12 cleaning products every homeowner should have for fall
Cleaning doesn't have to be a chore.
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Amazon
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You don’t need to—and shouldn't—wait for spring to get your home into tip-top shape. As the leaves change colors and fall to the ground, and as the rain overtakes the streets, not only are we introducing new types of dirt and grime into our homes, but we’re transitioning into even more time indoors. As if we weren’t locked up in our homes enough over the past few months, cabin fever will take on a whole new meaning when it becomes too cold to go outside. This fall, turn your home into a pristine and sweet-smelling palace with the internet’s top-rated cleaning supplies that customers love.
1. This heavy-duty duster
Dust the dirt off your shoulder (and your furniture).
Dusting is often an overlooked task when it comes to cleaning—especially if most of your furniture and upholstery are white so it’s hard to see. Do your space and respiratory tract a favor with a microfiber duster that catches and traps all dust. With a flexible stem, it’ll fit into tight spaces while also covering a considerable surface area (inevitably cutting your cleaning time!). Of its nearly 5,000 ratings, many say how easy it is to clean (simply shake it off outside or pop it in the laundry).
Get the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Hand Duster from Amazon for $9.99
2. The cult-favorite Scrub Daddy sponge
You might even catch yourself whistling (or smiling) while you work.
Who knew the shape of a happy face could actually be functional? The durable Scrub Daddy sponge allows you to clean cutlery on both sides through its “smile,” and grip onto its “eyes” to wash dishes. It doesn’t stop in the kitchen—use it on over a dozen types of surfaces, your car, shoes, and more. The infomercial-famous product racked up over 5,000 Amazon reviews, with many saying it’s worked more effectively than other scrubbing products they’ve tried: “While I was on a camping trip at Bodega Bay, a neighbor at the campground was so kind that she gave me a brand new Scrub Daddy to try it out. I love it instantly. It foams so well with little detergent and cleans glassware and porcelain so much better than my long time favorite, the blue scotch pads. It rinses well too without residue that I sometimes get on my scotch pads. I loved it so much (and still do) that I bought two packs after I came home.”
Get the Original Scrub Daddy FlexTexture Sponge (2-Pack) from Amazon for $11
3. This fall-scented all-purpose spray
An apple a day keeps the dirt away.
Make your home smell like an apple orchard while cleaning it at the same time with this seasonal spray, which can be used on everything from wood surfaces to countertops. The all-purpose cleaner—which is honeycrisp apple-scented—has nearly 1,000 rave reviews for having a pleasant fragrance and for effectively removing dirt and grime. People also like that it's hypoallergenic and non-toxic and made with 100% biodegradable ingredients.
Get the Method All Purpose Cleaner, Honeycrisp Apple (8-Pack) from Amazon for $26.32
4. These essential cleaning cloths
These cloths easily tackle any type of mess.
You can watch all the commercials you want about paper towels that can absorb liters of liquid at a time. But the smartest thing you can do for your home and your environment is to switch to reusable cleaning cloths. This top-rated option with 5,800 reviews is said to absorb more liquid than cotton, making it a superior option to whatever ripped T-shirt you were using to dry the dishes. One reviewer says these cloths were particularly strong at removing caked-on grease on stovetops and microwaves.
Get the Mr. Siga Microfiber Cleaning Cloth (12-Pack) from Amazon for $9.99
5. This slime-esque dirt remover
Get rid of stubborn dirt for good.
We’re all familiar with metallic and funky slime you can buy on Etsy, but a new type to add to your arsenal is the cleaning variety. This gel-like mass gets into tiny nooks and crannies like keyboards, car vents, calculators, remotes and more. Simply press down on the dust, and pull back slowly. Many of the gel’s 8,300 reviews speak about how well this cleaning product removes dust and grime and they like that it can be used multiple times.
Get Ticarve Cleaning Gel from Amazon for $7.99
6. This pet stain and odor remover with over 26,000 reviews
Your carpet will thank you.
We love our pets, but sometimes their bodily fluids and smells can be nauseating. Erase all your suffering (and stains!) with a solution that works to break down odor-emitting proteins. It works on vomit, urine, feces and more. Not only will your house forever smell nice and fresh, you’ll train your pet, too—the brand claims removing evidence of their bodily excretions will prevent recurrences.
Reviewers say they “can’t live without” it, and that it reduces the amount of muscle grease needed to remove a pet stain: “Have an 11-year-old Boston Terrier who sometimes stains his bed. Sprayed on the stains, scrubbed with a brush and put through the washing machine. Stains and odors came out without using harsh chemicals.”
