Don’t you wish you could cut through the advertising spin when it comes to cleaning products? The ad tells you that this one new product will solve all your cleaning problems, but then the product itself either doesn’t work or gives you a headache from the chemical fumes.
Well, we’re here to help! Here is our review of two overrated cleaning supplies, three that we think are totally underrated and one that is totally worth the hype.
Overrated:
These products are often a drain on your dollars, without a whole lot in return.
01 Spray Cleaners
When it comes to spray cleaners, the companies that make these products would love you to believe you need a different spray for your bathroom sink, shower, kitchen bench, cupboards, stove, oven and everything else. Why just sell you one spray when they could sell you 12?
The good news is that you can easily make a multipurpose spray that is natural and non-toxic. You just need white vinegar and citrus. And for heavier jobs like cleaning the oven, there is almost always a natural, cheap alternative.
02 Mould Cleaning Products
Mould can often be treated with a home-made vinegar solution, but if you have a severe mould problem, most supermarket mould products won’t actually help. These products work by ‘bleaching’ the colour out of the mould on your walls but don’t actually kill the mould hiding in the walls. This means that the mould will just grow back after a few months!
A professional mould cleaner will use an anti-microbial solution to target hidden mould in the walls, preventing it from regrowing.
Underrated:
These are the top cleaning products that we think don’t get enough love.
01 Fringe mop
This powerhouse of a dust-buster is the best broom on the market when it comes to quickly dealing with large surfaces. Its long handle and large swivel head make it perfect for picking up dry dirt in a large area. The fringe dust mop is basically the racing car of the broom world.
02 Feather duster
Dusters feel a bit old fashioned. Sometimes it feels easier to just use a rag, rather than pulling the old duster out of whatever cupboard you left it in. But a good feather duster is worth its weight in gold (although they don’t weigh a lot).
Like the fringe mop, dusters are great at dealing maximum damage to dirt, with minimum time and effort. Plus, you get to feel like a Victorian housemaid!
03 Pipe Cleaner
In the last few years in Australia, there has been a push to get rid of plastic straws and other single-use plastics. I bought a reusable metal straw, but the real winner is the little pipe cleaner that comes with it!
This little brush is excellent for cleaning all the random kitchen appliances that odd little nooks and crannies that are too small for a scrubbing brush.
I’ve used the tiny brush to clean the milk frother for the coffee machine, the steam vents on Tupperware containers, and the blades on my zucchini spiralizer. Pipe cleaners are a valuable addition to your washing up toolkit.
Rightly Rated:
This product gets a lot of positive press, and we believe it deserves all the hype!
01 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
Microfiber cloths are well-loved, and for good reason. These cloths use micro-technology to create fibres so fine that they clean at a much deeper level than normal cloths. They are even capable of removing microbes and bacteria.
Microfiber cloths work best when damp or dry – not soaked in chemicals. Let the fibres do the work! And be careful when washing them. They can be machine washed, but fabric softener will clog the fibres, making them less effective.
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