When going through your cleaning routine, you don’t want to be dragging a ton of different cleaners and disinfectants wherever you go. Not only is it a tedious task, but it will exponentially increase your cleaning time, leaving little space for other tasks. That’s why we recommend all-purpose cleaner. One bottle is all you need to clean away all kinds of dirt, grime, and stains. Specially when your home is in need of a deep cleaning.
There are a variety of all-purpose cleaners available in the market. Some may make false claims, while others will be anything but all-purpose. So, which ones are actually effective in cleaning every kind of surface? There are certain things to keep in mind while you’re on the hunt for the best all-purpose cleaner. To aid you in this process, we’ve listed down the features and characteristics you should definitely consider!
Ingredients
As its name suggests, an all-purpose cleaner should contain ingredients that can perform a wide array of cleaning tasks. It needs the necessary cleaning power to remove dirt, stains, grease, and oil and kill all kinds of germs.
If your cleaner contains chemical ingredients, it’s necessary to take safety precautions such as wearing gloves and using them in well-ventilated areas. Examples of toxic cleaning ingredients include acids, chlorine bleach, soluble phosphates, and alkalis. Make sure you read the label on the bottle before buying.
Others may rely on organic ingredients for their cleaning prowess, such as vinegar, lemon juice, citrus oils, and baking soda. These are safer to use, but it depends on your personal preference whether chemical or organic cleaners will do the job for you at the end of the day.
Ease of Use
Since all-purpose cleaners remove the unnecessary need to carry multiple cleaners around the house, they should be easy to use and deliver the best results with minimum effort. While some concentrated cleaners may require dilution with water, sprays and wipes provide the best use with next to no effort.
Disposable wipes have always been famous for quick cleaning around the house, kitchen, bathroom, or car. And ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot reinstate their importance enough. Wipes provide simple cleaning with strong antimicrobial activity, rendering them essential during this pandemic more than ever before.
Sprays are also a great and easy-to-use option. Simply spray on dirty surfaces and wipe with a paper towel or cloth.
Application
All-purpose cleaners provide multiple applications, which make them stand tall among the crowd. They clean every location in the house to the t and work best on non-porous surfaces such as glass, tiles, and laminate.
To disinfect surfaces, spray the dirty area with a diluted cleaner or use wipes. Cleaners with bleach work best against mold and come in handy in areas with high moisture, such as the showers, bathrooms, and sinks.
For the more stubborn stains, a more concentrated cleaner will get the job done. Due to their toxic ingredients, you must follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for safe application. First, dilute with water. Next, dip a sponge or brush in the solution and scrub thoroughly. Clean away the excess solution with a rinse.
To avoid accidents or damage to surfaces, try the cleaner on a small patch first. If it works fine, then proceed with the rest of the surface.
Forms
Cleaners come in all forms, shapes, and sizes. The 2 most popular forms available on store shelves everywhere are pre-diluted cleaners in sprays and concentrated ones that you must dilute before use. You can also find wipes, gels, aerosols, and powders for this purpose.
Before going for either option, assess what kind of cleaning your house needs. Sprays work best for daily maintenance tasks such as cleaning or disinfecting small surfaces. All you need to do is spray and wipe the area. Disposable antibacterial wipes are also a convenient alternative.
If you’re looking to clean areas with stubborn stains and more grime, you will most probably require a concentrated cleaner. For this purpose, you’ll need to dilute, scrub, and rinse for the best results. An example is kitchen stoves. Oil and grime tend to stick here, so a simple spray will not get the job done. You’ll need to get a reliable cleaner to get rid of all that grease properly.
Safety of Usage
Some cleaners come in attractive and beautiful bottles, so much so that young children can easily mistake them for a tasty, colorful drink! Cleaners are anything but delicious – their toxic chemicals and acids can have devastating consequences if ingested. Hence, try to go for a cleaner that might not look too enticing to children and make sure it is out of their reach at all times.
As discussed earlier in this article, it is vital to follow the appropriate safety measures highlighted by manufacturers while using chemical cleaners. Gloves should also be an integral part of your cleaning regimen. Make sure you’re not inhaling the chemicals while cleaning. Open the bottle away from your face and make certain such cleaners are only applied in well-ventilated areas where there is plenty of airflow. Such measures will help disperse any toxic fumes that may enter the air.
Versatility
Your cleaner should not specialize in only one kind of surface. It should have the ability to clean all types of materials such as walls, glass, stainless steel, ceramic, and plastic. But most cleaners on the market are either only for cleaning glass or for walls. So, you’ll have to do your research among all the potential candidates on the supermarket shelves to find the one which will clean all surfaces in a jiffy!
Given the popularity of ceramic floor and porcelain tiles, many people opt for these flooring options in their homes. Hence, your all-purpose cleaner must also be able to clean these materials as well! Other than that, there is a ubiquity of electronics and gadgets around us, such as television screens and other items. Since they make a significant part of our homes, it’s essential to keep them clean as well. Hence, the best cleaner will take care of them as well.
Fresh Smelling
If your cleaner is getting rid of smelly and dirty stains, it should let everyone in the room know that too! The best cleaners leave a fresh and rejuvenating aroma wherever applied. Such scents help revitalize everyone’s senses, and the fragrance can have therapeutic effects. Just as many people derive satisfaction transforming a dirty surface to squeaky-clean, the same way fragrant cleaners can be super satisfying to use as well!
Hypoallergenic
People suffer from multiple allergies in this day and age, with certain substances triggering severe allergic reactions. Hence, it’s natural to bring only hypoallergenic materials into your house that will protect your family and loved ones from any kind of harm.
Cleaners should promote healthy living rather than cause severe reactions. For this purpose, it’ll be a good practice to read the ingredient label carefully before buying any cleaning product. This ensures your family isn’t exposed to any harmful chemicals to which they may be allergic.
For your peace of mind, get all your family members tested for different allergies so that you don’t have to think twice before buying any new product.
The Final Word
There are multiple factors to consider before deciding which all-purpose cleaner is the best, but to summarize the main points: it should work against all kinds of stains and on a wide variety of surfaces, should be easy to apply, safe to use, and not contain any harmful chemicals that might trigger allergic reactions. If you don’t have time or don’t want to clean, don’t waste more time and book cleaning services online, it’s easy and fast.
Recent Comments