5 Do-It-All Cleaners We Love
One way to make cleaning less of a chore is by streamlining your supplies. Rather than rummaging through an overcrowded cabinet to find specialty cleaning products, you can mostly rely on just a handful of really good multipurpose cleaners to knock out messes around the house. Here are a few basics our experts love: All-purpose cleaner for just about anything: We'll start with the obvious here. Our cleaning expert calls a good ol' cleaning spray 'arguably the most important item in your cleaning kit.' It can get pretty much anything in your house sparkling: grease splatters on the stove, crumbs on tables and counters, fingerprints on stainless steel, and much more. These are our favorites.
We'll start with the obvious here. Our cleaning expert calls a good ol' cleaning spray 'arguably the most important item in your cleaning kit.' It can get pretty much anything in your house sparkling: grease splatters on the stove, crumbs on tables and counters, fingerprints on stainless steel, and much more. These are our favorites. A centuries-old cleaning powder for making things shine: We've used Bar Keepers Friend for everything from restoring the glimmer on stainless steel, to brightening porcelain sinks, to destaining tile and grout. The liquid version of Bar Keepers Friend is just as effective as the original powdered version, but it's easier to squeeze up into the rim of a toilet to get rid of unsightly stains.
We've used Bar Keepers Friend for everything from restoring the glimmer on stainless steel, to brightening porcelain sinks, to destaining tile and grout. The liquid version of Bar Keepers Friend is just as effective as the original powdered version, but it's easier to squeeze up into the rim of a toilet to get rid of unsightly stains. A powerful cleaner and degreaser for soap scum, bathtub rings, and kitchen messes: Krud Kutter is a concentrated cleaner that's so useful, one of our experts buys it by the gallon jug. For general jobs around the house, he mixes it in a 1:10 ratio with water and keeps it in spray bottles. Mixed 1:5 or so, it gets oil and grease off motorized equipment. And it's safe on fabrics, too. Think of it like Simple Green — but without the reek.
Krud Kutter is a concentrated cleaner that's so useful, one of our experts buys it by the gallon jug. For general jobs around the house, he mixes it in a 1:10 ratio with water and keeps it in spray bottles. Mixed 1:5 or so, it gets oil and grease off motorized equipment. And it's safe on fabrics, too. Think of it like Simple Green — but without the reek. The best dish soap (for more than just dishes): This electric blue dish soap cleans dishes pretty well. But it really shines when it's applied to household cleaning projects, like tackling oily stains on clothing or stubborn grease splatter on walls or stovetops.
This electric blue dish soap cleans dishes pretty well. But it really shines when it's applied to household cleaning projects, like tackling oily stains on clothing or stubborn grease splatter on walls or stovetops. Wipe it all up with a microfiber cloth: In our testing, microfiber cleaning cloths excelled at lifting dirt from keyboards, clearing smudged glass, dusting baseboards and windowsills, and absorbing countertop spills. Plus, they grab dust effectively and catch microbes.
