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Because sometimes it feels like the mischievous dog, cats, AND toddlers who are learning how to feed themselves are all plotting about the next mess *you* have to clean.

As a Deputy Editorial Director for BuzzFeed’s shopping team, I love to get into the weeds of why a product’s worth the money by deep diving into customer reviews, and product-testing as much as possible.

There's no shame in asking for help, especially when it comes to cleaning because that's a chore worth completing ASAP. That goes double when you're not only cleaning up your own mess, but more or less following your kids and pets around the house with a bottle of multi-purpose spray and a cleaning rag. Well, I rounded up some cleaning essentials that, hopefully, means that you won't have to monitor the situation *that* closely. I'm talking about a drain cleaner one reviewer said got all kinds of stuff their kits dropped down the drain, a stainless steel cleaner that'll easily get little hand and pawprints off your fridge, and so much more. 

Promising review: "I love this I am a clean freak!! And I have a new puppy who was peeing everywhere lol he went on my couch and I tried high dollar urine sprays, water and bleach and this got it! A little goes a loonngg way. I cant say how good this product is. I will buy again. Smells like fresh oranges great product." —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "This product, my drill, and the flat sponge type cleaning pad were the only thing that worked transforming this very dirty tub into cleaner than clean. Very little muscle power necessary. A little goes a long way. It takes off the worst of things and leaves a kind of ceramic coat behind. It’s amazing." —Glinda

These work on almost any surface: leather, fabric, furniture, hardwood, pans, metal, WHEREVER. And! They'll clean up grease, oil, tar, dirt, ink, lipstick, nail polish, food, and a whole lot more.

Promising review: "I know this sounds cliché, but I literally never write reviews. And here I am. I did it. Why did I do it? Because this product is absolutely unbelievably unreal. It’s not just your run-of-the-mill Clorox cleaning wipes; there’s something in this product that actually legitimately works. I have dogs who pee and poop in the house sometimes, and I use this product to clean their messes. And it is miraculous. No stains, no smell, nothing. I’ve used it on the inside of my car and removed marks that have been on there for years. It almost works like an eraser. And it works on fabric. wood, rugs, glass. I buy three or four tubs at a time, because I don’t want to run out. I’m a clean freak, and have OCD (for real), and this is my go-to wipe for pretty much everything. And they’re really not that expensive. Kudos to the Inventors of this!!!" —Jim

Get a pack of 90 from Amazon for $16.98 (available in nine sizes/packs).

Check out a TikTok of the Dawn Powerwash Spray to see it in action! 

I live in an apartment without a dishwasher, and I honestly use that as an excuse to order takeout food instead of cooking. But, as soon as I got my hands on a bottle of this stuff (regular Dawn is my go-to dish soap, BTW), I put it to use on both a saucepan I used to make homemade enchilada sauce *and* the casserole dish I baked those enchiladas, which had a ton of caked-on food. It really does work like I say it does! Like, scary well.

Get the starter pack from Amazon for $17.50.  

Promising review: "Absolutely works as described. Removes the gunk, discoloration, and crud from the bottom of pots easily. Wet the sponge with water, start scrubbing and watch the magic begin in seconds. Minimal elbow grease needed." —Marty Marion

Promising review: "Absolutely amazing, but it's right away!!! Removed all stains in minutes and took out all smells! It was so easy to use, it took minutes, and it removed everything super easily! Can not recommend enough!!!" —sophia

Check out a TikTok of the foaming pink drain cleaner in action. 

