The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
If you’re hosting guests anytime soon, it’s quite likely that you’re going to have to get your home all cleaned up—fast. If you need to get your space pristine in a snap, or just want to make your life easier year-round, you have to have a few cleaning essentials.
We rounded up the items that will transform you into a speed cleaning expert. From high-tech tools to simple solutions, these finds are going to be your favorite items in your broom closet.
Written by Shelby Wax for Lonny with additional reporting by Simplemost staff.
1. One And Done
Want to get your cleaning done quickly? Find one product that can cover anything. This all-purpose cleaner from common good is lavender scented, making your home clean and calm.
Common Good All Purpose, $6.99, Common Good and Co.
2. Packs A Punch
People have different philosophies when it comes to washing dishes, but if you aren’t a pre-rinser, finding a strong dish detergent is vital. Method has an extra strength pack that not only deep cleans dried-on food, but also does so without using phosphates or chlorine bleach.
Method. Smarty Dish Plus, 13.99, method.
3. Skip A Step
If you are in the double-clean camp or don’t have a dishwasher, a soap-dispensing scrubber is such an essential. You won’t have to keep grabbing for dish soap and a more abrasive sponge is essential for hard-to-life sponges.
OXO Soap-Squirting Scrub Sponge, $7.99, Amazon.
4. Cut The Cord
One of the most annoying things about vacuuming is dealing with the cord getting in your way. Dyson’s newest device is battery operated, high strength, and 50 percent quieter than most vacuums. Talk about a game changer.
Dyson V8 Absolute Cord-Free Vacuum, $329.99, Amazon.
5. Sensible Waste
When dealing with trash, you want to keep things as clean as possible. While it is a bit of an investment, the steel sensor can from simplehuman is amazing because it not only cuts down on germs by opening with the wave of your hand, but is also changes out the trash liner for you.
Simple human 45 Litre Semi-Round Sensor Can, $150, simple human.
6. Just Like Magic
People swear by the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. If you need to deal with tough stains like bathtub grime, burnt grease, or even crayon creations your kids may have left on the wall, the eraser has got you covered.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Durable, $9.48, Amazon.
7. Robo Maid
Want to never worry about cleaning your floors? Get yourself a Roomba. Just pre-set a time for your robot to get to work and it will vacuum for you.
iRobot Roomba 690 Robotic Vacuum, $279, Amazon.
8. Steam It
Need to de-wrinkle your clothes quickly? Get yourself a steamer. You don’t have to pull out an ironing board and the fast-heating device can smooth out wrinkles in all sorts of fabric in minutes.
Joy Mangano My Little Steamer Go Mini Hand Steamer In Teal, $19.99, Bed Bath & Beyond.
9. Stain Fighter
If you spill red wine, food, or have a pet make an accident on a rug or carpet, you’re going to want to get that out fast. OxiClean is pretty reliable at getting out tough stains fast.
OxiClean Carpet & Area Rug Stain Remover, $4.48, Walmart.
10. Dynamic Duo
Want to have more space in your cleaning closet? Well, throw out your broom and mop. A Swiffer Sweeper is all you need to clean up your floors sans dustpan or water bucket.
Swiffer Sweeper Dry and Wet Mop Starter Kit, $11.98, Home Depot.
11. Switch To Microfiber
Always use paper towels to wipe down surfaces? Get a pack of microfiber cloths to do all your cleaning instead. They absorb eight times their weight in water, and dry in half the time of standard towels. You can also wash and reuse them hundreds of times reducing waste and money spent.
Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths (24-Pack), $13.57, Amazon.
12. Clean Your Machines
Want your laundry to get done more efficiently? Take the time to clean out your washer and dryer every once in a while. Removing the gunk in the crevices will make your clothes fresher and dry faster.
Affresh 6-Pack 8.4-oz Washing Machine Cleaner, $10.78, Lowe’s.
13. Consistent Clean
Keep your toilet bowl clean without ever having to scrub by purchasing an automatic toilet bowl cleaner. Just plop a tab into the bowl and every flush will continually sanitize the bowl for up to three months.
Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner, 8 Count, $17.86, Amazon.
14. Hack It
Baking soda is essential to so many different cleaning hacks. Store it in your fridge to keep it fresh and take it out to remove stains, rinse produce, clean your grill, brighten laundry, shine silver, and work as a million other cleaning solutions.
Arm & Hammer 16 oz. Baking Soda, $0.99, Bed Bath & Beyond.
15. God’s Gift To Glass
Windex is another multi-use product that will give you some serious bang for your buck. Clean windows, cars, mirrors, and tiles with the blue liquid.
Windex Blue Trigger 23 oz, $3.29, Target.
16. Be Gone, Bacteria!
If you haven’t tried a Norwex product yet, the best place to start is with the company’s signature antibacterial, antimicrobial microfiber cleaning cloths. Thanks to the silver threaded into the cloth fabric, you can count on them to fight bacteria on the surfaces you wipe without any other cleaning agent needed. The best part? Barring a super dirty or raw meat cleanup, you don’t need to launder these between uses. Simply hang to dry.
Norwex Envirocloth, $21.75, Amazon.
17. Blind Ambition
If you own blinds, chances are you’re constantly looking for a faster way to dust them. This inexpensive product will make your blind-cleaning so much easier.
ELECOOL Window Blind Brush Dust Cleaner, $6.99, Amazon.
18. Wipe Out
If you aren’t using cleaning wipes, you are legitimately throwing your time away! The Greenworks version are biodegradable, so you can feel comfortable about your environmental impact as you clean in a jiffy.
Green Works cleaning wipes 186 count, $13.85, Amazon.
19. White Vinegar
Along with baking soda, white vinegar is a go-to cleaning product to have on-hand. Use it everywhere, from your shower tiles to your stovetop.
Heinz White Vinegar 64-ounce, $2.69, Amazon.
20. Lose The Lint
A lint roller is a worthwhile investment even if you don’t own a pet. Guests coming in 15 minutes? Take the roller to your couches and chairs to get them clean in a hurry.
Scotch-Brite Lint Roller Combo Pack 475 sheets, $14.43, Amazon.
21. An Ounce Of Prevention
The saying goes: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This holds true when it comes to speed-cleaning. One trick to keep in mind: Line everything! Silicone baking mats help cut down on time spent scrubbing pans, for example.
Siplat non-stick silicone baking mat medium, $19.99, Amazon.
22. Scrub Smartly
Save time when you scrub with a smart sponge like the Scrub Daddy. Not only can this sponge tackle tough scrub jobs, it won’t scratch the surface while doing so.
Scrub Daddy 3 pack, $9.99, Amazon.
23. 2 for 1
Maximize your time tidying up the house with microfiber slippers that help collect dust as you go. Will you look a little silly? Perhaps. Will you save yourself time? Definitely.
24. Dust It Off
Clear off a dusty electronic or blast crumbs out of a crevice with compressed air. A must for keeping computer keyboards clean!
Dust-Off Disposable Compressed Gas Duster, 10 oz Cans, 2 Pack, $13.59, Amazon.
25. Don’t Skip The Self-Cleaning
OK, this one isn’t a product but it is a timesaver. While not all ovens have a self-cleaning option, if your oven has this setting, don’t forget to put it to use. Pro tip: Don’t forget to remove any large clumps of leftover food and your oven racks before you start the cleaning!