More handpicked cleaning supplies to tackle almost any mess→
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Buzz Feed
6 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
27 Products If Your Home Needs A Deep Clean
A pack of melamine sponges that can rid years' worth of handprints from the surface area around door knobs. All it takes is some warm water and a few seconds of scrubbing. *And* a pack of 20 sponges costs less than $15. A Baseboard Buddy that easily removes dust and debris from crevices. The kit includes one Baseboard Buddy and three reusable pads that can be used wet or dry. Plus, the pads are microfiber and will trap and lock dirt. A no-scrub Wet & Forget cleaner to make "cleaning" as easy as one, two, spritz. This no-rinse product should be used weekly to keep your shower free of mildew, which basically means it will take all of two seconds to feel like you've deep-cleaned the place in which you bathe. Promising review: "This stuff is excellent. It performs as promised, it has a very nice scent, no fumes, and leaves shower clean with no scrubbing actually necessary. It is very easy to apply and rinse off. It is designed very well, with squirting spout separate from the large container and attached by a longish tube, so you don't have to hold the heavy container while applying the product. I've been using it for quite a while now, and I love it. I highly recommend it." —Stephanie MartinGet it from Amazon for $18.81+ (available in two sizes, two scents, and a two-pack). A dryer vent cleaning system if you've noticed clothes requiring an extra dry cycle. Accumulated lint might be the reason, and this removes that buildup in ducts up to 12 feet long. Promising review: "This thing worked AMAZING. I got a TON of lint out of my vent piping, my dryer works better now and runs cooler, and drying time has been reduced. I was amazed at how much lint build-up there was!" —Allen L GroomsGet it from Amazon for $29.99. A non-abrasive Bar Keepers Friend cleansing and polishing powder that will destroy years of icky build-up on all of your porcelain, copper, glass, tile, stainless steel, plastic, and brass. Time to grab your cookware set, folks, because the after photos are about to get good. Promising review: "We've all seen products that claim to be the 'best' at whatever they are intended for. All too often, we are sadly disappointed by a product that falls far short of these audacious claims. Bar Keepers Friend is not one of these products. While I'm no barkeep, I can honestly state that I am impressed with the cleaning power of this product. I've used it on my glass-top stove, on metal pots and pans, and even some of those heavily stained aluminum baking pans that tend to turn brownish after use. This product cleaned them with very little effort on my part. I tend to sprinkle just a little on whatever I am going to clean, and then, using a clean paper towel or other nonabrasive cloth with a bit of moisture, I then wipe the area until the stains lift up and out. A few extra passes to remove any remaining cleaning powder/product and I'm off to other chores. I seldom have to use this, but when I do, it is quick and efficient." —Steven M. Get a pack of two from Amazon for $8.99. A pumice cleaning stone capable of removing calcium, lime, and hard water stains from your toilet bowl. The stone itself is also surprisingly gentle and won't scratch the surface of your porcelain throne. Promising review: "I have a 19-year-old master bathroom toilet that had accumulated some nasty stains over time, and regular toilet brushes and cleaning products just would not remove them. I decided to try this pumice stone, and it worked like a charm! Given the nature and severity of the stains, it required some elbow grease. But 10 minutes later, I have a new-looking bowl, and I see no signs of scratching." —Happy RetireeGet it from Amazon for $14.99. A multi-purpose OxiClean powder for getting grease off of range hood filters. It's even got the bandwidth to revitalize brickwork, bid adieu to makeup and oil stains on your favorite dress, or lift red wine stains from your living room accent chair. Promising review: "I use very hot water, add this stuff, and put the range hood filter in it. After about 30 minutes, there's already a lot of grease and dirt floating in the water by itself. If you shake it vigorously, even more grease comes off! The effect is really noticeable! I'm so excited; I can finally have a clean kitchen! And this isn't just for cleaning the kitchen; it can also wash clothes. It feels like it can do everything!!" —NamelessGet it from Amazon for $14.98. A stainless-steel cleaner that will rid your large appliances (I'm looking at you, refrigerator) of all unsightly fingerprints and smudges. This blend of plant-based ingredients will even prevent future smudges from forming, and (HALLELUJAH) doesn't leave any streaks behind. Psst, this stainless-steel cleaning spray also comes with a handy dandy microfiber cloth. Promising review: "My appliances have never looked better. I was so frustrated trying to get my stainless steel refrigerator clean without streaks. This