13+ Minimalist Cleaning Supplies Approved by a Pro!

I have been cleaning houses for work for over 17 years. Why do I do it you may ask?

Because it’s a flexible job that allows me time for my other important priorities. It also keeps me active! And I can’t complain about listening to books and music all day!

The cherry on top is that I’ve worked for really wonderfully kind people and I’ve worked for them a long time!

I actually really enjoy my job but you know what I don’t enjoy?

There is nothing worse than using cleaning materials for housekeeping that don’t work. It will destroy your motivation to clean right away. And I hate to see my clients buy things they thing will be awesome only for these basic housekeeping cleaning supplies to fail them within the year.

That’s why I’m writing this post! I want to share a basic cleaning supplies list with you that is maid approved! I want to tell you what minimalist cleaning supplies work great and warn you off the stuff that doesn’t so you can stop wasting money and clean house faster! So let’s get started…

You Need Minimalist Cleaning Supplies List to Save Time and Money

Before we get into the nitty gritty why do you even need this basic cleaning supplies list? Are minimalist cleaning supplies really going to do the trick? Is the stuff you have just fine?

I mean your beautiful Hoover vacuum, Windex, and shower spray are going to work just fine on cleaning day…aren’t they?

Well, I hate to break it to you but some of these well known “best cleaning products” are actually slowing you down and making life harder! And when you buy the wrong vacuum there’s a huge investment down the drain! The wrong mop can even ruin your precious wood flooring.

That’s why you want to hear what I have to say. This maid is ready to give an honest review of the things you think are great cleaning products and it won’t be pretty!

But you will be soooo much happier when you buy the right cleaning materials the very first time!

Bathrooms and Kitchens

One time I had a lady tell me that she had a really sensitive nose and that she only wanted me to use her products because those scents didn’t bother her. I was fine with that until she handed me a bottle of Windex with Ammonia and a bottle of Clorox spray.

Do you see the problem?

If you combine ANYTHING with Ammonia with ANYTHING that has chlorine you will get a poisonous gas that will actually burst the air sacks in your lungs and kill you in no time! Those things might have smelled good to her but I wasn’t about to let them kill me.

Years ago I cleaned for a lady whose baby had sensitive skin and she asked me to be careful with what I used to clean the bathtub.

That’s when I realized that I most of the shower sprays tell you not to “allow contact with skin or surfaces that come in contact with skin.”

That is downright terrifying. What surface in your home doesn’t touch your skin?! Or your food!

So what minimalist cleaning supplies do I use instead?

The Super Basic Minimalist Cleaning Supplies List I Use:

What types of sprays do I use for cleaning showers, counter tops, bathtubs, mirrors, and more? It’s plain and simple.

My multipurpose spray is a homemade mix of dish soap, water, and a bit of hyrdrogen peroxide to kill germs. You can add some essential oils for scent if you want. There are many antibacterial essentials oils for cleaning you might use.

And for shiny stuff like mirrors, glass, and chrome? Vinegar and a paper towel do wonders! Or for a eco-friendly swap you can try Swedish dish cloths!

I promise you will not have a streaky mirrors ever again! And vinegar may stink at first but it actually neutralizes other odors and then fades away.

If you are looking for something that isn’t vinegar and soapy water I highly recommend Shaklee’s Basic H! It’s super concentrated and will last you a good long time. You can use it on all surfaces and it kills germs! It’s a super natural green product that is safe for EVERYTHING and very eco friendly.

Tough Stains and Scum

That’s all fine and good you say but I must use something stronger for the tough stuff!

That is true. On occasion you need to bleach up some grout or scrub off some scum. So is that time to reach for the Scrubbing Bubbles? Isn’t there a magical product that will do all the work for you?

I will tell you my little secret.

My magical product that can clean anything is not Scrubbing Bubbles or anything like that!

My secret ingredient is ELBOW GREASE. I know you didn’t want to hear that but in the long run NOTHING will do the work for you (except a cleaning lady).

So what is on my basic cleaning supplies list for tough jobs?

For soap scum in showers nothing works like Dawn dish soap and a scrubby.

Magic Erasers are awesome for hard water on glass and chrome.

And when it doubt a good sprinkle of Comet or Barkeeper’s Friend will give you the scouring power you need and little bit of whitening. I also like Shaklee’s Scour Off for a natural option (it smells like cherries).

Bonus tip: If you need to bleach grout use Clorox toilet gel. It stays where you want it and it does the job well! Also, obviously it’s great for your toilets.

