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In the old days, people might have gotten their cleaning advice from the owner of the ye olde general store who wanted to sell new-fangled potions and powders to the masses, or via word of mouth from local friends and family. Some tips were passed down through generations, from sprinkling cinnamon around the house to deter ants, to the idea that white wine can remove red wine stains (did that ever actually work?) But what if your parents inconveniently forgot to share their best cleaning tips with you, or were the type that thought a bottle of Windex could be used to basically clean the entire house? Thankfully these days, we have a virtual village in Reddit’s Cleaning Tips sub, and a ye modern general store in online shopping.
After all, where else would you learn that men’s body wash can be used to purge exterior vinyl siding of years of caked-on dirt? Or that volcanic lava deposits can be used to remove hard water from toilets? Reddit has all of the answers to your cleaning concerns, and though some of the cleaning products Reddit recommends are a bit unconventional, who among us hasn’t encountered a cleaning project so intense, we’re willing to try just about anything?
If you’re gearing up for spring cleaning, then check out some of Reddit’s most recommended cleaning products below, and get ready for your home to sparkle. And if you have any questions in the future, you can always ask the virtual village in the Cleaning Tips subreddit.
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Bar Keepers Friend
Image Credit: Bar Keepers Friend. Bar Keepers Friend is a powdered, gently abrasive cleaner that’s powered by oxalic acid. It can be used all around the house, from your most stained cookie sheets and stainless steel pans to your rusted grill and soap scum-covered tub. It’s bleach free, and according to the company, it’s safe to use on glass, stainless steel, bronze, aluminum, fiberglass, vinyl siding, and more. Read the instructions carefully, because there are some surfaces that should be avoided, but in general, Bar Keepers Friend is a great option for eradicating stubborn household grime.
Bar Keepers Friend Powder Cleanser$10.30
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Steam Cleaner
Image Credit: BISSELL. If you’re looking for a chemical-free cleaning solution, you may want to try a handheld steam cleaner. Reddit swears by steam cleaners for things like cleaning grout, window tracks, ovens, and kitchen grease, as well as for cleaning grime out of tight spaces that can’t usually be reached with regular scrub brushes or cloths. Personally, my steam cleaner has been great for cleaning sticky stuff out of the fridge, burnt-on food from the bottom of my oven, and revealing that the grout in my dining room is beige, not black.
BISSELL® Steam Shot™ OmniReach Handheld Steam Cleaner$49.99
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Dawn Powerwash
Image Credit: Dawn. Yes, Dawn Powerwash does a great job at cleaning dishes, especially removing burnt-on and greasy food. But Redditors have also used it on laundry stains, grimy tubs, and dirty floors with great success.
Dawn Platinum Plus Powerwash Dish Spray$4.94
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Drill Brush
Image Credit: Drill Brush. Stubborn cleaning jobs can require lots of scrubbing, but if you have hand, wrist, elbow, or arm pain, or are just impatient, then it can be hard to maintain the level of pressure needed to really remove stains and grime. One solution Reddit swears by is drill brush attachments. They can be used with standard power drills, and come in different levels of stiffness depending on the job you need (this all purpose set is best for general cleaning).
Drill Brush Attachment Set$18.95
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Squeegee
Image Credit: DSV. Squeegees are useful for lots of household tasks, but Reddit users swear by them for maintaining the cleanliness of glass shower doors. “If you can convince everyone in your household to squeegee the shower glass after every shower,” shared one Reddit user, “you will never or rarely have to scrub it again. Even if you are the only one who does this consistently, it will help a lot.” You can also use squeegees for cleaning windows, mirrors, and even for getting pet hair out of carpets and furniture.
DSV Standard Shower Squeegee$6.99
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Irish Spring 5-in-1
Image Credit: Irish Spring. Irish Spring 5 in 1 Body Wash is one of Reddit’s most out-there cleaning product recommendations. But the results speak for themselves, and users have reported great success with using this body wash to clean everything from dirty bathtubs to vinyl siding. The key is allegedly to cover the surface that needs to be cleaned with the body wash, then cover it with plastic wrap, letting it sit for 24 hours before scrubbing away the filth. The fresh scent is a bonus!
Irish Spring 5 in 1 Body Wash$6.94
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LA’s Totally Awesome Cleaners
Image Credit: LA’s Totally Awesome. LA’s Totally Awesome brand cleaners are cult favorites on Reddit and TikTok. You can usually find this brand at the dollar store, and their glass cleaner and all-purpose cleaner/degreaser both receive lots of love for their affordability and cleaning power.
LA’s Totally Awesome Cleaner$6.68
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Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
Image Credit: Mr. Clean. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are melamine sponges that can be used all around the house. We swear by Mr. Clean Magic Erasers for cleaning the tub, because they’re great at removing soap scum, even from glass shower doors. Magic Erasers remove crayons from walls, scuff marks from floors, and even got a pink hair dye stain out of my counter once. Check the packaging to see which surfaces to avoid.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser 10-Count$12.77
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O-Cedar Spin Mop
Image Credit: O-Cedar. If there’s one thing Reddit and TikTok have in common, it’s that cleaning enthusiasts on both platforms heartily recommend spin mops. Unlike mops that use damp pads to push around grime, these spin mops actually pick up dirt and dirty water. Then, you can rinse your mop head in the cleaning solution and spin it to remove excess liquid. This ensures your floors actually get clean, and don’t stay soaking wet. We’ve had a spin mop for years and have zero regrets in the investment. One tip? Add a teaspoon of powdered Tide laundry detergent to your hot mop cleaning water to help pull dirt and grime out of the mop head every time you dunk it.
O-Cedar Easy Wring Microfiber Spin Mop$42.96
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Pumice Stone
Image Credit: Amazon. If your porcelain toilet, sink, or tub have hard water or rust rings that refuse to budge, try using a pumice stone. These stones are gently abrasive. They’re strong enough to scrape off limescale, hard water, rust, and other grime from porcelain, tiles, grill and oven grates, and ceramic.
Pumice Cleaning Stone With Handle$6.99
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Enzyme Cleaner
Image Credit: Resolve. When trying to clean up stinky bodily fluids, human or animal, an enzymatic cleaner is your best bet, according to Reddit. From pet accidents to toddler toilet training mishaps, an enzyme cleaner helps lift stains and eliminate urine odors.
Resolve Urine Destroyer Spray$9.98
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Tub O’ Towels
Image Credit: Tub O’ Towels. These industrial strength cleaning towels are perfect for really stubborn messes, like grease, tar, oil, adhesive, and more. We’ve used them to remove that nasty dust/grease film that settles over the range hood and tops of the cupboards in the kitchen, and on all sorts of random sticky spots on the floors. You can even use them on your hands to remove automotive grease and machine oil, but be cautious — if you’ll be using these for an extended period of time, we recommend using gloves, because they can dry out your skin.
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Zep Spray Bottles
Image Credit: Zep. If you clean a lot, you’ll probably need an empty spray bottle that you can use for mixing up your own cleaning solutions from concentrate, or for spraying away grime with the force of a powerful stream of water. These Zep Industrial Sprayer Bottles are perfect for those tasks. According to one Reddit user, these bottles “spray like a hose, and are damn near indestructible as far as spray bottles go.”
Zep Industrial Sprayer Bottle$6.98
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OxiClean
Stained clothes, from grass stains to grease spots, meet their match with OxiClean powdered oxygen bleach. Unlike chlorine bleach, it won’t remove pigment from your clothes, but it’s tough enough to remove even blood, wine, and makeup from fabric. But it can also be mixed with water to create an all-purpose cleaning solution to add to a spray bottle and use around the house.
OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover Powder$9.28
