5 cleaning workhorses we love |
 | | NYT Wirecutter |
One way to make cleaning less of a chore is by streamlining your supplies. Rather than rummaging through an overcrowded cabinet to find specialty cleaning products, you can mostly rely on just a handful of really good multipurpose cleaners to knock out messes around the house. Here are a few basics our experts love: - All-purpose cleaner for just about anything: We’ll start with the obvious here. Our cleaning expert calls a good ol’ cleaning spray “arguably the most important item in your cleaning kit.” It can get pretty much anything in your house sparkling: grease splatters on the stove, crumbs on tables and counters, fingerprints on stainless steel, and much more. These are our favorites.
- A centuries-old cleaning powder for making things shine: We’ve used Bar Keepers Friend for everything from restoring the glimmer on stainless steel, to brightening porcelain sinks, to destaining tile and grout. The liquid version of Bar Keepers Friend is just as effective as the original powdered version, but it’s easier to squeeze up into the rim of a toilet to get rid of unsightly stains.
- A powerful cleaner and degreaser for soap scum, bathtub rings, and kitchen messes: Krud Kutter is a concentrated cleaner that’s so useful, one of our experts buys it by the gallon jug. For general jobs around the house, he mixes it in a 1:10 ratio with water and keeps it in spray bottles. Mixed 1:5 or so, it gets oil and grease off motorized equipment. And it’s safe on fabrics, too. Think of it like Simple Green — but without the reek.
- The best dish soap (for more than just dishes): This electric blue dish soap cleans dishes pretty well. But it really shines when it’s applied to household cleaning projects, like tackling oily stains on clothing or stubborn grease splatter on walls or stovetops.
- Wipe it all up with a microfiber cloth: In our testing, microfiber cleaning cloths excelled at lifting dirt from keyboards, clearing smudged glass, dusting baseboards and windowsills, and absorbing countertop spills. Plus, they grab dust effectively and catch microbes.
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More handpicked cleaning supplies to tackle almost any mess→ We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more ›
Plus: Why Wirecutter’s laundry expert uses diapers (yes, diapers) as cleaning cloths |
 | | NYT Wirecutter |
Cloth diapers are surprisingly versatile — they have become staff writer Andrea Barnes’ default household rags. She uses them to mop up spills, dust and shine without leaving streaks and specks, sop up stains, and even polish silver.
An unexpected cleaning tool→
What’s new from our cleaning experts |
Today’s great cleaning deal: A luxurious facial cleanser |
|  | This rich yet gentle cream starts as a plump squiggle. But as you massage it in, it turns into a veil of froth, leaving skin soft and radiant. Our testers loved its luxe cleansing, softening, and polishing effect. Use promo code AUGUSTPICKUP and select store pickup to save $10.
Get the deal→ | |
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One last thing: Bathtime for Labubu |
 | | Aubrey Patti/NYT Wirecutter |
If your beloved Labubu (or Lafufu …) has seen better days, we have some advice for how to freshen her up without damaging her precious little face.
See our experts get her clean (and mischief-ready) on Instagram→
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