Essential Household Cleaning Tools

There's no point in doing a job if you can't do it right - and you can't do it right if you don't have the essential house cleaning tools that you need! A plumber cannot fix a leak without his tools and you cannot clean your house without the proper household cleaning tools. Buying better quality cleaning tools is your best bet, they usually work better and last longer.

Here are the essential house cleaning tools to keep on hand:

Vacuum Cleaner
A good Vacuum is a number one must-have for every household. I prefer the bagless upright type. Vacuums are expensive, be sure to buy from a name you trust. If you're not sure, ask friends and family about theirs. Offer to vacuum a room in their home so that you can test it out!

Broom
Definitely need a well-made broom for sweeping. I get mine at Kmart for ten bucks. I'm always amazed at everything that turns up in the pile after I sweep my kitchen floor.

Mop
You need a high quality mop. One that you can really push around without it snapping. I like sponge mops, the kind with replaceable heads. Some people prefer cotton string mops. Whatever floats your boat.

Rags
You need plenty of Rags to do it right. You can purchase cotton cloth cleaning rags or create your own. Old socks, t-shirts, bath towels and pillow cases all retire to become really wonderful cleaning rags.

Extendable Duster
I've seen long handled dusters that extend to six feet. Extendable Duster are great to have for dusting baseboards and woodwork and hard to reach areas like corners, ceiling fans and stairwells.

Brushes

Toilet Brushes for each bathroom.

An old toothbrush for getting into cracks and crevices, like around the knobs on the toilet seat and behind faucets. If you don't have an old one, grab a cheap one at the dollar store.

Paintbrushes of different shapes and sizes with good stiff bristles for dusting delicate items, wicker and lamp shades.

Small scrub brush for cleaning tub and tile.

Bucket
Use the bucket to store cleaning supplies and to tote from room to room and of course, to mop your floors.

Rubber Gloves
You should always wear rubber gloves when cleaning. Not just because of germs but also to save your hands from chemicals.

Upbeat Music!
Now is not the time to listen to Phantom of the Opera! You need music to motivate! Burn yourself a CD specifically to clean to. I love cleaning to 80s tunes!!

Cleaning Agents:

All-Purpose Cleaners - Heavy-duty liquid all purpose cleaner, you might like to keep two different products - one for the kitchen and one for the bathroom.

Glass Cleaners, like Windex.

Powder Cleanser, like Ajax or Comet.

White Vinegar is by far my favorite ally in cleaning. I love it for floors.

Murphy's Oil Soap to polish woodwork and furniture.

And of course, no clean house is complete without the old standard, BLEACH.

Take an inventory of your cleaning supplies now. Do you have what you need? If not, write it down. Does your mop need replacing? Make a point to buy a new one. Having the proper tools to clean with is half the battle. With the right tools of the trade and a solid game plan, you'll have your house clean in no time!

Nicole Dean is the owner of www.freequickrecipes.com and www.romanceyourhusband.com