Which cleaning products do you actually need?

Most households have too many cleaning products, half of which are redundant. Here is what you actually need.

The essential seven

1. Microfibre cloths (20-pack): replace paper towels for 90% of cleaning tasks
2. Multi-surface spray: kitchen surfaces, bathroom sinks, door handles
3. Bathroom/toilet cleaner: specifically formulated for limescale and bacteria
4. Kitchen degreaser: for hob and oven grease
5. Washing-up liquid: also works as a general cleaner
6. White vinegar: descales kettles and taps, deodorises
7. Bicarbonate of soda: mild abrasive, deodoriser, drain freshener

What you can skip

Specialised surface sprays for every room (multi-surface does the job). 'Antibacterial' everything (the evidence for health benefit over regular cleaning is thin). Most branded polishes (microfibre cloths with a spritz of water do the same job on most surfaces).