We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Some may have been sent as samples, but all opinions and reviews are our own. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1.
Some cushion supports so you can turn back time on your slouchy sofa, and continue spending happy evenings there for years to come.
It’s basically a piece of thick foam that you insert into the bottom of each cushion to plump up all the other layers, and a piece of thin foam that goes near the back of the cushion for extra support. So your couch will feel equally comfy but look brand new.
Promising review: “The sofas are sturdy and only three years old but several cushions were sagging. I ordered two of the large size for our live seat to try them out. I easily cut an inch off to have it fit with an Exacto knife. Easy to slide in, easy to close with my husbands help. The difference when sitting on the sofa is amazing. Firm and they feel like new cushions. I just ordered three more for the large sofa.” —doris
Get them on Amazon for $36.99+ per kit (available in three sizes; each kit fixes one cushion).
2.
A battery-powered fabric shaver — no need to throw out a throw, pillow, chair, or any other piece of fabric just because it’s started to pill! This quickly and easily pinches off those pesky little buggers to make your fabrics (including upholstery!) look brand new.
And it works on sweaters and clothes, too, of course!
Promising review: “I bought this on a whim in last attempts to save my favorite duvet cover. The pills had gotten to the point where it was seriously uncomfortable to sleep with them getting all up in my leg space. I thought I was going to have to get a new duvet cover entirely. Along came this li’l baby. Not only is my duvet cover basically brand new, but I have found a new hobby. I’m depilling everything. Sweatshirts, leggings, blankets, socks, anything that looks like it needs some love. It does the job quickly and leaves everything looking fresh.” —Dena Jensen
Get it on Amazon for $13.99 (available in six colors).
3.
Or a pill-removing stone because it’ll work wonders to keep your favorite furniture and blankets (and clothes) looking new for years to come — just brush it over the fabric — all while barely ever wearing down itself.
BuzzFeed / Maitland Quitmeyer
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Maitland Quitmeyer swears by hers! She writes: “Like many of you, I’ve been living in sweats and PJs during this year+ of WFH full time. And it’s made me revisit the state of some of my loungewear. Take for example, this college sweatshirt I wear all the time — as evidenced by the rather EXTENSIVE pilling all over it. So when I saw this pumice-esque sweater stone (it’s made from upcycled car windshield glass — how cool is that?!), I decided it was worth the try. We’ve featured electric pill removers (mostly the fan-favorite Conair one) many times, and they really work. But sometimes you’re looking for a little more detail or control — that’s where this stone comes in handy. I was able to navigate around the contours of the logo on my sweatshirt with ease, removing pills using the corner or the entire flat bottom in a few quick strokes. It truly took no time at all — the sweatshirt was done in mere minutes. The only thing I would note is that particles do ‘fall out’ of the stone, so do your pill removing on a surface that’s easy to sweep or vacuum up at the end.”
Get it from Celsious (A Black woman–owned, Brooklyn-based small business) for $17 or from Amazon for $11.15.
4.
If your pillows are beyond saving with a shaver: a set of four velvet pillow covers that’ll instantly make them look brand new, even if you’ve had them for longer than you can remember.
Amazon
Promising review: “Love, love, love these soft velvet pillows! The velvet is very smooth and even and doesn’t look sparse or cheap at all. They feel expensive and look like high-quality pillows. I also love the soft colors with contrasting trim, it’s very whimsical and cute. And the cats’ hair doesn’t clinging to the pillows so that’s an added bonus. Overall very happy with my purchase!” —NG2
Get the pack of four from Amazon for $36 (available in four color combos).
5.
A can of Bar Keepers Friend powder cleanser to scrub off even the most impossible stains you never thought would come up, even with hardcore elbow grease.
Promising review: “This stuff works so well, you’ll feel like you’re in a staged infomercial where your surfaces are left gleaming and impossibly new. I removed the worst stains from my white ceramic sink, which I had tried everything on…bleach, oxygen cleaners, lemon and baking soda… Nothing worked. But sprinkle some Bar Keepers Friend on there with ~10 min of elbow grease, and BOOM it looks almost brand new. I’m obsessed, could not recommend it more.” —KathleenH
Get it on Amazon for $7.24.