Promising review: "Wow! I don't think I've ever been more excited to use a cleaning product before. Who knew you could get so much satisfaction from a drain cleaner. I could probably make an ASMR video and post it, as it is that satisfying! Even though I had to angle this over my sink drain, to avoid the low faucet, it worked perfectly. The foam went down the drain and up through the overflow, bringing lots of black, yucky gunk with it. I have used lots of drain cleaners before, but not one that actually came up through the overflow. I'd never even considered what stuff was in there. It did a great job of cleaning everything out and it left the sink smelling fresh and clean as well." —Amazon Customer 

My colleague and new mom Emma Lord is obsessed: "I lived in a tiny NYC apartment when my son was born, so making space on the counter for this was a gamble, but oh my STARS, I would have been lost without it. As a first-time, very anxious solo mom who was deeply overwhelmed by the number of bottles my VERY HUNGRY late-term preemie went through, I was both on high alert about everything being perfectly sterilized and also the amount of upkeep bottles took. This bottle washer made everything a breeze. As soon as I hit four bottles, I just filled up the reservoir tank, plopped the bottles in with one of the detergent tablets, and watched all the bottles magically get taken care of in an hour without the hullabaloo of running the dishwasher or boiling water on the stove. I adore mine so much that I put stickers all over it to express my undying gratitude. (You can see in the photos I also decorated the Baby Brezza — my version isn't on sale, but the Baby Brezza Formula Pro is 20% off, and having a Brezza if you're formula feeding at all is also worth its weight in gold!)" 

Get it from Amazon for $299.99 (available in two shades). 

Promising review: "I'm a clean freak with hard water, and this stuff took off the build-up like magic. I would recommend using a slightly damp scratch pad. It takes a little elbow grease, but I have tried a ton of products, and this one is the only one that worked!" —Lori

To use, apply to the stain, gently agitate with your fingers, and blot with an absorbent cloth. This is nontoxic and should be nonirritating on the skin!

Promising review: "I'm a clean freak. Found Folex at the hardware store. Used it in my steam cleaner, and it just wowed me. Folex is my favorite for getting out pee stains and smell. The mix is one gallon of Folex to 4 gallons of water. Wow! Goes a long way! No residue. Can use in steam cleaners or spot cleaning. Happy cleaning!" —Boss

Useful Products is a US-based small business established in 2007 by car wash owner, electrician, and former bodybuilder Anthony LaPolla that specializes in drill-cleaning brushes and attachments. 

Each of the different brush colors indicates which tasks the brushes are meant for based on their bristle type, so be sure to check which one is best suited for whatever you need to for! Yellow is the “all-purpose” medium bristle, but some are softer and harder depending on what types of surfaces you’re cleaning. (But none of them will scratch!)

Promising review: "Superb. Had spent hours trying to scrub away probably years of dirt from the bathtub in my new rented place. Also hurt my shoulder in the process of hand scrubbing. This thing finished the job in under 10 minutes. Simple but genius." —David

Get it from Amazon for $24.98+ (available in six colors).

Promising review: "The water recently changed in our areas, and I noticed this awful blue staining. I had used this back in August and let it sit overnight, and it worked wonders! It worked so well, I purposely let my shower get gross again to take a picture to share with others. I work a demanding schedule and do not have time for deep cleaning ALL the time. This works wonders without scrubbing and no horrific fumes. I bought it for my almost 70-year-old Mom, too. She was so sick of scrubbing. Now she uses it bi-weekly! Highly recommend!" —Amelia

Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in two scents).

Hope's is a small business based in Missouri that makes cleaning supplies. 

My colleague Maitland Quitmeyer has this and LOVES it: "I bought this for my white porcelain kitchen sink and I've since texted five people about it, which is really a lot for such a boring grown-up product. It cleans beautifully, but the *best* thing about it is its ability to repel stains after cleaning. You know that thing when you rinse out your coffee cup and the coffee water just lingers in your sink and you have to purposefully rinse it out for two minutes? You don't have to do that — the coffee can't stick to the sink and just goes RIGHT down the drain. Time saved, sink clean — this is really a Virgo dream product right here."

Promising review: "This stuff is amazing! 10 year old sink looks brand new! Plus water beads right off, sweet stuff for a clean freak!" —Jenny Lynn

Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in two sizes).