is the best thing I have found, easy to use and no streaks! So glad I took a chance." —Nancy a Williams Get it from Amazon for $19.95. A lint roller that's especially excellent for collecting dog hair from both human furniture and pet beds *and* revitalizing cat trees to look good as new. Promising review: "I'm a fur-mom of five cats and two dogs, so I know all about animal hair on everything. And I was very skeptical about this purchase, but I figured why not? Nothing else is working very well. Holy moly. I have a well-loved old cat tree that I've tried vacuuming and lint rollers, and had finally resolved myself to it being cat hair carpet. This sucker grabs hair so good that my cat trees almost look newish!" —spztckttnGet it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in three colors). A garbage disposal brush so you can deep clean *without* having to embrace the grossness that is plate dirt and smelly leftovers. So long, forever, nasty odors building up in my kitchen sink. Promising review: "Do you ever remove the rubber cap between your sink and disposal? It is beyond gross! This is shaped just right and makes quick work of a yucky job. Good to do to keep odors away." —Mom328LSAGet it from Amazon for $10.06. A pack of washing machine cleaning tablets that remove built-up detergent scum and various gunk to keep your expensive washing machine in tip-top shape. Add a tablet, run a normal wash cycle, and your work here is done. A long-handle wall cleaner with four extension poles so you can deep clean hard-to-reach areas and eradicate scuff marks and kids' sticky fingerprints. This kit comes with a ceiling cleaner, baseboard duster, dry duster, and wet cleaning mop. Promising review: "Do you envy your friends and the fact that their walls are always spotless? Do your kids use the walls as their personal napkins or jungle gym? Are you tired of spending hours a day cleaning? Fret no more - this really does the trick! Seriously though, I was tired of seeing spots and stains on our walls. I even changed our builder-grade flat paint to a nice eggshell grayish that everyone seems to love. But we still had issues with scuffs and marks. This 'wall mop' has been a life and time saver!!" —Savannah WilsonGet it from Amazon for $39.97. A tub of The Pink Stuff, an all-purpose paste capable of tackling your most pesky cleaning problems. Caked-on grease clinging to your oven will all but vanish, with no elbow grease required (an ideal cleaning situation). A cleaning brush kit to draw out the dust hidden in plain sight... right under your nose. Literally. A few passes with these compact, handheld brushes and woosh! Perhaps now you won't be inhaling allergy mites with every breath you take. This five-piece kit comes with a track cleaning brush, a tile lines brush, a window blind duster, a 2-in-1 windowsill sweeper, and a hand-held groove gap brush. Promising review: "We just moved and the previous owners of our new house left us a wonderful amount of dust and dirt to clean. I was originally looking for just a vent cleaner and stumbled upon these multi-kits. The price point is amazing, and it really does seem like a do-it-all all kit." —Ty Loli Get it from Amazon for $7.99. A pack of microfiber cloths for a lint- and streak-free finish on glassware, windows, and yes, that includes light fixtures that have been permanently covered in a layer of dulling grime. The best part is you don't even need a cleaning solution! A bit of water combined with one of these cloths is all you'll need. Promising review: "If you have any glass light fixtures in your home you absolutely need this product. I don't think the fixture was this clear even when I bought it, and the best part is it's just using water and the two rags." —Lisa Collins Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $17.98. A vacuum hose attachment in which multiple reviewers (multiple!) swear they pulled out whole socks from their lint traps. Clogged vents = longer drying times = higher utility bills = less money in your bank account to put toward, say, more Seamless takeout. Promising review: "This thing is seriously amazing. I figured out how to use it very quickly and it worked like a charm. I had a sock stuck wayy down in my vent and would've had no idea! I still can't believe how much lent and dust came out of my dryer. My husband is already talking about other uses for this unique tool, like getting into tight spaces in our cars." —J. JohnsonGet it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in five colors). A FlexiSnake Drain Weasel not meant for the faint of heart. Use this to easily de-clog every drain in your home, but prepare for the horror you'll experience as you dig up about one million pounds of hair and built-up gunk. This FlexiSnake is great for sinks and showers in which the water takes forever to go down, plus it's reusable — just clean with hot water and soap after each use. Promising review: "My shower drain had been clogged and so before I called a plumber, I decided to give this baby a try. All I can say is that I wish I had stock in this company. This is a fantastic item that every