Cleaning tools worth the money, and the ones that just sit in the cupboard

Four cheap tools do most of the work in a normal home: microfibre cloths, a glass squeegee, a stiff long-handled brush and a flat microfibre mop. Steam machines, a cupboard of single-purpose sprays and most gadgets sit unused after the first month. Buy the four basics first, and only add the rest if you hit a specific problem they cannot solve.

Which cleaning tools are actually worth buying?

The ones that make the surface cleaner with less effort and cost little: microfibre cloths, a squeegee, a stiff brush and a flat microfibre mop. Everything else is optional, and a few items are not worth the cupboard space.

We are a cleaning company, so you might expect us to tell you to buy more. We would rather you buy four things that work than ten that do not.

Why is a microfibre cloth worth buying?

Because it physically lifts and holds dirt that a cotton cloth spreads around, and it costs a few ringgit. The fibres are split much finer than a human hair, and the University of Washington's fact sheet says they can hold up to seven or eight times their weight in liquid and attract dust with a static charge instead of throwing it into the air.

The numbers on floors are the most striking. That same fact sheet reports a University of California, Davis comparison in which a cotton-loop mop reduced bacteria on a floor by 30 percent and a microfibre mop by 99 percent. A separate study of floors in 24 rooms per test condition, published in the American Journal of Infection Control in 2007, found that with a plain detergent cleaner a microfibre mop removed 95 percent of microbes against 68 percent for a cotton string mop. When a disinfectant was added, the cotton mop rose to 95 percent as well, and the microfibre mop did not change.

Read that carefully, because it is not the same as "microfibre disinfects". It means microfibre removes more by wiping, so it does a better job with just detergent. It does not kill anything by itself, and a maker of disposable wipes (so, a seller with an interest) points out the same limit. If you need to disinfect, for example after raw meat on a counter, you still need a disinfectant and the contact time on its label.

What it costs: in a 2020 SAYS roundup, cloths at Daiso were RM5.90, a four-pack at Tesco RM7.90, and Mr DIY and Shopee listings ran from about RM3 to RM10. Prices will have moved since, but it is still pocket money.

How to keep them working:

1. Wash them with other microfibre only. Cotton leaves lint that the fibres pull out during washing and drying.
2. Use plain laundry detergent and no bleach, as the University of Washington sheet advises.
3. Check the label before using fabric softener. The sources we read do not cover it, so we will not guess.
4. Keep separate cloths for the toilet and for everything else. Colour-code them and never swap.

Is a glass squeegee worth it?

Yes, for windows, shower screens and mirrors, because it clears the water in one pull so there is nothing left to dry into streaks. It is the cheapest tool on this list. Kärcher's Malaysian site gives the technique that makes it work.

1. Do not clean glass in direct sun or on a hot day. The liquid dries before you can wipe it and leaves streaks. In Johor Bahru, that means early morning or late afternoon.
2. Wet the glass generously. A squeegee does not glide on a dry or barely wet surface.
3. Pull from top to bottom in a smooth movement, and wipe the blade dry after every pass.
4. Dry the edges with a cloth, because drips collect there.
5. Use very little detergent. Too much leaves a greasy film and streaks.

If the rubber lip is worn or dusty, it will streak, so turn it over to use the other edge or replace the blade. Kärcher also warns against vinegar on stone window sills such as marble, which fits with what we wrote in our limescale guide on what acid does to stone.

Is a stiff brush on a long handle worth it?

Yes, because most of the unpleasant jobs are low down and in corners: the toilet, the floor drain, grout lines and the shower floor. A long handle saves your knees and keeps your hand away from the worst of it. This is our practical view rather than a tested claim.

Two cautions. First, use a nylon or plastic brush, not steel wool or a wire brush, on ceramic and glazed tiles, because hard scouring can scratch the surface, as we explain in the limescale article. Second, keep the toilet brush for the toilet only.

Is a steam cleaner worth it?

For most homes, no. A steam mop is not a cheap tool, it needs a power point nearby, and the marketing claims are larger than the evidence.

Prices first. A Product Nation roundup of steam mops sold in Malaysia lists "from" prices ranging from about RM224 to about RM2,114 (six of the eight models it covers are under RM340, one is RM647 and the top one is over RM2,000). The page also notes limits: some models run for only 15 to 20 minutes, which it says may be too short for homes over about 1,000 square feet, one model is not for laminate floors, another may leave watermarks, and unsealed wood can be damaged by moisture.

On germs, the UK consumer group Which? reports that manufacturers typically claim a 99.9 percent kill of common household germs, and says it does not test that in its lab. It adds that a steam mop's pad absorbs much of the heat, so the floor itself may not get very hot, while the damp pad still wipes bacteria away, which is the same thing a microfibre pad does. Steam is most useful, Which? says, for things that cannot be washed, such as upholstery and mattresses.

So the honest answer is: if you mainly need to clean sealed tile floors, a flat microfibre mop and a bucket do the job for a fraction of the price. A steam machine starts to make sense if you have a lot of fabric you cannot wash and you will really use it. Even then, spot-test and read the surface guidance first.

Which tools just sit in the cupboard?

The ones that promise to replace a skill or a habit. Steam machines are the obvious example, but there are others:

• A spray for every surface. The idea that you need a separate bottle for glass, wood, tiles, stainless steel and so on is mostly packaging. Three bottles cover most homes: an alkaline degreaser, a descaler and a disinfectant. We wrote about that, and about the mixes that can put you in hospital, in our products guide.
• Disposable mop pads. They are convenient, but you pay for them again every week. A washable pad avoids that repeat cost.
• Gadgets for one corner. If a tool cleans only one part of one object, you will use it twice.

How much should I spend, and in what order?

Start with cloths, then the squeegee, then the brush, then a flat mop, and stop there until a real problem tells you otherwise. Here is the order we would buy in:

1. A pack of microfibre cloths in two colours, one for kitchens and living areas and one for bathrooms.
2. A squeegee with a replaceable blade.
3. A nylon-bristle brush with a long handle, plus a separate small brush for grout.
4. A flat microfibre mop with washable pads, then a bucket you already own.
5. Only then, if you hit a specific job, consider something more expensive.

Buying tools does not replace knowing when to do each job. Our frequency table shows which jobs need doing weekly and which can wait for months, and our bathroom order guide shows how to put these tools to use.

When is it cheaper to hire someone than to buy the tools?

When the job is a one-off, large, or something you will do rarely, because the tools only pay for themselves if you use them regularly. A regular weekly clean is cheap to do yourself once you own the basics. A move-out clean, a post-renovation clean or a deep clean means more time, more products and the risk of a mistake on a surface you do not know.

If you would rather not spend your weekend on it, that is what we are here for. You can see what each service costs on our services page, and we are always happy to tell you honestly whether a job is worth hiring out or worth doing yourself.