The plant-based, lavender-scented cleaner comes with a microfiber cloth for you to use on your appliances, and reviewers say you only have to use a little bit of the cleaner to clean your entire fridge or oven, which means one bottle will last you a really long time.

Promising review: "This stuff works great... and that’s coming from a clean freak. This cleaner/polish works awesome on stainless steel and any other material that the appliance is made of. It comes with a high-quality microfiber cloth, and it smells good. A little goes a long way, so it lasts through daily use." —RMK

Get the set of cleanser and polish from Amazon for $19.95+ (also available in a larger size and two-pack).

Promising review: "These are exactly like the Scrub Daddy's. Only hella cheaper." —kr425

Perfect for all my fellow clean freaks." —Soledad Martinez

Get it from Amazon for $8.49 (available in five color packs).

They can be used wet or dry and on basically every type of flooring and even drywall if you're so inclined. Since they can be thrown in the wash, one microfiber pad can replace up 100 single-use pads. These are from a small biz!

Promising review: I bought these for my friends when I house-sat. I picked up GIANT bunny monster balls!! She usually uses the throw-away Swiffer wipes, which I told her were a waste and not very effective at actually picking up dust. So I showed her what these mop heads picked up, right after she 'dusted' with the Swiffer. Giant fur balls of dust!!!! These need to be in every household with hardwood or hard surface floors. Seriously, I'm a clean freak and do a 'white glove' test in my own household. The cling picks up everything...and not wasting any more money on disposable dusters is a bonus. I just wash them in cool water, but then don't throw them in the dryer, unless I forget it was in the load of laundry. I find they stay softer, and more durable longer, if I don't dry them in the dryer. I'll buy more for my mom's house!" —Maria_O

Get a set of two from Amazon for $13.75. 

Includes a wand, storage caddy, and six disinfecting wand head refills.

Promising review: "Clean freaks would agree. To put it simply, you need this product in your life. This great for overall cleaning in many different areas." —lala

Puracy is a family-owned small business dedicated to creating natural and organic formulas that are not only effective, but safe for kids and pets. Aside from food stains, this spray also does a number on all other miscellaneous spots in your life like wine, coffee, makeup, and period blood!

Promising review: "Puracy is the best stain remover I've ever used! Grass stains? GONE. Blood? GONE. Baby poo on white clothes? Doesn't stand a chance! Seriously, Puracy got out stains from 6-year-old stored baby clothing!!! It's that good! Grease? Gone. Seriously this stuff is AMAZING! Buy it now!" —GrantedByTiffany

Get it from Amazon for $6.98+ (available in four sizes).

Rocco & Roxie is a family-run small business making everything you and your pet need to live a clean and fun life. From treats to toys, they've got what you need!

Promising review: "I don’t know how I ever survived without this. There’s tons of 'pet stain/odor remover' products out there, but this by far is the absolute best. I foster dogs, some puppies, some older, some not housebroken, and every room in my house is carpeted except the kitchen, which means I have lots of accidents. I spray enough to saturate if it’s a lot of urine, let it soak for 10 minutes, then wipe it up with a hand towel. It’s taken out every stain and, more importantly, the odor is gone! I will never stop buying this product. I recommend it to everyone who has dogs!" —Shelley

Get it from Amazon for $19.97+ (available in two sizes).

Instant Power is a small biz specializing in plumbing and cleaning products. 

Promising review: "I was unsure of this. I mean… it’s the inside of my tank, so part of me was thinking, 'who cares? It’s not affecting the toilet's performance.' But all that dark red/brown staining was really bothering me every time I cleaned my bathroom and saw it. So I bought it. Poured half the bottle in the tank of each of our toilets first thing in the morning, and by bedtime, the tanks at and below the water line were nearly spotless. There is a ring still left around the top of each, and I WILL get in there and clean it up now that the rest of the tank looks so nice." —Ela McDowell

