Hi friend,
We hope May is meeting you with some gentleness.
Today, we're talking about home cleaning. As you may know, when you walk into any cleaning aisle, you'll find 47 products for 47 different surfaces. Bathroom cleaner. Kitchen cleaner. Glass cleaner. Wood cleaner. Stainless steel cleaner.
It can be overwhelming. It's expensive. And it's truly unnecessary. Here are the only 5 cleaning products you actually need.
1. Castile soap
What it does: Cleans floors, counters, dishes, hands, body, and even laundry — essentially everything. It may feel counterintuitive to use the same soap on your body as you do on surfaces, but the better question is, why shouldn't you? The products you clean your home with should be just as safe and healthy as those you use on your skin or your children's.
Why it works: It's plant-based, biodegradable, and non-toxic. Mix with water for an all-purpose cleaner.
Our favourite: Dr. Bronner's, or any other clean brand available where you are (unscented, peppermint, or citrus).
2. White vinegar
What it does: Cuts grease, removes soap scum, deodorises, and disinfects.
Why it works: Acidic enough to kill bacteria, and yet gentle enough not to harm you.
How to use: Mix 1:1 with water in a spray bottle. Use on glass, counters, sinks, toilets.
3. Baking soda
What it does: Scrubs surfaces, deodorises drains, removes stains.
Why it works: Mildly abrasive without scratching. Neutralises odours instead of masking them.
How to use: Sprinkle on sinks, tubs, stovetops. Scrub with a damp cloth. Rinse.
4. Microfibre cloths
What they do: Clean without chemicals. Trap dirt and bacteria instead of spreading it.
Why they work: The fibres are so fine they pick up particles that regular cloths miss.
How to use: Dampen with water. Wipe. Wash and reuse.
5. A good scrub brush
What it does: Gets into grout, corners, tough spots.
Why it works: Sometimes you just need friction.
What to look for: Natural bristles, sturdy handle, doesn't scratch surfaces.
The takeaway: You don't need 15 bottles. You need 5 simple, effective, non-toxic tools.
Simplify. Save money. Breathe easier. When the surfaces are done, scent the room without undoing the work — Chiije candles or reed diffusers.
With care, Chiije