This particular post is probably not going to gain a lot of traffic as it’s about the not-sexy topic of cleaning supplies. But whatever. I care about home care products. So, I must not be the only one.
When I moved across the country recently, I left my cleaning stuff behind. After all, I needed them to clean the apartment I was vacating. (In retrospect, I could have put my own supplies in the moving pod and borrowed items, but I didn’t think of that at the time.) I ended up giving all my cleaning supplies to friends, so I had to rebuy everything when I landed in Brooklyn.
Previously, I just bought whatever was available to me (usually at Target) without putting much thought into it. I found that some things worked well and some were just OK. This time, I decided to be more intentional about my purchases, even with mundane items like scrub brushes. Functionality is key. But I also care about aesthetics. So if there are two objects that function just as well, but one of them looks nicer, I’m going to go for the more attractive-looking one. That would make cleaning just a tad more enjoyable (not that I enjoy my chores). Hey, I’ll take positive vibes wherever I can get them.
** This post contains some affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand. I bought these products myself. **
After doing some research, I ended up buying mostly items by Full Circle, a sustainably-minded company. Full Circle says they are plastic neutral (meaning that for every ounce of plastic they use, they work with Plastic Bank to recover and recycle the same amount of plastic that would otherwise enter our oceans.) They use sustainable and recycled materials like bamboo, recycled plastic, and recycled aluminum. While the usage of recycled content is not 100%, they plan to increase it and their goal is to use 100% recycled plastic by 2025.
They have a few zero waste products as well, which are compostable. I also appreciate their thoughtful packaging. Where other companies would use a plastic tag to hold packaging together, with Full Circle it’s often times just a piece of twine or thick paper. They’ve eliminated the use of plastic under 2-3 inches diameter. (Even if you try to recycle small plastic pieces like that, the reality is that they fall off the recycling belt and don’t get recycled.) You can read about Full Circle’s materials and sustainability goals here.
Oh, and their stuff is well-designed. This is a brand that checked all the boxes for me: functional, attractive, and environmentally-minded. Here are the items I ended up buying:
Grunge Buster Grout & Tile Brush
The tapered handle is comfy.
This grout and tile brush, made from bamboo and recycled plastic, was my introduction to the brand, so I’ll start with it. I previously owned one, which I used for five years until it literally fell apart. The brushes are stiff and tough, so they hold up to repeated brushing. (And it’s way more effective than what I was using before, an old toothbrush.) I like that you can stand it up, which means it takes up less storage space and it dries more quickly.
Clean Sweep Broom
Full Circle Clean Sweep Broom – $24.99
The gray part is rubbery and goes all the way around the broom, softening those times that you bump into of things.
This bamboo broom brings me joy because it’s just a beautiful object. I don’t love sweeping, but I love using this broom. The recycled bristles are flexible and it has an angled head, which is handy for getting into corners. Overall, it has a slim profile. Do note, though, that the top of it was too big to fit into this broom organizer that I initially bought. (I ended up using a Command Broom Holder instead.)
Clean Team Brush & Dustpan Set
The comb on the Full Circle dustpan. Also note how the bit of plastic at the tip of the brush helps it stand up.
I keep this in my kitchen to quickly sweep up stuff. I appreciate how well-designed this is. The brush has the same flexible-feeling bristles as the broom. There’s a built in comb in the dustpan to clean the brush. The brush locks into the pan. And you can either stand it up or hang it up.
Scrub Queen Toilet Brush
Full Circle Scrub Queen Toilet Brush – $27.99
The Dry Earth disk that sits at the bottom of the ceramic canister.
The Mister was skeptical about spending $28 on a toilet brush when you can buy one at Ikea for 99 cents. But I have no regrets. This toilet brush is worth the price. First, the mohawk design of the brush means it gets under the rim of the toilet. Second, the brush head is replaceable. Lastly, the canister has a Dry Earth disk in it, which absorbs moisture. I was always grossed out when I’d get my old toilet brush and see all the water pooled at the bottom of the container from the last time I used it. Ewww. The disk takes care of that.
You can find Full Circle products on their website and at the usual suspects like Target and Amazon (which I try to use sparingly, but am admittedly failing at during this move-in process). I bought all of the above at the Container Store because signing up for the Container Store’s POP! rewards program took 15% off my order.
Plus, A Few Cleaning Supplies from Other Brands
To round out my cleaning tools, here’s a few other items, not by Full Circle, that I also bought:
Made by Design 11 Qt Bucket – $6.00
I appreciate how this bucket by Target’s Made By Design brand has measurement marks inside, a comfortable rubber-wrapped handle, and rubber around the edges at the bottom to keep it in place. There’s a spout on either side. This is just a simple object that does the job. It’s affordable too. (I snagged it when it was $4.49. It seems to have gone up in price to $6.00 but it’s still a good price.) It’s small, though. But there’s a larger version of this bucket and an even bigger one on wheels should you need more bucket. For me, it’s perfect for NYC apartment-sized living. My mop barely fits in it, but it fits.
Casabella Premium Magnet Mop – $29.99
Speaking of mops, I went with a mop by Casabella (sold at Container Store), because I like butterfly mops and this one is compact. I owned a previous version of this, so I knew it worked well. The mophead is washable as well as replaceable. My only complaint is that the prior version had an extra scrubbing area at the front. You could turn the mop over and use the front-side scrubbers to really get at tough gunk on the floors. This newer version doesn’t have that. Why take away a useful feature? I miss the tough scrubbers and kind of wish I’d kept my old mop and put it in the moving pod.
Korean Rubber Gloves – $6.49 for 2
The best gloves I’ve found for cleaning and dish-washing are Korean ones, which are much longer than conventional American gloves. I was always annoyed at other gloves because the sleeves were too roomy, would flop down, and water would get into them. The Korean ones fit much closer to me, and the sleeves stay in place. I bought a couple different kinds at H-Mart, but also found one of them on Amazon. I wear a medium. (I’m usually a small in American gloves.)
Welp, that’s my nerdy cleaning supplies report. Hope this was helpful to someone out there who also wants attractive and environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies.