Promising review: "These babies have transformed and reformed my slobby life. My dog sitter thought I got a new sink and fridge. I have never had more fun cleaning in my life — wait, I have never had any fun cleaning. But these magical creatures make it so freaking satisfying. No toxic stuff. No fumes. Just heavenly cleanliness. These are also much, much bigger than Magic Erasers. I cut them in half lengthwise, and they are STILL bigger. And they are a ton cheaper. Buy these. I don’t have much of a life, but I finally have a spotless sink." —Jimmy Jim Ereeno

Promising review: "Okay, so these cleaner pods are awesome! I didn't know how gross our Keurig was until today. The big mason jar on the left is when I actually ran the cleaner through plus one rinse cycle. The middle one is another rinse cycle and the last one, on the right, is the last one I did. So yes, I would suggest running two or three rinse cycles instead of the recommended one. But it's still an awesome product for the price! I have a Keurig 2.0 and I had no issues." —Mads0421

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $9.95.

Promising review: "I cannot believe how well this worked. I am a CLEAN FREAK, and my nasty bathtub would literally keep me up at night. I tried every product on the shell,f and nothing worked. I literally scrubbed until my fingers were raw and still got nowhere. I sprayed this bad boy TWICE on the mildew stains and now they are COMPLETELY GONE!! I am so happy, relieved, and thankful, but also mad that I didn’t know about this product sooner. I absolutely, 100% recommend, and I would give it 10 stars if I could!" —Mackenzie Mayock

Get it from Amazon for $8.27+ (available in three sizes and two-packs).

Promising review: "I am pregnant so I have a hard time scrubbing my floors but I am a clean freak. So I bought this to give it a try based on the reviews and this has been a lifesaver for me. Before this I used bleach, The Pink Stuff, etc, but flooring was still messy. Now I barely scrub and magic! Can’t find the proper words to describe this beauty." —Lila

Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in three sizes and also in multipacks).

FYI, this is the pre-mixed version (which saves you a bit of time). But you can also try the original powder version. To understand just *how* versatile this product is, check out our review of Bar Keepers Friend and prepare to be amazed!

Promising review: "We just moved into our home, and every day I cringed looking at our stained porcelain sink. I tried every non-abrasive cleaner I knew about before finally trying BKF. I had to do a few scrubs to really get it clean, but it’s amazing. So happy it worked!" —Amanda Naylor

Get two 13 oz. bottles from Amazon for $18.49.

Promising review: "An overjoyed clean freak! Absolutely the BEST cleaning tool I own! With these little babies, a hot soapy bucket of water and a microfiber cloth, I can FINALLY get into all the nooks and crannies around the house! They work wonders on things like window sills and sashes, baseboards, intricate trim, and cabinetry. No longer am I beating up my fingers and wearing my nails to the nubs getting scratched and bruised along the way. Keep your toothbrush where it belongs...in the bathroom and get these! Oxo please don't ever stop making these little wonders!" —KB

Promising review: "I love this product! It's a game changer. I have an older dog that is now starting to have accidents. I rent my place, and I was carpet cleaning every other week. Now with this, I don’t have to as much. She went on my new rug, which is white, and I was convinced it was gonna be ruined, but it’s not! The Stomp 'N Go did its job! My rug is perfect and no urine stains or odor. If you have a puppy or older dog, I highly suggest this product." —Sandra E.

Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.49.

This solution works great with Bissell, Hoover, McCulloch, Rug Doctor, Kenmore, and Carpet Express vacuum cleaners.

Sunny & Honey is a family-run business making cleaning products safe enough to use around pets and powerful enough to get rid of pet stains.

Promising review: "I have a dog with Cushing’s disease, and she has frequent accidents, so a good carpet cleaning product is a must. So many products have overwhelming smells to cover the odor or don’t do enough and leave the house smelling like pee even after carpet washing. I liked Sunny & Honey so much for our machine I immediately bought the big bottle after just one use. Four days after the initial cleaning and the house still smells nice. The price may be a few dollars more than what I can buy at my local stores, but it is worth it. The smell isn't overpowering; the house just smells fresh and clean." —Trekkie

Get it from Amazon for $19.50+ (available in two sizes and scents).

