded up some cleaning appliances that will help you get the job done quicker and more efficiently.
Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, $199
Shark has built a reputation for its cleaning products, particularly their vacuum cleaners. They’re aesthetically pleasing and in this instance unobtrusive as it sits in a stand when not in use.
While the battery life won’t sustain you through an extended cleaning session - it only lasts 10 minutes - it is a perfect quick fix when you want to clean up a mess as soon as it has happened.
The 0.25l capacity will also cover any quick messes you need to tackle.
Xiaomi Air Purifier, $259
This 4th generation Air Purifier by Xiaomi features the famous HEPA filter and can deliver 6660L of clean air per minute.
It will monitor your air, remove the toxins you can’t see and leave the atmosphere clean and breathable.
The OLED touch display makes setup straightforward and offers an instant full breakdown of the air quality at a glance. You can also control it through the app or use voice command.
Black & Decker Steam Mop, $125.90
A great choice for a compact apartment, the Black & Decker has a compact 350ml tank and a 5 metre cable, so you can get your cleaning done and store it away easily too.
Also, the microfibre pad is machine washable so you can reuse it and clean it easily.
The steam mop kills 99.99% of germs without the need for detergent and has an adjustable head for getting into all those hard to reach places.
Anker Eufy HomeVac H11, $109.90
When you need to clean smaller places or tidy up surfaces quickly, a handheld vacuum is a great addition to your cleaning arsenal.
The versatility means hoovering doesn't have to be an ordeal and you can use it outside the home too if your car needs a spruce up.
Deerma WetDry Steamer Mop, $99
We’ve all reached for the bleach to clean our floors at one time or another, but if you want to avoid toxins while still doing heavy-duty grime cleaning, a steam mop is the appliance to go for.
You don’t need to fiddle with ratios of detergent to water, and the different attachments on this model mean you can tackle different kinds of surfaces with no worry.
ECOVACS DEEBOT U2 Pro, $439
A great choice for budget-conscious homeowners, this handy little robot can clean 200 sqm of your house in one sitting and help cover some of the routine cleaning work.
You’ll need to run a regular vacuum over the top for a deep clean, but this is a great way to keep things fresh in between cleaning days.
Dyson Pure Cool Me Fan, $499
Clean air is as vital to a clean home as clean surfaces are. An air purifier like the Dyson PureCool can clean up the air in your home and combat humidity too.
The filter is easy to maintain, and it removes 99.95 per cent of pollutants. Did we also mention how much we love its sleek look?
, $499
A decent hoover is a must-have appliance, but for some people they can be cumbersome, especially if the appliance comes with a wire. A cordless option like this Dyson V8 is a great alternative.
Featuring a HEPA filter and 155 Air Watts from the powerful V8 motor, you get up to 40 minutes of powerful fade-free suction.