Get the Rocco & Roxie Supply Professional Strength Stain and Odor Eliminator from Amazon for $19.99
7. Our experts' favorite Swiffer mop
A Swiffer is part of the homeowner's starter pack.
After dusting and disinfecting all your surfaces, take care of the dirt pushed to the floor with a Swiffer, a floor cleaning device that’s become as ubiquitous of a household name as, say, Band-Aid or Kleenex. It emits an even, fine mist of all-purpose hardwood cleaner from an absorbent cleaning cloth, making it ideal for those who dread the wet mess of mopping. Not only is it the best mop we've ever tested, but of its 1,300 reviewers, many say it’s completely transformed their relationship with cleaning because of how well it fits into small spaces and how much dirt it picks up with minimal effort.
Get the Swiffer WetJet Wood Floor Mopping and Cleaning Starter Kit from Amazon for $27.99
8. These gloves that make chores fun
Goodbye, dry and pruney fingers.
There’s a greater chance you’ll actually want to scrub that sink or tub if you had a barrier between the grime and your hands. Forego the same old highlighter yellow dishwashing gloves and opt instead for these festive gloves that withstand high heat. They feature a soft cotton lining interior and an anti-slip textured exterior. One five-star reviewer offers a helpful tip about sizing: “You know the feeling when your hands are a little wet from washing dishes and you decide to put on dish gloves but can’t because your hands are wet? Well these gloves are awesome because they are lined so that your hands don’t stick to the insides of them when you’re trying to put them on. Plus they are super long so you don’t get water down your arm. My only recommendation would be to order a medium if you think you are a size small. These durable gloves have outlasted most other gloves I have purchased.”
Get the Kingfinger Rubber Latex Waterproof Dishwashing Gloves (2-Pack) from Amazon for $9.99
9. These super-strong disinfectant wipes
Lysol wipes are the best way to leave an area in better condition than when you got there.
I don’t know where I’d be without my Lysol disinfectant wipes—they claim to be three times stronger than traditional paper towels and remove up to 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria , so I use them to clean my phone, headphones, laptop, iPad, as well as small kitchen appliances. It leaves a fresh citrusy scent that adds a real pep to your step. One five-star reviewer finds a use for these wipes virtually everywhere: “I have been using these for many years now. They are very hard to come buy these days but they are truly great for cleaning up messes, cleaning the sinks, table tops, inside the cars, the back of the toilets, toilet seats, etc. They are also great for schools. I usually purchase these to donate them for school. They are great for killing germs and cleaning up after little ones. Also, when someone is sick, these are very handy. I highly recommend these.”
Get Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, Lemon & Lime Blossom, 240 Count from Walmart for $9.97
10. This popular hand soap
Wash your hands to save a life.
Washing our hands has always been a crucial factor in preventing the spread of disease, but it has never rung truer. The pleasant scent and gentle lather of this cult-favorite soap will have you finding excuses to go to the bathroom just so you can wash up afterwards. Made with essential oils, aloe vera, and olive oil and free of pthalates and parabens, this soap will keep your hands soft. Reviewers say Mrs. Meyer's soap is consistently their go-to: "Love this one! Doesn’t dry my skin. During this pandemic, i had to get something else because this had been sold out. But i always come back to this."
Get Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Hand Soap (6-Pack) from Amazon for $23.68
11. This splurge-worthy Dyson vacuum cleaner
This vacuum comes with a screen.
With this top-rated vacuum that cleans so much more than floors, you’ll have virtually no excuse not avoid those old cobwebs in the corners of your ceiling. Of all the vacuums our experts have tested in Reviewed's labs, we found it to be the very best cordless vacuum. It has incredibly powerful dirt pickup, a long battery life, and a bunch of cool features you never knew you needed, including an LCD screen and automatic suction adjustment. Worth the extra cost? Absolutely.
Get the Dyson V11 Torque Drive from Dyson for $699.99
12. This cute brush for your travel coffee mugs
It's the succulent with the lowest maintenance you'll ever own.
Cleaning supplies are notoriously…not pretty to look at. But that’s definitely not the case when you’ve got three brushes of varying sizes and textures moonlighting as a cactus “art” piece. The nylon brushes, which are suitable for cleaning tight-to-reach spots like your reusable coffee mugs that you use all fall long, sit in a vase that drains water. Though the brand markets the product towards new mothers, reviewers use it—and love it—for all kinds of reasons: “There is no one in my house under the age of 10, but I bought this beauty anyway in hopes that it would help keep our endless supply of reusable cups and straws clean. It definitely did not disappoint. It was a lot bigger than expected and more durable. Plus... it’s freaking adorable.”
Get the Boon Cacti Bottle Cleaning Brush Set from Amazon for $14.99