Even if you have natural cleaning products, it’s likely that you still have some strong cleaners in your home, and it’s important to handle them with caution.
While these powerful household cleaners effectively clean surfaces, it’s crucial to consider where and how you store them, particularly if you have children or pets.
Additionally, knowing their location and ensuring easy access might serve as motivation to clean more frequently.
Remember, safety should be the top priority when organizing and storing cleaning supplies, especially when it comes to potent or harsh cleaners.
Where to Store Cleaning Supplies?
Where to Store Cleaning Supplies?
Determining how to store cleaning supplies can be a personal choice based on organization preferences, but the location of storage is crucial for safety reasons.
It is essential to carefully read the labels of cleaning product bottles for specific instructions and warnings. In general, cleaning supplies should be stored in a cool, dry area with proper ventilation.
It is important to keep them away from heat sources or any potentially flammable materials. Additionally, it is crucial to store them out of reach of pets and children.
If there are small children or pets in the house, it is advisable to keep cleaning supplies off the floor or behind locked doors, using child safety locks on cabinets within their reach. To prevent accidents, avoid placing cleaning products on high shelves to prevent falls.
Ideally, most, if not all, of your cleaning supplies, should be stored in a single location.
This follows the organizational principle of keeping similar items together, making it easier to locate and return them regularly. However, there are exceptions to this guideline.
For instance, bathroom cleaners are best stored in or near the bathrooms. Similarly, dishwasher and laundry machine cleaners should be kept close to the respective appliances.
In general, less frequently used items such as specialty cleaners, backstock supplies, and larger tools like mops and brooms should be stored together in a space where they can comfortably fit.
Whether you are organizing everyday essentials or less commonly used items, consider the following tips to keep your cleaning supplies tidy.
Ideas for Organizing Cleaning Supplies
Utilize Transparent Containers.
Once you have identified a suitable location such as a utility closet, laundry room cabinets, or a basement shelving unit, gather your cleaning supplies and store them in containers.
This approach ensures organization and prevents leaks or spills onto other surfaces. Opt for narrow and sturdy acrylic bins, which allow you to arrange cleaners by category and easily identify the one you need.
If you prefer opaque containers, attach labels to the front indicating the contents, such as furniture polish, glass cleaner, or carpet stain removers. Avoid using baskets made of fabric, natural materials, or metal, as they can be difficult to clean in case of spills.
For wire shelving, consider using a liner to ensure the bins sit flat.
Utilize the Space Behind Doors.
If you don’t have a large collection of supplies, a simple organizer attached to the back of a door might suffice.
Divide the sections to categorize products by type and attach clip-on labels to indicate their purpose. Pegboards with hooks can hold rags and small dusters, while a budget-friendly option is to use a shoe organizer with slots (avoid fabric) to accommodate bottles and small hand tools.
Hang Brooms and Mops.
If you have a utility closet or built-in shelves with available door or wall space, consider using adhesive broom grippers to hang not only brooms but also mops, long-handled dustpans, and Swiffers (dry or wet).
This method keeps Cleaning Tools off the floor. Alternatively, if the handles have holes, you can use inexpensive S hooks to hang them on a wire shelving unit.
Carry Items in a Caddy.
For cleaning products that you use frequently, it’s convenient to have them easily accessible and portable around the house.
Use a caddy to gather and store your daily or weekly cleaning supplies. You can keep it alongside the rest of your products or place it in a more convenient space, like under the kitchen sink.
Ensure that the caddy (or any other item) doesn’t lean against pipes or the garbage disposal when stored under the sink. Additionally, avoid storing anything flammable there and use child-proof locks on the doors if you have small children or pets.
Incorporate a Lazy Susan.
Instead of using containers or caddies, a practical option is to employ a lazy Susan to store your cleaning products.
Many cleaning bottles are round, making them ideal for maximizing the space on a turntable. This storage solution allows for easy access with a simple spin.
You can use a lazy Susan for your daily products in place of a caddy, or line up several on a shelf and categorize the cleaning products by type, similar to using containers. Consider using a divided lazy Susan for smaller items like scrub brushes.
*The information is for reference only.