Promising review: "I use this in pretty much every load of laundry that I do! We have a very old dog, and every now and then, he will have an accident in the house, and it's usually on the carpet somewhere. I'll mix up a little bit of it in a small squeeze bottle and use it on the area after I have cleaned #2 up or soaked up #1, and it takes care of any odors and or stains!" —Rick C.

Get it from Amazon for $9.97+ (available in two sizes).

Promising reviews: "I have two Australian shepherds and make extra money by dog sitting through Rover. As you can imagine, my couch takes a lot of damage. The cushions have been vomited on, puked on, stepped on with muddy paws, and licked until damp. Well, I am amazed with the Bissell Little Green! I have no doubt that this purchase will be well worth the reasonable price for the use I’ll get out of it as a dog sitter. I had planned to use it as a spot cleaner (which I will), but after watching the dirty water come off of the 'clean' areas of the cushion? I’m considering just cleaning the whole couch!" —Ivy

"I purchased this item during Prime Day and wasn't sure how much I even would use it. It was at such a great price that I went for it, and I haven't been disappointed at all. I used it with the pet stain and odor eliminator, and it performed exactly as expected when my pet had a little accident. It removed every trace of the stain and smell! I'm a fan!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $101.99+ (available in three configurations, and in a smaller version).

It can remove oil, grease, ink, grass, and blood stains for all my vampires out there. Psst, a few months ago, I recommended this to a friend who fell in a puddle of motor oil on a sidewalk, then accidentally wiped it on her camel coat. It got the stains out!

Promising review: "Best stain remover I have used yet. I wish they did a larger bottle. We have bunnies as pets and when they get old, their litter box habits go a bit by the wayside. We have loads of linens and peepads for them, but many of these items are white. Nothing has every truly cleared them but this knocks out those stains.I have also managed to remove old blood stains that have haunted some items." —Srae

It can be used on leather shoes, accessories, interiors, furniture, upholstery, saddles, jackets, and tack.

Promising review: "I use this for my everyday boots as well as my dress shoes. I'm not always gentle with my boots and I thought I had ruined them the other day (worn out color, scuffs all over), but I cleaned the muck off, gave them a brushing, then applied this leather honey, and after letting it sit, my boots look almost like the day I bought them! It keeps the leather supple and restores color. You only need to use a small amount per use!" —David Horning

Get it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in three sizes; clip the coupon for this price).

Promising review: "Worked wonders! I spilled nail polish remover on my nightstand. This worked like magic! Just rub lightly with the cloth." —JMac

Promising review: "Our tub/shower has a grippy bottom and scum and dirt cakes on there so easily. The only way I've been able to get it off before was literally scraping it inch by inch, I've spent hours and all it ever got was somewhat clean — never enough for me to want to take a real bath in it. This stuff works amazingly!! I sprayed it on (it came with a great spray nozzle and a lid) and left it for about 15–20 minutes. Then I took a brush with hard plastic bristles and with less than 20 minutes of scrubbing the entire tub and walls, it was cleaner than when we moved in. The grime and scum almost melted off." —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "Wow! A degreaser that actually works! I love the foam, which starts to work immediately on my stove top as well as cookware and other kitchen surfaces." —P. Webb

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in two sizes).

Check out a TikTok of the Kaboom Mold & Mildew Stain Remover in action. 

Promising review: "I love this cleaner! I used to spend hours with bathroom cleaners with bleach and a scrub brush in my white tile shower never getting the shower clean! I now spray this on the shower and walk away and in a short amount of time my shower tile is WHITE with ZERO scrubbing." —Suzanne

Get two bottles from Amazon for $19.99. 

Promising review: "This stuff is magic! Works in seconds! I highly, highly recommend." —Diane Harper

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BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.