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Because you've lived with the dusty tower fan and mold-caked shower grout long enough.

I don't know about you, but I find basically all cleaning a little bit annoying. Like life is full of enough other obligations as it is, why must dust and dirt build up on top of all that?? But there are some cleaning tasks that count as that *extra* level of irritating. I'll never forget the time I spent over an hour using my fingers and paper towels to dust every individual little intake slot on a tower fan. Thankfully, human ingenuity prevails, and no one has to do that anymore! Let these tips and products be your shortcuts to a cleaner home, the *easy* way. ::breathes a sigh of relief::

You'll capture all the dust inside the case, so you can go dump it outside or in the trash. And then wash the case, of course. I've done this many times; it totally works! From the now-defunct blog Homemaker Chic.

I bought a bottle of this stuff when I moved in 2021 — it was super useful then, and since that point I've used it to clean stubborn grease off of kitchen cabinets and my stove's hood several times, and pulled it out for several other mystery sticky stains and messes. But the move story is the most compelling: 

Back then, my partner had hung up these posters that used big foam adhesive squares (no, they were not Command Strips), and when we pulled them off the wall, they left a bunch of foam and sticky stuff behind. Goo Gone (plus a plastic scraper) came to the rescue! It took a little patience, but the stuff would never have come off without the Goo Gone. It helped break down both the foam stuff and the adhesive, which came off in little bits, leaving nothing behind. We did then wash off the paint with some dish soap and water — Goo Gone is super greasy — but by the end, you couldn't tell anything had been there at all, and the paint was undamaged. 

Promising review: "Kid left a sticker on their clothes (track number on jersey) and ran it through the washer and dryer. Tried all the hacks, none worked. This worked in one shot. THEN cleaned some tape adhesive off my softball gear. Amazing. Worth every penny." —Malin77x

Get two bottles from Amazon for $15.97 (they also make a spray-on version for $19.98).

My colleague Jenae owns this and swears by it:

"I picked this air purifier up a while back to help manage the ~smell~ that sometimes wafts from my cats' litter box when it starts to get full, and to help keep my NYC apartment air cleaner in general. I'm also (lol) extremely allergic to cats, and though I get allergy shots for this, it's also nice to help cut down on the pet dander for myself and any visitors with allergies. This thing makes a DIFFERENCE. It cuts down on any noticeable smell from the cats, my air feels cleaner, and my allergies are usually non-existent in the apartment.

I was *especially* grateful to have this when Canadian wildfires brought smoke all the way down to NYC, where the AQI (air quality index) was over 400 at some points (for those who don't know, that's BAD). It helped keep the air inside my apartment as clean as possible, which made me feel better for myself and my kitties. Since I have a one-bedroom, I'll likely pick up a second one just so I don't have to move it back and forth at night. Oh, and it's fairly quiet — it basically functions as white noise, which can be handy if you run this at night in the bedroom too.

Depending on your usage and environment, it's recommended to replace the filter every 3–6 months — replacements are available on Amazon. (You can see the difference between my old filter and a new replacement one above!)"

Get it from Amazon for $56.99 (available in two colors).

Get a pack of five lint rollers from Amazon for $19.99.

And it works on sweaters and clothes, too, of course!

Promising review: "I bought this on a whim in last attempts to save my favorite duvet cover. The pills had gotten to the point where it was seriously uncomfortable to sleep with them getting all up in my leg space. I thought I was going to have to get a new duvet cover entirely. Along came this li'l baby. Not only is my duvet cover basically brand new, but I have found a new hobby. I’m depilling everything. Sweatshirts, leggings, blankets, socks, anything that looks like it needs some love. It does the job quickly and leaves everything looking fresh." —Dena Jensen

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "This is exactly what I had hoped. It's bulletproof. It's soft. It doesn't shed. The bristles are tightly packed, not too soft so as to get sucked back in, but not so stiff that they move around things like keys on your keyboard. The dense bristles also don't allow suction out of the sides, which is an issue with even my old Dyson soft-attachment. This is great for my mechanical keyboard. Awesome for my PC vents and monitor. Cabinets, books, all those places where the stiff-bristle things are useless. This fits fine on my shop vac and Shark upright." —Anthony M

Promising review: "Love this stuff. I've bought it over 10 times to clean my glass shower doors and stove. It gets the shower beautiful with no soap scum or hard water stains. Must try it!!" —Scott

Get a pack of two bottles from Amazon for $16.30 (about $8.15 each). 

You do have to let it sit for 4–5 hours (or even overnight), but the results, as proven by the review photos like the one here, are worth it. And spoiler alert: I'll show you later in this post that this cleans the mold in front-loading washing machine gaskets, too!

Promising review: "It works! It took two applications to remove some of the mold stains from the silicone sealant/caulk around the bathtub. (Much of it was here long before we moved in.) But the difference was night and day both times. Do put masking tape or something to physically block people from getting in the shower!" —ESL Teacher

It really is like magic: It can also remove rust stains from color-safe fabrics, among many other surfaces. One reviewer who mentioned BuzzFeed said they needed to leave it for a while for it to really work on their stains, but it did! 

