It can be challenging to keep cleaning supplies within easy reach, but safely stored away from children or pets. There are cleaners you need every single day and those you need once or twice a week. Cleaners that are specific to a single room and those that you use throughout your house.
Then you have the actual storage task to tackle. Having cleaning supplies loose in cabinets, closets or drawers leads to dangerous—and wasteful—spills and can make it difficult to find the products you need to handle the cleaning task at hand. But, fear not! We have great ideas, storage solutions, and even a few DIY hacks to help you keep all your cleaning supplies safe, organized, and readily available when you need them!
Where to store cleaning supplies
Where to store cleaning suppliesWhen you think about how to store cleaning supplies, always keep in mind that cleaning products are chemical-based and may need special handling.
Always keep chemical cleaners out of reach of children and pets
It seems like a logical rule, and one that’s easy to follow, but many people store cleaners underneath kitchen or bathroom sinks, places that are easily accessed by curious children or dexterous cats or dogs. If possible, move chemical cleansers to high shelves in closets, laundry areas, or even garages. Always be mindful of exposing chemicals to extremes in temperature.
Or, you can install childproof locks for cabinets and closets which house your chemical cleaning supplies. They are easy to install and remove, are very reasonably priced, and will give you an added level of comfort knowing you are keeping your little loved ones—both the two and four-legged kind—safe.
Check labels for special handling recommendations
Most cleaning supplies are chemical-based, so it’s important to be mindful that they may require special handling. Many cleaners include warning labels and/or storage recommendations, and it’s important that you read them.
Some cleaners shouldn’t be stored next to each other because the chemical ingredients can cause dangerous reactions, even if they are in separate bottles—including two common household cleaners: chlorine and ammonia.
Other chemicals are adversely affected by extremes in temperature—both hot and cold—so be wary of storage inside garages, sheds, or other spaces that do not have regulated temperatures.
How to store cleaning supplies with these 8 products
How to store cleaning supplies with these 8 productsWhen it comes to how to store cleaning supplies, the key is organization. Luckily there are a lot of organizing products you can buy or make yourself to make the task a little easier.
- For cleaners that you use all over the house, consider a totable plastic caddy or storage basket that you can easily carry with you from room to room. If you have a multi-level home, keep one of these portable cleanser containers on each floor. Hint: Keep products that aren’t used everyday grouped by category—window cleaners, wood polishers, dusting cloths—and place them together into labeled storage containers.
- Repurpose an over-the-door shoe rack by storing bottles and small cleaning utensils in the pouches. Works perfect for a hall closet or the back of the laundry room door.
- Install a lazy Susan under your kitchen or bathroom sink for storing cleaning supplies. The rotation feature will make grabbing the cleaners you need a snap.
- Purchase a rolling shopping cart to keep cleaning supplies together and mobile for easy room-by-room cleaning. Note: spray bottles can be hung along the cart’s rim to free up space inside and make them more readily handy.
- Add a tension rod under your kitchen or bathroom sink for holding spray bottles in place while freeing the bottom of the cabinet for extra supplies. Add hanging hooked containers for storing sponges, dishwasher pods, steel wool pads, and other smaller items.
- Repurpose plastic food storage containers to house damp cleaning utensils, such as sponges, steel wool pads, and multi-use fabric wipes.
- Utilize a hand-towel bar under the sink for hanging rubber gloves to dry.
- Store multiple rolls of paper towels or other supplies in a rod-hanging shoe bag. It provides a whole lot of storage capacity inside a closet while taking up minimal space.
Getting organized is easier than you think, whether you shop for containers and caddies or DIY storage fixes by repurposing things you already have around your house. Being organized helps save time, money, and aggravation. Our helpful tips on how and where to store cleaning supplies will help take a little of the “work” out of your housework.
