Lifestyle
12 products that will revolutionise your cleaning schedule
Cleaning sucks the life out of you faster than a Dyson stick vacuum – but we promise these products will bring you back to life.
By Bron Maxabella
I hate cleaning. There, I said it. It’s the Arnie Swartznegger of life admin tasks – just when you think you’ve wiped the last bench or vacuumed the final corner, the dust settles and says, “I’ll be back.”
And yet, probably much like Arnie, cleaning is one of those necessary evils we can’t escape. There’s something about a clean house that feels like a deep exhale. When the chaos is swept away, the space around you – and somehow in you – feels lighter.
It’s not so much about having sparkling tiles or streak-free windows (though that’s a bonus), but about reclaiming a bit of calm amid life’s endless mess. Cleanliness might not be next to godliness, but it’s certainly on speaking terms with sanity. When things are in order, you can find your keys, your favourite mug and maybe even your peace of mind.
So, while I may never love scrubbing toilets or wiping down skirting boards (why with the skirting boards?), I’ve come to accept that cleaning is part of the rhythm of life. We sweep, we dust, we mop—and then we do it all over again. And when the job is done, and the house smells like lemon and possibility, it’s a reminder that we got this – we can do this life thing well.
Here are the cleaning products I swear by that might help you get in touch with your own zen of cleaning. You can buy all of these directly from Amazon.
Citro is an Amazon affiliate partner and may earn a small commission when you buy, at no extra cost to you.
1. Crevice cleaning brush
If you haven’t already got one of these skinny boys, you’re in for a treat. There is no crevice, crack or corner that these brushes can’t clean. They dig in along the edges of your shower. They power through the ridiculously tiny gap down beside the washing machine. In essence, they go where no brush before them dared to go.
2. Flexi duster
Much like the crevice tool, this Sabco flat duster is a gem for hard-to-reach spots, like under the fridge, beds and cabinets. It’s also got plenty of reach for high corners and you can bend it to exactly the shape you need to dust around your objects. You can also get a separate telescopic pole to extend its reach as far as you need.
3. Ultimate cleaning paste
Faddy cleaning products come and go (currently contenders include The Pink Stuff and Barkeeper’s Friend) but Aussie-made Gumption is simply the best. It’s an exfoliating cleaner, which is to say it’s mildly abrasive, so it's ace at removing ingrained dirt and grime. Avoid using it on your stainless steel (see ‘exfoliating’ above - it may leave light scratches on the surface), but it’s great on glass and most other surfaces.
4. Flat mop
Mopping is potentially my least favourite cleaning job, so when I find a tool that makes it a better experience, I’m devoted. This Sabco Clean Ease Flat Mop Wringer Set is the business. It glides over our bathroom tiles and under furniture, and doesn’t leave streaks on our wooden floors. I even occasionally attach a fresh mop pad and use it to clean the walls. Who even am I?
5. Car wash mitts
I’m sure these Mr Siga microfiber car wash mitts are great for cars, but that’s not what I use them for. Instead, I blast through a bathroom clean with one of these baddies on each hand. They are especially amazing in the shower cubicle on both tiles and glass.
6. Dyson stick vacuum cleaner
Yes, Dyson is expensive. Yes, it’s worth it. I’ve tried so many stick vacs over the years and this one is far and away the best I’ve ever used (it’s the V15 Detect Absolute). The only negative thing I have to say about this vacuum is that it has the stupid Dyson trigger that you have to hold down to keep the thing on (if you know, you know). What’s wrong with a simple on and off button, Dyson?!
7. Multipurpose spray
Every home needs a quick degreaser and Koala Eco Kitchen Cleaner is it for mine. It cuts through grease and grime and is safe to use on all our kitchen surfaces. It also smells amazing and is environmentally-friendly and 100% cruelty-free, which matters a lot to me.
8. Mould remover gel
Mould is insidious during summer in Sydney (and many other places around Australia). While it can often be taken care of with a good scrub and better ventilation, sometimes it really gets its claws into a surface and won’t budge. That’s when I’m thrilled my friend introduced me to Glassguard Mould Remover Gel a couple of years ago. This thick gel sits still between your tile grout and on the silicon parts of your washing machine – and all the other places where mould seems to grow with abandon – until the job is done.
9. Scrub sponges
I’ve tried multiple different ways to scrub a surface and Mr Siga dual-sided scrub sponges come up trumps. They’ve got a bigger surface area than most of these kinds of scrubbers, which makes a big difference when you cover more ground with every wipe. They’ve also got a good shape for gripping and last significantly longer than similar products.
Notable contenders also include:
10. Blind and shutter duster
I can’t remember how I cleaned our plantation shutters and venetian blinds before I got this super helpful tool. I probably didn’t…
11. Compressed air duster
Okay, okay, at this stage I understand you are probably thinking “this lady is way too invested in cleaning her home”, but hear me out. A compressed air duster like this one is such a useful tool to have. It blasts the sand out of the crevices on the dashboard of my car. It moves the dust bunnies out from behind my fridge. It brings all kinds of gunk I’d rather not witness out of my keyboard. Trust me, you need one of these!
12. Magnetic window cleaner
Finishing strong with my brand new Tyroler Bright Tools The Glider, which I admit to having only used one time… but, oh, what a time. There are a couple of windows in my home so high up I thought I’d need scaffolding erected to get a good clean. So naturally I had never cleaned them (I dare not tell you how long I have lived in my house) – until earlier this month when I bought The Glider and it did its gliding thing and spotlessly cleaned those uncleanable windows. As I said in the title of this article: nothing less than revolutionary!
Feature image: iStock/LordHenriVoton. All other images sourced from Amazon, used with permission
Citro may receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using the links in this article.
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