Heads up that some reviewers say it's fume-y, so you'll want to open a window while you use it. 

Promising review: "This stuff is a miracle! We have VERY hard water, and it makes orange stains on everything, especially our shower and dishwasher. We have tried everything the internet suggested, and nothing worked. We saw this on a BuzzFeed article and decided to give it a try. Sprayed it on, within literal seconds the orange stains kind of liquified and wiped up perfectly clean. Amazing!" —kmart82 

Promising review: "I never thought I'd be this excited about a clean toilet. I had largely given up on our first-floor toilet; nothing would take out the ring along the water line. But I saw this product on a BuzzFeed roundup and figured it was worth a shot. Tried it this morning and oh. my. goodness. It easily took out the ring, and with some harder scrubbing, the rest of the stains/build-up/whatever the term is for the stuff that made the bowl look gross. It looks just about brand new!" —Courtney

I've known about the toilet seat tip for ages (h/t Ask Anna Moseley, who has a full tutorial on this) and finally tried it myself, as you can see in the pictures above. I wasn't able to persuade the screws all the way off, but I got them loose enough that my trusty all purpose cleaner and I could quickly banish the disgusting gunk that had gathered underneath the spot where the toilet seat screws into the toilet.

All you have to do is restamp as needed (about every 12 days or so, depending on how often the toilet's flushed). If you can't imagine not using your toilet brush, you can use the small remaining bit of gel to scrub down the bowl before applying more. I used these all the time in college because my roommates and I couldn't be bothered to scrub, and they do actually work! You just press it beneath the rim (after a regular toilet cleaning, of course!) and let it get to work. Oh, and make sure to stamp it somewhere it won't become a, well, "target" and get sprayed off before its time.

Get enough to keep your toilet clean for up to four months from Amazon for $9.76.

And it takes just 15 minutes to see results; simply run your water, pour in some cleaner, and start your jets.

Promising review: "This stuff is seriously amazing! I am relentless about cleaning my tub because I use it so often. Before I purchased this, I used the typical homemade recipe of bleach and powdered dishwashing soap. I’d have to run two or three cycles to get it crystal clear. One cycle with this stuff, 15 minutes, and the results are amazing! I first ran my tub with the solution, then drained it and wiped it down with a sponge. When I refilled the tub up and reran the jets, I kid you not the water was CRYSTAL CLEAR! I’m so impressed!" —Chelsea

Get it from Amazon: a bottle good for four cleans for $22.99 ($5.50/clean), two bottles for $34.99 ($4.37/clean), or a gallon good for 32 cleanings for $89.99 ($2.34/clean).

I've tried this, it 100% works: Those are literally my before and after pics above! (The exception? If you have incredibly hard water — then you may need to use something stronger than vinegar, like CLR, $5.22 on Amazon.) Simply guide the bag over the showerhead, bunch it on the pipe at the back fo the head, and loop a rubber band around that bunched spot a few times until it seems like it'll hold. Read my full review of Pinterest Hacks for more.

Promising review: "Releases all the built-up fabric softener scum! Have not used a washing machine cleaner tablet like this before and, wow! Really helped release all the interior built-up fabric softener scum! I did two wash cycles in a row due to it being the first time. Photo [editor's note: yes, that's the photo above] is just a few minutes into second cycle." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $16.95+ (available in quantities of 24, 48, and 96).

Yes, this is the same stuff featured above for bleaching moldy bathroom caulk! 

Promising review: "We moved into a new house with a front-load washer that clearly had not been cleaned for years. The gasket was full of mold. I put this gel on the mold, waited 24 hours, and the mold had completely disappeared. 10/10!" —Thomas J.

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three sizes and a two-pack).

My mom tried three or four different stainless cleaners before I showed her this one, and y'all: she swears by it because it's easier and faster to use than the others (key for lower effort), and makes all of her stainless appliances SO SHINY!

Because this product also includes a polish, besides cleaning off the current fingerprints and smudges, it also helps protect the surface of your stainless from future messiness. The 16-oz bottle comes with a large microfiber cleaning cloth — the key is to spritz the cleaner on the cloth, so you don't end up with too much product on your appliance (which can cause fingerprints) *or* a slippery residue on your floor. One reviewer does note that it needed to be left to dry for a bit after buffing before it was actually fingerprint-resistant.

Promising review: "I bought it on a whim after reading a BuzzFeed article. I’ve tried a bunch of different brands of stainless cleaner/polish, and it always requires elbow grease and going with the grain to avoid streaks. This stuff didn’t need either! I sprayed on and wiped in a circular pattern, and it was shiny and spotless in 30 seconds." —Caitlyn

Get a bottle and the included cloth from Amazon for $19.95.

Then just wipe clean to reveal the sparkle. From My Thirty Spot. Get a highly-rated dish brush from Amazon for $11.99.