6.
And the Bar Keepers Friend Cooktop Cleanser that eliminates the built-up residue on shower doors *and* the burnt-on grime on glass cooktop stoves.
Promising review: “Like a hot knife through butter for built-up hard water stains on my glass shower doors. I’ve tried everything and this stuff worked in two minutes. Made me a little embarrassed it took so long to find something so effective. I haven’t tried it on anything else yet but I guarantee I’ll be reordering just to have extra. Just can’t have enough of a good thing.” —Ron
Get it on Amazon for $7.50.
7.
Or if you have no elbow grease to spare, three Drill Brushes because they’ll transform essentially any grimy surface — from cooked-on grease on a stovetop to built-up dirt in a bathtub to the accumulated years of grime on tile and grout — without requiring any hard scrubbing on your part.
Just make sure to use them only on surfaces you’re pretty sure they won’t scratch! You can alway test in a discreet area first to be sure.
Promising review: “Seriously, I have never wanted to clean our toilets as much as I do now. These little brushes have gotten off years of stains and water scum from our glass shower doors in just a few minutes. I would have never been able to get them even a fraction as clean by hand. We had stains in the toilets from our well water that I thought were permanent. Turns out that they were easily erased with this handy little brush. Our grout is sparkling again and my husband thinks I have lost my mind with the drill. I have actually been walking around the house looking for things to clean with this. They even cleaned our birdcages immediately with just water and no chemicals at all. What a great Amazon find!!” —Happy Yogi
Get them on Amazon for $17.95+ (six bristle stiffness options available).
8.
A mold and mildew remover made from a no-odor gel that sticks and stays to your grout and caulking so it can actually do its job: banishing the grossness from your bathroom.
You do have to let it sit for four to five hours (or even overnight), but the results, as proven by the review photos like the one here, are worth it.
Promising review: “I’m very happy! I applied it this morning and by noon you could see the difference. The caulking around the tub is so white just like I just resealed it. I’ve tried other bleaching products like Kaboom and Clorox with less than similar outcomes. The biggest difference was the mold spots behind our shower products. Those have been an eyesore for so long and now they’re gone. My only regret is I didn’t do a before and after photo.” —CButin
Get it from Amazon: one bottle for $13.99 or two bottles for $24.99.
9.
A powerful no-rinse stain remover — it can conquer many of the seemingly impossible messes you throw at it. Simply spritz it on, wait a second, then blot it up to see most stains truly vanish like magic.
It claims to work on both old and new stains (including red wine!), and on any color-safe fabric that you can safely wet with water (read: not dyed silk or wool, probs, or anything that says “dry-clean only”). One of our readers who uses it and recommends it (#33) says it doesn’t work on every stain they try, but it makes most stains — even really old ones — disappear! You simply spray the product on the stain, work it in with your fingers, then blot it up with a clean paper towel.
Promising review: “I had terrible rust and oil stains all over the seats of my car. I tried other cleaners to get them out, but they actually made the stains darker. I took it to the dealership to see if they could get it out and they flat out told me no, so I gave up and lived with it for almost five years. Then I tried this after it was recommended by a friend. I sprayed it on and literally watched the stain run right off my seat. It was amazing! I thought I was going to have to pay hundreds of dollars to replace the seats in my car because nothing else would work. This stuff really is awesome!” —Brittany
Get it on Amazon for $6.65.
10.
And a leather stain remover spray because even though leather’s usually relatively stain resistant, years with kids, pets, spouses, or just our own messy selves eventually take their toll, and this will basically give you a refund.
This also works on Durablend, vinyl, compound, saffiano, faux leather, and other leather or leather-like surfaces.
Promising review: “Used the microfiber cloth to apply and after the first treatment noted only mild improvement, but after the second treatment (done just after the first treatment dried), the stain was not visible!! I then did the entire chair and the results are great. Advice: Do not scrub the area hard. This may roughen up the leather. Apply lightly and wipe off with another microfiber towel.” —mich
Get it from Amazon for $15.98.
11.
Speaking of leather, a leather recoloring balm so you can spend many more years reading in your favorite chair, reveling in the afternoon sun, *without* having to put up with furniture that looks like it’s on its last legs.
