By Katie Nolan, Bob Vila
Cleaning is hardly anyone’s favorite way to pass the time, and if you’re especially busy (or, hey, lazy) you might be tempted to just skip it altogether. Rather than letting dust and grime take over your house—instead, find the right cleaners to get the job done quickly and painlessly. With these eight genius cleaning products, you can speed through your chores, and practically without lifting a finger.
iRobot Roomba 675
Lugging the vacuum around the house is a tedious and often backbreaking chore. Rather than banging around the house bearing that heavy load, let the Roomba do the work. The robot vacuum loosens and lifts debris from carpets and uncarpeted floors, and sweeps dust and particles away from edges and corners. With its Dirt Detect sensors, the Roomba knows where to go to clean the biggest messes. You don’t even have to get off the couch to turn it on; use your Amazon Alexa or Google Home device to give commands, or use the iRobot Home app to schedule cleanings from your phone. Available from Amazon; $269.99.
iRobot Braava Jet 240
If a robot vacuum sounds like your idea of convenience, chances are you'll like this robotic mop, too. The Braava Jet is designed to sweep and mop those hard-to-reach spots on hardwood, tile, laminate, vinyl, and concrete floors. Choose a cleaning pad—wet, damp, or dry—that corresponds to the type of cleaning you need based on your floor type, and the Braava Jet automatically sets the appropriate cleaning mode. When the robot's work is done, carry it to the trash, press the pad eject button and release the disposable cloth into the garbage can. Available from Amazon; $169.
Stomp 'n Go Stain Removal Pads
Installing light-colored carpet is practically asking for stains, especially if you have young children, pets, or like to entertain a crowd. But if someone spills a glass of merlot, no need to flip out or spend an eternity scrubbing the stain—simply reach for a Stomp ’n Go pad. These pre-treated pads are designed to remove even the most stubborn of stains. Cover the soiled spot with a pad, stomp to release the cleaner, and let it sit for about 30 minutes. When you return to the scene of the spill, the area should look as good as new. These cleaners work best on fresh stains, but you can use them to treat set-in stains by covering the area for 24 hours instead of a half hour. What was once one of the most aggravating cleaning tasks, is now the easiest. Available from Target; $24.99 for a 20-pack.
Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner
With your microwave pulling its weight in the kitchen, splatters and odors are bound to happen. Make washing away baked-on food easy with the assistance from the Angry Mama cleaner. The whimsical gadget uses steam to clean the inside of the microwave. Just fill the head with vinegar and water and power up the microwave for seven minutes. The steam will loosen the residue, allowing you to simply wipe spills and splatters away with a damp cloth. Available from Amazon; $7.98.
Non-Stick Oven Liners
You can’t completely forgo cleaning the oven—those dropped food bits will burn if you ignore them—but you can make the task a lot simpler. With reusable, non-stick oven liners, spills and drips have a place to land instead of hardening on the bottom of the oven—a much trickier spot to clean. Once the liners catch a spill, let them cool, then remove them to clean. Then replace them so they can continue to help keep your oven clean. Available from Amazon; $12 for three liners.
Scrubbing Brush Drill Attachment
Giving the shower a quick wipe down is fine, but eventually it needs a good deep cleaning. Normally that would mean rolling up your sleeves and putting in some elbow grease, but Drill Brushes offer a different, more push-button solution. Compatible with any typical cordless drill, the scrub brush attachments are a quick and powerful solution for cleaning. From grout to tires, the brushes can handle any surface much more efficiently than your arm power. Available from The Grommet; $10.95 for a scrubbing brush and $13.95 for a set of four scrubbing pads.
Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Sanitizing the toilet is a must to keep odor-causing germs away in the bathroom. Fortunately, cleaning the commode doesn’t get much simpler than using Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner. The tablets, which have Clorox bleach in them, clean, deodorize, and disinfect the bowl for up to three months. When all you have to do is toss it in, there’s really no excuse for not cleaning your toilet. Available from Target; $9.99.
Lemi Shine Appliance Cleaner
Even the machines meant to do the cleaning in your house need to get cleaned themselves occasionally. Over time, appliances like the washing machine and dishwasher build up odors and residue, which lead to poor performance. Save yourself from the time-consuming task of cleaning them by hand, by employing Lemi Shine’s Multi-Purpose Appliance Cleaner. Perfect for the washing machine, dishwasher, and garbage disposal, Lemi Shine cuts into cleaning time—plus it's nontoxic and biodegradable so you can feel good about using it. Available from Target; $3.49.
