33 Things You Need If You've Basically Never Cleaned Your Home Correctly

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Highly-effective basics you need to know about.

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You have to use something to pick up the bits of pasta, strands of hair, and buildup general dust that afflict your kitchen floors — and some would argue that a broom and dustpan like this is your best bet. This dustpan features a row of useful teeth to help extract any debris that the broom won't let go of, so you don't have to bend down and mess with the broom when it stubbornly grabs a clump of hair.

Promising review: "The best broom and dustpan set I have ever purchased. After researching numerous possibilities, this is the broom that won. I have a shop with old wooden floors with lots of space between the old wood planks. The bristles pick up everything between the planks. The rubber lip of the pan is flush with the floor and the teeth clean out the bristles perfectly. I was so happy that I bought another for my home and a third for the shop. This set costs a bit more, but in my opinion was well worth the price." —Carol

Get it from Amazon for $39.99.

The brush easily snaps into the handle for simple storage, too! I can't recommend a small broom and dustpan like this more — while I don't have this exact version, I pull out mine at least once a week to quickly clean up some little mess or another.

Promising review: "My dustpan brush broke and in the search for a new one, I found this one. I didn't think I'd be saying this about an ordinary dustpan but this one is the real deal. Its material is well made, the brush handle is comfortable and there are even the spikes on the pan to separate the hair from the brush. It also gets into the hard corners. The best dust pan and brush out there!" —QueenB

Get the set from Amazon for $9.99.

I own and love an earlier version of this flip mop (it doesn't have the adjustable handle) — I bought it back in 2015, use it once or twice a month (in my tiny New York apartment), and the two washable pads I have are still in pretty good shape. To easily wet the floor, I use a spray bottle filled with water (or on wood, I like Bona because it makes the floor feel soft; that's $8.97 on Amazon).

Promising reviews: "Awesome, easy way to clean hard floors. A dry mop that removes dust, dirt, and hair more efficiently than sweeping. Hair sticks to this and unlike sweeping, it doesn't just move the dirt/dust around. Once I was done cleaning my large kitchen and tiny bathroom, I just shook out the debris over the outdoor trash can. Works great and definitely more cost-effective than a Swiffer and more maneuverable than my Dyson vacuum cleaner." —K Lawson

"This O'Cedar flip mop works like a dream on our hardwood floors. Very easy to maneuver around furniture and picks up most everything in its path. Cut my floor cleaning time to a small fraction of what I used previously. Quality reusable microfiber cloths are great!" —Teresa Royall

Get it from Amazon for $14.97.

Instead of tossing the covers in the trash when you're done (or having to handwash a different reusable cover), you just toss 'em in the laundry. You can also store them in a plastic container along with your favorite floor cleaner, so you have wet versions ready whenever you need! Saged Home is a small business based in Portland, Oregon that makes all kinds of reusable home products, from paperless towels to cotton rounds to fabric tissues.

Promising review: "I waited a few weeks to write a review so that I could use and wash them a few times. They are exceeding my expectations. They pick up a LOT off the ground (more than the disposable ones IMO). I was initially having trouble getting them clean in the wash until I realized the mistake I was making: I was folding them (dirty side in) when I threw into my hamper, so they were staying folded in the wash cycle. Once I remembered to unfold them for the wash, they came out sparking clean. Love how easy it was to take an every day disposable and replace it with an option that is not only sustainable, but also works better and is cost effective in the long term." —Janine LaSalle

Get the pack of 6 from Saged Home on Etsy for $18.50+ (available in two colors, although you can only bleach the white).

If you don't already own one, this vacuum cleaner is powerful, inexpensive, and excellent for carpet or area rugs. There probably isn't a perfect vacuum, but this one has lots of great reviews (over 7k with five stars), passes ReviewMeta, and is juuust over $100, so I bet it's pretty good! Plus it'll do an even better job on wood, tile, and other hard floors than a broom or dust mop would — and with less effort, because it's designed to prevent dirt and crumbs from scattering as you vacuum.

