Listen — No One Likes To Clean, So Here Are 29 Products That'll Make The Chore *Much* Easier
Promising review: "LOVE THIS! I hate cleaning my bathroom and using so many chemicals that never seem to work. I saw this product and decided to try it, and WOW it was so easy to use and worked like magic on my glass shower, shower tiles and sink/faucet. Picture 1: Before cleaning Picture 2: After cleaning glass before cleaning tile floor Picture 3: After Cleaning glass and tile floor. This is definitely a must buy product!!!!" — Laura
Promising review: "Wow. Don't waste your time with any other formulation that you found online. I've literally tried EVERYTHING! The soap / vinegar / baking soda, the expensive store bought 'hard water cleaners.' I've scrubbed for HOURS! But this…. This product is like magic. It's kind of like a paste that you can rub on with a microfiber towel and the hard water stains literally just RUB OFF. Like butter! Seriously the easiest option I have tried yet. I stopped within the first five minutes of cleaning to do this review because I'm in shock lol. Coming from someone who never writes reviews! Take that as a sign to buy this immediately. What a game changer, I'm mad I'm just now finding this stuff lol!" — _kayla_carter
Get it from Amazon for $19.77.
2. A pack of duster sponges perfect for picking up the dust bunnies that that coat the top of your dining table. Just wet it, use it to trap all the dust (so that none goes flying), and wash it down the drain. Now you can pick up all the dust much quicker than the old wet-a-napkin and try-to-scoop-it-up method you've been using for yearssss.
www.amazon.com
BuzzFeed editor Maitland Quitmeyer has this to say about them: I bought a pack of these and love dusting with them! All the dust sticks right on, so you don't end up breathing in all the dust you just tried removing. It's great for baseboards, too!
Promising review: "This product is amazing! It makes cleaning so much easier and takes way less time! I used to hate cleaning my baseboards, but this product has made cleaning it so easy that I actually don't mind doing it anymore! It is also great for blinds as well! Definitely worth it!" — Julia
Promising review: "I rarely review products, but this little sponge literally changed my life! It picks up EVERYthing in one swipe! Hard water marks on your bathroom mirror, no problem! Hair clippings on your sink and counter, one swipe and they are gone! Dusty blinds? Swoosh, swoosh, swipe! And ala-presto ka-bam, like magic, they are perfect and dust-free! I just need one of these for my floors! I love, love, love how the sponge picks up everything, and with a little running water, all the dust, hair, muck, and guck just rinsed away! This will not disappoint! Thank you!" — DayDreamer
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in five color packs).
3. A TikTok-approved Levoit air purifier so you're not having to pick up a duster every single week. This machine has a HEPA filter, so it'll help collect the rogue dust, pollen, and pet dander that your mom keeps finding clumps of in the corner of your room after you literally just cleaned.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I was skeptical any air purifier at this price could do much, but I tried it! I have a medium-sized music room for record collections and playing those records etc. The room is about 18 x 18. I hate dealing with dust getting on the records and equipment. I took note of some dark items with dust on them first. Then, I cleaned those items to see if they would stay clean because it usually takes a few days to be covered again. I ran the Levoit at medium speed for two weeks solid, and those surfaces look just as clean as when I cleaned them. Does it work? Yes, it does! The lowest setting is pretty quiet, but the medium and high can be fairly loud. I turn it off during listening times." — Charles Tweedy
Get a purifier that can cover up to 1095 st. ft spaces from Amazon for $99 (available in black and white, plus a WiFi-enabled version). You can also get a mini size for up to 240 sq ft. for $39.99.
4. A sink cleaner and polish to rejuvenate your sink and bring back its former shine after years of spaghetti sauce stains marring the once sparkly porcelain or stainless steel. Don't let your friends see the aftermath of yesterday's lasagna; simply polish your sink with this liquid magic and all your stains will simply wash away.
www.amazon.com
BuzzFeed editor Maitland Quitmeyer has this to say about them: I bought this for my white porcelain kitchen sink and I've since texted five people about it, which is really a lot for such a boring grown-up product. It cleans beautifully, but the *best* thing about it is its ability to repel stains after cleaning. You know that thing when you rinse out your coffee cup and the coffee water just lingers in your sink and you have to purposefully rinse it out for two minutes? You don't have to do that — the coffee can't stick to the sink and just goes RIGHT down the drain. Time saved, sink clean — this is really a Virgo dream product right here.
Promising review:"Holy banana peppers! This stuff ROCKS! I hate cleaning. You clean, stuff looks okay and smells nice for like an hour, and then it's as if you've never cleaned. We have a deep stainless steel sink that I love, except for the cleaning. It never looks clean, so cleaning it isn't exactly rewarding. I mean, I clean it because germs, pandemic, etc, but I don't like anything about it. I saw this on some BuzzFeed "things you should buy on Amazon" and ordered it. And ignored it. Now, as there's a quarantine, even as an essential worker, I really have no excuse to not clean. Sigh. I splooshed some in the sink, like I did with Barkeeper's Friend liquid, and scrubbed away as usual. However, when I went to rinse, it was all sparkly and shiny and the water beaded up! I seriously made my husband and daughter come into the kitchen to look at my sparkly sink! This is the cleanest this sink has ever been, and I seriously LOVE this product! Off to order more before you all read my review and discover its true awesomeness. I didn't take any pictures before because why the hell would I do that, but believe me, the difference is amazing!!" — Amazon Customer
Get the value size from Amazon for $29.95 or the smaller size for $9.95.
5. A Clorox toilet wand with refillable scrubbing pads to make shining up that porcelain throne easier than ever. Just pop on a sponge head, scrub up that potty, and throw away the gunky-filled sponge! Easy.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Promising review:"Let's be real – cleaning toilets is a necessary evil. There is nothing that I hated doing more. I used to avoid Clorox wands due to the price of the scrubbing heads. Why spend that money when you can use your traditional toilet bowl cleaner for way cheaper? Because it makes it SO EASY. No need to deal with gloves, messy toilet bowl cleaners, keeping bristles of a brush clean, keeping the brush and container dry so it's not gross, etc. These wands take the YUCK out of cleaning it. I'd rather pay the few extra bucks each month to be less grossed out. I have one for each bathroom, but you could use one head for two toilets if you really wanted to. If you dislike cleaning toilet bowls the traditional way as much as I do, buy this product. You won't regret it." — Emily J.
Get the kit (one wand and six scrubbers) from Amazon for $20.86.
6. And a self-cleaning toilet system that'll keep your latrine shining with each and every flush so that you don't get horrified by the mere sight of your toilet bowl.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "If you hate scrubbing the toilet bowl like I do, then this product is for you. The bleach only goes into the bowl water, not the tank, so it doesn't make your tank parts disintegrate. Don't get me wrong; you still have to clean your toilet seat and stuff, but this keeps the bowl itself sparkly clean! Just love it!" — S.L. Beason
Promising review: " Best purchase of 2023! I've been using these on all my toilets for 60 days now and this is my review. My toilets generally get a hard water ring around them within a few days of cleaning, it was infuriating and I found myself cleaning toilets literally 2-3 times a week just to get rid of that little ring around the water line. These were so cheap I figured why not so I bought three of them and OH MY GOODNESS THEY WORK!!!!!! I've had these installed on all three of my toilets for 60 days now and from what I'm seeing I should be able to clean my toilets maybe once every two months now. I am so happy. If you have hard water buildup issues do yourself a favor and buy one of these, try it on a single toilet first just to be sure but I think you will be happy :)." — nima bean
Get the kit from Amazon for $10.59 (two-packs of refills are available for $12.52).
7. A vacuum cleaner to suck up all those loose McDonald's fries that have been stuck under your seats for the last few years. This lil' guy plugs into your 12V outlets and comes with three attachments for detailing in all the little nooks and crannies of your vehicle.
Kit includes: three attachments (flathead, extendable, and brush), carry bag, filter brush, and spare HEPA filter.
Promising review: "I am a woman who loves a clean car, but with this virus, I can't take my car in to have it cleaned anymore, so now it's up to me, and I hate to clean the inside of my car. I hate taking my large vacuum out to the car, pulling it this way and that, just trying to do a good job. When I came across this wonderful little vacuum, I ordered it. I love it. First it is little and light, but don't let that fool you. It cleans my car in no time, and with that 16-foot cable, I could also clean my trunk without a bit of trouble. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like to clean my car, but I don't hate it anymore. It does a wonderful job." — Coco
Get it from Amazon for $30+ (available in two colors and with or without a cord).
