At Shop TODAY, our editors are constantly scrubbing, wiping, spraying and rinsing in an effort to discover the cleaning products that will actually help you clean your home.
We've tried 10 popular sponges on the market to determine the best of the best, we recreated common toilet stains to see how different cleaners compare and so much more. And through all of this testing, we've found some of the best products that will help you tackle almost any mess in your home.
We rounded up 100 of the top cleaning products that our editors and readers can't get enough of. So no matter if you're in search of a hack to make laundry days easier or a cleaning spray that actually cuts through grease, you'll find it on this list.
Best bathroom cleaner$undefined$5.97
The most durable paper towels$undefined$10.59
Best bathroom cleaners
The Pink Stuff’s classic cleaning paste has long been an editor-favorite, but this spray formula from the brand, which is designed specifically for cleaning your bathroom, also impressed our team.
“I love the bubble gum-pink hue and the foamy texture,” shares writer Jannely Espinal. She adds that it works pretty immediately, though you do need a decent amount for it to work.
“I’ve used the Mr. Clean bathroom sponges before, but this new-and-improved version has really impressed me with the power of the cleaning agent in the sponge and the new handle," shares associate editor Kamari Stewart-Jackson. "I use a color-depositing hair mask that is great on my hair but tough on my shower walls with the splashback that occurs when I’m rinsing it out. I’ve tried regular multipurpose sprays, and they didn’t work to actually remove the remaining mask from the walls, but the Mr. Clean sponges removed it with just a few swipes. It was a pleasant surprise to see how easy it was to clean. I’ve used the same sponge twice so far, and the second time was just as effective and impressive as the first.”
Cleaning your toilet may not be the most glamorous task, but it's a necessary one. And when associate editor Annie Shigo compared this kit to other popular cleaners, she found it to be the best overall. "It took me all of 3 minutes to thoroughly clean my toilet, and the best part was that the pad was easily released from the wand with a push of a lever directly into the trash can," she says. "To me, it seems like they took all the best elements of multiple toilet cleaners to create this perfect one."
Hate cleaning your shower? With this spray, you don't have to do a deep scrub, simply spray it; let it sit and then rinse away. "This bathroom cleaner is effective at removing heavy stains. While it’s not foamy or has bubbles, the formula has no scent and is ideal for those with smell sensitivity," shares Espinal. "Literally, you can forget about it and go about your day. It’s formulated without bleach, ammonia or harsh irritants, which makes it easier to clean your bathroom without covering your nose."
When one writer got this product, he immediately applied it on a corner of his shower that had some dark patches – and was surprised by the results when he checked back the next morning. "While it doesn’t look as sparkling new as the day I moved in, I am so impressed with how much gunk it dissolved after just one application," he writes.
If you're someone who likes to be mindful about the products you use to clean your home, you might appreciate Blueland's offerings. Not only are they made without plastic packaging, but they're also free from harsh chemicals and dyes.
"I opted for the fresh lemon and cedar scent for these tablets, and loved the smell of it," Shigo says. "I found that the scent lingered beyond the immediate cleaning and lasted for a couple of hours after cleaning."
Best laundry products
When professional home organizer Janelle Lam stopped by the show to share some of her favorite laundry finds, she called this hack a "total game changer." She adds, “I keep one in the washer and one in the dryer. All you do is throw it in, and that’s it! The tacky silicone grabs pet hair and pulls it off the fabric.”
“These color-catching sheets trap dyes that are released during the wash cycle and prevent them from transferring onto other clothes,” lifestyle and beauty expert Bahar Takhtehchian previously shared on the show. “Just add one sheet on top of your laundry before you start the wash cycle. The sheets work with all types of fabrics and water temperatures, saving you time, water and energy.”
Shigo tried multiple fabric shavers to tackle pilling on different wardrobe staples, and she found this one to be the best overall. “This fabric shaver was very easy to use. I really liked that it had just one setting and the mechanism to turn it on and off was a simple slide on the side. This made it easy to quickly turn off because the way you grip it, your thumb is right on the button.”
She adds that it “has three blades that spin very fast to help it tackle even small pills.”
Puracy Stain Remover
Coffee spills happen far too regularly, and unfortunately, I had one happen to me during the work day — while wearing a white shirt. A coworker gave me the Puracy Stain Remover to apply and I let it sit, rinsed it out and let it dry, and I couldn't believe the results. In fact, after that, it became pretty much the only stain remover that I use. And it's saved my carpet from matcha stains, saved my sweater from spilled food and so much more.