Minimalist Cleaning Supplies List for Dusting

Dusting is literally the EASIEST house cleaning job but lots of people hate it!

Did you know that hating it makes it 1000 times worse?

Absolutely! Because when you never dust, when you finally do it, it is legitimitely awful! There is tons of dust and it messes up your duster or rag in two seconds. It flies all over and soon your are in a sneezing fit that won’t stop.

So how can you make it better?

Simply dust every single week. I mean it. Even if things don’t look dusty you need to dust every week! Or every other week at most. Put on some good music and take 15 minutes or less to dust your home. Move stuff around and dust the fans too!

So what do you need for dusting?

A Swiffer is one of the best cleaning materials for housekeeping ever invented! I have used an extending handle Swiffer duster for years now and they are the best! Just don’t use anything else. It’s that simple.

If you want to make your house look extra nice you can get some Old English and a rag to polish your wood doors and furniture now and then.

And if you get sticky dust in the kitchen or the bathroom you can spray it with the dish soap and water combo.

But otherwise a Swiffer should do the job.

Don’t forget to dust the fans. If you are doing it for the first time wear a mask and just be ready for the nastiness. You can also dust the blinds by shifting them to closed in the upright and downright positions. IF you do this regularly they will never become a big nasty project again!

Remember, if you want to clean house faster you will have to do it more often.

Best Vacuums For Cleaning Your House

Okay, I have to admit this category specifically is the reason I had a burning desire to write this post about a basic cleaning supplies list.

I have had many relationships with many vacuums in my time as a cleaning lady and there has been A LOT of DRAMA involved.

I mostly try to use the vacuum my clients already own. But that hasn’t always been wise. There have been vacuums that have been less effective than if I had crawled on the floor sucking through my nose!

So here’s my real honest vacuum review:

• Dyson Upright Chordless Vacuums are very very popular. They are sleek and sexy but even new out of the box they are likely to halfway through vacuuming your house. The battery gets weaker quickly and everyone I know has replaced said battery at least once before giving up.
• Electrolux and other drag along heavy duty vacs: These heavy clunkers are bought at a high price because they are soooo heavy duty. You might be able to send them to space and still use them in 100 years but they are heavy shin killers that are a pain to haul around!
• The Tineco Upright Chordless: One of my ladies got this vacuum after replacing her Dyson battery 3 times. This vacuum was powerful and amazing at first! It felt like it was walking me. But within 6 months it’s battery wouldn’t last more than one room at a time.
• The Shark Rocket series: These are chorded vacuums with the same general design as the Dyson chordless vacuum. They have REALLY long chords so it isn’t a hindrance that they are chorded. In fact it is an advantage. They never run out of battery. I’ve had my own for 4 years, my parents have had theirs 5, and the client that had a Dyson and a Tineco eventually ended up with the Shark! They are easy to clean and they come with special attachments including a wood floor attachment will certain models!

Ok, I’ve said my peace.

Shark vacuums in general are my favorite! For the love of the maid PLEASE don’t buy another Dyson.

And those little round vacuums that run around your house on their own need too much babysitting lest they eat chords, rugs, or your actual pets!

Minimalist Cleaning Supplies for Your Hard Floors:

Now that you know how I feel about vacuums let me give you the low down on your hard floors. Yes, you can vacuum them but a lot of vacuums blow away cat and dog hair before you can even get to it! And vacuums aren’t the best at tight corners either.

I highly suggest sweeping your hard floors because you can really get in the nooks and crannys with a broom. You can sweep under furniture and get junk out of grout better too!

Just grab a great broom and dust pan! It really is that simple.

Minimalist Cleaning Supplies for Mopping

Ok so mopping should be pretty basic right? Well, it’s not as simple as it sounds. You definitely need the right mop for the right surface.

For example, wood flooring is precious like a princess. It can’t be drenched with water. If you do that you are going to be looking a buckling and peeling floor in the near future.

For that reason you would never use a rag mop on a wood floor. Way too much water.

Instead I highly recommend the Libman spray as you go mop for wood floors. In fact I love that mop for all floors.

However, if have a large expanse of tile or laminate flooring I would definitely recommend a rag style mop because it will cover ground much faster.

That being said please pick up with a self-wringing twist handle mop. I also really like the spin dry bucket and mop set from O Cedar.

Please though, don’t get the Shark steam mop. They are the worst! Such a hassle and tons of streaks! Not worth it.

