Clean Your Cleaning Supplies

Everyone enjoys a clean home. But there is an area often forgotten when it comes to cleaning your home – your cleaning tools and supplies! It doesn’t likely surprise you that to get your home clean, the cleaning tools and supplies you use must also be clean. Consider your dusting apparatus or your kitchen mop. If they aren’t clean when in use, all you are doing is moving the dirt, dust, and grime around, not cleaning it away. The Signature Maids offer these expert tips on the best ways to keep your cleaning tools and supplies clean, thus ensuring the best results when you clean.

The Mop

Since already mentioned, let’s begin with your mop, the head in particular. There are mops for dusting as wet mopping. Most are made from cotton, sponge, or microfiber and all should be cleaned after each use. Yes, after each use, after all, when those mop fibers become saturated with dust, dirt, and other grime, they don’t clean your floors.  To clean your mop head, you’ll need a washing machine, a sink, or a large bucket along with laundry detergent, bleach, pine cleaner, and hot water.

• Removable mop heads made of cotton or microfiber can simply be tossed in the wash with you favorite laundry detergent and bleach and washed on the hot water cycle. When the cycle is complete, hang your mop head to dry.
• Sponge mop heads should be rinsed in hot water and then soaked for up to 10 minutes in bleach (1/2 cup) and hot water (gallon). Rinse again and air dry.
• Non-removable mop heads can be soaked up to 15 minutes in hot water (gallon) with laundry detergent or pine cleaner along with ½ cup of bleach. Move the mop head up and down in the water to remove soil, rinse, and air dry.

The Vacuum Cleaner

Like mop heads, vacuum cleaners comes in a variety of styles – handheld, canister, and upright. Regardless of their style, they need to be cleaned regularly. Your vacuum’s reusable container or cup should be emptied after each use and washed in hot water and your favorite dishwashing detergent monthly. If your vacuum has a disposable bag, it should be tossed when full. Your beater bar should also be cleaned to remove thread, hair, or fur to keep it performing effectively. A pair of small scissors or a seam ripper can help. Finally, your hoses should be checked throughout the year (at least quarterly). In addition, reusable filters should be washed and dried (quarterly), and disposable filters should be tossed.

The Dusters

Disposable dusters should be tossed after each use, while reusable microfiber, feather, and wool dusters should be cleaned after every use. For each type, the cleaning begins with the removal of loose dust and particles. Next, blend a small amount of dishwashing liquid with warm water and move the duster through the solution for a few minutes. After, rinse with warm water and air dry. Once dry, simply rotate the handle in your hands to restore your duster’s shape.

The Sponges, Brushes, and Cloths

Sponges and brushes, often used in the kitchen, should be rinsed in hot water after each use and disinfected weekly. The weekly disinfecting solution is ½ cup of bleach with one gallon of hot water. Soak your sponges and brushes (no wooden handles) for 10 minutes, rinse, and air dry.

Microfiber and cotton cloths are excellent helpers all over the house. Microfiber cloths are best for drying dishes and dusting furniture and other surfaces, while cotton cloths can handle hard jobs like scrubbing and harsh cleaning. Cotton clothes should be washed in hot water with laundry detergent and bleach. Microfiber cloths should be washed in warm water and laundry detergent.

The Bucket

Your cleaning bucket has been mentioned in these cleaning processes, but don’t forget it needs cleaning as well. After each use, rinse your bucket with hot water. Next, fill the bucket with hot water and chlorine bleach or pine cleaner. After a soak and swish, properly dispose of the solution, and rinse your bucket clean.

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