You just rub it right into your leather. It can even help minimize the look of cat scratches, depending on how bad they are. Note that it’s very important to test to see if it will work with your particular leather, because it’s for absorbent leather only — you simply put a drop of water on your leather and see if it soaks in. If it does, this product works! (Here’s a video; skip to 0:42.)
Promising review: “Can I give it TEN stars? My hubby was ready to get rid of the set. It’s SUCH a comfortable set, and well-built… scale was just right for our new home… I couldn’t let that happen! I had cleaned the chair with a tiny amount of mild dish soap and water previous to the stain’s arrival. I threw on some latex gloves, dipped my fingers into the gel, and started massaging it into the leather. Results were immediate and impressive!! AMAZING!!” —Muysson
Get a jar from Amazon for $29.95 (18 colors available).
12.
A cute little brown sugar bear who just wants to soften up that impenetrable rock of brown sugar (and keep it perfectly soft and moist for ages), so you don’t have to hack chunks off of it anytime you want to bake cookies.
Amazon
Both my mom and I have used these for years, and they actually do work! Some reviewers mention you can put it with cookies or bread to keep those soft, too. Just soak it in water for 20 minutes, dry the outside of it thoroughly, and put in your brown sugar bag.
Promising review: “I was skeptical, but this bear is magical. I have brown sugar in a glass canister and I was about to throw the whole container out. The sugar was unbreakable (I think my boyfriend was putting his wet spoon in it too…) I came across this bear and I thought it wasn’t real. I read some reviews and decided to give it a try. I put the bear in the canister and reluctantly walked away. The next day I was pleasantly surprised to find REVIVED and soft brown sugar!! Great buy!” —S.G.
Get a pack of two on Amazon for $5.40 (also available in a pack of two).
13.
A bag of polyester stuffing you can use to give new life to your kiddo’s favorite stuffed toys (or your bed or throw pillows that have seen better days).
14.
An all-in-one wood cleanser and polish to transport water- or heat- or pet-damaged furniture (or cabinets or wood floors) back to its former glory with just a coat or two.
It works on both finished and natural woods, including wood floors.
Promising review: “Our paneling and cabinets were looking rough. We have two dogs that jumped up and scratched places, we also had an area that was damaged by water spots where our dog bowls were, and several other areas that were just worn from heavy traffic. This stuff was like a magic eraser for water spots, scratches, scuffs, and any other blemish. We simply wiped the product on with a paper towel and let is sit for 20 minutes before wiping it off with a clean towel. Everything looks brand new. I’m buying a couple more so we can finish our cabinets and wood paneling. We’re so glad we found this product.” —Kris
Get a bottle on Amazon for $9.98.
FYI, if you’re facing much damage that’s a little worse than that, you might want to try their other (also well-reviewed!) product, called Restore-A-Finish, first; it does more to hide minor scratches, white heat rings, deep water marks, and stuff like that. The two products are actually made to be used together! Get that on Amazon for $7.99.
15.
Or if your damage is more minimal, a set of furniture repair markers and wax sticks because some damage will practically vanish after a few quick swipes of the right color.
They’re designed for smaller scratches on wood furniture, wood laminate furniture (yes, that means stuff from Ikea!) and wood or wood-like floors. The kit includes both markers and wax sticks in six colors: maple, oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany and black. And yes, the sharpener for the wax sticks is included, too.
Promising review: “Better than expected. Blends perfectly and leaves a beautiful sheen. Used them on different shades of wood cherry, oak, and mahogany. I blended several shades of markers on each piece. Blended easily and matched perfectly to the different shades of woods. Used on claw foot dining table, Chippendale chair legs, grandfather clock, china cabinet. All look sensational. Covered sweeper scuffs well. They look new now, not touched up. These stain quickly so wear disposable gloves and cover floors where you are working. Excellent results.” —PhoebeS
Get them on Amazon for $9.99.
16.
A squeegee broom so you can extract years worth of built-up, embedded pet hair from your carpet and rugs (the kind that even your pet vacuum somehow doesn’t touch) *and* easily sweep up the scattered bits from your hardwood or tile floors.
amazon.com, Amazon
It features rubber bristles along one edge, and if you flip it, a wide rubber squeegee on the other — some reviewers find the squeegee side is more effective on carpet than the bristles, so could be worth a try! Oh, and the handle telescopes 36–60 inches, so you can store it easily but also like, use it to squeegee off high windows if necessary.