single person who owns or rents a home should have. It was EASY to assemble the gadget. It was EASY TO USE. And best of all-it pulled out so much hair that it looked like a giant rat. I could not believe how QUICKLY I was able to do the job, and I can't tell you the deep satisfaction it gave me to know that all that crap was out of my drain. I'm telling you, it is worth every penny!" —1CreeksidegalGet a five-pack from Amazon for $19.99 (also available in a 10-pack). Affresh cleaning tablets because how can you get clean, glistening dishes if the dishwasher itself is *gag* covered in grime? Answer: You can't. These babies are here to help. Simply pop one in, put on the rinse cycle, and continue watching your show. Easy peasy. Promising review: "I had tried lots of white vinegar for two cycles in my 20-year-old dishwasher for the cloudy and powdery dinginess it had started doing, and it only helped about 30%. We have very hard water. This zapped the buildup, and the glass is clear again, and colored plastics no longer have the powdery-like coating. So glad I took a chance on this!" —J. HoldenGet a pack of six from Amazon for $8.99. A water-based tile pen that'll transform the chore of grout cleaning into a fun activity reminiscent of filling in the pages of an adult coloring book. Consider mold banished after a few swipes of this nontoxic formula, which releases anti-bacterial agents with each pass. Promising review: "These things are awesome! I cleaned my bathroom tile grout first because the lady who lived there before me really let it go. A few places stayed stained, and I was worried it wouldn't cover them, but all grout areas are bright white and look new after using this." —Donna K Cook Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in a wide or narrow tip). A mattress vacuum equipped with a UV light to obliterate scary bacteria *and* a suction cup design that traps dust and mites. And if you think this is wildly unnecessary and ridiculous, I dare you to take a long hard look at your bare mattress. Go ahead. Tell me you don't want to sneeze just looking at it. Promising review: "So I brought this originally for my son, who gets really bad allergies to dust. At first, we didn't know what was causing this until someone told me to check our beds and furniture. Even though we change our bedsheets regularly, there will be dust left over. So I decided to give this a try and they were right! I couldn't believe how many mites and how much dust there was. I took my time cleaning everyone's bed and our sofa, which was easy to use and light. My son hasn't had a reaction in a while, which means this product works for my family!" —LisaGet it from Amazon for $44.99. A wood polish lauded by one reviewer as the ~best money they've ever spent~. Trying your hand at furniture restoration has never been so easy: just a few drops of this formula is powerful enough to cover even the most unsightly scratches. Promising review: "I've been using this since the 80s. My mom made us spring clean every spring break. We had to go over all the doors, all the woodwork, all the furniture, banisters and cabinets. We also had to clean every wall, every cabinet out, every closet out and every drawer out lol. It was hell, let me tell you, but boy, do I know how to clean now! I now use this in my house and love it. It covers scratches and knicks and makes everything look new and shiny." —LBGet it from Amazon for $5.97. A Glisten foaming cleaner to neutralize the funky odors coming from said garbage disposal (*yuck*). This lemon-scented stuff requires absolutely no effort and two simple steps: turn on hot water, add the cleanser. Promising review: "I went on a trip, and when I came back, there was this foul odor coming from my garbage disposal (even though we didn't leave any dishes on the sink), and I tried every home remedy I could think of to get rid of the smell, but nothing did. So I turned to the internet, and immediately, these seemed like the best choice for an okay price. I followed the instructions carefully, and within a minute, I saw the foam rise up and then go back down — awful smell FINALLY GONE!" —A.L. Get it from Amazon for $3.78+ (also available in packs of two and four). An adjustable duster brush because the amount of dust that can accumulate in narrow vents is *cough* genuinely disgusting. And don't worry, cleaning said crevices requires but a few minutes of your time and just a flick or two of the wrist. This handy dandy tool comes with five microfiber cloths, meaning you'll be able to clean your whole darn house in one review: "This product is AMAZING! You can clean both sides of two blinds at once and grip them firmly to get ALL of the dust off. Plus, it comes with five covers so that no matter how dirty your blinds are, you'll be able to finish dusting your whole house! I also love that you can wash the covers and don't have to waste money on refills." —SarahGet it from Amazon for $6.99. A stain cleaner that clings to silicone sealants (so the thin area around your showerhead, in between your tiles, etc.) and effectively banishes mold and mildew to the pits of heck