It comes with a pet hair TurboEraser cleaning brush for the stairs, a crevice tool and extension wand that stores onboard (so doing the stairs or drapes is simple), and a washable filter so you never have to worry about sending the dust back out into the air.

Promising review: " Easy to use and maintain, incredible for pet owners. This vacuum cleaner does wonders to your carpets. It moves and swivels so easily. The suction is so strong and will really pull the lingering pet hairs and dust from your carpets. In fact, be prepared to be disgusted with yourself after seeing how much this will vacuum up! It's SUPER easy to empty and also clean out the main chamber and the filter.

My only issue is that the stretchy tube for the handheld/precision vacuum tool is a little short and so you may find yourself dragging the large vacuum around a bit more closely for hand held vacuum areas like corners or furniture. Still, this machine is so efficient I don't mind the additional maneuvering." —merituni

Get it from Amazon for $106.44.

(I personally use and like the Miele Turbo Team, which I've had for almost five years now, but at $497.96 I wouldn't necessarily call it a starter vacuum. If you have lots of pet or human hair to clean up, deeper carpets, or need a HEPA filter, the Shark Navigator Lift Away's very impressive too; I bought one specifically for a deeper pile rug I have that the Miele wasn't cutting it on, and love it. It's $229.99).

Pardo Naturals is a black-owned, woman-owned business specializing in products for people with issues related to sensitive skin!

Get it from Pardo Naturals for $9 (available in four scents).

You could also use an old cotton t-shirt (cut out rectangular rags if you feel inspired) or a simple cotton washcloth and your house would likely be just as clean! But microfiber cloths will hold up wash after wash, won't leave lint or streaks behind, and will help remove dirt and grime with less elbow grease on your part.

Promising review for the microfiber cloths: "These cloths are truly lint- and streak-free. I’ve already used these cloths to clean my stove, dust my entertainment center, and wipe my bathroom fixtures and mirrors. All sparkling clean without any streaks or lint. So glad I found these. I’ll be putting one in every room for quick access." —FairGamer

Get a pack of eight for $18.99, and three bottles of a lovely lavender all-purpose cleaner for $14.48, both from Amazon.

Promising review: "Amazing spray that can be used ANYWHERE!! Very good for countertops and for sanitizing after cutting poultry. I cut up and process probably four Cornish game hens a week for my ferrets to eat, and there are inevitably pieces on the counter. This spray sanitizes very well." —Cheryl U. Richardson

Get two bottles from Amazon for $13.99.

Promising review: "I let Easy Off stay overnight in an oven with two grill racks. Both oven and grill racks where ready for the junkyard due to loads of buildup. Even scratching with a knife didn't help much. But!! Easy Off removed everything. I wouldn't believe this if I didn't see it myself." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $7.99, or if that's sold out, from a more expensive listing for $11.53.

You rub the scrub all over your oven's interior, scrub to your hearts content with a scouring sponge, then wipe off with a microfiber cloth.

Everneat is a small business based in Fairfield, Connecticut, that specializes in natural cleaning products and microfiber cloths.

Promising review: "This is the first time in my 50+ years that I have actually enjoyed cleaning my oven. And no, I am not joking! This product is effective, easy to work with, smells amazing, AND I only used a tiny amount of product!!! I don't think I could imagine a way to improve this product. Highly, highly recommend it!!! Well worth any wait." —Diane Coury

Get it from Everneat on Etsy for $17.99+ (available in plastic or glass jars).

It comes with: a heavy-duty but non-abrasive bottle of cleaner, a scrubbing pad and handle for working the cleaner over the stovetop, and a plastic-handled single-razor scraper for tackling the most stubborn burnt-on food stains.

Promising review: "I hadn't thoroughly scrubbed my glass cooktop in years, only wiped down with random multipurpose cleaners which never seemed to do much. Then a friend recommended this product... AMAZING! The included scrubbers and scrapers really make the difference. As others have said it will leave your cooktop shiny and new... Even marks that had been on there for years came almost completely off... 98% better. The key is to use very little product. Let it dry to a haze and buff with a clean dry cotton towel, just like waxing a car." —B. Swartwood

Get the kit from Amazon for $13.14.

