Cleaning the house is very few people's idea of fun, but knowing how to clean properly and using the right products and tools can make the job faster and easier. It can also mean a more thorough cleaning overall. Note a few cleaning tips for the toughest rooms to clean in your home, and remember to invest in proper cleaning products and tools so you know your home is always as clean as possible.
Bathroom
If you have a hard time getting the tub and sink clean with bleach, you may be trying to tackle hard water stains and these don't typically come up with bleach. Bleach is good for killing mould and mildew that might grow around the tub and shower curtain and at the bottom of a sink, but it can't address the minerals that are usually the fault of those hard water stains. Choose a cleaner meant for calcium, lime and rust. If you scrub the toilet bowl and it still seems to have a brown or yellow tinge, use the hard water cleaner there as well. If you can purchase muriatic acid, such as from a pool cleaning company, you can use a little bit in water and create your own hard water cleaner.
Note that bleach also doesn't work on cement-based grout between tiles. In the bathtub, if the grout between tiles is soft, this is an epoxy grout that should come clean with bleach, but if you have natural stone tiles on the floor, there is probably a cement-based grout between them. Use a grout cleaner rather than bleach to get that surface clean.
Kitchen
Bleach is not meant for stainless steel sinks and may simply leave marks behind. If you notice a crust developing around the faucet or spots on the sides of the sink, use the hard water cleaner mentioned above.
A grease cutter is good for use on the stovetop, even if you don't think you have grease stains. The natural oils in meats and other vegetables you cook may drip onto the stovetop and then congeal, leaving unsightly spots. These also won't come clean with bleach or just a wet rag. A degreaser will dissolve the grease and make it easier to just wipe the stovetop clean. A degreaser may also be needed on the floor if it doesn't come clean with a standard floor cleaner. Those greasy droplets can drip onto the floor and trap other dirt; these are also difficult to clean with anything other than a degreasing agent.