8. Dawn Powerwash, a magical spray-on dish soap you'll blast across your dishes so that your friends don't see the pile-up of grime and grease you left behind in your sink. It even works on backsplashes, greasy range hoods, or that backyard grill you haven't cleaned since Labor Day!
Just spray on (don't add water until you rinse!) and wipe. I'm not joking when I say that the first time I used Dawn Powerwash on a lasagna pan, I almost cried. I will never be without it!
Promising review: "What doesn't it do? I absolutely love this product. It works great on dishes and pretty much anything you want to clean! Soap scum; gone! Laundry stains; bye! Baseboards/woodwork sparkle! Sneakers, yup! I hate cleaning, so anything that makes it easier ❤️." — Kimba
Promising review: " The only dish soap allowed in my household 😅 jk I have used other different types, and this is the only one that has worked amazing in all my cleaning. Not only do I use it on my dishes but to clean my bathroom, husband's grill, and everything else that needs a good cleaning." — Lizbeth LF
Get the starter kit (with one reusable spray bottle and one refill) from Amazon for $8.44.
9. The TikTok-famous Bissell Little Green carpet and upholstery cleaner that cleans up dirt, stains, and everything in between from your rug, upholstery, or even stairs. It's portable, super convenient, and incredibly easy to use. Use this lil' appliance to finally clean up that wine stain so that you don't need to scrub for hours in the hopes of saving your expensive rug.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!! Wishing I'd bought one years ago, when my son was born. We don't even have pets, but this has been an amazing machine to clean our sofa, mattresses, car seats, stairs — everywhere that has seen spills over the years. I hate cleaning, but I actually enjoy using this — it's so easy and fun to use! Thank you, Bissell designers." — April Bond
Promising review:"Pet owner lifesaver. This machine is great, and I like that it does upholstery as well. I t's so easy to use and minimizes the yuck factor dealing with pet stains. That's important to me because I hate to tackle cleaning jobs like this. It's compact and easy to store in a small space. The cord is nice and long, and it's not too heavy. It saves having to get an expensive cleaner for the occasional accident. YouTube has some great tips on video." — Zona lady
Get it from Amazon for $98.59+ (available in three styles).
10. A Chom Chom to save your furniture from the unspeakable amount of shedding your furry bestie leaves behind in their wake. All you have to do is empty the roller when it's full, and it's good to go — no wasteful sticky pads required!
www.youtube.com
Promising review:"This thing had been popping up on my feed for a few months, but I had a hard time justifying the price. I really do hate cleaning cat hair so when I bought my new couch I thought, why not? Holy cow. This thing is magical. It used to take me 15-20 mins to vacuum my furniture. Then I'd have to pick off all the fur to clean the attachment. I only had the energy to do it once a week and my allergies are out of control (yes, I'm allergic to cats and I have two 😂). Now, I clean all my furniture at least once a day. It's so quick, and the hair is scraped off into a compartment that is easy to clean. I would marry this thing if I could, but that would be weird. So I'll just carry it down the aisle instead of a bouquet. It's worth every penny. Buy it." — Tabitha R.
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two colors).
11. And a Furemover rubber broom you can use to collect the fur trapped inside your furniture. If your furry lil' bestie seems to shed more hair than you thought possible, you need this expandable broom with a rubber head that acts as a magnet to attract stray hairs. As an added bonus, the handle expands up to 60 inches so you can get all of the hard-to-reach corners of your home.
It works on all floor types, but is *especially* great on carpet. *And* it has a built-in squeegee great for cleaning up spills on hard surfaces.
Promising review: " This thing is amazing!!! Great for area rugs, carpets, and bare floors. To say I hate sweeping is an understatement, dog hair is always floating away from the pile. This rubber broom is a game-changer, with two labs I always have dog hair to be swept up and this gets the job done without hair floating away. It creates easy-to-sweep-up piles of dirt and dog hair. Seriously just buy it, you won't regret it." — Trista Tozier
Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in five other types/styles).
12. A Wet & Forget cleaner so you can continue your Love Island marathon without the need to set a timer and go back to man's worst enemy: scrubbing. Just spray it, literally forget about it, and rinse it the next day — no manual labor required.
Best invention ever? Possibly.
Promising review: "Let me be clear, I HATE cleaning the bathroom, all aspects of it, including the shower. At the same time, I HATE a dirty bathroom, especially the shower, since I got Lasik and can clearly see the filth and scum that until now was there but invisible to my blind eyes. Along comes Wet & Forget and holy shiny tile Batman, this stuff works! I use it weekly (unless I forget, which is part of its name oddly enough) and it really looks like I used some brute force to bring my shower to it's original glory. Get it, use it.....but dang it, don't forget it!" — Randy B
Get it from Amazon for $19.83.
13. The Pink Stuff you'll want to keep on hand when your kiddos start scribbling all over your walls. Don't put your all into scrubbing those doors — all you need to do is coat this stuff on any stains and simply wipe it away. This works on just about everything — bathtubs, faucets, stovetops, tennis shoes, walls covered in crayon. Everything.
How effective? Well it's commonly likened to the Magic Eraser in paste form!
Promising review:"This plus a Scrub Daddy is a cleaner's heaven. This stuff is amazing. I like this way more than the spray version of it, I think the clay deep cleans way better and I don't have to use as much. It smells kind of like clay, too, but it's not a bad smell. I've always hated cleaning the oven but this makes it an ease." — Jaiden
Promising review: "Had stains in the bathtub I could not remove for years. First time using this, the stains are gone. Pretty easy to use with Scrubb Daddy. I hate cleaning. This is a miracle product for me. And no I did not get paid to write this review. If you want stains gone from your bathtub use this. Your life will be made so much easier. Don't believe me. I don't care. Your loss, not mine." — Patricia C Tinney
Get it from Amazon for $5.29.
14. The Baseboard Buddy — a pain-saving gadget with a 360-degree swivel so you're not getting down on your hands and knees or stretching as high as you can to reach those hard-to-clean surfaces and corners. Don't let those dust bunnies accumulate on your baseboard to the point that your home resembles that of a haunted house. This adjustable handle will make the chore of dusting so easy and quick that you'll be able to get it done before your aunt arrives for evening tea.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
The kit comes with one Baseboard Buddy and three reusable pads which can be used wet or dry. And when the microfiber pad is dirty, just rinse and reuse!
Promising review: "Oh my gosh, I love this thing. Simple to usel wish I'd invented it! I hate cleaning baseboards and this works perfectly!" — Leigh
Promising review: " Buy it NOW. Honestly, I had huge reservations for this thing. Yet another miracle cleaning tool that will break or bend or something. I was so wrong. It was easy to put together and I sprayed it with Mean Green and went to the baseboards. No more kneeling and no broken back. This thing is amazing. It is durable and the pad is super absorbent. I am so happy. I can't wait to do the rest of the house!" — artgirl
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
15. A plant-based stainless steel cleaner that will remove any sticky fingerprints or streaks from your fridge with just one wipe! This will quickly wipe away those smudges from your fridge when your guests help themselves to a snack or two.
Promising review:"Stop looking. This is the best. I love my stainless refrigerator but I absolutely HATE cleaning it. Until now! I have tried so many different stainless products over the years and None of them worked well. This is the only one that actually cleans like it should. I also use it to clean my stove and range hood. It makes all of them look so shiny and new. Once you try it, you won't go back to any other cleaner. It's the best!" — Shelley
Get the set of cleanser and polish from Amazon for $19.95.
16. A Cerama-Bryte cooktop cleaning kit perfect for restoring the shine to your stove after you've accidentally burnt one too many ramen dinners. This kit comes with a bottle of cleaner, a sponge, and a scraper — literally, everything you need to save yourself the embarrassment of explaining why you have so many stains marring your brand-new stove top.
Promising review:"Love, Love, LOVE this stuff! Who else hates cleaning their stove like me?? It feels like every time I clean the stove, it just gets dirty again. Well I found THE BEST clean for your stove top. I applied this once after having oil and food caked onto my stove, and within seconds of using the cloth to clean it off, it was TOTALLY clean. Seriously, this stuff is incredible. It also comes with a little scraper which is perfect for getting those little nuggets of food off your stove. Buy this stuff..you won't regret it!" — Meredith B
Get the kit from Amazon for $13.98.
