{ cleaning tools }
sometimes a tiny little tool can transform a complicated cleaning task into the simplest thing in the world.
i have a few absolute favorites that i touched on in my instagram stories the other day (now saved to my highlights if you want to check them out). so i thought it may be helpful to explain each tool in a bit more detail and also let you know where you can find them for yourself.
#1: ostrich feather duster
back when i started my business, one of my first clients owned a feather duster similar to this one. i think i went and bought one the day after i cleaned for her. i felt like my eyes had been opened to a whole new world. you think i joke-i highly recommend trying one of these gems before mocking. you’ll still need a cloth and maybe a bit of product for dusting surfaces, but this is perfect for a quick, light dusting and getting hard to reach places. plus, you’ll feel SO french while using it. i purchase my feather dusters at a local shop but i just found out they source them from a wonderful family owned business. you can find them at woolshop.com
#2: scrub brush
i prefer a scrub brush with medium bristles and a handle, but i found the brush i use before i cared more about both zero waste and family owned shops. so i recommend finding a place near you that may have some good scrub brushes or going to the online store zefirowaste.com. it’s local in chicago and female-owned so that’s a plus. she has a great selection of brushes-including bamboo toothbrushes which i’ll get back to.
#3: pumice stone
i’ve done an instagram post on the magic of the pumice stone before. these are different from the pumice stones one would use for a pedicure, they’re softer and come with a handle usually. it’s absolutely amazing on toilet bowl rings-watch them disappear before your eyes, truly. the only downside to these is that you really should use them as little as possible. if you use it every time you clean the toilet it will eventually wear away the porcelain, so use it really well that first time and then be sure to keep up on cleaning your toilet regularly so those rings don’t come back. i have only been able to find these on amazon for now-if anyone knows of a small shop that carries them please let me know!
#4: grout brush
some people choose to use a toothbrush for grout instead of specifically a grout brush. that works as well, unless the grout is in dire need of a rough scrubbing, then you will want the stiffer bristles that a grout brush has. even though i got this brush on amazon, i do love it because of the added rubber tip on one end. it’s so convenient for getting in crevices during deep cleans.
#5: toothbrush
the almighty toothbrush! perfect for crevices, corners, shower door tracks, the list could go on and on. zefirowaste.com has bamboo toothbrushes and the bristles come in different neutral shades so you don’t confuse your cleaning toothbrush with your mouth toothbrush…
one might argue that i have an obsession, a true problem, in collecting cleaning tools. i can’t help it, okay?
#6: rinsing cup
i found THEEE cutest bamboo cup on a site called zerowastecartel.com. not kidding, it’s absolutely adorable. is is possible to have bamboo cup envy?? i know many people don’t include a rinsing cup in their list of cleaning must-haves, and maybe i’m just super abnormal, but it’s a tub cleaning game changer. so don’t knock it til you try it.
#7: squeegee
a squeegee is a necessity if you have glass shower doors. they don’t make glass like they used to (yes, i realize i sound like an old biddy when i say this and yet i continue to use it regularly), so water stains glass shower doors terribly and once it gets to a certain level of buildup it’s nearly impossible to get off. naturally, anyway. so do yourself a favor and either redo your entire shower and lose the glass doors, or buy a squeegee. amazon
#8: mini clipboard & checklist
checklists are my life, so of course i cannot clean without one. i got my mini clipboards at an office max, i believe. they’re quite boring and brown but i am anti-pattern, so they work just fine for me. there are much cuter ones out there somewhere i’m sure. just be sure to get one with a pen holder attached! learned that the hard way. amazon
#9: rag bag
these cotton crochet market bags are everything. i use them for cleaning, shopping, the beach, you name it. throw it over a door handle and toss in dirty rags as you clean-then you can just pop the whole thing into the washing machine as most of them are machine safe. i found mine on amazon, zefirowaste has two options (natural and a gorgeous blush pink), or wildminimalist has several different sized options too.
#10: caddy
love. this. caddy. unfortunately, i found it at bed bath & beyond and they no longer carry it. but i’ll give you a few pointers on looking for a good caddy. you want it to be tall enough so your products will stay firmly inside and not fall out while moving around. look for one with a few smaller sections that will fit your bottles individually and a larger section for tools & cloths to hang out. lastly, be sure to focus on the handle and balance. you don’t want to get one with an uncomfortable handle that will hurt your hand when it’s full of products, and you don’t want it to hang unbalanced when it’s that heavy either. i had a few people request an individual post or video on caddies specifically, so keep your eyes peeled for that in the future!
hey, thanks for reading all the way to the end.
one might argue that i have an obsession, a true problem, in collecting cleaning tools. i can’t help it, okay? i was born this way. please drop a comment below and let me know what was helpful or ask any questions-the retired teacher in me still loves answering questions. hopefully some of my nerdy knowledge has helped at least one of you <3