Creating a complete equipment list helps you best organise daily chores! Click To TweetWould you like to speed up housekeeping and cleaning tasks, making them easier and also much more efficient? Then you should create a housekeeping tools & equipment must-have list for every product you are using!
Firstly, having the right housekeeping tools & equipment for the material you are cleaning will make a major difference. Secondly, modern-day technology means that many pieces of cleaning equipment have undergone transformations. To either make them much more efficient. Or safer, lighter and easier to handle. Finally, using better products and equipment can make a big difference in your health and the environment.
Plenty of reason to check the cleaning cupboard and update your kit!
Must-Have Housekeeping Equipment List for Domestic Housekeepers
Manual Cleaning Equipment:
- Abrasives: Sharpening stones, grit paper
- Brushes: Handheld flat brushes
- Trolley: Often found in hotels and used to store all the housekeeping tools – you can create one for the household you work at, if there is enough space to move the trolley around in.
- Dustbins: Make sure they are big enough to store all the rubbish, and that the close properly. You don’t want any rubbish-smells coming out when the Principal and family are home!
- Dusting Cloths: These are soft cloths especially for dusting – make sure you do not use these for any other cleaning or wet surfaces.
- Dustpans: Handy to collect dust and dirt by hand from the floor – but not for deep cleaning.
- Mops: String mops, dust mops, synthetic mops. Different mops will have different absorbing properties and it is important that you keep them clean after every use. Also make sure they dry properly.
- Spray Mop: Trigger spray gives a fine mist spray of cleaning solution to the floor in front of the mop head, this can be handy for quick touch ups.
- Mop Wringer: Bucket allowing for the mop to be wrung without the hands getting dirty. Again, make sure this is cleaned after every use and make dry – do not leave water residue in the bucket!
- Spray Bottles: Handy for home made cleaning products – they should be clearly labelled and make sure you do not mix different products in one bottle.
- Ironing Board and Accessories: Make sure it is high / low enough so you can stand upright during the ironing, without having to bend forward and potentially hurt your back.
- Small brush/ Toothbrush: These are handy for cleaning hard to reach areas, such as around the base of taps and small areas such as grout between tiles.
Electric Cleaning Equipment
- Vacuum Cleaner: Many different models exist and depending on the environment will affect the style and model best used. You want to look for something that does the job, but something you can easily manoeuvre and lift around/up stairs. You can consider cordless ones but make sure they have enough suction power and battery for you to get the whole house done in one go. Some families might have a cordless vacuum cleaner per floor.
- Box Sweeper: Brush cleaning of floor and carpets
- Polishing machine: Used to shine floors – these can be rented for deep cleaning occasions.
- Vapour Cleaning: This is used in commercial industries to help destroy chemical odours and eradicate pest problems (such as bed bugs), these can be bought if you feel the need for the private household. Could be used for deep cleaning or before a family moves into a new property.
- Iron/Steamer/Press: Used to iron, press, present clothes without wrinkles. This will save you dropping clothes off at the drycleaner, if there are no stains at least!
- Window Cleaner: Make sure you pick something light, easy to manoeuvre so can can carry it with ease.
- Steam Mop: A steam mop is a mop that uses steam to clean floors and carpets. Unlike a regular mop, which requires cleaning agents such as bleach or detergent, a steam mop uses heat from steam to disinfect the floors. A microfibre pad is often placed right underneath the steam jet to trap dirt. The steam mop uses electricity and can be used for deeper cleaning – just make sure you check which surfaces it can be used on!
Chemical Agents:
Make sure you understand the different products and chemicals, what harm they can do and on what surfaces you can and cannot use them – never experiment in the Principal’s home! You can read more here on specific Chemical Cleaning Training.
- Water: Can be used in most cleaning situations.
- Vinegar: A great and natural cleaning solution – it be added to water for a homemade product.
- Baking Soda: Can be used as a deodoriser in the fridge, on carpets/upholstery, in the bottom of a bin and down drains
- Bathroom Cleaners: Clean, descale and remove limescale
- Clean Air Sprays: Freshens and sometimes scents the air.
- Degrease: Used commercially to help clean glasses and bowls
- Floor cleaners: Specific product to clean different types of Wooden floor cleaners and sealers
- Laundry Cleaners: Detergent, conditioner and specialist treatment for stains
- Antibacterial: Used for multiple cleaning purposes
- Bleach: Used for bathrooms, but should be used sparingly as very non environmentally friendly Toilet blocks: Placed inside the toilet to add spell and cleaning each time the toilet is flushed
- Toilet Cleaners: Remove stains and unblocks
- Carpet Cleaners: Helps with stains and removing general dirt build up
How Does Training Help?
Finding your way through all the different products and tools available can be difficult. And chances are your principal or family you work for will ask you for advice. Or look to you for selecting the right products and tools to use in their house.
Undertaking a housekeeping training programme is a very helpful and easy way to understand and learn more about all the different things you should know. From knowing exactly which type of cleaner to use. To remove all different types of stains. Learning the best ironing techniques. And how to fold a towel into beautiful shapes!
During a training course you will work with, and discuss all the different types of products out there and it ill be likely you will learn about products you never came across previously. The trainer will take time in explaining, showing, and giving you lots of practise time too so you can really familiarise yourself with all the different tools and products that might be suited for the home you work in.
Polo & Tweed offer small group Housekeeping courses. As well as tailor-made private training for all abilities where you will learn all this and much more. Get in touch with us now to book yourself in for our next training!