CLEANING
tough cleaners is Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner ($1.99 for 24 ounces, target.com). She finds it works especially well on hardwater stains.
As owners of Handmaiden Cleaning in Walla Walla, Wash., and founders of the American House Cleaners Association, Grace and
Kevin Reynolds are picky about the products they recommend for their own cleaners and for others in the industry. A favorite is Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser Powder ($1.93 for 21 ounces, walmart.com). “It’s excellent at cleaning stainless steel, removing hardwater buildup and stains on glass and tile,” Grace says. They will sometimes create a paste on a rag with the cleanser, an essential oil and a few drops of Dawn soap; they make sure to wipe in the direction of the stainless steel’s grain.
For windows, Gay Browne, author of “Living With a Green Heart: How to Keep Your Body, Your Home, and the Planet Healthy
in a Toxic World,” uses Aspen Clean’s Natural Glass Cleaner ($7.99 for 22 ounces, cleaningproducts.aspenclean.com). Leaving no window streaks (only a lime scent), the product is made of biodegradable, plant-derived ingredients. For more housecleaning products, Browne recommends taking a look at the Environmental Working Group’s top-rated products list (ewg.org).
“One of the most versatile cleaners we have ever tested at Good Housekeeping is Simple Green,” Forte says ($4.97 for 32 ounces, homedepot.com). “It can be diluted for lots of different household uses ... and it works very well on a wide variety of stains and soils.” Although dilution and instructions vary for different types of surfaces, Forte says the payoff is fewer bottles in the cleaning closet.
Clients with allergies ask Maxine Mills of Maxall Cleaning Services in Florida to use products sensitive to their needs. Mills has allergies, too, and has started using citrus-based Lemi Shine Shower and Tile Cleaner for fighting mold and mildew in bathrooms ($4.09 for 28 ounces, walmart.com). “It leaves a great smell without being overpowering,” she says.
Roberts writes for The Washington Post.