We live in an age where every speck of dirt is viewed with suspicion and spritzed and sanitised into oblivion.
While hygiene is a pressing fact in a post-pandemic world, every so often a little dirt never hurt anybody.
There are good germs and bad germs. Occasional exposure to good germs - think healthy soil from gardening or kids playing in woodlands - can help build up the body’s immune system and make it more resilient against things like seasonal colds and allergies.
Bad germs, things like E. coli, salmonella and campylobacter can be infectious, will spread easily and can quickly lead to things like food poisoning and upset tummies.
The home can be a hotbed for bad germs, especially rooms like the kitchen and bathrooms. Other surfaces like the hallway can see grime tracked in and spread all around the house. While exposure to good germs has a time and place, you don’t necessarily want to sleep under a duvet coated in muddy paw prints because the dog has tracked dirt all over the house.
If your home is full of pets and kids, it can be a daily battle against the dirt and cleaning supplies become your BFF. In amongst the arsenal, a set of good, hardworking disinfectants means you can vanquish most germs in just a spritz, restoring food prep and bathing areas to their rightfully gleaming hygienic condition.
They’re perfect for most hard surfaces, be it the kitchen counter or floors. We’ve rounded up the best of them to make it easier to find what you need quickly.
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Method Antibacterial Spray Refill, All Purpose Cleaner, Peach Blossom, 2L
Already a fan of eco-cleaning brand Method? Welcome to the club.
The company has amassed a loyal following for its vegan grime-fighting formulas with lovely scents packaged into reusable bottles made from 100 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic. Funnel this formula into your existing spray bottle, or simply attach a spray trigger to the top and use straight from the refill - although admittedly this could be rather bulky to carry.
As well as the all-purpose cleaner, there are refills available across a host of categories, from hard floors to glass and more.
Buy now £4.19, Amazon
Dettol Antibacterial Mould Spray and Mildew Remover
Short of ripping out your entire bathroom suite and starting from scratch, it may seem as though there’s not much you can do about ingrained mould. But before you get a builder’s quote, give Dettol’s cleaner a whirl.
The bleach-based formula promises to blitz through the black stuff and restore everything from ceramic tiles and grout, chrome and stainless steel, formic and plastics, ceramic basins and toilets, acrylic bathtubs and showers - including curtains and screens - back to shining, gleaming health.
This bundle consists of three spray bottles which means you’ll always have a cleaner ready to go.
Buy now £8.48, Amazon
INEOS Next Gen Antibac Multi-Room Cleaner Rhubarb + Pomegranate
Not an anti-mould cleaner per se, but INEOS’s anti-bac solution can be used on multiple surfaces (including glass and tiles) in all rooms of the home, making it an excellent household all-rounder. The generous 750ml spray bottle is filled with a plant-based formula, meaning no nasty chemicals are included - a relief for homes with children and pets in particular.
The biggest bonus is the scent; while light, it also acts as an air freshener, leaving your home smelling and looking delightful.
Buy now £2.62, Asda
Dettol Disinfectant Cleaning Liquid Lavender & Orange
Swap germs for the heavenly scent of lavender and oranges thanks to Dettol’s disinfecting cleaner. The 500ml bottle may kill 99.99 per cent of germs, but it's kind enough to be used on the skin too. This is because it doesn’t use bleach in the formula but still manages to get the job done.
Buy now £3.00, Ocado
Astonish Morning Dew Ready To Use Disinfectant Spray 550ml
Made for homes with pets, this disinfecting spray is non-toxic enough to use around your precious critters while zapping away harmful toxins, bacteria and viruses. The eco-friendly formula also offers long-lasting freshness with an uplifting geranium and orange scent
Buy now £3.39, Amazon
Dettol Antibacterial Multipurpose Cleaning Disinfectant Wipes
When you’re in awkward spots like the car or conservatory, it’s not always possible to keep a haul of cleaning equipment with you. Bung a pack of cleaning wipes into a drawer and you’ll be ready for all eventualities as they occur. Dettol’s wipes come with a lemony scent and can zip through dirt and grease like you’ve never seen - all while still managing to be biodegradable.
Buy now £10.57, Amazon
Zoflora Mandarin & Lime 6pc x 250ml
Zoflora’s popularity can be directly linked to cleanfluencers like Mrs Hinch and Stacey Soloman. This concentrated disinfectant comes in a pack of six and can be used on counters, floors - even the loo. Simply dilute 10ml of the formula into 400ml of water and decant into spray bottles or buckets to spread delightful scent and hygiene around the home. Keep pets out of the way until it's dry.
Buy now £21.53, Amazon
Flash Spray Wipe Done Apple Blossom
We’re big fans of keeping things simple, cleaning included. Flash lives up to its name and gets surfaces disinfected in double time: simply point, shoot and wipe. In the kitchen, it’ll cut through grease to leave your hob looking like new and it gets rid of bath-side soap scum in seconds, sending harmful bacteria and germs packing while it’s at it. The scents aren’t bad either: there’s mandarin as well as this apple blossom (our fave).
Buy now £2.50, Ocado
