We’re rounding up all of our post-renovation cleaning tools. From shop vacs to our favorite leather cleaner, we’ve got you covered!
In This Post
Turning Point Straight Ahead!
Our Red House project is nearing a major milestone! All of the messiest parts of the kitchen and bathroom renovations are complete and we’re almost ready for a massive deep clean. That’s not to say we haven’t been cleaning all along though! Before, during and after every phase of work, we clean. When we arrive, we clean. Before we leave, we clean.
In addition to mitigating drywall dust, paint splatter, mortar and grout, we’ve also been slowly filling the home with new and vintage furniture, which requires a whole host of additional cleaning and maintenance products.
The Renovation Cleaning Arsenal
These are the tools, sprays, creams and all the rest that make up our pre and post renovation arsenal. #1 has space under two different sinks in Chicago, plus one at Tree House and one at the Red House! #6 has absolutely changed the way we do laundry. Never again, giant jugs of detergent!
1. Folex Spot Remover
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Folex is magic. Spray it on a stain and work it in. Then dab it up. Stain gone! Where does the stain go? We’re not really sure. But it’s gone and that’s what matters!
2. 18v Cordless Shop Vac
Milwaukee Tools are among the best in the game. The amount of thought that they put into something as mundane as a cordless shop vac is borderline mind boggling! This little guy is barely bigger than a shoebox and the hose, battery and attachments all tuck neatly inside to keep things tidy. We love this little guy for catching dust when drilling and cutting and general small job cleaning. It’s hugely portable an absolutely mandatory cleanup accessory.
3. Plug-In Shop Vac
When the job is too big for the compact cordless shop vac, we break out the big guns. This bruiser is big and strong and slightly awkward to move around, but man does it suck! We (and our contractors) have used this beast for all manner of renovation cleanups. We’ve also popped out the filter and sucked up gallons of water in no time when a clogged drain led to a slightly wet basement. A great shop vac is necessary in any renovation and this is our favorite full-size model we’ve ever owned.
4. Leather CPR
Leather CPR has an incredible ability to make dry, thirsty leather look new and refreshed in just a couple of minutes. We like to wipe it on with a soft microfiber cloth, let it soak in, then give it another coat. Dry leather absolutely DRINKS this stuff up, so be prepared to use a lot if your leather hasn’t been conditioned in awhile! We used this on our vintage Bensen U-Turn chairs and they’ve never looked better!
5. Upholstery Cleaner
This little upholstery cleaner (newest model linked) has been a mainstay in our homes for around a decade. We use it to clean newly acquired vintage furniture and keep our existing furniture looking fresh and clean. The newest model even includes a high-power steam function, so we might be due for an upgrade!
6. Easy Dose Laundry Detergent
I’ve never been so excited by laundry detergent! We’ve been washing TONS of new textiles at the red house including sheets, blankets and towels and this stuff works incredibly well. It’s highly concentrated, so there are no huge jugs to store and lug around. The cap has a built in doser, so it’s literally impossible to use too much. And as an added bonus, there are no weird pod carcasses stuck to your clean and dry clothing. Best of both worlds right here!
7. Worlds Best Glass Cleaner
We’ve tried every glass cleaner known to man and we gotta say; this just might be the worlds’ best. It has a bit of a unique scent, but it dissipates quickly after use. In a household with a 6 year old and a nosy dog, there are always finger and nose prints to be cleaned and this make short work of them!
8. ICONPet Turbo Vacuum
We love the ICONPet turbo vacuum for its portability, solid battery life and ease of use. It has three strength levels for cleaning carpet and hard surfaces and has been an absolute trooper throughout this renovation. We highly recommend it!
9. Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
These inexpensive cloths get used constantly for every chore you can think of. From applying the leather CPR and World’s Best Glass Cleaner above to cleaning up spills, we give them an absolute workout! We keep a handful of black and a handful of grey on-hand in every house and they work overtime and wash perfectly when we’re done.
10. Dawn Powerwash
Is there anything Dawn Powerwash can’t do? We use it for dishes as intended, but also for sticky spills, gummy label removal and even latex paint spill cleanup. We’ve got the refill pack with the included spray head set up on subscribe and we always seem to use it up before the next order arrives!
11. Microfiber Spray Mop + Dusting Pads
Prior to my full-time life at YBH, I worked in healthcare supply sales and these microfiber mops were an absolute mainstay in my work! They’re truly industrial strength and allow you to really put some muscle into your cleaning. They’re not the most aesthetically pleasing tool in the arsenal, but nothing cleans better!
I might be the only person absurdly excited about this post, but it hits the spot for me. That Milwaukee compact shop vac looks like an absolute dream!
It is! It’s completely self contained like a little shoebox.