The average American spends nearly an hour each day cleaning and tending to other household maintenance activities. In a single month, that means we’re spending more than a full day on those thankless, often backbreaking tasks—like scrubbing our showers or trying to rid our carpets of the red wine stains from that overenthusiastic party guest.
And while, short of letting our homes fall into disrepair or spending huge sums of money on a maid, there’s precious little we can do to avoid these chores, we can certainly go about them in smarter ways. These genius cleaning products will make everything from your day-to-day clean-ups to those yearly deep cleans so much quicker and easier, leaving your house looking like a million bucks in no time. And when you want to clear out that clutter, start with these 20 Easy Tricks for Keeping Your Closet Organized.
1 Microfiber Mini Blind Duster
$4.97; buy now at Home Depot
Dusting window blinds is a tedious task at best, and one that, if done improperly, can easily contaminate your home with significant amounts of the dust and environmental pollutants that tend to collect on these window protectors.
But getting those blinds dust-free is easier than ever with this multi-prong blind duster, which can cut your cleaning time down significantly. And when you’re ready to make your whole home more presentable, start with these 40 Genius Ways to Be More Organized After 40.
2 iRobot Roomba 960
$599.99; buy now at iRobot
Vacuuming may be essential for keeping your floors and carpets clean, but few of us relish the time we spend lugging around our heavy, bulky vacuums around the house. Enter: the Roomba. This robotic vacuum does all the work for you, collecting dirt and debris from your floors while managing to avoid denting your furniture, thanks to its advanced sensor technology. And for more must-have items, check out these 50 Products Under $50 That Will Improve Your Life.
3 FURemover Extendable Pet Hair Removal Broom
$14.34; buy now at Chewy
Anyone with pets can tell you that getting up all the fur from your carpets can feel nothing short of impossible. Fortunately, the FURemover, a rubber broom with bristles that safely comb fur out of your textiles without damaging them, will have your rugs and upholstered furniture looking like new in no time.
4 OXO Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set
$5.99; buy now at Bed Bath & Beyond
A bit of spray cleaner and a paper towel can do wonders, but for those tiny crevices you just can’t reach alone, OXO’s Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set has you covered. Perfect for cleaning those hard-to-reach places in your sink, tub, or windowsill, this handy set doesn’t take up much room, but still manages to make a major impact on the overall cleanliness of your home.
5 Cerama Bryte
$10.35; buy now at Amazon
Ceramic cooktops may be convenient, but anyone who’s accidentally let a pot of pasta boil over on one can attest to how annoying they can be to clean. Fortunately, this Cerama Bryte kit, which comes with a non-damaging sponge, cleaner, and cooktop-safe razor, will get your ceramic cooking surfaces looking brand new in no time, and without hours spent scouring the stove.
6 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
$1.99; buy now at Target
Is there anything a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser can’t do? This melamine sponge is minorly abrasive, meaning it can tackle tough messes with little effort without damaging the surface below. That crayon masterpiece your kid thoughtfully installed on your kitchen wall? It’s no match for one of these. And when you want to make your space happier and healthier, make sure you know these 20 Items in Your Home Making You Sick.
7 Grillbot Automatic Grill Cleaner
$114.99; buy now at Amazon
Gathering in your back yard with some friends and grilling up a feast is undeniably one of the most fun parts of summer. Less fun, however, is having to clean the grill afterward. For those who dread tackling the post-party mess, the Grillbot is the answer to your prayers.
This easy-to-use grill-cleaning robot does all the hard work for you; all you have to do is set it on the grill, turn it on, and let it go to work.
8 Spin Scrubber
$39.99; buy now at Amazon
Many of us have resigned ourselves to the notion that the tiles at the top of our showers will never get fully clean. However, with this Spin Scrubber, you can reach those hard-to-clean areas and get them looking brand new again in no time—and without all the elbow grease (and peril) it would take to do the same by hand.
9 iSonic Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner
$39.99; buy now at Bed Bath & Beyond
Those tarnished pieces of silver and grimy gemstone are no match for this ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. Simply place your jewelry in the basket, add a bit of the specially-formulated jewelry cleaner, press the button, and in seconds, your jewelry will emerge looking every bit as beautiful as the day you took it out of the box.
