Cleaning is a daily activity that helps us to get rid of dirt and rubbish at the places where we live or work. A clean environment has a cheerful effect on humans. Apart from making us feel satisfied and happy, cleaning can also help us become healthy. In this modern era of science, we know that many diseases spread due to unsanitary conditions and if proper cleaning is done these diseases can be avoided. Thus cleaning also plays an essential role in keeping us healthy and hearty. There are some proven benefits of cleaning and the effects a clean environment has on human well-being. These include:
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A strong immune system
A clean environment can protect you from allergies and diseases. If you are a person who gets seasonal allergies, then cleaning your home might help you stay healthy.
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Reduced stress
Cleaning is described as a de-stressing activity. When you do your housework, you turn off your brain for some and focus on the work being done which helps reduce anxiety and stress. A study has also proved that doing housework for 20 minutes can help lower stress and anxiety by 20 percent.
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Healthy heart
A healthy heart needs regular exercise. Your body exercises when you do the cleaning chores for example mopping, vacuuming, and scrubbing floors. These activities can reduce the risk of heart disease by 24 percent when done for 30 minutes per day. Therefore, cleaning is a heart-healthy activity.
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Increased productivity
A clean and organized place has a positive effect on the mind. It helps your mind to focus on the actual work instead of focusing on distractions.
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Better mood and feeling of accomplishment
Cleaning gives us a feeling of accomplishment and it has been proven that a clean home can improve your mood and also reduce the overall risk of depression.
Keeping in mind the above scientifically proven benefits of cleaning, we can say that cleaning is more than just an activity that makes your house organized and clean. It can help you achieve several health benefits too. But how cleaning is done? What supplies are needed to make your house clean and achieve all these benefits? Let us find out the most important cleaning supplies you need to keep your house clean and also keep you healthy. So let’s get started!
General cleaning tools
The general cleaning tools help keep your house clean. These tools help make housework easy for you.
These general tools include:
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Vacuum cleaner
Vacuum cleaners are a must-have as they help you clean spaces, floors, and furniture. These vacuum cleaners can be really helpful in cleaning carpeted floors which can be a difficult task to do without them. Clean carpets and furniture can help you achieve a sense of accomplishment as well as it can save you from different allergies that are caused by dirt. You should also wear a mask while cleaning carpets to protect yourself from dust.
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Microfiber cloths
Microfiber cloths can help you clean surfaces without putting scratches on these surfaces. These cloths can be used to clean glass as well as stainless steel. These clothes should be washed and kept clean regularly.
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Mop and bucket
A mop and bucket should be included in your cleaning supplies as these help you to make your floors clean and shiny. However you should use different mops for different areas in your home for example toilet, kitchen, and sitting rooms as using the same mop can cause bacterial contamination from one area to another.
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Broom and dustpan
A broom and dustpan can help you get rid of dust, fur, and other dirt in your house. These are used on uncarpeted floors and are very helpful in cleaning these places.
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Rubber gloves
While cleaning you may use some cleaning chemicals or the dust can be transferred to your hands. To protect yourself from these chemicals and dust, you should have a pair of rubber gloves to put on while cleaning. These gloves will keep your hands safe from dust and harmful chemicals.
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Toilet brush and holder
A toilet brush can help you keep your toilet bowl clean with minimum effort. Therefore you should have a toilet brush and it should be replaced a couple of times a year.
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A squeegee
A squeegee can help keep your shower free from mold and mildew. You should keep the blade protected while using and storing your squeegee. If your squeegee’s performance starts to go down, then you should replace it.
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A spray bottle
A spray bottle can help you clean surfaces like tables, shelves, and windows. So these should be a part of your cleaning supplies as a spray bottle can make work easier and better.
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A good sponge
A good sponge can help you clean grimy and dirty surfaces. These sponges are especially useful if they have an abrasive side to get rid of dirt. Because of the daily need to clean surfaces, a good sponge should be included in your cleaning supplies.
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A toothbrush
A toothbrush can help you in more detailed cleaning of the places where other brushes cannot work. You can use some old toothbrushes to clean the sinks and corners of the shelves. You should disinfect old toothbrushes before using them for cleaning purposes.
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Hand scrubbing brush
A hand scrubbing brush can help to get rid of tough stains that cannot be cleaned using a sponge. These can help to clean tough stains which cannot be cleaned using sponges or microfiber cloths.
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Cleaning solutions
When it comes to cleaning your house, sometimes only water cannot serve this purpose. You may need to use some cleaners to properly clean your house. These cleaning materials can help you clean your house with more ease and comfort. There are several cleaners available in the market which include standard versions and natural varieties. You can choose whichever you want for your home.
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All-purpose cleaner
All-purpose cleaners can help you get rid of grease, dirt, and stains by merely spraying and wiping. Because of their ease of use and ability to clean several surfaces easily, all-purpose cleaners must be an essential part of your cleaning supplies.
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Glass cleaner
Glass cleaners are really helpful in cleaning tables and windows. These glass cleaners are one of the most important windows cleaning equipment. These cleaners can make your windows and tables shiny and dust free.
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Wood cleaner
Using water or an all-purpose cleaner on wood can damage the wood. These wood cleaners are optimized for use on wood and can be helpful in cleaning wooden surfaces.
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Antibacterial spray or wipes
Antibacterial spray or wipes can help you sanitize your house and make it germ-free. Using these cleaning supplies can help you have a more healthy life.
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Tile cleaner with bleach
Soap scum, mold, and mildew can build up in the baths or showers that can be cleaned using a tile cleaner with bleach. However, you should use it carefully and protect yourself from fumes by opening a window. Tile cleaners with bleach can be really helpful in cleaning your showers and baths.
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White vinegar
White vinegar can help to clean and disinfect surfaces when you don’t want to use chemical cleaners. Therefore white vinegar can be used for cleaning purposes.
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Baking soda
Baking soda is beneficial in getting rid of odors. You can use it to remove the bad smell coming from garbage disposals or carpets.
Other cleaning products
Apart from the above-mentioned products, you should have specific supplies for specific places in your home. Following is a list of cleaning essentials for your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.
Kitchen
- You should have the following cleaning supplies for your kitchen:
- Oven cleaner
- Hand towels
- Dish soap
- Sponge
- Abrasive scrubbing pad
- Surface cleaner
Bathroom
You should have the following cleaning supplies for your bathroom:
- Grout brush
Laundry room
You should have the following cleaning supplies for your laundry room:
- Laundry detergent
- Bleach
- Stain remover
- Also, if you have pets you should have urine neutralizers and paw wipes.
Conclusion
Keeping your house neat and clean is a necessity that not only makes living easier but is also essential for your health and well-being. There are several products available today for different purposes that can make your cleaning easy and better. However, you don’t need to have all the above-mentioned supplies as the requirement of every person and home is different than other. Therefore you should use the products that you need. In addition, you can also make some cleaning solutions at home using white vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and bleach. You can use these homemade cleaners for cleaning purposes but these are not as good at killing germs as the products that are available in the market as those are made of chemicals and other non-natural sources. You can keep your house spick and span by using these cleaning supplies.
PhD Scholar (Pharmaceutics), MPhil (Pharmaceutics), Pharm D, B. Sc.
Uzma Zafar is a dedicated and highly motivated pharmaceutical professional currently pursuing her PhD in Pharmaceutics at the Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab. With a comprehensive academic and research background, Uzma has consistently excelled in her studies, securing first division throughout her educational journey.
Uzma’s passion for the pharmaceutical field is evident from her active engagement during her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) program, where she not only mastered industrial techniques and clinical case studies but also delved into marketing strategies and management skills.