If that transformation doesn't convince you, just take a gander at the rest of the Amazon review photos — you'll see what I mean! Note that if your issue's hard water with iron, you'll need something a little stronger. Just scroll down to the next item!

Promising review: "I was so bummed when I scratched up my pretty white sink with pots and pans. I thought I'd need to have it replaced but I bought this stuff as a last-ditch effort to fix it. It takes some elbow grease, the scratches don't just wipe off, but if you scrub them for a few minutes they melt away pretty quickly. After two rounds my sink looks nearly brand new again. It also worked on a few mineral stains in my bathtub that I thought were permanent. Again, a little of this stuff, the scrubby side of a blue sponge, a little bit of effort and they were gone!" —Dan Borden

Get two bottles from Amazon for $17.

You do have to let it sit for four to five hours (or even overnight), but the results, as proven by the review photos like the one here, are worth it.

Promising review: "I’m very happy! I applied it this morning and by noon you could see the difference. The caulking around the tub is so white it's like I just resealed it. I’ve tried other bleaching products like Kaboom and Clorox with less than similar outcomes. The biggest difference was the mold spots behind our shower products. Those have been an eyesore for so long and now they’re gone. My only regret is I didn’t do a before and after photo." —CButin

Get two bottles from Amazon for $25.99.

Promising review: "I saw these featured on BuzzFeed and have been unsuccessfully through so many rounds of chemicals in my sink drain that I figured I might as well try it. IT COMPLETELY FIXED MY DRAIN IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. I was about to call my landlord. I wish I had known this sooner. Why we have all been pouring terrible chemicals into our drains and environment is beyond me. Bonus... I rinsed the first one off and am pretty sure I can use it again, so I consider these reusable." —Geneveive

Get a pack of four from Amazon for $6.97.

The canister this comes with opens automatically when you lift up the brush, then closes when you set the brush back down. Use it with a toilet cleaner ($11.98 for two on Amazon), and after you're done scrubbing, trap the brush under the seat so it can drip-dry into the toilet, before you put it back in the canister.

I've had one of these for almost six years now and haven't looked back! It functions flawlessly, and has enough air circulation that you don't even have to wait for the brush to be *completely* dry before plopping it back in the canister. The brush has held up well to monthly-ish scrubbings, and TBH still looks brand new.

Promising review: "Big fan of these toilet brushes. I bought two (one for each bathroom) and I love the clean and simplistic look. My housekeeper works in an upscale resort and said she likes mine way better than the ones they use in the hotel. They are easy to take out, and easy to put back in — it's a very well designed product. I also love that the brush and the handle are one piece. I've had brushes before where the head kept falling off. This brush is very sturdy and you can use a good amount of force to scrub (if needed)." —Patrick Reiner

Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in three colors).

You'll have to re-stamp every 12 days or so, depending on how often that toilet gets flushed. (Pro tip, make sure to stamp it somewhere in the bowl it won't, erm, become a "target" and get sprayed off before its time.)

Promising review: "Busy mom approved! Is my toilet still clean?? My toilets are still perfectly clean! Does it smell? Yes, but its a clean fresh scent. I like it. Is it still attached and slowly dissolving as advertised? YES it appears to be. Is the gel wand heavy duty? No, but its not like I'm handing it to a 5-year-old to play with. Is it easy to use? Yes, any normal person can figure it out without looking at any directions. Will I buy it again? Abso-freaking-lutely!" —dkfarmgal

Get two packs that'll last up to 10 weeks each from Amazon for $9.30.

Happy Earth Boutique is a New Jersey–based small business that carries cleaning products and bath products that just smell really darn good.

Promising review: "As soon as I received my order, I immediately went upstairs and put a lemon fizzie in the toilet. It works so well! Not only is the toilet clean it smells good, too! I recommend this product and will be purchasing again." —Julie

Get a "refill" pack of 15 fizzies from Happy Earth Boutique on Etsy for $12.99 (available in two scents with or without the glass jar; also available in a eucalyptus scent).