Promising review: “1,000% worth it! Ya’ll. I read about this on BuzzFeed and had it on my wish list for a few weeks. When our 9-month-old black Lab came back from the trainer, I knew it was time to get something to help the mountains of hair. I got this in today and tried it out. I didn’t think it would get much, I swept last night. Oh my lawrd. The hair it picked up was ridiculous! If you have pets and hardwood floors, you need this. Life changing! So glad I bought this!” —Katherine Burch
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (also available with a collapsible handle).
17.
A mini white noise machine with nonlooping audio to restore your bedroom to the place of peace it was when you first moved in. You’ll finally get the solid night’s sleep you deserve despite the fact that your new neighbors insist on loudly playing video games all through the night.
Amazon
It has ten fan sound options, ten ambient noise options, and two ocean sounds, and is small and compact.
Promising review: “This is so freaking great. I’ve been using white noise machines for years and years but ended up finding this through BuzzFeed. My old machine had looping audio and I hated it, so the fact that this is nonlooping is everything. It’s also very sleek and modern. I live in downtown Boston with construction sites literally boxing me in my building with noise nearly 24/7 between that and cops/fire trucks. This knocks out the noise and allows me to sleep or nap at any time of day without hearing anything.” —ML
Get it on Amazon for $44.99 (available in two colors).
18.
A dishwasher-cleaning tablet — it works to disband the lime scale and mineral buildup preventing your dishes from actually getting as clean as possible.
Promising review: “Works extremely well. We haven’t done any cleaning on our dishwasher in five years, and the sliding dish trays were tough to pull out or push in, there was detergent buildup all over the inside, and there was a milky film on all our cups. I bought this, ran the dishwasher with two tablets while it was empty, and the difference was astounding. There was still some build up and I figured it would require another cycle, so I popped another two tablets in, ran the machine a second time, and now it looks and sounds brand new. No more film on the glasses, no more dirty dishes from clogged sprayers, no more odors or buildup around the door seals.” —Martoune
Get a pack of six tablets on Amazon for $8.99.
19.
A bottle of makeup brush and sponge shampoo that will break up all the various layers of stubborn foundation, contour, concealer, powder, and eye makeup that’s embedded itself in your tools. Even the ones you use most often will look fresh out of their packaging in no time!
Plus it’ll reduce the amount of dirt and bacteria that tend to accumulate on makeup tools over time. (Oh, and it’s cruelty-free.)
Promising reviews: “I clean my brushes every so often (not as often as I should) and I have NEVER gotten this much gunk out of my brushes with regular soap. This stuff is amazing, takes almost no scrubby effort and my brushes are the cleanest they have ever been. Definitely recommend.” —Melissa
“Well, I am seriously impressed. All of my sponges of various colors look almost brand new after using this. Even my white sponges look only faintly tinted in comparison to what they used to look like. It does seem like it takes quite a bit of product to do each sponge, but it definitely gets the job done. I’ll certainly order another bottle when I run out.” —G.T.
Get it on Amazon for $6.99.
20.
An enamel paint designed specifically to refresh metal surfaces — like fridges, washers and dryers, metal bed frames, and bathtubs — that have been scratched or rusted over the years.
Some reviewers even use it to redo their countertops or sinks, although you might want to use an acrylic sealer afterward if you decide to do that! It’s fantastic for vintage appliances too, according to one reviewer.
Promising review: “Oh my goodness! This stuff is amazing! I remodeled my bathroom and the washer and dryer looked terrible. One coat of this and they look brand new! I’m going to add another coat today just to make it extra durable.” —L. Hornberger
Get a quart from Amazon for $26.98.
21.
A peel-‘n’-stick PVC tile backsplash because you can install it on a Sunday afternoon to instantly make your kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room feel a bit more modern.
Amanda from Grand Rapids, MI / Wayfair, Lisa from Bayville, NJ / Wayfair
If you end up with some tiles with flaws like the reviewer below, you could probably contact Wayfair to exchange them for ones that don’t!
