02.22.21 ~ Products Guide
Let’s talk products!
There is definitely no shortage of options when it comes to cleaning supplies, and the plethora from which to choose can we be overwhelming. While I personally love spending time browsing the cleaning aisles at Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc. and all those online retailers, shops, and services, I understand how daunting choosing the right, best, and good cleaning supplies can be.
So here is our list of West Philly Scrub favorites, tried and true to guide you through the cornucopia of cleaning products and supplies available in our hyperconsumption-based capitalist market.
Remember: West Philly Scrub does NOT use nor recommends the use of bleach (chlorine-based or otherwise) equally because of its harmful and toxic effects on our environment (damaging water supplies and aquatic life when poured down drains, disrupting endocrine systems in fish and aquatic life, and introducing effects of “bio-magnification”) and because of the dangers it presents to our bodies and our homes (affecting air quality and causing respiratory harm, irritating skin, and posing the risk of poisoning). You can read more about the harmful affects of bleach here and skim through the CDC’s overview of chlorine here.
~ All-purpose ~
Target’s line of EverSpring cleaning products is a new favorite of mine. They work phenomenally, don’t leave any pesky, sticky residue, and smell nice without being ~too much~ or overwhelming my sensitivities to fragrance. Method is another staple go-to whose scents are a touch more powerful and prominent if having your home “smell clean” is a priority.
~ Window & Glass~
Honestly my favorite glass cleaner is a simple 1:1 dilution of distilled white vinegar and water.
But if you’re a committed, brand-loyal Windex fan, WPS recommends trying out/switching to their ammonia-free or vinegar-based line of cleaners.
Hot tip: NEVER use vinegar on natural stone ~ its acidity is too corrosive for these materials. And NEVER use ammonia on unfinished wood surfaces ~ it strips the wood of its natural, protective oils and causes dry-rot.
~ Bathroom ~
This is where people most assume that bleach is needed to get the job done, and I am here to tell you: NOPE! Bathrooms, kitchens, and other “wetrooms” where you’re washing things down the drain is exactly the ~last place~ you want to introduce bleach. There are plenty of bleach- and chlorine-free disinfecting bathroom cleaners out there to use instead and which work just as well.
My favorite is Method’s Antibac bathroom spray, and EVERY home should have a shaker-bottle of Bon Ami bleach-free scrub cleanser stocked and ready ~ non-toxic, scratch-free, and never tested on animals, this cleanser is a gentle yet powerful workhorse for tubs, toilets, anywhere that needs a little extra “umph” to get the job done (and it’s even safe enough to use in the kitchen, too).
For toilet bowl cleaner, Seventh Generation makes the best in my opinion ~ free from bleach, artificial fragrances, and dyes. In a pinch, sprinkle some Bon Ami in there and scrub away. Invest in a toilet brush, and be sure to empty out its little holder regularly to prevent build-up and mold. Again, YOU DO NOT NEED BLEACH TO STAY SAFE.
As far as sponges and brushes go, I recommend any sponge with a “scrubby back” and the most plastic-free, the better. Even Scotch Brite brand is making a more eco-friendly sponge now. While you may think you need a big, honkin’ scrub brush to tackle your shower walls and tile, this ergonomically designed grout brush by Full Circle has been the most wonderful, comfortable, and powerful tool I’ve found for really getting in there. If you don’t feel like or have access to spending money on a new brush, save those used toothbrushes! It might be more labor-intensive and time-consuming, but those worn-out bristles work just fine on grout and tile after they’ve reached their expiration date for your mouth.
~ Kitchen ~
Nothing beats the mighty power of dish detergent in the kitchen. Since it’s made to get oil and food-stuffs off of plates, it’s safe and effective on pretty much all other kitchen surfaces, too! Dawn and Seventh Generation are my standards, but any dish soap you use/prefer will do the job to clean sinks, stovetops, cabinet faces, refrigerator shelves, and counters.
For any wood surfaces, make sure you allow them to dry thoroughly and then treat with the appropriate wood polish, walnut oil, or butcher block oil to introduce protective coating again to absorb into the wood and prevent it from over-drying.
~ Dusting ~
To reduce single-use waste in your home, I have found VibraWipe microfiber cloths to be excellent for dusting AND cleaning. While some microfiber towels or cloths don’t work well with moisture, these are absorbent enough to tackle both dry dusting and wet cleaning. You can also save old, ratty towels and tee shirts and cut them to a comfortable size for dusting and cleaning. If the fabric isn’t dusting well enough on its own, dampen it with water or use a little glass cleaner in addition.
If you’re a person who prefers to throw your dust away, don’t worry about spending the extra money on Swiffer dusters. Their dry floor sweepers work just as well for dusting and are (for some reason) a fraction of the cost.
~ Floors ~
Seriously, a broom is a broom. I’m partial to angled-head brooms that allow for a little more precision and getting more easily into corners, but anything that feels comfortable and fits your budget will do the trick.
Mops are a different story and my recommendations are based on the size of your home ~~
If you have a small home or limited hardwood flooring, O Cedar’s “Dual Action Microfiber Flip Mop” with a squirt-n-go or spray cleaner will work just fine and take up less space in storage.
If you have a larger home or even a smaller home with hardwood flooring throughout, I cannot recommend the O Cedar Spin Mop & Bucket highly enough. It’s well designed, affordable, and dependable. Its mop head pops out so you can wash it regularly and replace it easily. The centrifugal force of the spin-action guarantees that you’re getting rid of excess water on the mop head before mopping and not leaving any standing water on your floors that could damage them.
Murphy’s Oil Soap is by far my favorite floor cleaner, working well on both hardwood and laminate floors (use less in your dilution for laminate floors than you would on hardwood), and I’ve found success making my own DIY version with 1 Tbsp dish soap + 1 Tbsp olive oil + bucket filled with warm water.
And now, the investment that you either dread or get excited about ~ Vacuums! So many vacuums! They can be so expensive and fancy. They can be so cheap and ineffective. Where is that healthy, happy middle ground? Below you can find my recommendations based on price-point.
Hot tip: even if you don’t have pets, vacuums labeled as “pet vacuums” generally have better bristles in the head, generally come with a useful attachment tool that works great on upholstery, and generally have better filtration to suck up pet hair and dander without releasing them back into the air.
$$: Shark navigator / Shark navigator pet pro
$$$: Dyson v10 cordless vac / Dyson animal 2 upright vac
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