Espinal says that this spray "has become my favorite ironing alternative when juggling many tasks around my home, since it’s gentle on the fabric and reduces wrinkles in minutes." And she adds that while it works best on natural fabrics, "the spray can be used on denim or other hard-to-reach wrinkles, such as silk."
Tide Evo Laundry Detergent Tiles
Tide's latest innovation is designed to work in all machines.
$9.94
Walmart
$11.19
Target
$19.94
Amazon
Sammart Collapsible Plastic Laundry Basket
This basket opens and collapses with ease for convenience and storage.
$34.70
$37.99
Amazon
Best cleaning tools we've tried
Writer Danielle Murphy tried out 10 different sponges on a number of messes and named these the best overall, giving them a near-perfect 4.95 out of five rating. "This thing can take down any mess," she says. "This is the only sponge out of the 10 that I can confidently use on any surface, from delicate glass to pots and pans. All I need to do is turn the sponge over from the more abrasive side to the softer cellulose side, depending on what needs cleaning."
When compared to other paper towels, Murphy says that these are the most durable and pack some of the best bang for your buck. “I pulled and tugged and yanked one of these sheets multiple times and it took way more tries than expected to get a single sheet to rip,” she shares.
Pet hair seems to find its way into everything in your home, from your couch to your carpets — and it can be tricky to get out. However, editor Shannon Garlin was amazed at how much hair this brush managed to pull from her rug. "I got my hands on this 'ultimate fuzz remover' gadget and took it to my rug. I was shocked (and appalled) at how much hair it picked up, and the amount that had been just living within my carpet," she says.
Similarly, one writer swears by this roller to help tackle the dog hair that ends up all over her car and the furniture in her house. "Within three minutes, I’d probably removed three weeks’ worth of Wilco hair," she shares. "Better yet, it didn’t involve an ounce of elbow grease or shouting a single four-letter word. I think the only thing that came out of my mouth was, 'Wow!'"
Chom Chom Roller Pet Hair Remover and Reusable Lint Roller
This tool will help you clean pet hair off your furniture, couches, rugs and more with ease.
$24.99
Amazon
$13.99
$24.95
Walmart
Best mops, vacuums and carpet cleaners
There are plenty of features that freelance writer Katie Jackson appreciates about this top-rated spin mop, including how lightweight it is, how it's easy to adjust and the hands-free pedal that wrings it out. "The microfiber head dries faster than the rope-style mops my mom used to have and, since the handle collapses, it’s compact enough to fit in a tight utility closet."
"I bought this a couple of years ago when I lived in a house that was covered in very old carpet everywhere," says Stewart-Jackson. "I used it to breathe new life not just in the carpets but into our couch that had seen better days. I love that you can see the dirty water accumulate in the separate container."
Stewart-Jackson shares that this handheld vacuum performed really well across her testing, but what really set it apart was how well it cleaned crushed chips out of couch crevices with one of its attachments. "It left the couch looking like new," she says. "It performed consistently well with messes across hardwood, tile and the couch."
It's part of KitchenAid's Go cordless ecosystem as well, so the battery can also be used to power the brand's Go blender, hand mixer and more.
This steam mop from Bissell was Shigo's top pick overall after she tested five popular options. "This mop is super versatile because it’s basically three mops in one: the regular steam mop, a steam rod and a handheld steamer," she shares. "The steam rod can easily be taken off the mop base with a step on the back of the mop, so it is hands-free! The smallest steamer is able to be detached from the base and rod with a push of a button. The long steam rod is great for hard-to-reach areas like door frames, cabinets and more. The smaller hand-held device is great for in-depth cleanings like sinks, toilets, showers and more."
Best cleaning sprays, soaps and more
Bar Keepers Friend has long been a staple in professional kitchens, but I only discovered it for my own in the last couple of years. However, it’s been my go-to tool for cleaning all of my old grease-stained pots and pans. But beyond that, it’s designed to be used on stainless steel, aluminum, brass, tile, ceramic and other surfaces, so it’s a great multipurpose option to keep in your kitchen.