17. A Bissell CleanView bagless vacuum with a specialized brush roll that will suck up all of your frustrations (in other words: lots of hair) from the embrace of your favorite rug or hard floors. Plus, it has an easy-to-empty tank, so you don't ever have to touch the icky stuff that accumulates after a few sweeps around your home.
www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I hate vacuuming. When I had to vacuum as a teen, I'd lie on the floor and cry. While I've grown less dramatic as an adult my loath of vacuuming has not decreased. Alas, I have two dogs, two cats, two men, and a crepe Myrtle tree. Vacuuming must be done regularly. I've had a Dyson for several years, but it decided it'd had enough last week. Ordered this guy on Friday. Y'all! Apparently my Dyson hasn't sucked in quite some time. I got up so much hair and dirt. I think my rug is a different color. Definitely helped with the dog smell. It's lighter than my Dyson and holds three times as much. Buy one. You won't be sad." — Shannon Miller
Get it from Amazon for $118.43.
18. Or a eufy robot mop and vacuum because it's like having a live-in maid who takes up the most tedious of home chores. This baby vacuums, mops, and can be controlled through an app on your phone — so you can have clean floors and rugs from the comfort of your couch without ever needing to pause your New Girl marathon.
This robot vacuum and mop can even be controlled by Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri!
I love this mop/vacuum combo! I despise chores (as most people do), and as a busy mom of an infant who also works full-time, keeping on top of cleaning is a lot harder than it seems. Between washing and sterilizing bottles, whipping up meals, and tidying up, I literally find I don't have enough hours in the day for vacuuming or mopping. And then I got this baby.
All I have to do is click a single button on the app or activate it via my Google Assistant (I named my robot Squidward, so I can say, "Squidward, start mopping"). The first thing it did was map my home (pictured above), and then it started out the clean cycle. It moped my tile, and once it sensed a rug, it switched to a vacuum, so my precious carpet was spared!
I was amazedddd to see how well it cleaned up my floors! Plus, it totally did not crash into any furniture (and with an infant, trust me, there's a lotttt of furniture and gadgets strewn all over the place)!! It's a bit loud when it's emptying itself out, but otherwise, the actual cleaning portion of it is fairly quiet.
Altogether, Squidward has proven himself to be an absolute time save for me. I highly recommend!
Get it from Amazon for $599.99 (also available in white).
19. An automatic makeup brush cleaner for those long-neglected brushes that were once white instead of a bronzer-colored-brown. Just squirt in some makeup brush shampoo, water, press the button, and watch as all the shadow and blush washes away from your tools! Now you don't have to buy a whole new pack every six months.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I used to hate cleaning my makeup brushes because it was tedious and I was never able to get a thorough cleaning. This product changed that; cleaning my brushes has never been easier!!! The size is small enough to travel with, and I like that it is powered by a USB port so you don't always need a wall outlet. This product is an easy clean with its silicone bowl, and it gives my brushes the thorough, deep clean they need in under 5 minutes. I highly recommend this item!!!! You will thank yourself!" — Analisa Gomez
Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in three colors).
20. A three-part microfiber wand you can use to extract the layers of dust that coat your blinds, air-conditioner vent, and any of those other narrow, hard-to-reach areas so that your guests don't realize that you've never even contemplated cleaning something as unassuming as window blinds. Plus, when you're ready to clean 'em, you can just pop the cloth off and toss it into the wash.
Amazon
Promising review:"I absolutely hate cleaning my blinds, and it was pretty obvious that I hardly ever clean them by how much dirt came off the first time I used this tool. I've only used it dry so far, but boy it sure does get the dust off of the blinds. It does still take a while to do it, even though you're doing multiple slats at a time, but it sure is a lot easier. I love that you can just throw them in the washing machine when you're done. Thumbs up!" — Dopey1200
Get a pack of one wand and five sleeves from Amazon for $6.99.
21. A mold & mildew removing gel, because the last thing you want to do on your day off is sprain a wrist trying to scrub out the pinkish mold from that long-neglected bathroom tile. Just spray, wait 15 seconds, and watch the mold disappear. Lazy cleaners everywhere rejoice!
Promising review: "I bought this product after seeing it on BuzzFeed. I wasn't sure it was going to work, but took the chance as I hate scrubbing my shower grout. I was surprised that it actually worked. The application was easy. The rinse-off was easy and I was left with the whitest looking grout! Ten out of ten would buy again!" — JAMIE A
Promising review:"I CANNOT emphasize enough that this stuff works MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I had taken before photos, because when I say magic, I mean UTTER WITCHCRAFT. The caulking around my tub was staining moldy, but a little hit of this, and it was GLOWING WHITE like we had just recaulked. I recommended it to my aunt, whose house was built in the 1970s, so her tub caulking stains were over 40 years in the making, and she was going to pay someone to come in to strip the caulk and do it over new. I told her no need — just use some of this stuff! Worked like witchcraft AGAIN!!!! Her caulking is also glowing white now, and she's recommending it to HER friends now!!! This stuff is so good you'll recommend it to everyone you know. No caulking stains are too deep for this!!!!!!" — Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
22. A set of three scrubbing attachments you can attach to any ol' drill because no one wants achy arms and back pain from scrubbing hard-to-reach corners in the hopes that the lil' bit of mold will uncling itself from your shower tiles. This handy device makes it so that you don't actually have to do any scrubbing yourself — just stand back and watch as this tool does the painful chore for you!
Promising review:"I don't normally write reviews, but I have to tell everyone how much I love this product. I HATE scrubbing my bathroom because I have hard water, and trying to get hard water stains off the shower is impossible. Until now! As soon as put the brush on the surface, it just ripped through the stains as if they were cleaning dust off a floor. I wish I would have taken a picture of before and after but I forgot. Not only that, but it was so satisfying to hold the drill and watch it destroy the caked of stains. And best of all, my wrists do not ache after cleaning my shower!" — RSCOTT
Get it from Amazon for $18.95 (available in six brush types for different surfaces).
Drill Brush is a small business based in New York. It was started in 2007 by a former electrician with carpal tunnel syndrome who needed a way to clean without causing him harm.
23. A professional-strength grout cleaner because no one wants to spend hours kneeling on the tiles to get rid of those impossible-to-budge stains that somehow continue to grow between the cracks. No, your floors did not come that way; those black lines that seemingly darken year by year can be cleaned! Just pour this liquid onto the floor, wait a few minutes, and simply wipe away the grout without having to scrub!
www.amazon.com
Promising review:"We moved into our house a year ago and I've been on a quest to clean the grout next to the stove ever since then. I've tried everything — store products, DIY solutions, Pinterest recommendations, you name it. As a last resort, I got this and holy cow! I left it on for three minutes as a spot test at first, and I could already see a huge difference. I then did two more rounds letting it sit for five minutes each. The scent's not bad, it was fine if I had the window open, it was just being down close to it that got me. Seriously, stop looking and buy this." — Britney Phillips
Get it from Amazon for $21.95.
24. An Iron Out rust stain remover that'll literally cling onto the stain, so you don't actually need to scrub! Spray this on basically any surface, like showers, bathtubs, sinks, toilets — and simply walk away for a few minutes! When you come back, your precious tiles will be rust-free. You'll be so freaking happy you might actually shed tears of joy.
Promising review:"My new BFFL. Guys. I hate cleaning, so anytime I find a product that makes it easier and faster, I'm in! This stuff works wonders. My sink had rust stains that I just couldn't get out, so I did what anyone would do... I walked away and pretended it didn't exist. But now, I spray this on and walk away and come back to a rust free sink. This stuff... Stop reading reviews and just buy it. You can thank us all later." — Laurane Petrarca
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $19.98.
25. Microfiber cleaning cloths perfect for cleaning up just about any mess — without having to resort to using tons of paper towels. You can use this on your counters, cars, wood furniture, floors, and pretty much anything else you can think of!
www.amazon.com
It comes with two kinds of cloths (four each) — first, clean with a damp green cloth, then follow up with a dry blue cloth.
Promising review:"I am obsessed with these cleaning rags. My windows have never been cleaner and there is no pile of paper towels that I am throwing away. I HATE cleaning my windows but these make it so easy. Literally the cleanest windows I have ever had. Throw them in the laundry when they get dirty. Do yourself and the planet a favor and get these. Also great on mirrors and glass table tops." — mckeeca
Promising review: "OMG, these things are a miracle. I've always hated cleaning my windows and shower because it was such a pain to get it streak-free and I hated using rolls and rolls of paper towels to do it. After having cleaned the windows inside my car and doing such a poor job recently I took my car to the carwash mainly to have them do that. As I was waiting for them to finish up, I started to wonder what they were using to clean the windows because they did it fast, left no streaks and only used rags. I had used rags in the past with terrible results. When I got home I started researching it and found these. They work unbelievably well and I only have to use water??? Who would have known. I've used them on my shower, windows, glass and even my stainless steel appliances. I hate cleaning my appliances!!! The only thing I ever found was polish, which was an absolute hassle and time consuming. Well, THIS WORKED FOR THAT TOO!!! It was easy, only had to use water and gave an excellent result. I wish I had figured this out a long time ago and saved myself a lot of time and irritation." — Amazon Customer
26. A carpet cleaning and deodorizing solution so you can reveal the *actual* color of your living room carpet, and finally remove that grape juice your little one spilled ages ago.
www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I live in an apartment so the carpet quality is not the greatest. I had a stain that occurred from a garbage can liner leaking a long line of... I don't know what... across a four-foot piece of carpeting. No home remedies worked. Bought a steam cleaner I had been wanting and this product. I am totally amazed at how well it worked! The stain is gone. I need to add that I had tried EVERYTHING with a lot of elbow grease and nothing else worked. Whatever it was in my carpet this product was removed completely after two applications in two days!" — Cat D.
Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in two sizes).
This carpet cleaner is from a family-run small business that specializes in cleaning products, especially ones for homes with pets!
27. A microfiber spin mop for those who aspire to have floors clean enough that you can basically eat off them. It has a specially designed microfiber head mop that will easily and effectively pick up dirt without needing to use half the bottle of Fabuloso. It even has a built-in wringer and splash guard so those droplets of dirty water don't splatter across your freshly clean tiles!
www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I love love love this mop. I just cleaned all six rooms/floors in my place. In the past I would have used like 10 disposable cloth pads for the same job. With this mop I never had to touch the microfiber mop head when it got dirty. I just spin the dirty water out and, let me tell you, it still looked clean when I was all finished cleaning my floors. I always love products that are simple, sustainable, and cost effective. One thing I'd wish is that the handle was a tad longer, but I can get used to it since it is otherwise fabulous." — Aspiring Veganista
Get it from Amazon for $39.98+ (available in four styles).
28. An overnight tank cleaner that can rid your tank from the gunk and mold that have been accumulating over months (ahem, or years) of neglect. Just pour in the cleaner and go back to whippin' up that your dinner — your toilet will be clean by the time you wake up the next morning!
www.amazon.com
Promising review:"According to the instructions I was supposed to use the whole bottle but being that it was so big and that I had two toilets to clean, I only used half. I was pleasantly surprised. The toilet tank is from the 1960s and I doubt it's been cleaned within the last few decades. In the 'after' photo you can see that there is still some rust left over but large chunks fell off the sides and can be seen on the bottom of the tank." — Nicole
Get it from Amazon for $7.07 (available in various sizes and packs).
29. A drain clog remover because you need a way to clean up that ~hairy~ situation in your bathroom. The tiny hooks reach deeeeep into your drain to lift away all the strands stuck inside your pipe, so you won't have to try reaching down there yourself...ew.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"When I pulled the orange plastic spiked strip from the package, I was immediately skeptical and felt like all those 5-star reviews were from people who exist in an alternate universe. I was tempted to initiate a return on Amazon but decided that I might as well gamble on a piece of $9 plastic before gambling $200 on a plumber. I slipped the plastic strip down my shower drain and literally FIVE SECONDS LATER I was pulling up gobs and gobs and gobs of hair. HOLY COW!!!!!!!! OHMYGOSH. I can't believe I still have any hair left on my head. SO MUCH REPULSIVE GUNK!!!! I saved my prize hairball on the shower floor to show my husband because I knew he would be as skeptical as I was. We both agree it looks like a small raccoon or a large squirrel lying helplessly on my shower floor. It's a grisly, messy, smelly, and oh so rewarding job." — Chocolate and Chips
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $7.99 (available in two styles and multiple packs).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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Buzz Feed
16 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
What It Means To Protect Black Communities At Work
With great power — in any workplace, institution, or community — comes great responsibility. Many of us think of our professional responsibility in concrete and easy-to-track terms, such as goals or outcomes. But just as important, and frequently overlooked, is the responsibility to protect and defend people, especially those who have been historically marginalized and are still fighting against existential discrimination, when our institutions cause harm. Being a minority in a large company sometimes feels like being on an island. No matter the workplace, you'll find that challenges are often similar: navigating predominantly white or privileged surroundings, seeing your own identity misrepresented or neglected, and being expected to be well-versed in white culture while others aren't always expected to know anything about your culture. Media and tech companies, like BuzzFeed, carry an especially hefty burden. They influence culture, amplify voices, and help shape trends. When that influence is misused, the harm can reverberate loudly. This mistake deeply hurt members of the Black community, both internally and in our audience. But instead of ignoring the issue or sweeping it under the rug, we want to use it as a case study of what any workplace or community must face when it falls short and show what it looks like to try, sincerely, to do better. When something like this happens, take time to listen to your audience and employees about how it impacted them. At BuzzFeed, we have employee resource groups, or ERGs for short. They're groups made as a safe space anyone can join, and the main purpose is to uplift and create community within the workplace for different underrepresented groups. We (the authors of this article, Karlton and Myke) are the leads for BIO: Black Identities and Opportunities. As leads, we have several different responsibilities, such as putting together events, fostering community, and addressing the small and large issues we feel impact our community. In this leadership role, we spoke privately, publicly, and candidly with the Black employees at BuzzFeed after the Love Island post went viral. Here are some of their words: Take responsibility and make genuine apologies. It's hard to get a corporate apology right —apologies are best when they come from a human person who can show empathy. But when a mistake happens at a structural or group level, it's impossible to put a single face to that sentiment. BuzzFeed hasn't always gotten it right, especially when we leaned too heavily on corporate speak that didn't align with the voice of our brands. The key is to know that the audience and employees can feel the hollowness of a corporate apology when it's not done well. On the flip side, we must also learn to accept genuine apologies. It's okay if you're not in a place to hear the apology at the moment, nobody is telling you to shut off your emotions like a robot. Feel your anger. Embrace your disappointment or disgust. But when you're ready, be willing to accept a honest apology and step into the healing process with the energy of forgiveness. However, this is completely dependent on whether or not the apology was in fact genuine. Double down on internal checks and balances. At BuzzFeed, we already have several checks and balances in place. For example, we have Culture Lead Editors, who work as a guiding light for the communities they represent. They encourage, write, and edit a wide range of culturally diverse posts. We have customized tools built into our content management system, or CMS, that flag questionable, insensitive, or confusing language. We have both copy and package editors: teams who work to make sure the titles, pictures, and text within posts fit our standards and values. These are teams that would be helpful (and in our opinion, necessary) at all mass media companies. It is important for us to double down on these checks and balances throughout our entire corporation. For those who work outside of the media, it's important to strengthen or create checks and balances that work to protect historically marginalized communities. Call out microaggressions and racism as they happen. This is a hard one. When you feel like your job may be on the line, or you may face some type of repercussion for speaking up, the stakes are infinitely higher. So proceed with caution, but do your best to call out microaggressions and racism in real time. Oftentimes, we may wait to address an issue, but by then, it's already hindsight, and you may feel pressured to stay silent because your concern no longer feels relevant to those in power. When you see something, say something (if you can. your own safety always comes first). In many cases, the person who committed the act may not even know what they did. Which is why staying silent is even scarier, because it creates an environment for the mistake to happen again and again. Never back down. Malcolm X said it best: "We want freedom by any means necessary. We want justice by any means necessary. We want equality by any means necessary," and if they don't exist yet, I say, create it is easier to get the ball rolling than to maintain the momentum. Many outside factors can serve as roadblocks, challenges, and discouragement when trying to hold yourself and others accountable, especially when dealing with injustices, inequality, or lack of equity. You might feel compelled to throw in the towel, whether it's government policies, company culture, fear of retaliation, or lack of resources. Don't. Keep it moving. As isolating as it might feel at times, you don't have to go at it alone. Our persistence when it came to the Love Island post led to conversations with more Black employees, eventually the company at large, and ultimately our top execs, which led toward seeking solutions. Work on covering Black people in a positive light. It's not solely the job of the Black employees to be the voice of all Black people. We're not monolithic. No identity is truly monolithic. In our situation, it could be possible that a lack of representation and education led to this mistake and the missteps that followed. This is why it's crucial to ensure you're mindful of the attention you give to that underrepresented group. If your Black employees are the only ones writing stories and creating videos centered around Black interests, entertainment, and culture, you have a problem. If the only content you're producing that includes Black people is centered around violence, criminality, and negativity, you have a problem. It's no secret that the media has struggled with the portrayal of Black people in a positive light, intentional or not, and there's no reason you should be part of the it's a poor excuse to blame it on your audience's interests and pop culture trends. If you're a media company, you lead the conversation in most instances, so take the reins and set the tone. If I can learn all the Taylor Swift lore in one day, you can