American Cleaning Products Not In the UK: What to take with you and what to use instead

In the spirit of saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring, spring cleaning is top of mind. The cherry blossoms are blooming, the birds are chirping, the pub gardens are filling up and the sun is shining…well, sometimes. What better time of year to clean those windows for a fresh start? Well…unless you’re moving.

Since we had moved to the UK in late fall, spring cleaning was the last thing I wanted to do after unpacking, organizing and getting settled. By the time those first 6 months in the UK were over, more than enough cleaning had ensued and we were already thinking about summer.

A fresh start

But this year is different and I’m excited about sparkly windows I can see through again and an April fresh house. Now that I’ve tried and tested all sorts of British brands to get the same results from American ones, I know what works and what doesn’t. I know what brands are more like what you might be used to, which helps on so many levels as weird as that may be.

For me discovering American or American-like things after moving abroad was like seeing an old friend. You know its’ name, what to expect and what it can do for you. I know, crazy, huh?

But the truth is when moving abroad has consumed you and you’re doing all the things to adjust, the little things can be the big things that get you through the chaos of everything else. From not knowing the difference between plimsolls and trainers to having a full-on identity crisis.

It’s one less new thing to have to figure out.

And it lets you focus on the bigger shock the first 6 months, like making new social connections and helping your kids overcome homesickness.

So, when I discovered you can’t buy Tide in the UK I felt like a lost child in Kmart.

Tide is the only laundry detergent I’ve ever trusted aside from Dreft, so it was like starting to learn how to do laundry all over again. And with the laundry machines in the UK, it’s definitely an experiment. But, I carried on and something awesome happened. I found Method.

I always saw Method in Target or other mega grocery stores with its super cool packaging but never bought it because it seemed outrageously expensive compared to the number of washes you can get from Tide. So, what do you do?

You avoid it…until you move to the UK.

I tried British brands but Method won it for me. It’s more expensive than other British options on the shelf but ended up being the one detergent that gives results like Tide. Not to mention it’s American which is how it caught my attention in the first place. There were rainbows and sparkles glowing all around it. Okay, that last part isn’t true but you feel my excitement now, right?

Although you can’t get Tide in the UK, Method might be my official go-to laundry detergent even when we move again…assuming that country sells it, too.

But the point isn’t so much about Method (have I told you yet that it actually removed a red wine spill from a Pottery Barn couch cover!), but about what to do and use for products in the UK that might be on your mind about packing for a move abroad, getting settled or tackling a spring clean.

Here are other American cleaning products not in the UK and what to use instead.

• Swiffer WetJet: Use Swiffer Sweeper & Method Floor Cleaner.
  The Swiffer WetJet is available in the UK, but the refills aren’t without paying £60+ per cartridge. Leave the Swiffer WetJet in the States. However, bring your Swiffer Sweeper or buy a new one on Amazon. Swiffer Wet Wipes and Swiffer Anti-Dust Cloths can be reasonably purchased on Amazon.co.uk. Combine it with Method wood floor cleaner and see the results.
• Windex: Use Mr. Muscle.
  Windex isn’t available in the UK, use Mr. Muscle instead. Windolene is another option but is more expensive with no noticeable difference from Mr. Muscle.
• Formula 409: Use Method Anti-Bac Kitchen Cleaner.
  Method has a slew of multi-purpose cleaner options. Sunny citrus and wild rhubarb are go-tos.
• Bounty: Use Plenty.
  Bounty and it’s awesome select-a-size feature doesn’t exist in the UK. Plenty works the best and even resembles Bounty marketing.
• Palmolive or Dawn: Use Fairy.
  Neither Palmolive or Dawn is available in the UK. Use Fairy instead.
• Cascade: Use Finish.
  Cascade dishwasher detergent isn’t available for sale, but Finish is. Even though Fairy dish soap is my preferred for handwashing dishes, Finish wins hands-down for the actual dishwasher.
• Scotch Brite: Use Spontex
  If your kitchen is outfitted with stainless steel pots and pans, then a non-scratch sponge is the way to go. Use Spontex.
• Downy: Use Comfort Intense.
  Like Tide, Bounty is a classic. It’s not available in the UK, so after trying every brand on the shelf, our family has settled on Comfort Intense. It’s concentrated so you get more washes without the extra waste, without an overpowering fragrance.
• Clorox Wipes: Use Dettol Wipes & Milton Disinfectant Spray.
  The Clorox brand isn’t in the UK. Milton is the Brit’s disinfectant choice.
• Tilex: Use Flash, and Method.
  Tilex isn’t available. Use a combination of Flash Bathroom and Method Water Mint Bathroom Cleaner. Flash removes the soap scum and Method makes it smell like a spa.
• Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Use Harpic.
  With Clorox out of reach, use Harpic which includes removal of limescale. For more on what limescale is, read this.

For limescale

Limescale was never a cleaning challenge until I moved to the UK. After ruining one coffee pot within 1 year of living in England and 1 plumber visit later, it’s important to include limescale descaling in your cleaning routine every 3 months. Spring cleaning is a perfect time to start descaling if you haven’t yet! And don’t forget about the dishwasher, laundry machine, and shower heads. They all need routine limescale maintenance.

Limescale products that work across the home and not just for the kettle include Oust Descaler, LimeLite, and Kilrock.

What to consider about stainless steel

Even though a Weiman tub made its way in our moving boxes to the UK, it remains unopened under the sink. In the UK, kitchen appliances are integrated. At least most are. Integrated means it is truly a part of the kitchen cabinet so you never see the front of the fridge anyway. In fact, we didn’t think we even had a fridge when we first moved into our flat.

So pack a tub of Weiman Stainless Steel Wipes if you want, but you might not need them.

These cleaning supplies are available in the UK so no need to pack them:

• Swiffer Duster and Anti-Dust Cloths – Buy on Amazon.
• Pledge – Widely available everywhere in the UK.
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser – Buy on Amazon. Brits use Poktor Power Magic Eraser which another great option. Buy at Wilko.
• Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser – Buy on iHerb.com, Tesco or Amazon.
• Febreze – Widely available everywhere in the UK.

For everything else, it’s a matter of what’s on sale and how big of a cleaning project it is.

Spring, new home, new brands, new method…

Moving abroad is going to force you to try new things. That’s the point, right? Or you wouldn’t have moved in the first place. It’s just the timing and finding what works when you need it to that makes all the difference. Like spring cleaning or getting settled in a new home.

Whether you’re packing to move abroad and not sure whether to bring the Swiffer or not or about to spring clean your British home, these American and British brands will get you through it. And remember, if your preferred American cleaning products are not in the UK or wherever you are, try something new. You might find your very own method that works better than ever.

Looking for more resources to settle into British life?  Try these.

• English Home Demystified: 5 British House Chores You Can’t Ignore
• 5 Reasons to Embrace Englishness
• Moving abroad?  Download the moving abroad checklist.  Created for expats, by an expat who moved abroad in less than 3 months.  All the steps in chronological order to get you organized to move from the USA to the UK.  Download today!

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