24 of the best cleaning supplies you should be using at home

Cleaning supplies graphic with Scrub Daddy, Febreeze spray, Lysol bottle and pink Method cleaner

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(Image credit: Future)

published 1 April 22

A good stock of cleaning supplies is a must-have for any home so that you can get stuck into a deep clean when you get the time. These are all of the products that can make a real difference to the cleanliness of your home, from freshening up your bathroom to preventing bacteria growth within your kitchen.

If you already love a good spring clean, then we won't need to convince you of the soothing benefits of giving your home a good spritz. If you're less inclined to cleaning, then allow these products to make the whole experience more enjoyable, with wonderful scents, fantastic results and even sustainable packaging and refill services in some cases.

There are also amazingly useful tools, like Scrub Daddies (so cute!) or a Dishmatic, that make even your least favorite task like washing up a little easier to ease yourself into. Plus, if you want to limit the number of chemicals in your home by using more simple cleaners (think eco-friendly cleaning products) then you can use a service that uses refillable bottles, and make your own formulas up at home that are less concentrated.

Whether you love citrus scents or odorless products, we have an array of cleaning supplies to make cleaning a little easier. With the help of these cleaners, giving everything a once over won't seem so bad.

The best cleaning products

1. Scrub Daddy Sponge Set

Our favorite cleaning sponge
The ultimate cleaning companion: the Scrub Daddy. With this pack, you can have one of these friendly scrubbers for every room of the house, which really is the dream. Soft in warm water and hard in cold water, this sponge is versatile, multi-functional and ideal for deep cleans and a quick attack on your kitchen.

'Your Scrub Daddy gets firm or soft depending on the water temperature, which is good for different scrubbing and always bounces back into shape. It never feels like a soggy mess. Since it's more expensive, I use it for actually scrubbing food grime and grease off things as opposed to picking it up every time I clean a dish' Jaclyn Turner, Sleep Editor, Real Homes

2. Method Antibacterial Spray

Our favorite all-purpose cleaner
The standout favorite from our team when it comes to a cleaning spray is a bottle from Method, with its various scents and plant-based solutions. The peach scent was especially loved by many, as well as the fact that it is non-toxic, especially when we've used it on our countertops.

“I test a lot of products in my kitchen, so it needs constant cleaning. With the Method cleaner I'm always left with a fresh smell and I'm less concerned that the product will end up going from kitchen counters to my finished meal because it's non-toxic.” - Millie Fender, Small Appliances Editor, Real Homes

3. Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Multi-Surface Cleaner Spray

Our favorite cleaning spray
The perfect everyday cleaning supply, this cleaner is great for all-around your home. Affordable, well-scented and cruelty-free, this is essential for your cleaning caddy. This spray is a golden pick because it's made with plant-derived ingredients, and avoids artificial colors, parabens and glycol solvents. Well-scented and thoughtfully made, what could be better to spritz your home with?

"Mrs. Meyer's makes some of the best-smelling cleaning products around, which means I almost look forward to using them. I also love the seasonal scents." Kaitlin Madden, Executive Editor, Homes & Gardens

4. Puressentiel Purifying Air Spray

Our favorite air freshener
In our opinion, Puressentiel's Purifying Air Spray is our favorite air freshener, and the best part is that it's made with no synthetic chemicals – just a unique blend of 100 percent pure and natural essential oils. Just one spray will make a difference and you'll immediately notice the air clearing. As for the scent, it's natural and fresh with notes of tea tree, peppermint, and eucalyptus. It's without a doubt our best air freshener (opens in new tab).

'I am obsessed with this air freshener. It works like magic when it comes to banishing odors, and one spray will freshen a room in an instant' Annie Collyer, Deputy Ecommerce Editor, Real Homes

5. The Pink Stuff Cleaning Paste

Our favorite cleaning paste
There is no end to the usefulness of this magical paste, which is so versatile that you can use it on anything from barbecues to ceramic tiles in order to banish grime and tackle dirt. Affordable and so many possible uses, this is a great product to have on hand for both big and little cleaning tasks.

"I don't have much cupboard space so I love a multifunctional cleaner and The Pink Stuff Miracle Cleaning Paste can be used on the stove top, patio furniture and greasy appliances, but to name a few. It also does a great job on grill racks and is lightly abrasive so you can get rust and even split paint off things with it" Lindsey Davis, Editor in Chief, Real Homes

6. Febreze Unstopables Fresh Fabric Refresher

Our favorite fabric refresher
There are so many fabrics that can be hard to wash in the home, and even harder to get smelling fresh. This refresher spray has a bright, vibrant, airy scent, and lasts a whole week. Grab this cleaner to get lovely smells in your home from those pieces of furniture you can't simply throw into the washing machine.