10 Iron OUT Rust Remover Spray Gel
$10.06; buy now at Amazon
Those rust stains gathering around your tub’s overflow plate are no match for Iron OUT. Instead of wasting time and energy trying to scrub the rust marks off your tub, Iron OUT does all the heavy lifting for you, making your rust-stained surfaces sparkle once again. And for a deeper clean, This Is the Safest Way to Clean Your Sponges.
11 Slipper Genie Microfiber Slippers
$7.03; buy now at Amazon
Who says you can’t have fun while you’re cleaning? These Slipper Genie microfiber slippers allow you to do double duty when you’re cleaning your house by picking up dirt and dust from your floors with every single step.
12 Finish Dishwasher Cleaner
$7.97; buy now at Amazon
You probably use your dishwasher to get your dishes clean, but who among us actually takes the time to clean the machine doing all the hard work? Considering that researchers have found everything from mold to harmful bacteria in dishwashers, it’s important that they get cleaned, too.
Luckily, this Finish Dishwasher Cleaner does all the hard work for you: simply pop the bottle in your dishwasher, run the machine, and in no time, it will be a cleaner, more sanitary environment.
13 Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner
$7.99; buy now at Amazon
Whether it’s still bearing the traces of that chili you heated up a month ago or covered in a light film of unidentified stickiness, your microwave can get seriously gross surprisingly fast. The Angry Mama can help you tackle those messes in a hurry, however, steam cleaning and disinfecting the inside of your microwave with a mixture of vinegar and water and making those tough-to-clean messes melt off with ease.
Bissell 3624 SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner
$129.99; buy now at Amazon
Whether it’s a not-quite-housebroken puppy or a kid who plays fast and loose with their juice box that’s ruining your rugs, the Bissell 3624 SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner has got you covered. The machine sprays a cleaning solution onto your carpet and just as quickly sucks it—and the offending stain—back out and into the vacuum’s easy-to-empty canister.
15 TubShroom
$12.99; buy now at Bed Bath & Beyond
Anyone who’s ever had to snake a bathroom drain can tell you that, in addition to being a difficult task, it’s a shockingly gross one, too. However, even if you’re not ready to ditch your ‘do in favor of a buzz cut to avoid this icky chore, you can still keep your drain clog-free with the TubShroom. This tub stopper allows water to pass through it but manages to collect every little hair that might otherwise clog your drain along the way.
16 Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop
$89.99; buy now at Bissell
If you want to get your floors so clean you could quite literally eat off them, it’s time to invest in a steam mop, like the Bissell PowerFresh. In addition to removing all traces of visible grime, the PowerFresh’s steaming capabilities can reduce bacterial counts on your floors, keeping your whole family safe from the harmful bugs that could be lurking on those hardwoods.
17 iRobot Looj 330 Gutter Cleaning Robot
$299.99; buy now at iRobot
Considering that 43 percent of fatal falls involve a ladder, you might want to rethink cleaning your gutters yourself. That’s where the iRobot Looj comes in handy. This automatic gutter cleaner does all the dirty work of cleaning your gutters for you while helping you stay safe, as well.
18 16′ Telescoping House and Window Washer Set
$59.99; buy now at Improvements
Think you have no choice but to pay hundreds of dollars to a window cleaner to get the grime off your window panes? Think again. With this 16-foot house and window washer, which conveniently attaches to your hose, you can wash and scrub your windows or siding easily and inexpensively.
19 Affresh Washer Cleaner
$7.99; buy now at Home Depot
Your washing machine isn’t as clean as you think. In fact, research suggests that these machines can harbor serious, and potentially harmful, bacterial build-up. Fortunately, instead of spending hours scrubbing your washer inside and out, you can simply use this Affresh Washer Cleaner to kill those germs and get your machine clean as a whistle in no time.
20 ScoopFree Ultra Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box
$159.95; buy now at Chewy
Just because you love your cat doesn’t mean you relish scooping out their litter box. Worse yet, many cats using traditional litter boxes have a tendency to track their mess all over your home. However, with this ScoopFree Ultra Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box, your feline friend’s messes will be taken care of in an expeditious manner, saving you time and energy along the way. And for more insight into your pet’s life, discover these 20 Amazing Facts You Never Knew About Your Cat.
To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to sign up for our FREE daily newsletter!
