Best cleaning supplies: Quick Menu
The best cleaning supplies are a must-have in any home to tackle everything from dust to messes and spills. From the bathroom to the kitchen, there are lots of products to consider when cleaning up.
We tested several cleaning products and found the best-performing sprays, soaps, and sponges. See our selection of general cleaning products for all kinds of tasks around the house, plus specific products for room-specific chores.
Once you have all your supplies in place, you can get started on cleaning your whole house. Just take it one room at a time.
The best cleaning supplies, as tried and tested by the Real Homes team
General cleaning supplies
In order to keep your house clean and tidy, you need a few of the basic essentials to get you by. We're talking about the cleaning supplies that you stock up on or buy time after time, like with a cleaning supplies subscription.
We've categorized these into general stock because you'll find yourself using them all around your apartment and even to repel pests once you've identified bugs in your home.
The perfect everyday cleaning spray, this is great for all around your home. Affordable, well-scented, and cruelty-free, it's essential for your cleaning caddy. The 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? Pssst, we've got plenty more eco-friendly cleaning products we can recommend.
There's no end to the usefulness of this versatile and magical goop. Whether you're cleaning saucepans, your grill, or even rusted patio furniture, this mighty paste has your back. Designed using a non-toxic, environmentally responsible formula, The Pink Stuff is my definition of an all-rounder. Its ingredients? 99% natural and completely cruelty-free. We even have a guide on all of The Pink Stuff's uses.
Okay, so this is a total game-changer in our opinion. It makes dusting your surfaces so easy and so fast, and it's oh-so-satisfying when you wash the dust away down your drain. Its ribbed design means it catches every single bit of dust, and it's eco-friendly as you can use it again and again, letting it get dry in between uses.
This cleaner is a staple in several Real Homes team members' homes. Why? It's a multi-purpose solution so you can use it pretty much anywhere, and it smells incredible — just like fresh rhubarb. Just spray, leave it for a few minutes, and wipe it away. It kills bacteria yet is plant-based and cruelty-free.
Using these E-Cloths to clean your home will make a big improvement to the sustainability of your setup. You can get any and every cleaning task done with these cloths, which are suitable for countertops, appliances, and glass. Each one has a different use, and thanks to the precision-engineered microfiber texture, they can be washed up to 300 times. You can use them to clean with only hot water, and most of the Real Homes team practically swear by theirs.
You might already have a go-to dish soap, or perhaps you just pick up the cheapest one at the grocery store? Well, this is our favorite and we urge you to try it — though you might never go back to your old one. It smells great and can cut through pretty much anything in its path. Not only for your kitchen, there are plenty of dish soap uses all around your home.
If you're not using vinegar to clean your home, then sorry, but you are doing it all wrong. This multi-purpose vinegar from Heinz is ideal to have in your arsenal, with special strength for banishing stains and aiding with overall cleaning. Pop it in your dishwasher or washing machine come cleaning day and reap all the rewards. A little goes a long way, and it's safe for cleaning up after pets.
It's a smart idea to always have a box of baking soda in your home. You can use this powder to refresh and deodorize a range of places at home. Use it to clean your mattress, deep clean your wooden spoons, and much more. This is also one of the cleaning products from Amazon pros swear by.
We've used this upholstery cleaner to get mud stains out of rugs and pet accidents out of carpets and it works every time. Even better, it has an integrated brush to make application easy, though it does smell pretty strong. It's safe to use around pets and in our eyes, it's a must-have for underneath your sink. Use it on pretty much all your soft surfaces, from your sofa to your mattress, but always do a patch test first.
Our former head of ecommerce, Christina Chrysostomou would be lost without a bottle of this stuff under her kitchen sink, calling it the "cherry-on-top product" that signifies the end of her cleaning regime. She uses it on her sofas, and on throws to give anything that's upholstered a new lease of life. The water-based formula is dermatologically tested (great news for her sensitive skin), and it's safe to use around animals.
Whether you've moved into a rental that's been left a little grotty, got the keys to a fixer-upper that needs a clean-up, or moved into a student dorm — trust us, you're going to need a bottle of Goo Gone to de-gunk the space. This solution removes everything from chewing gum under desks, candle wax on carpets, sticky label residue, and getting blu tac off walls without damaging them. It's also great to have on hand if you want to ensure you get your security deposit back from a strict landlord.
Sprayway Glass Cleaner is somewhat of a miracle worker for our content editor, Danielle Valente. Not only has it helped her achieve a streak-free shine in all of the mirrors, regardless of their location in her apartment, but it has done away with residue she had mistakenly thought was permanent. A previous tenant had written on her bedroom mirrors with markers, and her notes were next to impossible to erase. Spraway expertly cleaned it off so Danielle could use the mirrors without hints of scribbles.
Kitchen cleaning supplies
As a food preparation space, it's no wonder that the kitchen can get pretty grubby at times. If a mess isn't cleaned up quickly, it can be an open invitation for pests and harmful bacteria. These are the things you need to deep clean a small kitchen.
Nobody enjoys taking the trash out as it is, least so when you have a ripped sack that is leaking and giving off an odor. Thankfully, these drawstring bin bags are designed with patented dual-layer protection, designed to give extra flex as it expands, and can resist punctures, rips, and tears. But the best part is that these disposable garbage containers smell of Febreze too!