Promising review: “These tiles look great in my kitchen and totally elevate the space. They were very easy to work with (I struggled a bit with the corners in hard-to-reach places) but overall super easy to install. Some of the tiles had flaws in the PVC but I had enough extra that it was long an issue for me. Overall, I’m super happy with these!” —Carrie from Newport Beach, CA
Get it from Wayfair for $2.64/square foot.
22.
A set of garage door magnets to instantly add, like, $500 worth of curb appeal with less than 10 minutes of work. It’ll probably be the easiest thing you’ll do all day!
The listing has two different options: the set of 32 windows and the set of four hinges and two handles. You do have to buy the set of windows and two sets of handles to get the full look above!
Promising review: “OK, seriously, these magnets are fantastic! We are in shock that they look as good as they do. Our neighbors thought we bought a new garage door, and the ‘windows’ add the perfect pop to the garage without overdoing it. The magnets are excellent quality and stick to our door.” —Scott Teichert
Get them from Amazon: the windows for $23.99 and the hinges for $16.99.
23.
A tube of patch and primer — it features a piece of sanding pad on the top of the cap and a putty knife on the other end, so you can repair that little hole your doorknob handle put in your wall that miiiight only be there because you enthusiastically throw the door open to greet your wiggling, overjoyed, 9-year-old pup everyday when you get home from work.
3M
You simply squeeze a little of the patch/primer mix out of the tube, level it off with the scraper end, let dry, then sand with the cap! I used one of these in my most recent move (in June 2021) and let me tell ya: it works exactly the way it says it does. I had several small nail holes from hanging pictures, plus six larger drywall anchor holes from a shelf. This made it easy to fill each one and scrape off the excess, then after it dried, I sanded using the little cap and couldn’t even tell the holes had been there! Needless to say, I got my entire security deposit back, no worries at all.
Promising review: “This product is genius! Worth every penny to patch nail holes without the mess and time of traditional drywall patching. Worked exactly as described and one tube was more than enough to patch throughout an entire home.” —Jaclyn A.
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $15.37.
24.
And a set of airtight paint touch-up pens to easily cover up those small drywall repairs or pretty much any other scratches, scuffs, or stains that refuse to clean off any other way.
Amazon, Slobproof
They work like little syringes to neatly suck up the paint from the can. Because they’re completely airtight, the paint lasts for years without drying out! They *are* refillable, despite what some reviewers claim; here’s how.
Promising review: “Love this — absolutely perfect for touchin’ up little spots that need touchin’ up. I have several sets filled with different paints and so far they’ve stayed usable, without the paint drying out. I rinse the brush really well after each use (latex paints) and recap it. It would be nice if the manufacturer put an area on the pen where you could easily label the paint info, but I use a permanent marker and it works okay.” —Hooked on Amazon!
Get a pack of two on Amazon for $19.99.
25.
An oil stain remover that works wonders on basically any kind of stone (whether it’s untreated *or* sealed and polished) because you shouldn’t have to live with the consequences of that one leaky bottle of olive oil.
It works on marble, granite, limestone, travertine, slate, sandstone, grout (for ceramic and porcelain tile), masonry, and concrete — and it won’t discolor the surface of the stone even one bit!
Promising review: “Had an oil stain on my untreated West Elm marble top buffet from a kids toy. I purchased the oil stain remover and crossed my fingers that it would work. Followed the directions, waited 72 hrs to let it dry completely, and then scraped it off with a credit card. It worked perfectly! I couldn’t be happier with the results. I highly recommend this product!” —parkhaven916
Get a can of it on Amazon for $11.48.
26.
A waterproof, heat- and cold-resistant, flexible, moldable rubbery glue called Sugru so you can make dozens of tiny fixes, like saving those expensive cables and chargers so they can live to fight another day (or lots of other random little tasks, like fixing a plastic dino’s boo-boo).
You can use it to bond glass, ceramic, wood, metal, and most plastics *and* to bond all of those surfaces to most walls. It slowly cures from malleable glue into a tough silicone rubber overnight.
