The best all-purpose cleaner for cleaning services. Imagine, you’re cleaning your clients’ house and you realize that you’re going to need a special cleaner for the fingerprints on the window.
Do you have any cleaners that are safe to use around your children and pets? Will they clean fingerprints, dirt, and grease?
Not all cleaners are created equal, and using the wrong one can damage surfaces or leave behind streaks and spots. If you are a professional cleaner, it is important to have the best all-purpose cleaner for your cleaning service. You need one that is versatile, tough, but also safe for you and your clients.
In this blog post, we will discuss the best all-purpose cleaners for cleaning services. We will also provide tips on how to use them safely and effectively!
What to look for when buying the best all-purpose cleaner for cleaning services.
When you are looking for a new cleaner, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
The option to buy in bulk
It is important to purchase your all-purpose cleaner in bulk. This will help you save money in the long run and ensure that you always have enough cleaner on hand.
When I purchase my all-purpose cleaner I would use a gallon jug to create my mix. I would create a heavy-duty all-purpose cleaner for deeper cleanings or in bathrooms where soap scum builds up quickly. Then I create a lighter all-purpose cleaner that I would use for almost all of my recurring clients.
These gallons would ride along in the back of the car. This way when I was done cleaning a client’s house, I could top off the spray bottles before cleaning the next house.
Consider how easy the cleaner is to use.
The best all-purpose cleaner for cleaning services will not require a lot of scrubbing. You don’t want to have to spend a lot of time scrubbing surfaces or worrying about damaging them. Look for a cleaner that is tough and can cut through grease and grim often found in kitchens and soap scum build-up in bathrooms.
There is a saying in the cleaning industry: Use a cleaner that will work for you, not one that you work for it.
Find a cleaner that is safe on most surfaces.
Every professional house cleaner knows that no two houses are the same. Cleaning houses, you will come across many different surfaces. Think about what kinds of surfaces the cleaner is safe for. Look for cleaners that are easy to use and safe on a variety of surfaces. The last thing you want is to end up with streaks or damage because you used the wrong cleaner on a sensitive surface.
Avoid cleaners with harsh chemicals that can be harmful to your health and the environment.
Instead, opt for cleaners that are made with natural ingredients and are safe for both you and the planet. You will be exposed to these cleaning chemicals all day, several days a week. Respect yourself, and use cleaners that will not harm your health.
Environmentally friendly cleaners use to get a bad reputation for not being effective. You would have to use more elbow grease just to get the tough jobs cleaned. That is not the case anymore. With the new technology, these cleaners are just as tough on grime and dirt but are safe for you to use.
Consider the scent of the cleaner.
Some people prefer cleaners with a light scent, while others prefer ones that are heavy-duty and have a strong smell. You will be cleaning lots of different homes with lots of different customers. It is best to stick with a light-scented cleaner that most people can tolerate.
You will come across clients who will want you to use harsh chemicals, such as bleach. You will have to decide if this is something you are willing to do. If you are not, be sure to state this in your Client Policies that all new clients receive. This way the expectation is clear and upfront from the beginning.
How to use all-purpose cleaners effectively.
Now that you know what to look for to get the best all-purpose cleaner for your cleaning service, let’s talk about how to use them effectively.
Always read the label before using any cleaner.
Reading the label will give you important information about how to use the product safely and effectively.
Never mix your all-purpose cleaner with other cleaners. Mixing cleaners can be dangerous and can lead to harmful chemicals being released into the air.
Unless you have a chemistry degree and know what is safe and not safe to mix, always follow this rule. You don’t want your client to come home to you passed out on the floor.
Make sure you are using the right amount of cleaner.
More does not mean better when it comes to using an all-purpose cleaner. Follow the instructions on the label to avoid damaging surfaces or leaving behind streaks.
Using too much cleaner can leave behind traces of the cleaner. The leftover residue tends to attract dust and leaves surfaces looking dirty. This is when streaks can happen and that sticky feeling that can happen a surface is cleaned.
Have you ever walked over a recently mopped floor and your shoes stuck to it? What caused that sticky feeling is the floor cleaner was not properly rinsed and therefore left behind residue. This is a common complaint for wood or laminate flooring, so I wrote a bog post on how to best clean these types of floors, you can read it here.
How about granite. Have you ever cleaned granite countertops only to have streaks left behind? This doesn’t exactly give that sparkling clean look you want to be selling.
Using too little all-purpose cleaner will cause you to work harder. When you don’t apply enough all-purpose cleaner to the surfaces you are cleaning, or if you dilute your concentrated cleaner with too much water you are going to have to work twice as hard to get surfaces cleaned. Even the best all-purpose cleaner will not be effective if it is not being used at the correct strength.