As for mopping solution it doesn’t matter too much. You can do vinegar and water, a little soap and water, or the solution of your choice. Just make sure you make it MOSTLY water. You can add some essential oils if you want a nice scent.

Other Things On My Basic Cleaning Supplies List

That covers most of it! You should be able to clean your house very well with the above items recommended on my basic cleaning supplies list.

I do have a few other extraneous recommendations you might need for spring cleaning and special projects. Here they are:

• Goo Gone for any kind of stuck on adhesive.
• A toothbrush for scrubbing grout.
• P.E. scooter for cleaning baseboards.
• A special blind duster.
• Microfiber rags or Swedish dish cloths instead of paper towells.
• A small squeegee for mirrors and glass.
• Wet/Dry Shop Vac

These Minimalist Cleaning Supplies Will Do The Job Right!

I have been cleaning for over 17 years now.

Trust me when I tell you having the right cleaning supplies makes all the difference.

Once you have the things on my basic cleaning supplies list you will never turn back because they will help you clean house faster and better than ever before!

And the best part of having the right minimalist cleaning supplies is you won’t have to waste money on junk that does not work.

Now all you need a cleaning schedule. You can clean once a week or you can try a daily cleaning schedule instead. You will also need to make time for deep cleaning at least twice a year but you could also take on one task a month. Grab your cleaning schedules and your house will ALWAYS sparkle!

Should You Get a Cleaning Lady?

On one final note, would it be worth it for you to get a cleaning lady?

I know what your first reaction is. That hiring a cleaning lady seems expensive. You might even accuse yourself of being lazy if you hire a cleaning lady.

Neither of those things are really true though.

Cost of Cleaning Services:

Cleaning ladies generally cost about $25 an hour. This obviously varies depending on if you live in an expensive or inexpensive part of the country.

That might sound steep but most homes can be cleaned in 3-4 hours and some take even less time. That means you are looking at between $60-100 per cleaning and you can do that every week or every other week.

How much does your manicure cost a month? What about your daily Starbucks?

I don’t know about you but nothing seems like as much of a treat as not cleaning my house! That sounds waaaaay better to me than any amount of caffiene or crystal gel!

Does it Mean Your Lazy if You Hire Someone to Clean For You?

Also, you are not lazy for hiring a cleaning lady. You are just choosing to give your time and energy to other things like organizing, spending time with your family, exercising, and so forth!

Last but not least, you are giving someone else a job! There is no better way to pay forward your abundance than to fill the need of someone else. And giving someone a steady job is the best way to do that.

I have been a cleaning lady for over 17 years and let me tell you I LOVE MY JOB because I work for awesome people and it makes me happy to improve their lives!

So is it worth it get a someone to clean your house? I think it definitely is!

But whatever you do at least buy her (or yourself) the vacuum from this basic cleaning supplies list!

Grab Your Basic Cleaning Supplies List and Clean Faster!

Now that you have a basic cleaning supplies list that you can trust to work go buy these great products and get ready to ACTUALLY enjoy cleaning house.

• Spray bottles
• Dawn dish soap and water
• Shaklee Basic H
• Essential oil of your choice for a nice scent.
• White Vinegar
• Old English Furniture Polish
• Clorox toilet gel
• Swiffer extending handle 360 duster and refills
• Scrubbing Sponges
• Magic Erasers
• Microfiber rags or Swedish dish cloths or paper towels.
• Comet or Barkeepers Friend or Shaklee’s Scour Off
• Shark Rocket Vacuum
• Broom and Dustpan
• Self-wringing mop or O’Cedar Spinning Bucket Kit
• Libman spray as you go mop
• Small Squeegee

Put on some great tunes or an audio book! Before you know it your house will be sparking and you’ll have a cleaning schedule that works for you.

And don’t forget spring cleaning! Sometimes you have to do even deeper cleaning to keep your home healthy and good shape!

Our home sets the tone for our whole mood and life! It is definitely worth a little bit of investment and time to make your home an amazing support for your life.

Need To Clean House Faster?

The most important thing you can do to make your home easier to clean is decluttering. If you get rid of all the junk you don’t use or need you will find it takes HALF the time to clean your house! I’m not kidding!

So do you know how to declutter your home? Where do you even start?

Don’t panic! I can help!

Grab the Fearless Decluttering e-book and printable pages. I created this unique decluttering program to help you declutter in 3 steps that don’t turn your house into a disaster zone!

I promise that the Fearless Decluttering program will turn your house from an overwhelming mess to a peaceful retreat you love to enjoy and even show off! Grab it right now and get started today!