In my experience it might take a couple of rounds for your carpet to look brand spankin' new, but it's worth it because this particular spray doesn't bleach out the fibers, doesn't need to be vacuumed up or rinsed, and doesn't attract new dirt to the area after you're done. It works well on all kinds of stains, like grease and oil, pet stains, wine, coffee, rust, food, makeup, and dirt. And can of course it doubles as a laundry stain remover.

I took the pictures on the right, when I melted a chocolate chip into my favorite couch pillow. As you can see, this spray got every bit of it out! So much so that I took pictures of both sides of the pillow because I couldn't find where the original stain had been! You can read more about that experience in my Folex stain remover review.

It works on all kinds of upholstery, carpet, and other color-fast materials that are safe to dampen with water. Wondering if it's safe for your couch? Look at the upholstery tag — if it has a "W" or a "W/S" on it, then yes, it is! "W" stands for, unsurprisingly, "water-based cleaner".

Promising reviews: "Fantastic product and does what it promises. I had purchased several cleaning products to remove a stain from my mattress from my dog vomiting. This is the only one that got it out. I now keep this in my cupboard at all times." —Book Bandit

"I had terrible rust and oil stains all over the seats of my car when I bought it. I tried other cleaners to get it out, but they actually made the stains darker. I took it to the dealership to see if they could get it out and they flat out told me no, so I gave up and lived with it for almost five years. I tried this after it was recommended by a friend. I sprayed it on and literally watched the stain run right off my seat. It was amazing! I thought I was going to have to pay hundreds of dollars to replace the seats in my car because nothing else would work. This stuff really is awesome!" —Brittany

Get a bottle from Amazon for $6.65.

Any marked with a "W/S" means you can use either, of course.

Promising review: "I bought an Ethan Allen sofa that was coded S. My children deposited chocolate on it before it was even a day old. I had another couch from a Dutch brand — the kids had gotten slime on that, which deposited a nice, dark stain. When we tried to remove the slime with soap and water it left a huge watermark and the stain was still there. So from that experience I knew we had to find the right cleaner. This product removed the chocolate stain from the new Ethan Allen sofa effortlessly. We followed the instructions, rubbed the stain out and then used a hair dyer to dry the fluid. There is no sign of stain or mark of any kind, it was completely erased. So next I thought I'd try it on the other sofa that I'd given up on (it looked truly horrible) and it completely removed that stain too! Amazing... highly recommend this little gem of a product." —PFS Jr.

Get it from Amazon for $9.50.

You can use it pretty much anywhere except fabrics marked with an "S" only: it's safe on all carpets and floors, plus works well on furniture, clothes, litter boxes, carriers, strollers, kennels, hardwood floors, concrete, and more.

Promising review: "I have six elderly cats, and a few of them oftentimes leave smelly pee puddles to register their disdain at whatever cats get 'peed off' about. It's not a litter box problem and, although I've caught one or two of them doing it, I can't blame them all. This product works great on fresh messes as well as dried ones. After blotting up fresh pee pads, I saturate the area with Rocco & Rossi's odor remover and let dry. For dried stinky stuff, I just saturate the area and let it dry. It has a pleasant odor and completely eliminates the ammonia odor. Believe me, I've tried all kinds of products, and this one works the best. I buy gallons now just to have on hand. It's better than smelling that awful pee!" —mona mia

Get it from Amazon for $19.97.

Check out our in-depth writeup of Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator.

Promising review: "Like a hot knife through butter for built up hard water stains on my glass shower doors. I've tried everything and this stuff worked in two minutes. Made me a little embarrassed it took so long to find something so effective. I haven't tried it on anything else yet but I guarantee I'll be reordering just to have extra. Just can't have enough of a good thing." —Amazon Customer

Get a bottle from Amazon for $7.50.

