Top 10 Overlooked Household Cleaning Products
A few weeks ago, I confessed to thoroughly enjoying housecleaning. Well, “thoroughly” might be a bit of a hyperbole, but let’s just say the act of scrubbing, mopping, ironing, and polishing instills in me a fair measure of satisfaction. Not only is the process therapeutic, requiring me to work with my hands whilst granting me time to daydream, but I in turn feel renewed and cleanly.
And I was impressed to find many of you aligned with me! A poll featured on my Instagram stories revealed that 5 out of every 8 surveyed readers insist on cleaning their own homes rather than hiring outside help. Even in this part of the world, where housemaids charge minimal fees for a few hours of elbow grease, a considerable chunk of us prefer getting our hands dirty in the endless effort to achieve “cleanliness is next to godliness” status.
I promised you I would proffer a list of my favorite household cleaning products, but why preach to the choir when I can perhaps enlighten you and in so doing lighten your task load? How about a Top 10 roster of frequently overlooked products whose use will no doubt make your life easier? Isn’t that something we could all benefit from?
Before I send you into a manic shopping frenzy, rest assured every single one of these items can be found on the shelves of Wesley’s Wholesale. Surprised? Because another of my insightful Instagram polls uncovered lack of awareness that the American imports emporium sells nonfood items. Maybe it’s because you’ve never made it past all the edible goodness housed on the ground floor – can’t blame you! In fact, the entire -1 level of the Hazmieh outlet is dedicated to home care, and there are aisles upon aisles lined with cleaning agents. After this blog post, I guarantee you’ll become intimately acquainted with them.
So without further ado, here’s your next shopping list.
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CLR Bath & Kitchen: Hung up on the calcium, lime and hard water deposits tarnishing your shower and bathtub? How about water stains on your stainless steel pots and dish rack? CLR Bath & Kitchen instantly removes all that evil with just a spray and a swipe of a rag. You’ll even hear the product fizzing during contact with kitchen and bath surfaces, including ceramic tile, shower doors, sinks, bathtubs, white grout, toilet bowls, fiberglass and kitchen countertops. But take care to avoid using on vinyl, marble, mirrors, wood, and fabrics.(11,500 LBP)
- Lime-A-Way: Here’s another water stain remover godsend. Lime-A-Way eliminates lime scale, rust and calcium stains and is suited to small surfaces like basins, sinks, faucets, taps and fixtures. An easy to use liquid trigger bottle facilitates access to every nook and cranny, and the formula is 4x more effective at removing lime scale than the leading bathroom cleaner in the US. How’s that for excellent track record? (11,000 LBP)
3. ScotchgardOxy Spot & Stain Remover: This product works on carpet and fabric to expunge tough stains like red wine, oil, dirt, mud, cosmetics, pet mishaps, ketchup, ink and more. Not only does it reduce resurfacing, it helps block future stains for easier cleanup.
(27,000 LBP)
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ScotchgardAuto Fabric & Carpet Protector: Some of us spend more time in our vehicles (cars, trucks, vans, RVs, and boats) than in our homes. Scotchgard’s Auto Fabric & Carpet Protector releases stains and repels spills on fabric seats, floor mats, carpets, trunks, carpeted cargo spaces, seat covers, boat seat cushions, and more. There's a similar product that cleans and protects furniture fabric, too. (Auto: 18,000 LBP; Furniture fabric: 15,000 LBP)
- Murphy's Oil Soap:The authoritative cleaning product for wood surfaces. Thanks to its potassium vegetable oil base and absence of phosphates, this formula was purchased by the Murphy family from a German immigrant in 1910. 80 years later, Murphy’s Oil Soap was sold to Colgate-Palmolive. Today, it is available in concentrated liquid form as well as diluted, trigger spray bottle. (5,750 LBP)
6. Dettol Multi Action Cleaner: Nearly everyone in Lebanon swears by Dettol, and for good reason. Dettol 4-in-1 Disinfectant Multi Action Cleaner can be applied to all hard, washable surfaces. The powerful cleaning agent kills 99.9% of bacteria such as E. Coli and Influenza (H1N1) virus. With 3x the cleaning power of an ordinary cleaner, Dettol leaves a visible shine and a lemony-fresh scent.
(18,500 LBP)
7. Dettol Laundry Cleanser: I admit I only recently became acquainted with this liquid detergent. When you wash laundry at temperatures below 60°C, bacteria can survive in your washing machine and on your clothes. Add Dettol antibacterial laundry cleanser to exterminate 99.9% of bacteria, so that you can be confident your laundry is hygienic every time (even in a rinse cycle as low as 15°C!).
(12,500 LBP)
8. Claire Disinfectant Cleaner: Here’s a product whose CV is far more impressive than most competitors in its category. For a name as delicate and feminine as Claire, this spray destroys most germs; annihilates the pandemic 2009 H1N1 Influenza A virus (swine flu); and disinfects HIV-1 (AIDS virus), Polio Virus Types 1 and 2, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (TB), Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2, and a host of other contagious strains. Add to that its ability to control mold and mildew and eliminate odors. I’m utterly smitten, Claire.
(11,000 LBP)
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Mr.Clean Magic Eraser sponges: If you have children, surely you’ve met Mr. Clean, whose sponge-like contraption erases permanent market and crayon stains in addition to scuff marks around the house. Made with Durafoam, it has twice the cleaning performance strength of the leading all-purpose bleach spray. Use on walls, bathtubs, oven doors, light switches, and doors. (27,000 LBP)
- Holy Cow Heavy Duty Degreaser: Its formulation is free from harmful solvents yet still manages to effectively penetrate stains on countertops, sealed stone, floors, stainless steel appliances, carpet, metal, chrome, plastic, and painted surfaces. It also functions as a laundry pre-spotter. Holy Cow, indeed! (9,500 LBP)
BONUS SECTION: Entire brand lineups
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Seventh Generation: For a brand that designs environmentally-friendly diapers and wipes for babies, you can bet their detergents and dishwashing liquids are nontoxic and gentle on the skin. In fact, Seventh Gen’s hashtag slogan is #ComeClean, meaning all ingredients are noted right on the packages in an endeavor to advocate greater transparency across the industry. What’s in their product suite? They’ve got all the bases covered, from laundry care and dishwashing to household cleaners and trash bags.(Prices vary from 5,500 to 12,000 LBP)
12. Sprayway, Inc.: They may be world-renowned for their Glass Cleaner, but Sprayway has been manufacturing a complete line of industrial, automotive, screen print and janitorial products since 1947. Here’s just a glimpse of what they boast: Crazy Clean All-Purpose, Good Night Bed Bug and Dust Mite Spray, Grill & Oven, Stainless Steel, Leather Cleaner, and Spot Lifter. Heck, if you own a plane, they have a cleaning product for that, too! (Prices vary from 5,500 to 12,000 LBP)
Feeling inspired and energetic? Armed with these products, you will be ready to take on the holiday season and endless parade of dinner-hosting that comes with it. You might even start to enjoy housecleaning, I dare say.
Consider this an early Christmas present. You’re welcome.