Get a 16-ounce bottle of mineral oil from Amazon for $8.55.

Reviewers say it does have an intense smell if you're sensitive to that sort of thing. It also sanitizes and disinfects without bleach, although you do have to rinse any food-contact surfaces (like cutting boards) you use it on. 

Promising review: "Where has this been my whole adult life? Best cleaner I’ve ever used. Cuts through rust stains on cement walls. Cuts heavy old grease on any surface. I cleaned my green moldy looking outside lawn furniture and they came out sparkling clean with almost no effort. Spray it on, let it sit, spray it off with a water hose." —Deborah Lucas

This also works with water + vinegar, or honestly just plain water. And of course you can wipe off with a sponge instead. I've been doing this for years, and have yet to find a gross microwave where this doesn't work wonders. Read my full review or watch the Nifty video.

Note that if you're disposal's clogged, though, this definitely won't take care of the problem. For that, you'll probably need to call a plumber.

Promising review: "I had noticed my disposal had a bad smell to it, but my the landlord doesn’t do a great job at coming to look at things. I got this to clean it and hopefully help with the smell. I’ve been using it once a week, and I have noticed that the smell is gone and the disposal just sounds happier when being used. These are VERY simple to use. Take a packet (DO NOT open it) and put in sink after having warm water running for about a minute. Turn on the disposal. Run until the blue foam goes away. Perfection!" —L. Johnson

Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $12.32.

It works with all dishwasher makes and models, and with septic systems! You can either run it in a load of dishes or on its own. 

Promising review: "This cleaner works really well. It helped remove odors and left my dishwasher looking much fresher. It also seemed to cut through some of the limescale buildup. It took a couple of cycles to really notice the difference, but overall it does what it claims and is worth using regularly." —Tabitha

Promising review: "I’ve never heard of this stuff. Most of the time, when I hear people rave about a product, it never works as well when I get it home. This stuff was different. Made a small paste, covered the bottom of a stainless steel pan. Using an abrasive pad, cleaned the bottom in a few minutes." —Dr.MikeRobe

It works on both finished and natural woods, including wood floors.

Promising review: "Our paneling and cabinets were looking rough. We have two dogs that jumped up and scratched places, we also had an area that was damaged by water spots where our dog bowls were, and several other areas that were just worn from heavy traffic. This stuff was like a magic eraser for water spots, scratches, scuffs, and any other blemish. We simply wiped the product on with a paper towel and let is sit for 20 minutes before wiping it off with a clean towel. Everything looks brand new. I'm buying a couple more so we can finish our cabinets and wood paneling. We're so glad we found this product." —Kris

FYI, if you're facing much damage that's a little worse than that, you might want to try their other (also well-reviewed!) product, called Restore-A-Finish, first; it does more to hide minor scratches, white heat rings, deep water marks, and stuff like that. The two products are actually made to be used together! Get that from Amazon for $9.99+.

They're designed for smaller scratches on wood furniture, wood laminate furniture (yes, that means stuff from Ikea!) and wood or wood-like floors. The kit includes both markers and wax sticks in six colors: maple, oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany and black. And yes, the sharpener for the wax sticks is included, too.

Promising review: "Better than expected. Blends perfectly and leaves a beautiful sheen. Used them on different shades of wood cherry, oak, and mahogany. I blended several shades of markers on each piece. Blended easily and matched perfectly to the different shades of woods. Used on claw foot dining table, Chippendale chair legs, grandfather clock, china cabinet. All look sensational. Covered sweeper scuffs well. They look new now, not touched up. These stain quickly so wear disposable gloves and cover floors where you are working. Excellent results." —PhoebeS

All you have to do is spritz it on the stain (fresh or old), gently massage it into the carpet, wait a couple of minutes, blot it up, and repeat if necessary until it's gone. The stain pictured above is liquid lipstick (an oil-based stain), but the product also removes food, coffee, ink, wine, ketchup, and pet/child stains. Since having a baby, I've used this stuff on my carpet at least once a week. First, it was spit-up, now it's food stains from when he decides to throw pasta sauce or blackberries. (We're working on it.) 

Promising review: "Saw this on BuzzFeed and it works wonders! Our older dog had an accident, so that was our first test, and it cleaned the carpet so well that it looked brand new (like, better than all of the surrounding carpet in the living room). It picked up YEARS of deep grime that regular vacuuming hasn't lifted. We've almost gone through a whole bottle using it for all kinds of stains now. My dad and brother are both mechanics and are known for tracking in grease and grime from the garage — it's all gone now! What do they put in this stuff? It's magic!" —K Geer

Get a 32-ounce bottle from Amazon for $15.99.

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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.

Natalie Brown, a mom, Senior Editor on the BuzzFeed Shopping team, and BuzzFeeder since 2015, is constantly on the lookout for smart, genuinely effective problem-solvers, especially anything cleaning, home, parenting, fashion, and skincare related.