"The Sweet Dreams Unstoppables air freshener by Febreze is a favourite to make the house smell like a luxury hotel." Christina Chrysostomou, Digital Writer, Real Homes

7. Kaboom Foam-Tastic Oxi-Clean Bathroom Cleaner

8. Heinz Cleaning Vinegar

9. Scrubbing Bubbles Foaming Bathroom Cleaner with Bleach

10. Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner

11. Bar Keepers Friend Powder Cleanser

12. Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner Kit

13. Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator

14. Method Daily Granite & Marble Cleaner Spray

15. Astonish Oven and Cookware Cleaner

16. Method Shower Cleaner Spray

17. Bona Wood Floor Cleaner Spray

18. Dr Beckmann Stone & Tile Cleaner

19. E-cloth Window Cleaning Cloth

20. Hoover Oxy Tough Stain Remover

21. Persil Proclean Stain Fighter

For doing your laundry
Designed to tackle any stain from mud to wine, this detergent is top-rated by us, for good reason. It's versatile so that you can use it on pretty much anything, plus it has a mild floral scent to leave your clothes nice and scented. It's without a doubt one of the best laundry detergents (opens in new tab).

If you are searching for an eco-friendly laundry detergent (opens in new tab), then we suggest checking out the Method Liquid Laundry Detergent from Amazon (opens in new tab).

22. Mr-86 Instant Mold and Mildew Stain Remover Spray

For removing mold
There's no scrubbing necessary with this top-rated mold remover, which works straight away to restore your walls or your bathroom tiles to their former glory. Suitable for use in bathtubs, on wood, drywall and plenty of other surfaces, this reasonably priced spray will help you eradicate mildew and mold, and keep away bad odors too. As with any cleaning product, be wary of how strong this spray is, and take all necessary precautions when it comes to airing your home from the fumes and with protective clothing and eyewear. One of our best mold removers (opens in new tab).

23. Scrub Daddy Damp Duster

24. Cillit Bang Limescale and Grime cleaner

How we tested these cleaning supplies

Cleaning products are so important when it comes to making your home sparkle, which is why we've gone to lengths to test the majority of these products out firsthand as a team at Real Homes. We asked our whole team what their favorite products are (and their reasons why) so that we can show you why we really think these products are worth your money. Those that we haven't had a chance to test in our homes just yet are next on our list, with this list being updated as soon as we can give them our stamp of approval. The cleaning products we have tested are listed as our favorites, and the ones we've not we chose based on customer reviews.

What to consider when buying cleaning supplies online

There's plenty to consider when you're building up a cleaning selection for your home, from where you're going to stash it all to what kind of scents you favor. These are the essential things we keep in mind when restocking your cleaning caddy.

Scent
We know there's more to a spray or toilet cleaner than its scent, but at the end of the day, it is still important to like the smell of whatever you're spritzing in your home. Work out which scent profile you like, whether that's fresh cotton, a citrus burst or something more specific like lemongrass and try and line your products up with that smell, to avoid a headache when you're deep cleaning.

Eco-friendly credentials
For a lot of us, it's becoming increasingly important to ensure that the things we buy for our homes are certified as being good for the planet in the long term. There are so many great brands you can invest in that have starter bundles featuring glass bottles and cheap refill programs for when you run out of your favorite cleaners, so that you can overhaul your whole set of products. Some of our favorite eco-friendly cleaning retailers include Blueland (opens in new tab), CleanCult (opens in new tab) and Grove Collaborative (opens in new tab).

Longevity
Investing in a cleaning product that you can only use once always feels wasteful, and isn't good for those who forget to pick another one up next time they're in a store. Using microfiber cloths or mops with washable heads is great for ensuring longevity, as you can throw them into your machine and use them again once they're nice and clean.

Hazardous chemicals
Understandably, people have different viewpoints when it comes to using chemicals to clean their homes. While some won't mind using a stronger cleaner to shift bleach or mold, some want to avoid it entirely. Always check the hazards involved when it comes to cleaning supplies, and prepare yourself with rubber gloves and protective clothing if necessary.

Where to buy cleaning supplies online

Cleaning your home is a pretty personal thing, and you might be searching for a more niche product for a particular area or appliance. Or, you might have more particular needs when it comes to sustainability or products needing to be used around children, animals and good with sensitive skin needs. These are our favorite retailers to head to, to stock up on cleaning products for your home.