I first heard about this stuff years ago from BuzzFeed Shopping Editor Mallory McInnis, who says: "Have you ever seen the movie The Santa Clause? There's a scene where Tim Allen's character shaves away his white beard and then ~WHOOSH!~ it reappears instantaneously. That's basically my bathtub and soap scum. I've tried many products to keep it at bay, but this is the only one that has ever really worked. Not only does it have a cute dog on the packaging, it also allows me to (easily!) wipe away dastardly soap scum without having to use a lot of muscle! Which is great, because I don't exactly have a lot of muscle to use."

Promising review: "I cannot believe how well this product worked!!! We’ve tried probably three or four other products to try to put a dent in our horrible tub scum! No luck. I ordered this product as a last ditch attempt, and I can’t believe it. Our tub looks like new!!! I let the product sit for a while, and then I did have to scrub lightly with a rough sponge and hot water, but the scum just came right off and washed away! Some other products we tried had horrible chemical smells, but this one didn’t. I couldn’t recommend this product enough!!" —Lm14

Get it from Amazon for $21.88.

Promising review: "It's disgusting to see what comes out of your jets when you use this product. I can't believe we bathed in this! I've run bleach and dish detergent through my jets before, and that combination never cleaned with this efficiency. I highly recommended this product." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon: a bottle good for four cleanings for $16.99 ($4.25/clean), or a gallon good for 32 cleanings for $56.69 ($1.77/clean).

Promising review: "Started getting white streaks all over my dishes. That never happened before. Thought it was my detergent and changed it, but no difference. Clean dishes with this weird white film on them. Wash them by hand, then put them back in the dishwasher, and white film again! Then I did an internet search to figure out what was going on (a dishwasher is an incredibly simple piece of machinery.) Found this! Bought it. Used it. Dishes are clean again!" —Carey Holzman

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

Promising review: "Wonderful product for granite countertops and Silestone. I also use it for my stainless steel coffee pot! No more streaks and spots! They’ve completely disappeared." —Whitney

Get it from Amazon: one bottle for $10.97 or two bottles and a cleaning cloth for $18.98 ($9.49/bottle).

Its three expanding sections reach up to 64 inches — that's 5 feet! — so basically nothing will be out of your reach. You simply rinse the microfiber head clean when you're done using it (one reviewer suggests spinning it between your hands after it's dry, to fluff everything back out), plus the entire thing folds in half for easy storage. And its fluffy dusting head collapses easily to reach into small nooks and crannies.

Promising review: "I'm not a neat freak so I never thought I'd be saying I love a duster, but when I use this I feel like it's one of the best things I've ever bought. I'm only 5'2" tall so I need the extra length even though I don't have high ceilings. It's nice to be able to use it at different angles as well as bend the duster part itself. Plus it's really easy to adjust.

I think the people that say the head spins as they use it haven't tightened the silver piece that prevents that from happening. Yes, some dust goes into the air, but hardly any and you can see you're picking up a lot by how dirty it gets. I don't it wash it every time, usually just take it outside and shake it out and clean it off with my hands." —cologirl

Get it from Amazon for $17.99.

Promising reviews: "This stuff is amazing. So far, I have used it to remove heavy adhesive from a tile floor where we had previously had an adhesive cover for a wire running across the area. I applied Goo Gone, scraped the majority of the adhesive and fibers off, then wiped off the remaining residue with a paper towel.

Additionally, I used it to clean grease off of wood veneer cabinets using a paper towel, and it was so effortless! We have a microwave above the stove, and I also used Goo Gone to clean grease from the exhaust vents, which was so much easier than ever before." —Cass

"My 9-year-old daughter turned my house into a slime lab. Words can't describe the damage this human did to our carpet and furniture. But then I discovered Goo Gone and our life took a turn. I cleaned a dry glue stain (hot glue gun) from my beloved bench. It removed dry slime from carpets. When you start cleaning your house with it you won't be able to stop until you removed all glue stains your kids have made." —MasonK84

Get a bottle from Amazon for $7.56

For minor stains and discoloration, it's a simple wipe-on, wipe-off process you can do in just a couple of minutes. You may have to put more time and effort into worse cases (like the one pictured above), but reviewers swear it's worth the work.

