Whether you enjoy cleaning or hate the chore, one of the inevitable (and often daily) tasks we endure is wiping down home surfaces — especially if you live with children, pets or happen to cook frequently.
Thankfully, there's a plethora of multipurpose cleaners at our disposal, but not all are the same. In fact, deep-cleaning specialist Kellsie Zapata told Shop TODAY that most multipurpose cleaners are only good for "everyday cleanups" and only few have the ability to actually disinfectant.
That's why I put a few multipurpose cleaners to the test, from options with anti-viral properties to plant-based ingredients. And, while the functionality was overall similar, some stood out above others on freshness and scent.
To help break down what to look for in a multipurpose cleaner, I spoke to two cleaning experts on what are the best cleaners for specific surface types and the best materials to clean with.
Best overall multipurpose cleaner
Best overall: Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner Spray
- "Kills 99.9% of germs"
- Works well on heavy grime
- Slight chemical smell
Key ingredients: Alkyl | Scent: Lemon Breeze | Size/amount: 32 oz. | Disinfectant? Yes
Efficiency: 5/5 | Scent: 4/5 | Freshness: 5/5 | Distribution: 5/5 | Overall rating: 4.75/5
Efficiency: Since I've been using this product for years, I had a feeling it would be top-notch across categories. When compared to the other multipurpose cleaners, it performed the best for 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 counter tops.
What made it stand out the most is that the brand says it contains disinfectant ingredients, meaning it should kill most bacteria and viruses from toilets and countertops (rather than just quickly clean up residue and spills).
Scent: While this product does smell like a cleaning product, it's not overbearing and has a lemon fragrance to it.
Freshness: This product leaves that oh-so-fresh-just-cleaned-my-house scent. Especially when used in the bathroom, after using it, you just know the area is cleaned and bacteria-free.
Distribution: The nozzle has a nice spray and evenly distributes the product. It feels like you can control the amount you want to spritz, too.
More multipurpose cleaners, as tested by the author
Best scent: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day All-Purpose Cleaner Spray
- Doesn't smell of chemicals
- Can use on wood floors
- Plant-derived ingredients
Key ingredients: Natural essential oils, decyl | Scent: Lemon Verbena | Size/amount: 16 oz. | Disinfectant? No
Efficiency: 4/5 | Scent: 5/5 | Freshness: 5/5 | Distribution: 3/5 | Overall rating: 4.25/5
Efficiency: I was very surprised at how well this performed with the coffee and honey cleanup tests. It also cleaned up any grime and food spills, and I like that it was safe to use on hardwood floors. However, since it's a plant-based product, it doesn't have the ingredients to effectively kill viruses and bacteria.
Scent: This was the best smelling cleaner! It didn’t smell like a cleaning product at all.
Freshness: If you like nicely fragranced, and natural products, this option leaves your home smelling fresh, as if you just lit a candle.
Distribution: This nozzle had a thicker spritz, so I find you are using a lot of product. Because so much formula comes out at once, I think this is why it performed the best in the honey test. However, that means you don't have to spray so much.
Best for quick cleanups: Stardrops The Pink Stuff Miracle Multi-Purpose Cleaner
- Leaves surfaces shiny
- Quickly cleans up small spills
- Has a chemical scent
Key ingredients: Calcium Carbonate | Scent: Unscented (cleaner scent) | Size/amount: 25.3 oz. | Disinfectant? No
Efficiency: 4/5 | Scent: 3/5 | Freshness: 4/5 | Distribution: 5/5 | Overall rating: 4/5
Efficiency: I've used the Pink Stuff paste for heavy-duty cleaning, so had high hopes of this product — and it did not disappoint. It performed very well in the coffee test with one swipe, but didn’t pick up sticky substances as well as others. I found this option to work the best on quick cleanups across countertops, stovetops and bathroom floor grime.
Scent: This product has a strong chemical scent and isn't masked with a fragrance.
Freshness: It will leave a lingering chemical smell in your bathroom in kitchen.
Distribution: The product's nozzle had a very nice fan, and evenly dispersed the product in the targeted area. However, it does require multiple spritzes for tougher marks.
Best for hardwood floors: Method All-Purpose Cleaner Spray
- Plant-based ingredients
- Smells nice, not chemically
- Formula is colored
- Not the best on tough grime
Key ingredients: Decyl Glucoside, citric acid | Scent: Lavender | Size/amount: 28 oz. | Disinfectant? No
Efficiency: 2/5 | Scent: 5/5 | Freshness: 5/5 | Distribution: 3/5 | Overall rating: 3.75/5
Efficiency: I do like that this has a gentle plant-based formula and I found that it worked effectively for quick cleanups, especially on floors. I will note that this formula took the most swipes to clean up a sticky substance and took the longest to clean during the honey test. However, I gave it a bonus points since it is safe for hardwood floors.
Scent: This product has a light lavender fragrances and didn't have any hint of a chemical scent.
Freshness: That lavender scent was long-lasting and left your home smelling fresh, without being overbearing.
Distribution: I really like the way this formula sprayed; I found that you could easily control how much product you could distribute with each spritz, too. However, I didn't like that formula has a light purple color, it made me nervous about accidentally spraying near rugs, linens and furniture.