take a few minutes to know the difference between Laurence Fishburne and Samuel L. Jackson. Each one, teach one. Pointing fingers solves little to nothing. We've all made mistakes. I think sometimes we're more willing to jump down each other's throats than to actually speak with one another. Instead speak with those responsible for the mistake. Listen to their reasoning (even if you don't agree with the reasoning at all). Gauge their level of sincerity. Educate them on how to do better. Or, if you're in a position where you feel like you're tired of educating, point them in the right direction. It can be exhausting being the person who always needs to educate others. However, I'm sure there is someone in your community who has accepted the role of educator. Simply point the offender in the right direction. What resources can they use? Who can they talk to? What books should they read? Which podcasts should they listen to? It's just too easy to tear each other down these days. Never think you can do no wrong. You know how the Hannah Montana song starts. "Everybody makes mistakes / Everybody has those days." It's true. Nobody's perfect, and that's not something to be seen as a curse. Oftentimes, it's individuals who believe they're not capable of being anti-Black, sexist, anti-LBGTQ+, etc., who have a harder time pinpointing when and where they screwed up. Today there's so much fear of being labeled a (insert word +ist) that we find ourselves making the situation worse with denial, gaslighting, or projecting our shame onto firmly believe everyone can learn from their mistakes; you just have to be willing to take accountability. The world's not over if you make a mistake, so own up to your crap and be okay sitting in it for a minute until you can work toward a can look like more than just a boilerplate apology or mandatory sensitivity training. Acknowledging wrongdoing and knowing there's an opportunity for improvement is where it's at. Create inclusive and safe spaces. What are you doing to create inclusive and safe spaces? What do they look like, and are they easily accessible to everyone? It shouldn't take a deep investigation to find someone working toward being inclusive to you as an employee. Dare I say the entire company should be working toward making the whole space inclusive — bigoted government policies and threats be have the ERGs at BuzzFeed, which cover groups like women, LGBTQ+, Latine, Parents, Black, AAPI, and more. It's encouraged that everyone participate in the activities and offerings that the ERGs produce because they allow you to either collaborate and bond with people who look like you, or get a chance to connect with people with entirely different experiences than your own. However, inclusive and safe spaces aren't always a diversity initiative. I found safe spaces by connecting with people who might've had a similar work trajectory or lived in a similar area. DMs and email threads are your friends when connecting with the right people to help foster communities. Most companies have remained remote or hybrid since 2020, and I think it's more important than ever to double down on creating spaces to ensure underrepresented groups feel heard and valued, especially in a world that's getting more creative at working to silence them. Work with your allies regularly. Look around you, you are not alone. There are allies willing to speak up. BuzzFeed held a company-wide meeting after our Love Island post went viral for all the wrong reasons, and some of the loudest and most potent voices in the room were people who were not Black. People who were very aware of the plight, and stuck their necks out to protect and defend another community. Work with these allies as much as possible. You may be in an environment at your company where someone else's voice may be the final key to unlock the solution. Seek out these allies. Meet up with or communicate with them outside of work. Build a multicultural coalition that cannot be denied. And last but not least, protect women. I don't think this needs any explanation. Protect women. Period. Our responsibility is to protect people, especially those who have been historically marginalized. The fight against existential discrimination is going to take more than 11 points on a BuzzFeed listicle. Calling out the issue and taking accountability is a move in the right direction and hopefully, this can be something we can call back to when we need to correct the next mistake, address new employee concerns, and ultimately stay true to our values in the workplace. Through these steps and our work we are aiming every day to promote Black joy, to protect Black women, and to help steer a much larger and whiter organization in a direction that's inclusive for us and all others.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
People Are Holding Nothing Back When Describing Their Extremely Difficult In-Laws, And I Really, Really Feel For Them
Reddit user u/fuzzyloulou recently posed the question: "Married people of Reddit, what's something you just hate about your in-laws?" "Hate" is a pretty strong word, but most people responded with some genuine grievances they have with their in-laws' behavior. BuzzFeed Community members also chimed in with some gripes of their own. Here's what people shared: 1."We have more money than my MIL, and she is so jealous of my husband's success. She'll make fun of our vacations, say she'd never live in a 'snobby' place, wouldn't work as a corporate exec, or drive cars that weren't made in America. We don't put anything on Facebook or anywhere else. I guess his sister tells her? But she always posts about how her son thinks he is so great. You know what? He fucking is. Sorry, he came from broke ass, miserable people and made a success of himself. You'd think she'd be proud of him. It's all envy disguised as disdain. What mother gets mad when her kid does well in life?" —kestrelh 2."My MIL? I love her; she's great. My FIL? He cheated on my MIL with her sister, and still sees said sister every week while somehow still remaining married to my MIL. He bought himself and the sister a new car while my MIL drives a 20-year-old F-150. When he's home, all he does is drink Budweiser from 11:00 a.m. on and watch TV. And, he complains about everyone else in the family. He doesn't come to his grandkids' birthday parties, and instead just hands us cash to go buy something and to say it's from him. On several occasions, he's been at nice dinners and gotten drunk and belligerent to the point of embarrassing everyone with him." —u/Tiberius_Jim 3."The way they travel. They constantly need to overpack, shop for stuff to take home, etc.. It always results in half a dozen overweight suitcases and carry-ons that they then ALWAYS have to reorganize to handle the weight. They ALWAYS expect everyone in the group to pack light to accommodate in case they have to dump their stuff on you. I hate it, and it ticks me off every time." —u/Sorry-birthday1 4."When we go to my in-laws, we never leave the house. We sit in the den, watch TV 12 hours a day, and listen to my FIL crap on anything and everything he sees on the idiot box. We finally told them that the condition for our coming was to turn off Fox News. It's not just because he's 84 and a grumpy old man. He's been doing this for the past 30 years. Everybody and everything is 'stupid,' except for him. It's just this constant stream of negativity. My MIL isn't much better. She will sit there and talk about everybody else under the sun and how foolish those people are. I've started leaving for a couple of hours for a sanity break. I have to demand that my children go visit them once a year." —u/AnybodySeeMyKeys 5."My MIL treats her son like a baby. She also says things like, 'No one can love you like I love you,' and seems to assume I'm just using her son for money and childcare…because she was like that when raising her kids. Other than that, she's a super funny and charismatic person. I try to give her the benefit of the doubt, as she's just a protective mom, but I can say I will not be treating my children or in-laws like that." —u/oo0Lucidity0oo 6."My MIL asked my husband's whole family to wear crosses to our wedding so it wouldn't be 'godless and satanic.' Why? Because my mother was officiating. She stalks my 11-year-old stepdaughter, who is no contact with said MIL due to extreme panic attacks whenever she has to see her grandmother. gave me an individually wrapped dish sponge for Christmas last year." —elizabeth_pearl_1105 7."My MIL isn't too nice to the kids. Granted, she has 15 grandkids, but you can tell which ones she likes which she likes less. My kids are in the middle." —u/wclure 8."My in-laws are terrible with money. They filed for bankruptcy and then decided not to make some payments. So my husband and I took over their finances and put them on a budget to make ends meet. Are they grateful? Nope!! When we tell them they don't have money to go out to eat, we get told that we don't care about them. It got so bad that we've told them not to talk to us anymore. We manage the finances, but any communication to us has to go through one of my husband's siblings." —alley2024 9."Their concept of time. They're all always shamelessly late to everything. And, they act like it's a cardinal sin to be early. They think they're 'early' if they stroll in just in the nick of time. For example, I've told them, 'We have to be there at 7:00, and it's a 20-minute drive, so we should leave by 6:35 at the latest. So, you need to be at our house at 6:30 so we can load the car.' 