Cleaning Products for Our New Home

Updated on October 16, 2011
K.P. asks from Babylon, NY
13 answers

Hey Mamas-

My family and I are moving in 2 days (yeah!!) into a new house that has wood floors and granite countertops, neither of which we have now. I want to make sure I have cleaning products ready when we get the keys, so I'm wondering what products you recommend. Thanks so much!

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K.M.

answers from Chicago on

Lol everyone trying to sell something...

I went to target and got the swiffer wet jet they make a wood floor cleaner. And for the granite I use warm soapy water rinse well and dry with a cloth.

1 mom found this helpful

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J.P.

answers from Chicago on

For whatever reason, it bugs me when you have to purchase products from a salesperson (like the solicitors below), if these products are so great, why cant I get them in a store?? I like to go to a store, and buy what I need when I need it. lol. Anyway, we use the Bona system on our hardwood and it works great and the Method granite cleaner (as well as other method products for the house because they are not usually over priced. Bed Bath and Beyond sells Bona and some Method (granite & stainless steel cleaners) and Target sells a lot of Method products as well, so when I run out, I can just run to the store! :)

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S.2.

answers from Raleigh on

ETA....You can't buy these products in a store, because just like Tupperware, it's a specialty product. I'm not trying to sell anything. I couldn't care less if she actually buys this stuff...I just know what I love to use and thought I'd tell her about it since she asked. Like I said, I'm not a salesperson...just a lover of their products.

I'm NOT a Norwex salesperson, but went to an at home party at a friends house this past spring and fell in love with their natural cleaning products. You use no soaps or sprays. There's silver woven into each fiber and silver and bacteria can't co-exist so the bacteria dies off.

I've had hardwood for 13 years and have always used stuff like Murphy's Oil Hardwood Cleaning Liquid and such products. Thought I was doing a good job. Well...when you use cleaning products like those for floors (and dusting spray for furniture) it actually leaves a residue that attracts dust and dirt, getting everything dirtier faster. The first few times I used the Norwex mop (that has the bacteria killing silver in it so NO soap of any kind is needed) my mop would "stick" while I tried to slide it along the floor. But after using it a few times it began to glide nicely....ALL the residue build up from all the previous years was gone!

They have fabulous cloths for cleaning counters (especially granite) and practically everything in your house...as well as a bathtub scrub mitt which I also love. It takes all the soap scum off the tub with no choke inducing sprays!

Like I said, I in no way sell the products....I just love them!! Go to the website and see if there's a consultant in your area to come do a party. SO easy for you....a few friends, some drinks/snacks....the consultant does all the work and you get free products! I've gotten several of my friends hooked on the products after coming to my party. I use to be a bleach wipe freak (remotes, doorknobs, faucets, phones.....) but now I wipe everything with my Norwex enviro cloth and I'm good to go!

Congrats on your new home!!!

2 moms found this helpful

D.R.

answers from San Luis Obispo on

My friend sells the most amazing cleaning products for the things you mentioned. She can ship anywhere for no extra charge. Send a note to her and tell her what you are looking for... She will send you in the right direction.
Congrats on your new home! It already sounds amazing~~!
____@____.com.

1 mom found this helpful

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

I would recommend you check out Shaklee. They have been the leader in safe non toxic cleaning and laundry products for 55 years.
I use the Basic H for just about everything. One drop in 16 oz of water makes the equivalent of Windex and you can also use that same ratio to clean the wood floors and do dusting. Use a tsp to make an all purpose cleaner, or a little more to make a degreaser. Basic G is an awesome disinfectant. All the other products are just as great. Plus since they are concentrated, you save a bunch of money.
Yes, vinegar is a great cleaner too, but I don't want to smell that.
As for the person who was slamming products that can be bought from a distributor, the reason they are not in the store is because people need to be educated! The products in the store are so toxic! And many have no cleaning/disinfecting action at all. They just do a chemical burn Asthma rates alone would drop drastically if people stopped using those products. And how about all those container filling up the landfills?
Why would you rather give your money to a store with an incredible markup on an inferior product rather than to one of the mamas on here trying to make a legitimate living?

1 mom found this helpful
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G.S.

answers from New York on

I was very curious about Norwex and just looked it up on the internet. Never new it existed. Thanks sonomom.
If I'm not mistaken, vinegar is supposed to do wonders on wood and appliances. Baking soda too is very good for bathrooms, tiles, kitchens especially your granite countertop. They're all natural and no fumes. I bought a wooden center table for my living room. The salesman told me, not to use anything except a bit of water, and dry cloth to remove dust on all wooden surfaces. Believe it or not, it's what I use, and my furniture looks good. That's all I can offer you. You may not agree with me on this, but if you want to save your wooden floors, remove all shoes upon entering the house. I don't expect visitors/guests to do it, but I especially make my family do it, and we don't even have wooden floors. I just don't like the dirt that comes in with the shoes. Only slippers, barefootedness, or crocks for them.
Congrats on your new home!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Atlanta on

Hi K.,

I use products that are incredibly effective and very inexpensive. Tough and Tender is ideal for granite countertops as it is simply what it says it is. Rustic Touch is a carnauba wax based product that is refreshing to wood. It's labeled as a furniture polish but I use it to wax my wood floors as well. If you know anything about carnauba it cleans as well as waxes. It's sold online and I get it within two or three days of ordering it. The company doesn't advertise so they can keep their price low. If you want more info, PM me and I can shoot a link to you.

Congratulations on your new home!
M.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

I use straight vinegar in a spray bottle to clean my granite counter tops and laminate floors.

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J.K.

answers from Dallas on

I clean houses and absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Swiffer products...especially the Wet Jet. The wet jet has a multi-purpose solution that is fine to use on hard wood floors. They even have one that is antibacterial. I would absolutely NOT use vinegar on real hardwoods...I have seen vinegar take off the protective coating on the wood.

As for granite countertops, those microfiber rags work really well. Anytime I used anything else, I would feel dust or particles on the countertop. And as for a countertop spray, yes vinegar/water is fine to use and is also probably one of the safest and greenest products. I also use a Windex multipurpose solution for the countertops as well.

Hope this helps. Congrats on the new house.

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S.R.

answers from Portland on

I'm not trying to be a salesperson here, but I represent Melaleuca, and they have fabulous (green non-toxic) products that work wonders on granite and wood floors. One of their best products is called 'Tough and Tender.' Works like a charm and won't harm your surfaces or your environment! Let me know if you're interested: ____@____.com

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M.S.

answers from Chicago on

Just an FYI, I heard Vinegar & bleach type products can damage granite. I would double check that before using anything with an acidic base or bleach! I was also told by a floor guy vinegar is good for wood floors only if you rinse after washing!

I use dishsoap with a magic eraser on the granite. I also use shaklee basic H. I DO NOT sell it, just like it. I have had other friends start to use it too. The small bottle lasts forever! You can use it on everything. There is no monthly quota you must buy. One time (NOT annual) fee of $19.95. Some reps will waive that for you. I also love their dish washer powder and scour off (great on soap scum). Some people may shun this type of purchase, but I have been using it for years and love it. Compare to what you would spend on method or another natural brand, but it goes much farther. Good luck!

J.B.

answers from Houston on

Any of the Shark brand floor sweepers and steamers. AND they sell them at Walmart. We have the biggest floor steamer Shark makes for the tile floors and wood floors in our home. And they work great. Any steam mop is good for the wood floors, I just know that Shark products have worked for us. Congrats on the new home!

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B.C.

answers from Tampa on

Congrats!!! What kind of wood? Vinegar and water works very good.

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