forever, which is where they rightfully belong. Someone contact Dante and let him know we've got another Inferno contender. Promising review: "You guys. I'm embarrassed to even show you this. The grout around our tub was DISGUSTING. It was never caulked right and it got gross very quickly. I would scrub. The cleaning lady would scrub. It would get worse. Well, I came across this in a BuzzFeed list, and this stuff made me curious. I don't know why it doesn't have 10,000 good reviews. Seriously. All I did was squeeze it on and walk away. I let it sit overnight. Check this out. Buy it. Like today." —KarynBGet it from Amazon for $14.99. An Oh Yuk cleaner that lures out all the hidden grime lurking in your tub, aka the kind that was absolutely present when you took that last "relaxing" bath. Run your bath, add this jet cleaner, have allllllll the grime come out of said jets, and then wipe down your tub. BOOM! You're review: "OK, so I love to clean, and I run bleach through the jets prob twice a month on top of my daily weekly cleaning. And I was skeptical about how this product could get any cleaner than I thought it was. Well, I am here to tell you this pic is after the second cleaning with this cleaner!!!! I am a believer and would highly recommend this product to anyone with a jetted tub!!" —Momof2greatboysGet it from Amazon for $18.74+ (available in two sizes and a two-pack). Cleaning cups that'll deep clean your coffee machine (#poetry) within minutes. Simply pop this biodegradable cleaner in as you would a cup of caffeine and proceed to marvel at the gunk that's made its way into your daily cup of joe. Promising review: "We've had our Keurig for a few years, and with the exception of using only filtered water and dispensing hot water every so often, we've never cleaned the needle or K-Cup area. I used three cleaning cups back to back, and WOW, our machine was dirty! I'm so happy I purchased these! I'll be keeping up on cleaning these more often." —Heather GarciaGet a six-pack from Amazon for $9.95 (also available in a 12-pack). A Scrubbing Bubbles toilet stamp to release a foaming gel with every flush, ~relieving~ you of the arduous task of scrubbing your porcelain throne once a week. This does alllllll the hard work on your behalf. Promising review: "I was sooo skeptical and was confused about how they'd work but the gel solidifies and with every flush, suds wash through with the water and it really makes a fresh difference. Also the scent is light but really nice and fresh! I recommend these 100%! They're super interesting but they do the job." —JanetGet a dispenser and six stamps from Amazon for $4.47.
New York Times
5 days ago
- New York Times
5 Do-It-All Cleaners We Love
In this edition of Clean Everything, we share a few multipurpose cleaners our experts recommend. Plus: Why cloth diapers make excellent household rags. One way to make cleaning less of a chore is by streamlining your supplies. Rather than rummaging through an overcrowded cabinet to find specialty cleaning products, you can mostly rely on just a handful of really good multipurpose cleaners to knock out messes around the house. Here are a few basics our experts love: All-purpose cleaner for just about anything: We'll start with the obvious here. Our cleaning expert calls a good ol' cleaning spray 'arguably the most important item in your cleaning kit.' It can get pretty much anything in your house sparkling: grease splatters on the stove, crumbs on tables and counters, fingerprints on stainless steel, and much more. These are our favorites. We'll start with the obvious here. Our cleaning expert calls a good ol' cleaning spray 'arguably the most important item in your cleaning kit.' It can get pretty much anything in your house sparkling: grease splatters on the stove, crumbs on tables and counters, fingerprints on stainless steel, and much more. These are our favorites. A centuries-old cleaning powder for making things shine: We've used Bar Keepers Friend for everything from restoring the glimmer on stainless steel, to brightening porcelain sinks, to destaining tile and grout. The liquid version of Bar Keepers Friend is just as effective as the original powdered version, but it's easier to squeeze up into the rim of a toilet to get rid of unsightly stains. We've used Bar Keepers Friend for everything from restoring the glimmer on stainless steel, to brightening porcelain sinks, to destaining tile and grout. The liquid version of Bar Keepers Friend is just as effective as the original powdered version, but it's easier to squeeze up into the rim of a toilet to get rid of unsightly stains. A powerful cleaner and degreaser for soap scum, bathtub rings, and kitchen messes: Krud Kutter is a concentrated cleaner that's so useful, one of our experts buys it by the gallon jug. For general jobs around the house, he mixes it in a 1:10 ratio with water and keeps it in spray bottles. Mixed 1:5 or so, it gets oil and grease off motorized equipment. And it's safe on fabrics, too. Think of it like Simple Green — but without the reek. Krud Kutter is a concentrated cleaner that's so useful, one of our experts buys