You might be moving into your first home and realizing you’re short on cleaning tools and supplies. Or perhaps you’re just sick of sub-par cleaning products that you don’t feel confident in. Whatever the case, acquiring quality cleaning supplies is a worthwhile investment. Alongside dusters, microfiber towels and gloves, as well as sponges, soap and scrub brushes, you’ll also need other accessories to spruce up kitchens, bathrooms and even outdoor spaces. To help you get started, we’ve assembled a list of the must-have cleaning supplies from Tractor Supply’s selection, assisting you in tackling all of Life Out Here’s little messes.
Brooms, Mops and Buckets
Hard surfaces in kitchens, bathrooms and throughout our homes must be cleaned regularly, ensuring all spaces are free from dirt and grime. This is especially true after winter, when boots inevitably track in salt and snow. When establishing your cleaning routine, not only think about dusting around your home, but also remember to sweep and mop the floors.
Start by sweeping your indoor floors with a broom, being sure to rake up crumbs, dust and other debris from corners and underneath furniture pieces. For basic, everyday sweeping, use an angle broom, which features bristles designed at an angle so you can reach corners with ease. But if you need heavier-duty sweeping power for a large space, or to clean up outdoor spaces, including garages, driveways and walkways, you should opt for something larger. This is where a push broom comes in, offering a larger, wider head to make it easy to pick up debris as you push.
After sweeping away debris, clean your floors using a mop, bucket and floor cleaning solution. Mops come in many designs, from classic cut-end string mops made from cut cotton strings to looped end string mops constructed from looped, attached string. Sponge mops are another option, working to absorb wet messes and clean large spaces. If you’re looking for something easy to use, consider a flat mop, which is designed to lay flat against the floor and cleans with a reusable or disposable mop head. These types of mops can be used for both wet and dry mopping.
When shopping for brooms and mops, you should consider the materials they are made of, such as the handle material. Different handle materials offer varying levels of comfort, meaning you must find something suitable and ergonomic for cleaning large spaces. Metal handles, such as steel, aluminum and stainless steel options, offer enhanced durability from scratches and dings. Other handle materials, such as wood or plastic, may come with a more ergonomically designed handle shape, giving you enhanced grip and comfort during use.
Cleaning Soaps and Solutions
You can’t truly clean your space without the right cleaning soaps, and different soaps are designed to target various home areas or concerns. For general cleaning tasks, such as wiping down surfaces and removing dust and debris, opt for an all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant. These are made with light-duty degreasers and other cleaning elements, working to eliminate grime and add a shine to surfaces. Or, go with disinfecting wipes and sprays for quick wipe-downs of various surface materials.
However, if you’re itching to give your home a deep clean, you may want to pick up purpose-specific cleaners, including:
Bathroom Cleaners
Bathroom cleaners are made with harsher, more heavy-duty ingredients, such as bleach, to remove grime, mold and bacteria from showers, sinks, toilets and other surfaces. When using these cleaners, be sure to open a window or keep the door open to allow for proper airflow and ventilation, as this will help prevent you from breathing in hazardous fumes and toxins.
Drain cleaners are another type of bathroom cleaner you may want to have in your cleaning arsenal, as drains easily become backed up with soap residue and hair. That’s why alongside cleaning bathtub and sink surfaces, you should also pour drain cleaner, which is usually made with ingredients that help break up buildup and allow drains to function as they should.
Carpet Cleaners
Even if you’ve cleaned your hard floor surfaces, you can’t forget about your carpeted areas. Just like hardwoods, carpets withstand much dirt and grime from trailing feet, household pets and other aspects of daily living. Because of this, you need the right cleaning supplies, such as carpet cleaners. These types of cleaners usually come as a spray, powder or liquid, which can be applied directly to carpeted surfaces, soaking deep into the fibers. After applying, use a brush to scrub the carpet, working to loosen up and remove built-on dirt, stains and dander.
Glass Cleaner
Using glass cleaner can make a huge difference in how your windows and mirrors shine. While you can use general cleaning products to clear glass surfaces of bacteria and grime, they may streak and give windows an unclean appearance. But a glass-specific cleaner allows you to give windows the streak-free shine they need, making surfaces appear crystal clear and ready for you to look through.
Stainless Steel Cleaners
To restore the shine to your appliances and fixtures, use a stainless steel cleaner. These cleaners are specially formulated to remove residue and grime, while polishing at the same time. They also remove fingerprints, making them ideal for use on frequently-touched areas, such as stainless steel refrigerator handles and faucets. With just a quick scrub, your appliances can look good as new and streak-free in no time.
Odor Eliminator
After cleaning your home, you should also consider using an odor eliminator, especially in areas such as your kitchen or bathroom. This helps to give long-lasting freshness to spaces that withstand smelly waste, such as leftover food in trash cans or sink drains. Consider refreshing linens and couch cushions with scented fabric sprays or using a candle or wax melt of your choice to help your newly cleaned home feel inviting.
Recycling Bins and Trash Cans
Most homeowners own these already, so you may only need a new trash can or recycling bin when you’re moving or your needs change. If you are in the market for them, there are many types of trash cans and recycling bins available, each designed to make trash separation easier and more convenient:
- Single-compartment trash cans: Made for indoor trash collection, this type is your traditional trash can that you can set up in your kitchen, mudroom or wherever you need one.
- Dual-compartment trash cans: Intended for indoor use, these come with two compartments to make it easy to separate trash from recyclables.
- Outdoor trash cans: Consider large, heavy-duty trash cans and recycling bins for your outdoor spaces, such as garages or sheds. You can collect your trash in your garage, shed or driveway, keeping it from smelling up your home.
These receptacles may serve as our final resting place for our trash and recyclables, but we can’t neglect their cleanliness, either. If your trash can has seen better days, give it a good clean by rinsing it off outside with your hose and scrubbing stuck-on muck with a soapy solution. Make sure the bin dries thoroughly before using it again, and consider sprinkling some baking soda at the bottom for odor control.
Make Cleaning Your Home Easy with Tractor Supply’s Selection
Whether you need a refill on your favorite soaps or need a new collection of cleaning essentials, we have everything you need to make your space feel fresh. To learn more about the types of cleaning products we sell, visit your local Tractor Supply store today or browse online.