News The 7 Best Cleaning Tools to Help You Clean Smarter—Not Harder Tidy up in far less time with these under-$20 products that make even the most annoying tasks easier. By Karla Walsh Karla Walsh Instagram Website Karla Walsh is a Des Moines, Iowa-based freelance writer, editor, level one sommelier and former fitness instructor and personal trainer who balances her love of food and drink with her passion for fitness. (Or tries to, at least!) Her writing has been published in AllRecipes, Runner's World, Shape and Fitness Magazines, as well as on EatingWell.com, Shape.com, BHG.com, ReadersDigest.com, TheHealthy.com, Prevention.com, WomensHealthMag.com and more. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 7, 2021 Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD Instagram Twitter Victoria Seaver is a registered dietitian and Associate Editorial Director for EatingWell.com. She completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition, dietetics and food science and her masters degree and dietetic internship at the University of Vermont. Victoria has been a part of the EatingWell.com team since 2015. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Nearly 7 in 10 American households spring clean each year, according to the American Cleaning Institute 2021 National Cleaning Survey. And it's not just for the looks of it: 35% of those polled say they prefer to keep things spick and span for their mental health and overall wellbeing. Come springtime or otherwise, these affordable, tried-and-true cleaning tools are very worthy investments, according to fans who've purchased and put them to good use. They make typically time-consuming tasks from degriming the microwave to dusting ceiling fans quicker and easier. Clean Your Kitchen Like a Pro with These 5 Products Our Test Kitchen Swears By The 7 Best Cleaning Tools to Make the Most Annoying Tasks Easier OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Squeegee From shower doors to windows, this flexible-bladed, easy-to-hold squeegee can help keep things streak-free with a single pass. "I use it every time I finish showering and it takes less than a minute, but saves me a lot of scrubbing work when I actually scrub the shower. It also makes the doors much nicer to look at on a daily basis," one fan says. "The whole bathroom just looks cleaner when the doors don't have dried water droplets on them. OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Squeegee Buy Now amazon.com Buy it: $15.60, Amazon HIWARE Window Blind Cleaner Duster Brush with 5 Microfiber Sleeves True, it looks a little like a strange set of tongs. But this handy microfiber cleaner is one of the easiest ways to make quick work out of dusting window blinds (one of our least favorite putzy tasks), air vents and other slotted items. For really grimy blinds, use this with cleaning spray for a one-two tidy punch. Otherwise, the microfiber material should pick up light dust accumulation on its own. "The main reason it takes so long is you must clean each and every slat separately to do the job right. Not anymore! With this product you can clean two slats at once and it cleans them the first swipe...I have used it on wooden shutters, plastic vertical patio door blinds, and horizontal metal mini blinds," a fan raves. "This product deserves 10 stars!" HIWARE Window Blind Cleaner Duster Brush with 5 Microfiber Sleeves Buy Now amazon.com This Refillable Cleaning Kit Makes My House Smell Like a Spa Swiffer Dusters Heavy Duty Extender Starter Kit In other dusting news, this Swiffer dusting set is a lifesaver for those typically out-of-reach tasks, such as fans, tall bookcases and shelves, ceiling light fixtures and more. The handle extends by 3 feet for extra-high dusting duties, and the heads swivels, pivots and locks to hit the angles. "I was tired of standing on a chair and still stretching to reach my ceiling fans, so I gave this a try. It's just what I needed and the dust sticks to the duster without getting all over the floor," one user says. Swiffer Dusters Heavy Duty Extender Starter Kit Buy Now amazon.com Rubbermaid Power Scrubber "Just bought our first house; a 91-year-old house. The people who lived in it for the last probably never cleaned the grout in the bathroom, or all the stuff they spilled in the refrigerator," one fan reports about the Rubbermaid Power Scrubber. "This worked so fast—I'm telling everyone about it!" So we're telling you about it, and confirming that it works so much quicker and easier than scrubbing with a toothbrush. Those with achy hands will adore the fact that it stays on and amplifies your usual "elbow grease" with the simple press of a button. Rubbermaid Power Scrubber Buy Now target.com Angry Mom Microwave Cleaner Reheating soups, pasta sauces and other moisture-rich foods is a recipe for a splatter storm. But don't get angry—get Angry Mom! Fill her with vinegar and water and her mist hole-topped head shoots off steam to cut your microwave clean time in half. One user sings its praises: "Works amazing! Add the vinegar to the fill line, then the water. After 7 minutes, anything stuck to the microwave wipes right off. Completely worth the value—I already recommended it to friends." Read More: 6 Filthy Places in Your Kitchen You Should Be Cleaning Every Day Angry Mom Microwave Cleaner Buy Now amazon.com Buy it: $8.99, Amazon Scrub Daddy Lemon Fresh Sponge "This is one of those products that you never know you needed until you try it and realize you can't live without it. WOW! It does all the work for me and my pans look flawless after every scrub. Strong enough to clean, sensitive enough to protect," a reviewer explains. From dirty dishes to a dusty car exterior, the Scrub Daddy promises a scratch-free clean. It's firmer soaked in cold water and softer in warm water so you can control the scrub power, and the design is adorable as it is adaptable. Use the full face for large projects, or stuff small items (such as nut butter-coated knives) inside the mouth for 360-degree coverage. Scrub Daddy Lemon Fresh Sponge Buy Now target.com TikTok and Amazon Reviewers Call This $10 Find with 11,900 Five-Star Ratings Their 'Fave Kitchen Item' Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner Even if your washing machine doesn't look dirty, chances are, it's hiding some filth. This bestselling Amazon find includes six septic tank-safe foaming tablets that dissolves to remove residue and refresh the inside of top- and side-loading washers. "I have been using bleach to clean my machine for some time, but decided to give this a try a few months ago. My very first clean with Affresh left me surprised and delighted for not only did it clean my machine, it eliminated the nasty smell that always transferred to my clothes thanks to a build up of mold I didn't even know about. Every month now, I toss a tablet into the drum and let it work its magic. Now, my machine is cleaner than ever, and my clothes always smell wonderfully fresh," one user confirms. 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