Cleaning is a dreaded chore at my house. Of course, it’s an entirely necessary part of life, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I could think of a thousand other things I’d rather be doing!
Love or hate cleaning, having the right tools at your disposal can make it infinitely easier and save you tons of time. I’m not talking about sponges and dish soap here, although clearly, you have to have those, too. I’m talking about seriously handy tools that will help you work smarter, not harder.
I mean, who wants to waste time and energy lugging out a step ladder to clean fan blades, when you can just whip out an extendable duster instead? Before you know it, you’ll be learning to love cleaning your house!
Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
Let’s start small! Every home needs a fat stack of microfiber cleaning cloths. I am a big fan of products that have multiple uses, so they can earn their keep in the cabinet or drawer, and these cleaning cloths are good for so many things.
These plush, soft microfiber cloths are great for cleaning, dusting, polishing, and even just buffing fingerprints out of stainless steel. Use them to clean the countertops, dry dishes, dust knick-knacks, or wipe down screens. Hey, you can even use them to wash your face. With all those uses, you might want to pick up extras!
Check it out here: MR. SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, Pack of 24
Extendable Duster
We all know that dust gets everywhere in our homes, right? I think most people just like to ignore the fact that it settles in hard-to-reach spots, But it’s sitting up on those fan blades, just waiting for you to turn on the fan! The stuff collects anywhere it settles.
Ditch the dust without having to drag out a step ladder, thanks to this extendable duster. The pole actually extends up to 100 inches, and the duster attachment itself is bendable. It makes it so much easier to reach all that dust hanging around, even if it’s on the top of the bookshelf.
Check it out here: Telescoping Microfiber Duster With Extendable Stainless Steel Pole
Steamer
Steam is a fantastic tool when it comes to cleaning caked-on and gunked-up messes. There are definitely steamers made specifically for cleaning, but hear me out: what if you got a regular garment steamer made for clothing, and then used it for cleaning?
As it turns out, steam is steam! Garment steamers are a healthy and inexpensive way to deodorize, disinfect, and clean plenty of different surfaces. They are also extremely handy when it comes to loosening built-up grease, dirt, and grime. Plus, you can still use it to steam and de-wrinkle your clothes when you’re done!
Check it out here: Conair Turbo Extreme Steam Hand Held Fabric Steamer
Steam Mop
To be completely honest, I often hail the steam mop as the best purchase I ever made. Much like the handheld garment steamer, the steam mop uses the power of heat to clean and disinfect. That means you don’t need any chemical-laden cleaners to get your floors sparkling clean.
Steam mops have a reservoir that heats up regular tap water to nearly 250 degrees Fahrenheit. It then sends the steam down to the head, which is covered with an absorbent (and washable!) mop pad. The temp is hot enough to kill bacteria and dust mites, leaving your floors sanitary. It also dries almost immediately, which is way more convenient than the conventional mop and bucket.
Check it out here: Shark Steam Pocket Mop
Rubber Broom
Calling all pet owners! Whether you have wall-to-wall carpet or just rugs over hard flooring, do you know how much pet hair has gathered in there? I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but there’s a lot of pet hair that is inside the fibers of your flooring. Even hard surfaces, like linoleum and hardwoods, can accumulate pet hair, but it’s infinitely harder to get rid of from rugs and carpets.
Over the last year or so, I came across a rubber broom. Trust me when I say that it will change your life! The rubber bristles attract pet hair like magic, swiping up all those pesky cat and dog hairs that were seemingly impossible to remove. And it’s at the end of a long handle, so you don’t even have to hurt your back while you get your floors clean.
Check it out here: FURemover Broom With Squeegee Made From Natural Rubber
Cordless Stick Vacuum
It seems like it was just yesterday that I was lugging around a traditional vacuum cleaner. You know the kind: clunky, heavy, corded, and unchanging. But these days, vacuum cleaners have come a long way, and they’re cool enough that I was excited to get one as a Christmas gift.
These days, you can find lightweight, cordless vacuums just about anywhere. It makes cleanup infinitely easier. Plus, it gets better, too. You can get cordless stick vacuums that come with an assortment of attachments, allowing them to transform back and forth between full-size vacuums and handheld vacuums in a snap. Literally, a snap!
Check it out here: Shark Cordless Stick Vacuum With Attachments
Silicone Toilet Brush
I was 100% unaware that silicone toilet brushes existed until the last year. The instant I saw one for the first time, it blew my mind. Why? Because silicone is known for being resistant to bacteria and easy to sterilize, making it the absolute perfect material for making a toilet brush.
Why haven’t we been making all toilet brushes out of this stuff all along? I don’t know, but I know we all need one now. Ditch the old-school toilet brush for a silicone one, and you’ll never look back.
Check it out here: Silicone Toilet Brush With Holder, 2 Pack
Bathtub Drain Hair Catcher
When talking about cleaning products, it’s easy to overlook something as small and simple as a hair catcher for the bathtub drain. This won’t work for all drain types, but it does fit most standard tub drains, and it does wonders.
Chemical drain cleaners will wreak havoc on your plumbing, so you shouldn’t use them. Instead, just pop one of these little objects directly into the bathtub drain. They let the water go down just fine, but they catch any and all hairs before they make it down into the plumbing. This will save you all those costly plumber bills down the line.
Check it out here: TubShroom Tub Drain Hair Catcher
Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
Whether you have rugs or wall-to-wall carpet, it needs a cleaning from time to time. You can pull out a massive carpet cleaner, or call in the professionals. But for smaller spills and stains, it seems completely unnecessary. And if you’re a pet owner, you might be fighting spots more often than not.
Lugging around a giant carpet or upholstery cleaner is a thing of the past. This little portable carpet cleaner is much easier to handle, making it super easy to get rid of spills and stains all over the house. Don’t be fooled by its small size, either. It uses strong spray and powerful suction to make cleaning up a walk in the park.
Check it out here: Bissell Little Green Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
Air Purifier
While you’re busy cleaning surfaces in your home, you probably haven’t even considered the air you’re breathing. We feel like we are safe because we are inside. Unfortunately, the air inside your home can be filled with indoor air pollutants and allergens.
Don’t fall for the hype around ozone generators, which have not been approved by the EPA or any other federal agency. Plus, high concentrations of ozone can be harmful to your lungs! Instead, eliminate germs, mold, mildew, dust, pet dander, and other allergens from the air in your home with a HEPA air purifier. With a true HEPA air filter, it can eliminate airborne contaminants as small as .3 microns.
Check it out here: Germ Guardian HEPA Filter Whole Room Air Purifier With UV-C Light
Power Tool Attachments
Most of the time we just need a little elbow grease, but sometimes we might need a little more than that! When things get so gunked up that you’re not sure if you’ll ever be done scrubbing, get it done in no time with serious oomph.
Utilize the strength of power tools! These scrub brushes and pads attach to any standard power drill to kick up your cleaning a notch. Kits come equipped with a variety of brushes and pads to cover just about any surface or material you can think of. Use these to scrub and polish sinks, showers, the oven, tile grout, glass, and even your car. There’s even a pad in here that can remove rust from a cast-iron skillet.
Check it out here: 38 Piece Power Scrubber Cleaning Drill Brushes and Scrubber Pads