'Why so early? I'll be at your house at 6:45.' Then, they show up at 6:55 and can't understand why I'm angry. And, we get to where we're supposed to be at 7:15, and they can't understand why everyone there is mad. At least my husband has gotten better about it. He still hates to be anywhere early, but he plans and takes steps to be on time, not late." —u/MrsPottyMouth 10."My former MIL was always on the selfish side and 100% had her favorites. She went out of her way to tell me she took a religious oath a long time ago to prevent her children from marrying people of MY religion, but she was okay with it since I'm not practicing. Fast forward many years, sadly, our only child passed away from childhood cancer, and my mother passed less than a year later. The upcoming Mother's Day was the first for me without either my child or my mother, so I was a wreck. I'm a motherless child and a childless mother, but she had to play it up that SHE was more distraught because of the loss of her grandchild than I was over both, so that she could get my husband's attention. She is a miserable woman who can't stand not being the center of attention." —mengram76 11."They have four kids, and the only boy is their favorite. They ignore their daughters, which includes my wife. The heartbreak she feels every time they blow her off to go spend more time with their son is gut-wrenching. They took him to Vegas on her birthday two years in a row." —u/korar67 12."The way they come over to my house unannounced. They just show up, then get mad at me for being in the shower or not at home because I'm running errands. I know I'm a stay-at-home mom, but dang, I still have to go run errands outside the house. I also don't like the way they insist they can have our baby whenever they please, without our permission." —u/LoveOfTheLee 13."My in-laws are racist, and I'm Mexican. They've never made comments directed towards me specifically, but they have made comments about Mexican immigrants. My parents are immigrants, and my in-laws know this. I stopped going to any event with them, and thankfully, they moved out of state. My partner spends holidays with them, and I stay and enjoy the holidays with my family. I haven't seen them in two years." —darlingcath 14."My FIL called my wife and her three sisters 'whores' all while standing in MY house. Reason, you ask? They all got married outside of the Catholic faith. We haven't spoken in six years. Best six years of my life." —u/Patrick2337 15."My MIL is the cheapest woman I have ever met. I have hundreds of stories and examples. Last Christmas, she gave me a can of nuts from Goodwill. She said she didn't feel comfortable getting us a wedding gift. She won a cruise to Alaska and took our son, which was very sweet, but she refused to pay for anything during the trip. They ate sandwiches in the room and spent most days walking around Juneau. He wanted to come home on day two. I have fixed things, helped her move, mowed her lawn, and done a dozen other things. She has never once bought dinner as a thank you or to celebrate a special event. Years ago, we had a bad time and asked if we could live in her house for two months. She insisted on charging us rent. She has missed funerals and weddings because she will not pay for travel or a hotel. I will stop now because I could go on forever." —u/brt309 16."I'm pretty sure my MIL has never heard the word 'no.' Apparently, I introduced it to her because she thinks she can just announce she wants to visit or say she wants this or that, and expects everyone to comply. Here I came along and was like, NOPE! Safe to say we don't have a great relationship and have moved away from her TWICE!" —lulu98 17."The gossiping about us to anyone who will listen. And, the guilt trips. Every single guilt trip tactic to get us to drag our family of four across the country to go see them. Also, they were absolute trash parents to my husband. They both allowed physical, mental, and verbal abuse to run rampant, and now have the audacity to expect a relationship with their adult child." —u/Ninjaher0 18."Where to start? They are racist bigots who, despite only being Christmas Christians who haven't been to church in 40 years, didn't like their son marrying a Jew. We bought their house over 20 years ago, and my MIL has not said anything nice about anything we've changed, as though it should have been kept a shrine to her style. They moved away years ago and have only visited their son maybe three times. They made a trip to the state once without telling him because they were visiting his uncle and didn't visit their son. And when we first bought the house, I, a Jew, did my best to host a festive Christmas for them, only to be told they wouldn't return for Christmas ever again because it 'wasn't what they were expecting.' I could go on for hours with examples." —jbdnco 19."My MIL still blames me for moving her daughter away and can't believe we moved for better economic opportunities 11 years ago. She will call my wife and cry almost every other night about how she doesn't know how much time she has left, and she refuses to visit, even when we offer to pay the travel expenses. She puts on this poor-me sob story every time we visit. My GOD, just STFU!" —u/Zantabar 20."How critical they are of my partner. He is loving, kind, smart, and unique. Nothing he ever does will ever be enough for them. As a result, he has major anxiety and perfectionist issues. He's hard on himself and constantly apologizes for minor things. I wish he knew how awesome he is. For this reason, I've chewed out both his dad and mom, but they were clueless. What issues? If things were different, I'd love to be close to them, but I see how dysfunctional they are and am totally okay with zero contact." —u/Spletzi 21."Mine used my wedding as their own personal photoshoot, often taking their son/my groom away to snap family pictures. They then posted all the pictures of themselves in the group chat, and only one of me, which was just of my back at the altar. They also managed to get a photo of just the groom cutting the cake alone, without me in the photo, though we were obviously standing close together. I don't think they were malicious; they're just very self-centered people with zero social awareness." —u/Charming_Foot_495 22."The number one thing is that they are drama vampires. They can't live without it. Everything is about them; if it isn't, it will be soon. They are cartoonishly childish, and it's as ridiculous as it is sad. I feel terrible for my spouse and her siblings. Every family get-together is a mess. Number two is that they can't make a plan without overcomplicating the ever-loving crap out of it, which my wife has inherited." —u/Studlum 23."I judge my step-MIL because she posts EVERYTHING on Facebook. I swear she can't take a poop without posting." —u/MalpracticeMatt 24."They are good people, but also the pickiest eaters I have ever met. It has to be genetic. Their entire diet consists of Rice-A-Roni, overcooked, baked chicken, and Ragu pasta. They will not venture out and try anything that they deem too 'exotic' or potentially mildly spicy. For example, chicken tacos sound too wild for them. It has to be Taco Bell-style ground beef." —u/Tbonejak 25."I get along great with my MIL and FIL as individual people and have close relationships with both, but good god, they have a horrible relationship. It's really awkward sometimes. I have no idea how or why they are still together. They literally hate each other. Early in our relationship, I attempted to gently inquire about what I had observed after getting to know my wife's parents a bit. Before I even finished asking, she casually said, 'Yeah, they should have divorced a long, long time ago. We (her siblings) all think they need to give it up.'" —u/chillin_trashpanda 26."How fake they are. They just care about their image and how they appear to others. Very little, if anything, is genuine about them." —u/Unhygienictree 27."I absolutely love my in-laws, but compared to my family, they are REALLY loud. Like, instead of taking turns talking, they just talk louder over each other until someone listens. I leave with a headache, including when I sneak to an empty room for peace." —u/kannakantplay 28."The constant criticism. I married their only son, and nothing I do is good enough. My house is never clean enough, my 1-year-old doesn't 'behave,' and my cooking sucks. The passive aggressiveness is so overwhelming." —u/BAM151822 29."My husband's mother and two sisters really went out of their way to make me feel unwanted and disliked early in our marriage. They judged me, gave me the cold shoulder, and criticized everything I did. Joke's on them. My husband and I have been married for 30 years. So, I learned a lesson: Screw the naysayers. Haters gonna hate." —u/heyjudemarie 30."They are terrible with money and have tried to drag my immediate family down with them. I've had to stop acting like an ATM for them, and they're resentful that we won't support their BS anymore." —u/Alternative_Let_1599 31."My MIL refuses to discuss anything that bothers her. She just goes dead silent for a moment, then pivots to a different subject." —u/LaComtesseGonflable 32."My step-MIL could definitely be represented here. She's a piece of work. She's a teacher but literally hates children; all she does is complain about her horrible students, who are kindergarten kids. And often she treats the grandkids like she would rather be anywhere else but with them. She also has some really bizarre hang-ups about my husband's mom. My FIL and MIL divorced almost 30 years ago, and yet, step-MIL felt it necessary to bring up during my recent baby shower that she and FIL had now been married longer than he and MIL. She did this out loud to other people while my saint of a MIL was no more than three feet away. Why would that even matter?! She's an odd bird." —SFoxy 33."My in-laws are very nice people, but they have two things that really bug me. They have never-ending visits, and they do this with their entire family. I don't want to have house guests for two weeks. Second, they don't help at all when they visit. You used a cup, and you just saw me load the dishwasher? Put the cup in the dishwasher, not the sink. My son is autistic and has been known to get out of the house. Just keep an eye on him if I step away for a minute. Don't tell me he left the house and just sit there. When he was a baby, no one ever offered to feed him, change a diaper, or even give me a break to nap and just play with him. It's exhausting." —yesitsmissa 34."My wife's dad is a very 'I'm right, you're wrong' kind of person. If he's not right, he refuses to admit it and will just leave and not speak to you for a long time. Then, he'll show back up and act like nothing happened." —u/SaiyanGodKing 35."I adore my FIL and step-MIL. They are supportive, welcoming, and fun. They are both really Type A and 'super planners,' which can sometimes be a little irritating, but we have a huge family, and their organization makes for seamless and enjoyable family gatherings. I love my MIL, but she is not the most pleasant person to be around. She is very passive-aggressive and is one of those people who always wants to be miserable. When we get together, she spends most of the time complaining about how her sons never want to see her. She also recruits them to do things for her (which they would happily do) by implying that they owe her because 'I gave birth to you!' It's just exhausting." "Everyone would probably make more of an effort to spend time with her if every time wasn't a passive-aggressive guilt trip. She is better one-on-one, so I try to find ways to hang out with her alone because we get along well. I just wish she would let everyone relax and enjoy the time together." —la0912 "There's nothing I really hate about my in-laws, but my MIL occasionally says some things that give me pause when she's in the room. For example, she wished me a happy birthday recently, to which I casually replied, 'Just another trip around the sun.' My comment resulted in a 20-minute lecture about how the sun actually orbits the Earth, based on her visual observation of it rising in the east and setting in the west every day. I often wonder how much of my partner's childhood trauma is a direct result of her mother's 'unusual' beliefs." —u/officehelpermonkey What's the most frustrating thing your in-laws do? Tell us in the comments or share anonymously using this form. Solve the daily Crossword
Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Buzz Feed
26 Parent-Approved School Year Essentials
A school supply essentials box in case that back-to-school list is just too daunting. This case has pretty much everything you'll need for the school year and almost anything that'll be on the supply list so you can enjoy summer rather than fight Hunger Games-style with another adult over the last glue stick. Each bundle includes a plastic pencil box, a 10-pack of markers, a 24-pack of crayons, a 12-pack of colored pencils, three glue sticks, a pack of #2 pencils, five pencil top erasers, a rubber eraser, a pencil sharpener, a pair of blunt tip scissors, two pencil grips, a 12-inch ruler, a wide-rule spiral notebook, a wide ruled composition book, and two 2-pocket folder with metal review: "As a busy working mother, this was a lifesaver! The kit had everything my third grader needed to start his new school year, and I didn't have to fight the crowds at the stores!!! 5 stars!!!" —Carolyn JacksonGet it from Amazon for $32.99+ (available in two other sizes). A gentle alarm clock that'll hopefully bring you much cheerier wake-ups than jarring beeping sounds. I recently started using this sunrise clock and THE CHANGE to my mornings. Even if your little one is too young for an alarm clock, just having one for yourself can make waking up so much more pleasant. Promising review: "This clock is a lifesaver! I bought one each for my three kids so they can get up on time for school, and it works perfectly! They love the ease of use and customization — and they are actually excited about getting up on time!" —KavinaGet it from Amazon for $32.88+ (available in three colors). A cereal dispenser so they can get themselves breakfast without a gigantic pile of spilled cereal on the floor. The added excitement of making every breakfast feel like a hotel vacation breakfast is simply a bonus. Promising review: "These keep my cereal fresh, my 6-year-old can use them on her own! It's truly a lifesaver!" —Allison MarieGet it from Amazon for $31.22. A breakfast sandwich maker to get you a hot and delicious breakfast rather than scavenging off of leftover cereal and cold toaster pastries. This machine makes amazing breakfast sandwiches in minutes — plus you can embarrass your brood by singing H-O-T-T-O-G-O every time you pass them a sando. Promising review: "This thing is a lifesaver. I'm a mother of four young kids, so I have resorted to eating cereal, Pop-Tarts, anything FAST in the mornings because I have lots of little people to take care of, too. For as little as one minute of prep time and five minutes to cook, I have a delicious and much healthier breakfast. I bought the single, but I am considering ordering a double as well." — it from Amazon for $29.95+ (available in five colors). A hard-boiled egg maker so efficient, it takes almost all of the time out of making hard-boiled eggs for your family. Quickly make up to six eggs at a time in about 10 minutes. Perfect for any family rushing through the breakfast chaos — or anyone who has found their batch of hard-boiled eggs sitting in a lukewarm pot of water six hours later. 🫠 Promising review: "Lifesaver! Quick eggs and do not need to be prepped that much. Helps a lot when you are getting kids ready to go to school." —DeepakGet it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in two sizes and seven colors). A programmable coffee maker that'll help you set your coffee up the night before and wake up to your favorite aroma. If you're like me and have had too many mornings where you realize you forgot to brew your coffee until it was too late, it's time to treat yourself to a better system. Promising review: "What was I waiting for? I drink a lot of coffee. Now I've always had a glass pot coffee maker and briefly went down the Keurig road (hated it.) After breaking my third glass pot in the past few years, I started looking into getting a stainless steel pot. I saw a few with a water reservoir, but I decided against it. Good fresh water makes for good coffee. This one seemed to get good reviews, so I ordered it. Boy, am I glad that I did! The pot is huge (a lot of stainless steel pots were only 10 cups, this one makes 12.) The design is sleek and matches my kitchen so well. The auto feature is nice when I remember to actually prep it at night. There is a bold feature (yaasss!) The display will tell you how many minutes, up to two hours, have passed since it brewed. The best part, however, is the pot. It keeps the coffee warm for hours and hours. I have four kids and run a home daycare, so I don't always get around to getting my second and third cups until hours after brewing. And I hate microwaved coffee! This coffee maker has been a lifesaver. I can have my early morning cup. Get through my morning schedule and go back for another cup, and it'll be just as hot! No reheating! My only complaint is that I wish the filter were cone-shaped instead of a basket. Just a personal preference of mine. (I think the chance of grounds getting into the brew increases with a basket filter, that's all.) But other than that, this has been the best coffee maker I have ever bought." —JasmineGet it from Amazon for $65.99+ (available in three versions). A set of refrigerator storage bins to make getting lunches ready a much more streamlined process. Rather than digging through the fridge trying to find whatever snacks you have, keep them separated and at the ready. Promising review: "The bins were a lifesaver. Now I can reach things easily by pulling out bins. The entire family found that this works better than reaching in the back of the refrigerator for things that have fallen. Now it is simply pulling out a bin. Also, it avoids standing in front of the refrigerator looking for things. The bins have 'like' items in each. I also paired this with the rotating refrigerator carousel. My refrigerator is now very organized and maximizes space. The bins seem very durable and are made of sturdy material." —Gorbla2Get a set of four from Amazon for $16.76+ (available in two sizes). A pack of silicone dividers so foods in the lunch box stay separated and less soggy — because no one likes soggy crackers thanks to strawberry spillage. Promising review: "We love these! Every Sunday, we make homemade Lunchables. We put crackers in the rectangular cup, sliced cheese in the square, and salami or pepperoni on the round. They fit into an airtight container to go into the fridge until the kids pack their lunches each morning. It's been a life and time saver!!!" —Erin B. LeggGet a 36-pack of assorted shapes from Amazon for $9.99 (available in various shapes and sizes). A lunchbox with an option to send warm food for the kid who likes to mix up their lunch routine. The hot cup has a lid to keep food separate AND is removable — meaning you don't need two lunchboxes when your kiddo decides to take a cold lunch. So many more lunch opportunities are in your future. Promising review: "My daughter loves to bring a warm lunch to school every day. We have previously tried other bento lunchboxes, but none of them keep the food warm or fresh for very long. The OmieBox has been a lifesaver! This lunchbox has plenty of space and keeps the food warm and fresh all day. It is strong and has lasted despite all the times it has been bumped and banged up at school. It is easy to clean and does not leave food residue. I will be buying another one for my son this school year. Highly recommended!" —Jesus CastroGet it from Amazon for $49.95 (available in seven colors). An insulated Thermos for sending them with something hot along with their cold lunch items. Although some parents love sending pasta, many rave about the ability to send some dino nuggets that are still hot by lunch! Promising review: "My child doesn't like many cold lunch options for school. This has been a lifesaver! I've packed macaroni and cheese, chili and rice, soups, chicken and broccoli, and much more, all with success. The container keeps the food warm, doesn't leak, and seems to be enough food." —OH ReviewGet it from Amazon for $15.39+ (available in 30 designs). A freezable lunch bag with built-in ice packs to keep food fresh and at a safe eating temperature. Just toss it in the freezer the night before to keep food cool all day — because staying home with a kid with food poisoning should not be on your agenda. This is the brand I use for both of my kids, and I absolutely love these bags. They're so easy to store, and there's ice on both sides — ensuring safe food no matter when their lunchtime is. It's nice to be able to send a string cheese without remembering the room-temperature, rubbery-by-mid-day cheese stick of my youth. 