Best for larger spills: Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner
- Can be used on carpets/fabrics
- Tackles grease/grime
- Colored formula
Key ingredients: Sodium citrate, citric acid | Scent: Sassafras | Size/amount: 32 oz. | | Disinfectant? No
Efficiency: 3/5 | Scent: 4/5 | Freshness: 2/5 | Distribution: 2/5 | Overall rating: 2.75/5
Efficiency: This was my first time ever using Simple Green, so I didn't know what to expect, and it came highly recommended on Reddit. It performed very well during the honey test, and I found that it worked well for heavy-duty cleanups. A big factor in this could be because how much product comes out with each spray. It also left a film-like substance behind on mirrors and floors.
Scent: This product has a very light cleaner scent.
Freshness: It doesn't really leave a scent behind. It may be good for those who don't like fragranced products.
Distribution: One spray dispenses a lot of product and comes out in more of a stream and less of a fan. It heavily saturates the area, which makes it a good for larger spills, grease and grime.
Best cleaning materials to use
Homexcel Microfiber Cleaning Cloth (Pack of 12)
- Reusable
- Very absorbent and durable
- Thin fabric, per reviewers
Material: Cotton | Amount per pack: 2 | Dimensions: About 8.5” x 7.3”
Zapata says she likes using microfiber cloths since they're "soft on surfaces" and easily pick up dirt and grime. These Amazon No.1 bestselling microfiber cloths come in a pack of 12 for under $10, making them highly cost-effective. According to the brand, they're extremely soft, won't scratch surfaces or leave behind lint.
Bounty Quick Size Paper Towels (8 Rolls)
- Can choose sheet size
- Very absorbent
- One time use
Material: Paper | Amount per pack: 8 rolls and 936 sheets
Experts tell us they prefer using paper towels when it comes to sanitary reasons and to avoid spreading germs. These absorbent Bounty paper towels are a No.1 bestseller on Amazon, with nearly 250,000 five star ratings.
Papaya Reusable Paper Towels (Set of 2)
- Easy to clean all spills
- Fun patterns available
- On the smaller side
Material: Cotton | Amount per pack: 2 | Dimensions: About 8.5” x 7.3”
These reusable cotton towels were scored "Best overall" in a previous Shop TODAY Ranked article for best reusable paper towels. Testers said they not only came in cute designs to elevate kitchen décor, but also the fabric is soft on surfaces and "very absorbent."
Frequently asked questions
Senior Director of Digital Communications at the American Cleaning Institute, Jessica Ek, says while most will get the job done, the “best results” will come from making sure it’s being used on the proper surface.
Zapata has similar advice and says it’s essential to know the ingredients of each multipurpose cleaner, and that most bottles will note this and whether it can be used on a porous or non-porous surface.
“Just because it’s labeled as a multi-surface cleaner doesn’t mean you can use it on any surface,” Zapata explains. “Does this cleaner have bleach, ammonia or vinegar? If it does, then you cannot use this multi-surface cleaner on stone because it will damage those surfaces. [...] So, just take a few extra minutes and read the back of the bottle to ensure that the cleaner you want to use is safe for the surface you’re working with.”
Again, both experts agree that it depends on what type of mess and type of surface you’re working with. “Paper towels will be the better option when there is a high risk of spreading germs, such as cleaning after raw meat has been on a surface or if someone in the household is sick,” says Ek. Both experts also like them for difficult to use stains, such as wine, coffee and oven grease.
Zapata says she does prefer to use reusable microfiber cloths because the fibers pick up dirt and grime better than paper or cotton towels, but you just have to make sure you’re not using them with bleach and washing them correctly.
“Whether a cleaning product ingredient is derived from synthetic or natural sources, the same ingredient will have an identical chemical makeup and it will work in the same way,” says Ek.
However, she notes that using only natural ingredients “may limit the range of ingredients available for formulation.”
Reading the back of the bottle and instructions is key, according to both experts. And Ek says you’ll always want to store cleaners out of reach and sight of children and suggests keeping them in their original containers.
And as mentioned before, Zapata says you’ll want to make sure you’re checking ingredients, since not all are made for every type of surface or contain antibacterial properties. She says overall, “most multipurpose cleaners” are only for everyday cleanups, rather than deep cleaning.
How we tested multipurpose cleaners
I, Shannon Garlin, tried each multipurpose cleaner in my apartment, office and on various surfaces, including a spill and cleanup assessment with coffee stains and honey. When analyzing each multipurpose cleaner, I noted four key features and rated them on a scale of one to five:
- Efficiency: How well did each multipurpose cleaner work? How quickly did it clean up each mess?
- Scent: Did it have a good scent level, or was it overpowering? Did it smell too much like a chemical cleaner?
- Freshness: Did it leave a fresh and clean scent behind?
- Distribution: How much product does it dispense? How was the spray? Does it require a lot of sprays or does a little go along way?
Why trust Shop TODAY
Shannon Garlin is an associate editor for Shop TODAY. She has been with the team for nearly three years, covering a wide range of topics in lifestyle. Shannon thoroughly tried each multipurpose product, testing in her kitchen, bathroom and on furniture pieces. Living in a small apartment (and on a budget) in New York City, she wipes down every surface daily to maintain a tidy space.
Meet the experts
- Jessica Ek is the senior director of digital communications at the American Cleaning Institute.
- Kellsie Zapata is a deep cleaning specialist with Zapata’s Cleaning Services based in Thomasville, Georgia.