Promising review: "It's not magic or a miracle cure all, but it really worked well removing some BAD heat circles on a used coffee table a friend game me. This product requires work. I found I got the best results using 0000 steel wool and getting a fresh piece rather often. It takes some scrubbing but it's so much less work than stripping, sanding, pre-treating, staining, and lacquering. Vigorous scrubbing (WITH the grain) will also remove some shallow scratches and swirls. I have included some pictures of my results, before and after. It took me about 90 minutes to scrub and wipe down my coffee table with more than adequate results." —Raymond J. Rathburn

Get a bottle from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in five finish colors). For a finishing step, you can also add on the same brand's polish and conditioner, $9.98 on Amazon.

A couple of reviewers also report success using it on the hardware on their Louis Vuitton bags.

Promising review: "I recently repainted the front door of my house. The brass kick plate was very discolored and I couldn’t find a replacement at any of the hardware stores. My door is old and oversized and none of the standard sizes would work. My only alternative was to try and clean the old one. I was very happy with the results using this product. It took off years of tarnish with not too much effort." —Kathy Elder

Get it from Amazon for $8.35.

This also works on durablend, vinyl, compound, saffiano, faux and other leather or leather-like surfaces.

Promising review: "Used the microfiber cloth to apply and after the first treatment noted only mild improvement, but after the second treatment (done just after the first treatment dried), the stain was not visible!! I then did the entire chair and the results are great. Advice: Do not scrub the area hard. This may roughen up the leather. Apply lightly and wipe off with another microfiber towel." —mich

Get it and a microfiber cloth from Amazon for $15.98.

Humble Suds is a Denver, Colorado-based small business that carries their own line of cleaning products made from plant- and mineral-derived sources.

I had the opportunity to try this, and now use it on a regular basis. I haven't tried it on leather yet — we don't have much of it around — but on the wood, my photos above really speak for themselves here! With very little effort (I spent maybe 10 minutes max fully oiling up the board and the two knives in the pic), you can prevent the risk that your treasured board or spoons will crack one day, *and* bring out the beauty of the wood. Just remember to rub it in with the grain! Let them all sit and soak up the balm's goodness overnight, then simply use a clean part of the cloth to rub off any excess that remains. It's a little sticky at first, but after wiping off the extra, all the wood becomes perfectly smooth and ready to help you prep your next meal.

Promising review: "HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! This stuff is amazing! I spent the afternoon using this on all my cutting boards, my large leather couch, two leather chairs and ottomans, my wood end tables and coffee table, my wood island, wood entry church pew and finally, my leather purse. One container did all this work and everything looks so beautiful! And my house smells amazing. To top it all off, my hands are pleasantly conditioned too." —Sara Mora

Get it from Humble Suds on Etsy for $19.55.

Promising review: "I fell in love with this product some 15 years ago, and I am so very happy that it's still available in the same wonderful formula as ever. I have seriously poured red wine over a white comforter to demonstrate how great this is to a friend once. It is a miracle in a bottle! We use it for all sorts of cleaning on materials around the house, and one bottle has last us years! This is definitely a product every home should have." —Melanie Nolen

Get a bottle from Amazon for $11.90.

The reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.

It really is like magic: It can also remove rust stains from color-safe fabrics, among many other surfaces.

Promising review: "This stuff is amazing!! I sprayed the shower and watched the iron dissolve before my eyes!! The fumes are bad make sure you have ventilation and wear gloves. But I barely scrubbed anything!!! Buy it now you will not regret it!" —Sarah C.

Get a bottle on Amazon for $6.47.

(Have rust stains in your laundry or toilet, too? Try the same brand's all-purpose powder iron stain remover for $4.26+ (three sizes available) and their automatic toilet tank tablets for $4.53 for two. Although one reviewer for the toilet tabs notes that you may not see real results until your second tablet, because it takes a little time for the first tablet to eat through all the stains in the tank.)