A little bit of this stuff goes a long way. Just apply a small amount of the Astonish Oven and Cookware Cleaner to your oven, stovetop, sink, or tiles (yes, it doesn't just work wonders on ovens) and rub with a damp sponge or cloth, and then rinse with clean water and a clean cloth. It makes cleaning an oven a super simple process.
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 both deep and quick kitchen cleans.
If you handwash your crockery and cutlery, this heavy-duty scrubber will speed up time at the sink. Over time, it'll save you from free-pouring soap onto dishes. When the sponge gets a bit gross, there's no need to throw away the whole thing. Simply replace the scrubber with a new one. As our appliances expert, Christina also swears by it for maintaining gadgets, namely cleaning an air fryer, or cleaning a blender.
You can give your appliances' exteriors a thorough clean with this spray that reviewers love. It doesn't just clean stainless steel appliances but it also polishes and protects against pesky fingerprint marks and fights dust and other nasty stuff. It's a must-have for making your fridge, microwave, and oven look brand new.
Granite surfaces can be a real problem, mostly because the majority of multi-surface cleaners can't be used this kind of material. This one from Method will help you keep your granite countertops clean and safe. We're big fans of Method at Real Homes, and this product is no exception. It can be used daily, is plant-based, and will leave your countertop sparkling.
Bathroom cleaning supplies
It's vital that your restroom, bath, and shower are kept clean and hygienic. Thankfully, you only need a few essentials to keep that communal space of yours spotless — here are three must-have bathroom cleaning supplies.
One of our staff writers swears by the Method eucalyptus and mint bathroom cleaner for cleaning her sink, shower, and bathroom surfaces. She says it leaves them feeling super fresh and pristine. The smell is invigorating, and the spray itself is perfect for daily maintenance. She says to spray and let it sit for about 10 minutes before wiping your surfaces down. It dissolves soap scum and better yet, it works on mold and mildew.
Okay, so it's not the most glamorous job in the world, but this Lysol cleaner definitely makes cleaning your toilet a lot easier. Able to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, it has a handy angled top to get the task done as quickly and efficiently as possible.
If you want a separate shower cleaner, then this one (also from Method) is great. Simply spritz it around your shower (when it's wet), and it gets on with the job: dissolving watermarks, soap scum, and residue. Oh, and it's free from toxic chemicals. Now you know how to clean a shower quickly (and thoroughly), you've got no excuse.
What to consider when buying cleaning supplies
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.
1. What does it smell like?
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.
2. Does it have any 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. Some companies have started to bottle their products in recycled plastic, and others create concentrated formulas so you can dilute them at home (saving on water and shipping costs). 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. Some of our favorite eco-friendly cleaning retailers include Blueland, CleanCult, and Grove Collaborative. Oh, and don't forget that you can subscribe and save on cleaning products on Amazon. Take this Lime and Sea Salt cleaner from Method as one example.
3. How long will it last?
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 at the store. Using microfiber cloths or mops with washable heads is great for ensuring longevity, as you can throw them into your washing machine and use them again once they're nice and clean. Just be sure to ditch the fabric conditioner when washing cloths as they can become clogged with the waxy residue.
4. Is it made using any 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 get rid of something like mold, some want to avoid it entirely. Always check the hazards involved when it comes to cleaning supplies, and prepare yourself with a pair of household rubber gloves (available at Amazon) and protective clothing if necessary. If you have pets or young children, ensure these are kept out of reach where possible. You might want to store these out of reach. If this isn't a viable option, consider investing in some magnetic cabinet locks from Amazon.
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 specific needs when it comes to sustainability or products needing to be used around children, animals, and those with sensitive skin. These are our favorite retailers to head to, to stock up on cleaning products for your home.
- Ace Hardware cleaning supplies
- Amazon cleaning supplies
- CVS Pharmacy cleaning supplies
- Dollar Tree cleaning supplies
- Kohl's cleaning supplies
- Lowe's cleaning supplies
- Macy's cleaning supplies
- Sam's Club cleaning supplies
- Target cleaning supplies
- The Home Depot cleaning supplies
- Walgreens cleaning supplies
- Walmart cleaning supplies
How we test cleaning supplies
Method cleaning products in review on stovetop
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.
First of all, 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. Then, we made sure to include the products that we've used to test cleaning hacks and to write our how-to cleaning guides, too.
We tested these products' effectiveness in removing stains, lifting dirt, and leaving streak-free results with no residue. We also looked for products that had pleasant fragrances and avoided too many harsh chemicals. We tested daily household chores like washing dishes, removing stains from carpet, and cleaning mirrors.
Meet our cleaning experts
Christina lives with her husband in a 2-bedroom maisonette in the suburbs. As our appliances expert, most of the cleaning she does revolves around her kitchen. She owns Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Multi-Surface Cleaner Spray, OXO Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set, Febreze Fabric Refresher, and Scotch-Brite Dish Wand.
Danielle lives in a rental studio apartment New York City. She's the storyteller behind the Sprayway Glass cleaner and Drano drain unblocker featured in this guide.
What are you waiting for? You can use these supplies for all of those TikTok cleaning hacks that are always on your FYP, too.