There’s a good reason why Dawn’s dish soap is such a classic: It really works on tough stains! “One night I made fish and the skin crusted to a pan. It was really helpful at lifting that stain after soaking it for 15 minutes,” Shigo shares about this dish soap. “It also worked quickly on tougher dishes like my egg pan and tomato sauce, taking just under 35 seconds of scrubbing.”
"What impressed me most about this soap was how little effort I had to put into using the sponge while cleaning it," shares Shigo. "It cuts through food and grease with ease and makes you do a lot less scrubbing or pushing food around. Each dish took about 11-15 scrubs to clean the entire mess and under 30 seconds to fully clean."
“Since I’ve been using this product for years, I had a feeling it would be top-notch across categories,” says Garlin, who tested it against other popular options. “When compared to the other multipurpose cleaners, it performed the best for the coffee stain cleanup test (one swipe!) and second best in the honey cleanup test. I found it worked well on most surface types and getting up dried-food messes from my stoves and countertops.”
"From the first spray, I was impressed by how well this cleaner worked," editorial operations manager Jill Ortiz shares about this glass cleaner. "It released an ample amount of product and was easy to grip. It only took four wipes to reveal a completely clean, streak-free mirror. Admittedly, I was initially under the impression that it would only be suitable for auto glass due to the image of the car on the packaging, but it worked well on mirrors, too! It required little-to-no elbow grease to be effective."
Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover
This spot remover is designed to provide instant results.
$8.59
Target
$13.99
Walmart
More of the best cleaning and organization products
I'll be honest, I'm guilty of not cleaning my AirPods very often. And while the habit is gross, I'll admit, I find it also affects the sound quality of my earbuds. So I was excited when I discovered how easy it is to clean them with this handy tool. It has two sides: On one end is a sponge-like tip that's great for wiping dirt and grime from the case and on the other is a sharp metal tip that is great for scraping the caked-on gunk from the speakers and other small areas.
Yes, you need to be cleaning your washing machine! Thankfully, these tablets make it easy. "For just popping this tablet in, I was surprised at how much residue came up after opening the drum when the cycle was done," Shigo says. "For my first clean, I only had to use one wash cycle — even though my washer smelled and looked pretty bad. The tablet lifted brown gunk and debris from deep in the drum and brought it to the surface, which meant that all I had to do was take a paper towel or rag and swipe it away."
These vacuum bags are just as handy for organizing your home as they are for travel (which is why they won a Shop TODAY Travel Award this year). You’ll get multiple bags of different sizes, and it even comes with a portable pump that you can use to suck the air out and compress the items inside.
If you spend far too much time trying to find the correct lids for your food storage containers, this organizer is just what you need. It features adjustable dividers, so you can customize each compartment to fit your various lid sizes.
Cleaning your water bottle is another task that people don't do enough. But if you struggle to scrub the narrow inside, you may want to try this solution. All you have to do is fill your bottle with warm water, drop a tablet in, let it sit and then rinse! "After using one tablet, I said goodbye to scrubbing and hello to grime-free hydration," shared one former Shop TODAY staffer. "I’m a proud owner of a Stanley Tumbler, Lululemon Hot/Cold Bottle, S’well Bottle and glass coffee tumbler, and these tablets have cleaned coffee, wine and mold stains without fail."
Glisten Garbage Disposer Cleaner and Freshener
This product eliminates odors and cleans where you can't see.
$3.96
$5.39
Amazon
Arm & Hammer Deodorizer Odor Busterz
Odors don't stand a chance against these busters.
$5.98
$6.99
Amazon
Sea Incrsion Washable Reusable Gel Lint Roller
This lint roller is both portable and reusable to make cleaning on the go easy.
$9.49
Amazon
Glad Trash Bags (110 Count)
There's never a bad time to stock up on this household essential.
$18.89
$23.49
Amazon
YouCopia Crazy Susan Lazy Susan Organizer
This durable organizer rotates a full 360 degrees and has an average rating of 4.7 stars based on over 11,000
$24.05
$26.99
Amazon
$29.99
Wayfair
$29.99
YouCopia
How we chose
We sorted through past purchase data from readers to create this list, selecting bestsellers and top clicked products from the past year, as well as longtime reader favorites, to highlight. We also prioritized products that our own editorial team has tried and loved, choosing from our Ranked testing, awards series and more.
Summersalt The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
Summersalt The Perfect Wrap One-Piece