So, when you are purchasing the best all-purpose cleaner in bulk, make sure you are using the correct water to cleaner ratio. This will ensure you use just the right amount of cleaner and leave behind shiny surfaces with no streaks or sticky residue.
The best all-purpose cleaner for cleaning services.
With so many options out on the market, I have narrowed down my top 3 best all-purpose cleaner for cleaning services that check off all the boxes listed above. Any of these cleaners I would use in my cleaning business.
Because there are so many choices, I recommend trying each out first to see which all-purpose cleaner works best for you and your cleaning style.
Better Life All-Purpose Cleaner
This natural all-purpose cleaner is very powerful. It can clean things better than cleaners that make your eyes water. Your clients will enjoy the soft scent of sage and citrus in this cleaner as well as the friendly ingredients.
Not only is this all-purpose cleaner powerful but it’s versatile too! You can spray it, wipe it, and see how it cleans scuff marks on the wall, spilled juice on the floor, peanut butter on the counter, bacon grease on the stove, toothpaste on the vanity, or coffee spills on the couch.
Eco Blast
Eco Blast is a powerful, non-toxic cleaner that can be used for heavy-duty cleaning or light general cleaning. It’s safe to use around the house and has a light natural smell.
You can use Eco Blast for homes (kitchens, bathrooms, kids toys, pet messes), power washing, brick/masonry, spot removing, carpet, granite/stone, kitchen countertops, marine and RV’s, ovens/grills, toilets, tub/tile, upholstery, and wood. It’s the perfect all-in-one cleaner!
Speed Cleaning’s Red Juice
Red Juice is a powerful liquid cleaner that is biodegradable, odor-free, and safe for use around people. It is made from environmentally friendly ingredients such as seaweed and soybean extract. It is also non-toxic and unscented. Red Juice is a safe cleaner that you can use anywhere in the house. It will clean fingerprints, dirt, and grease. It is also safe to use on most surfaces in a house.
How to save money on the best all-purpose cleaner for your cleaning service.
Save money by buying in bulk
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a good all-purpose cleaner. One of the most expensive ways to buy an All-Purpose cleaner is by purchasing them from your local grocery or box store.
These stores sell single-use cleaners that can cost upwards of $5 a pop and often you can use half a bottle in a client’s home. If you are cleaning 10 homes a week, that is $25 a week. And you still have to buy other cleaning supplies on top of that.
You can purchase a 1 gallon concentrated all-purpose cleaner for $70 and get 80 16 oz spray bottles. If purchased separately that would be $400! And then think, where would all those empty spray bottles go after each use?
Purchase with subscription services
If you are purchasing from Amazon, there is an option to select Subscribe and Save. This is just another option to save additional money. Before you sign up for this though, try out the cleaner to make sure it is a good fit for you. Once you find your perfect all-purpose cleaner then choose this option to save additional $.
Tips and tricks for using all-purpose cleaners safely and efficiently
Dilute according to product instructions
Be sure to read all labels correctly. Over diluting your all-purpose cleaner will make it less effective, creating more worth for you. If you find your all-purpose cleaner is not working very well, try adding a little more concentration to see if that doesn’t help get the job done.
On the flip side, not adding enough water can lead to using too much cleaner. This can damage more sensitive surfaces, leave behind streaky and stick residue and cost you more money in cleaner.
Create a heavy-duty and light-duty solution.
The heavy-duty solution can be used on tough jobs such as stoves and ovens. In bathrooms where there are hard water stains and soap scum build-up.
The light solution is what you will use for most surfaces when cleaning your regularly recurring clients. When a home is cleaned regularly a lighter cleaner will be sufficient enough to get the job done.
Use a damp microfiber with warm water when cleaning
This helps to rinse the surface off and leave behind a clean finish. When cleaning surfaces that tend to show water marks, I will follow up with a dry microfiber cloth to remove any standing water and buff surfaces clean.
For lighter cleaning, most all-purpose cleaners do not have to get rinsed off. Using a damp cloth and rinsing it regularly should pick up the cleaner and not leave any behind.
But with deeper cleaning like in sinks, bathtubs, and showers you will more than likely be using more cleaner than for vanities and kitchen countertops. In this case, giving a good rinse will help to wash away all the buildup that you just scrubbed off.
Wear gloves to avoid skin irritation.
Even though you will be purchasing an all-purpose cleaner that is made up of safe chemicals, they still can cause some skin irritation. It is best to wear gloves to avoid contact with your skin. Plus anytime you are cleaning someone’s house, you should always wear gloves.
There you have it, the Best All-Purpose Cleaner for cleaning services. What to look for when buying them, how to use them effectively, and little tips and tricks.
Commercial cleaning services are a necessary service for any business. They help to keep the environment clean and safe for employees and customers. It can be an expensive service, but it is worth it to maintain a professional image in your industry. These businesses also offer additional services like carpet cleaning and window washing.