it by the gallon jug. For general jobs around the house, he mixes it in a 1:10 ratio with water and keeps it in spray bottles. Mixed 1:5 or so, it gets oil and grease off motorized equipment. And it's safe on fabrics, too. Think of it like Simple Green — but without the reek. The best dish soap (for more than just dishes): This electric blue dish soap cleans dishes pretty well. But it really shines when it's applied to household cleaning projects, like tackling oily stains on clothing or stubborn grease splatter on walls or stovetops. This electric blue dish soap cleans dishes pretty well. But it really shines when it's applied to household cleaning projects, like tackling oily stains on clothing or stubborn grease splatter on walls or stovetops. Wipe it all up with a microfiber cloth: In our testing, microfiber cleaning cloths excelled at lifting dirt from keyboards, clearing smudged glass, dusting baseboards and windowsills, and absorbing countertop spills. Plus, they grab dust effectively and catch microbes. More handpicked cleaning supplies to tackle almost any mess→
New York Times
17-07-2025
- New York Times
How Our Kitchen Expert Organizes His Tiny Brooklyn Kitchen
In this edition of Clean Everything, we walk you through a few of our kitchen expert's favorite small-space hacks. When you have a small kitchen, finding space for a plethora of cooking tools and equipment can feel like a frustrating game of Tetris. So we tapped Wirecutter kitchen expert Michael Sullivan to share how he organizes his New York City kitchen, where he houses everyday pots and pans, treasured cooking heirlooms (including his great-grandmother's ravioli cutter), countless cookbooks, and any number of kitchen tools he's testing for Wirecutter. Below, his four favorite small-space hacks: Get utensils out of your drawers: During a 1977 interview, Julia Child said, 'The harder the utensils are to see, the less you will use them.' Storing your tools in big crocks makes it easy to see everything and keeps drawers from getting cluttered. Michael has several of various sizes: big tools, like large serving spoons and wooden spatulas live in a spacious one, whereas chopsticks and tiny tools stay together in a smaller version. He also likes to hang his tools on cup hooks so they're easy to reach. During a 1977 interview, Julia Child said, 'The harder the utensils are to see, the less you will use them.' Storing your tools in big crocks makes it easy to see everything and keeps drawers from getting cluttered. Michael has several of various sizes: big tools, like large serving spoons and wooden spatulas live in a spacious one, whereas chopsticks and tiny tools stay together in a smaller version. He also likes to hang his tools on cup hooks so they're easy to reach. Install a kitchen pegboard: If you have enough wall space, you can hang a lot of equipment on a pegboard — freeing up your cabinets. Michael swears by this: 'It makes it so much easier to find what I need and saves me from digging through stacks of cookware in a dark cupboard.' Our experts recommend this steel pegboard, because it's easy to install and its holes never droop. If you have enough wall space, you can hang a lot of equipment on a pegboard — freeing up your cabinets. Michael swears by this: 'It makes it so much easier to find what I need and saves me from digging through stacks of cookware in a dark cupboard.' Our experts recommend this steel pegboard, because it's easy to install and its holes never droop. Try some wire shelving: Michael uses metro-style wire shelving in his kitchen for storing bulky equipment, like food processors and cookbooks. These versatile shelving units come in a plethora of shapes and sizes, so they're ideal for customizing to a small kitchen. Michael uses metro-style wire shelving in his kitchen for storing bulky equipment, like food processors and cookbooks. These versatile shelving units come in a plethora of shapes and sizes, so they're ideal for customizing to a small kitchen. Use a lazy Susan for spice storage: Michael built a big wall-mounted rack for the majority of his spices, but he likes keeping the odds and ends that don't fit in a spinning lazy Susan. This turntable our experts like has high, clear plastic sides around the perimeter to keep jars and bottles contained, and a removable silicone mat that cleans up easily. 35 small-kitchen organization ideas that make the most of tight quarters→ We recommend giving them a good wipedown weekly or biweekly, which should take less than 10 minutes. This Swedish dishcloth can absorb as much as 36 tablespoons of water, about the volume of a standard can of tomato soup. Sharpening knives at home isn't as intimidating as it sounds, and it makes cooking safer for you and your knives. Photo: Michael Murtaugh / Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero Don't be fooled by the name: These cartons of vanilla ice cream are anything but plain. In the surprisingly varied world of vanilla ice cream, our two favorites should hold their own in a cup, cone, sundae, or milkshake — or enjoyed straight out of the carton in your newly organized kitchen.