🤢Promising review: "These are amazing. I was having to put ice packs in my kids' lunch and was looking for an alternative when I came across these. It has been over 100 for the last two weeks, not counting the heat index, and they have been a lifesaver. They go in the kids' backpacks in the am and come off the bus still cold. This never happened with an ice pack. It actually stays cold and helps my kids to have cold food during the day, I wish I had found these years ago!!!" —BryanGet it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in eight designs). A visual timer to help keep things calm if your kiddo struggles with transitions. With a visual timer, "five more minutes until you need to brush your teeth" actually has some meaning as they watch the rainbow count down. I use this with my oldest on school nights so she knows when to stop reading and go to sleep. Promising review: "The Yunbaoit Upgraded Black Visual Timer with Protective Case has been an absolute lifesaver for managing ADHD in our household. The visual countdown is intuitive and easy to understand, making it perfect for staying on task and managing transitions. The durable protective case adds peace of mind, ensuring it can withstand daily use. Whether it's for homework, chores, or screen time, this timer has helped create structure and minimize distractions. It's simple to use, highly effective, and has quickly become an essential tool in our routine. I can't recommend it enough for anyone looking to improve time management!" —adudethatknowsGet it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in nine colors). A set of personalized labels so you can avoid the hassle of rummaging through the overflowing lost and found. I'm pretty sure my kids forget their lunchbox, water bottle, or sweater every day last school year — labels make things so much easier to find later. Promising review: "I've had these name labels for a while, and they're absolutely amazing. I can stick them on clothes, wash them, and they're still good. They've been an absolute lifesaver when it comes to school — teachers know when it's my child's, and it prevents it from being lost. I've stuck it on sippies, clothes, shoes, the outside of backpacks, it is RESILIENT and honestly, super underpriced for how high quality and the quantity you get. I'd only ever buy from this seller." — 130-pack from Amazon for $9.95 (available in 27 designs). An electric toothbrush that uses an app to keep your kid engaged and brushing for a full two minutes. Electric toothbrushes already keep teeth cleaner, but the addition of the app helps kids work through brushing without getting distracted or hurrying through the process. Honestly just being able to leave them to brushing without having to hover as the tarter police is worth it. Promising review: "We were having some struggles getting our 3.5-year-old to brush his teeth. This toothbrush and the app have been a lifesaver! He now looks forward to brushing his teeth and gets excited to see what 'present' he's going to get. Also, the app is actually way better than I expected." —Amanda P. Get it from Amazon for $29.96+ (available in two colors, two charging styles, and as a bundle). And a toothpaste dispenser and toothbrush holder to save you from trying to get out for the morning and hearing "CAN SOMEONE PASTE MY TOOTHBRUSH??" or the ever-dreaded "uh-oh" during teeth brushing. Promising review: "LOVE, LOVE this!! We previously had a different one similar to this, but did not have a toothpaste dispenser. I decided to try this one out because it matched and was more modern-looking. I am so happy with this! It fit on our wall exactly where the other one went, and we didn't even have to use the sticker. I love the four cops and how hidden and easy they are to access. The toothpaste comes out perfectly every time and does not make a mess!!! My kids love to make messes, so this is a lifesaver. I have already recommended this to all of my friends and family." —Lindsay SnackGet it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in four colors). A day-of-the-week clothing organizer so that choosing clothes for school doesn't become a daily battle in your household. Just check the weather report and choose outfits over the weekend — suddenly a (mostly) stress-free morning! Promising review: "This has been an absolute lifesaver! My kids put all of their clothes for the week in their 'pockets' on Sunday and there's no digging in the mornings anymore!" —CrystalWGet it from Amazon for $25.99. A fan-favorite Skylight calendar for keeping all of your family appointments in plain sight. Not only does it automatically sync to your calendars, you can set up chore charts for your family members and keep lists all in one place — making the school year so much less hectic for you. Promising review: "If you have a busy household, this family calendar is a lifesaver. Now everyone can enter their appointments, work schedules, classes, etc, into their own Google calendar, and it syncs to the family calendar. Everyone is aware of what is happening, and it avoids double booking. App is easy to use, as is the actual device." —NH CustomerGet it from Amazon for $269.99. A shoe organizer to hopefully avoid the every morning battle to find a missing shoe. Not only can you keep everything in one place, you'll also free up your entryway from a sea of mismatched shoes. Promising review: "With three small kids and a husband with lots of shoes, this shoe cabinet has been a lifesaver. I built it on my own in just a few hours. I love it." —KatieGet it from Amazon for $125.99+ (available with two, three, four, or six drawers and 10 colors). A car seat unbuckling tool so they can unbuckle themselves at in the morning, ensuring that you're not burying your face at drop-off as you hold up the line to unbuckle your kid. The car seat buckle desperately needs to be one less thing you fight with. Promising review: "We purchased two of these, one for each car, and it has been great for dropping off our Kindergarten student at school. We are not allowed to get out of the car, so I was worried how to get him unbuckled from his car seat/harness, but this has been a lifesaver. It took him only two practices to get it, but he really picked it up quick and now he really enjoys unbuckling himself once we get in car line. We love this product!" —Alicia RosenbauerGet it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in seven colors). A rolling backpack because backpacks are just SO HEAVY. These are great for littles and bigs alike, especially if you walk to school. Nothing like saving them a few extra years before back pain sets in. Promising review: "My kids have quite a walk after they get off the bus. so this has been a lifesaver!" —C. it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in different colors). A wobble cushion if you have a kid who JUST. NEEDS. TO. WIGGLE. Desk seats were not made with wiggly kids in mind, so wobble cushions offer some much needed movement without leaving the seat and disrupting class. My ADHD kiddo pretty much lives on this cushion during the school year — LIFESAVER. Promising review: "My son has ADHD, and this was a lifesaver. Lucky for u,s the school approved it for use in the classroom. It's nice because it's lightweight and he can grab it and take it with him wherever he goes. The little nub-like fingers on it work wonders for him. It gives him something to keep his body busy and his little hands. Awesome find!" —LaKeishaGet it from Amazon for $23.74+ (available in six colors and in multipacks). A zipper binder to keep everything in place and zipped up so papers don't go flying. It even has a carrying strap in case their backpack is too small. Say good-bye to papers shoved down at the bottom of the backpack — they've finally thought of everything. Promising review: "This binder was a lifesaver for my middle schooler. The first binder we tried was NOT one of these. It was impossible to carry around, and papers were frequently lost. Then I found this. This binder changed everything and even eased my students' anxiety because it's so much easier to stay organized. The ring itself is sturdy and easy to open and close. There's room in here for work from different classes, and storage for pencils and pens, etc. There is a bonus section of accordion storage, which is excellent for take-home papers or other loose items. Then, it zips closed! This zipper is tough, and it seems to move with ease no matter what. And the icing on the cake is the handle on the spine. This makes it easy to grab the binder and stuff it in a backpack or walk between classes without having to cradle the binder in your arms. We never used the optional shoulder strap, but options are nice. This binder gets an A+." —Rachel WGet it from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in 20 designs and in multipacks). A pair of noise-cancelling headphones for your sensory-sensitive kid. These headphones are powerful enough to dull ambient classroom noise, but still allow them to hear the teacher. Even kids without sensory sensitivities love wearing these! Every teacher my kids have had has a basket for communal use. As the parent of a kid with sensory challenges, these are an absolute school-year must-have. Promising review: "Purchased this back in 2021 when my child was 5 years of age. He's now 9 and they still fit perfectly on him. This has been a lifesaver for him and the bus driver, recently, since there are other kiddos on the bus that scream throughout the bus ride and it frustrates my child. So it's one less kiddo to be frustrated about." —NRDGet it from Amazon for $15.27+ (available in 19 colors and patterns). A set of clothing labels to help you find your kid's Bluey sweater in a veritable OCEAN of Bluey sweaters. These labels are machine washable and cost-effective — two of my favorite words. Promising review: "These are great. I use a regular Sharpie to write my kid's name on the label and put it on every article of clothing he can take off at school. I have washed them several times, and they still look brand new. These labels are a lifesaver for kids who cannot remember to bring home their jacket, hat, and gloves." —Kaitlyn SwoapeGet a pack of 54 Amazon for $5.99 (available in five sizes and various pack sizes). A pencil sharpener for at-home use because there's nothing quite as humbling as realizing you have absolutely zero tools to help them do their homework, you know, at home. Promising review: "I am 5-star satisfied with this pencil sharpener that is for different-sized pencils. We use this at home as I have a daughter in Kindergarten, so this has been a lifesaver. Sharpens a pencil easily and quickly within ten seconds. Love it." —Brittany AnnGet it from Amazon for $27.99. A saline spray because your kids are going to be bringing home literally all of the germs. All of them. EVERY LAST FORSAKEN GERM. Saline spray can help clear nasal passages, making colds pass a little quicker. Anything for some relief from the onslaught of fall viruses. Promising review: "Kids always fought me in spraying their noses (we live in the desert) and this spray is so healing, they actually ASK me for it in the morning!!! A lifesaver!" —D DGet it from Amazon for $6.99+ (also available in multipacks).