Promising review: “This stuff is the solution to so many challenging repairs that it’s well worth keeping a supply of basic colors on hand in the fridge at all times. Example: After various glues failed to reattach the black rubber trim that holds the rear windshield onto my car, Sugru was the only thing that did. With no garage parking, this repair has survived 75-mile/hr winds, freezing temps, heavy rains, and 100-degree heat for well over three years and counting. And the repair fills the gap so perfectly that only a well-trained observer would ever detect the repair.” —No BS Reviews
Get an eight-color pack on Amazon for $19.99 (also available in packs of seven other color combinations, including all black or all white).
27.
A stainless steel cleaner and polish because all you have to do is spray it on then wipe it off to reveal a sparkling clean, fingerprint-free kitchen, zero real effort required.
My mom swears by this stuff; she tried like, four or five other stainless cleaners before this one, and none of them made my parents stainless appliances quite as shiny as quickly and easily as this!
Promising review: “Perfect cleaner for my new Whirlpool stainless appliances. It also seems to make it a bit fingerprint-resistant as well. Since I cleaned my fridge down a month ago, I haven’t had to do it again yet. I’m sure if I had kids it’d be a little different, but this stuff is where it’s at. I’ve tried cheaper big-box store cleaners and they all take a lot of arm work.” —W Fish
Get a bottle and a microfiber cloth on Amazon for $19.95.
28.
A rust stain remover spray perfect for anything coated in a thin crust of orange — a few sprays and a final wipe of this stuff will actually make your shower, sink, and tub look exactly like they did the day they were first installed.
Note that it’s designed for rust stains that come from having hard water; it won’t do anything for, like, a rusty metal towel holder.
Promising review: “Can’t believe we finally found something that works! When we bought our home there was no water softener and years of iron build up. We tried so many things on our shower. Nothing worked. We were convinced we’d be stuck until we renovated, but the Iron Out worked wonders. I still can’t believe it. We let it sit for about an hour. It then dissolved and wiped right off. Definitely use in a ventilated area if possible.” —M. Gilardi
Get it a pack of two bottles from Amazon for $15.99 ($7.99 each) or if that’s sold out, a single bottle from another listing for $11.02. (And if you also have struggles with rust in the toilet or staining your white laundry red, try the same brand’s rust-removing powder, $16.10).
29.
A handheld knife sharpener because it will fiercely hone each and every blade you own until they’re back to their peak, like-new sharpness that makes it a thousand times easier to slice and dice.
Amazon
It has two slots: coarse for sharpening dull and damaged knives, and fine for polishing a knife or giving an already-sharp knife a quick touch-up.
Promising review: “I use this on my high-end German knife and it performs as well as any expensive sharpener. If your ‘good’ knife requires some fancy sharpener, perhaps the knife is the problem. I use this on three large kitchen knives as well as paring knives, and it keeps them all in tip-top shape. I do a lot of chopping, so having every knife tomato-ready is great. If you want an expensive sharpener, be my guest; for me, I’d prefer to spend my time USING sharp knives rather than adding undetectable macho sharpness I don’t need. Find a couple of good videos before you start — the instructions are OK, but don’t actual demonstrate all the features!” —Pete
Get it on Amazon for $10.95.
Elizabeth, one of our editors, owns one of these and loves it — you can read her full knife sharpener review for more!
30.
A drain millipede covered with thousands of micro-hooks to grab every last bit of the hair and gunk slowing down your sink and tub drains, so they actually flow freely again.
Amazon, amazon.com
You can technically clean and reuse it, but many reviewers just toss it because of the yuck factor.
Promising review: “Our one sink would constantly back up over and over again. We would use Drano and whatnot, which would open it up for a week, but then it would slow up again. We finally said enough is enough and tried this snake. For $9, it’s cheaper than a new bottle of Drano. Couldn’t be happier with this! It goes right down the drain, turned in around for about 20 times, and then yanked it out. Pulled out a whole bunch of crap! Did it two more times, and water flows down this drain like it was just installed. Do NOT plan on reusing this down the road, just clean out the drain and toss it in the trash! Worth the $9!” —Marc
Get it on Amazon for $9.99.
31.
A long-handled scrub brush designed to clean off decks, patios, and porches, but reviewers also swear by it for tile, concrete, marble, and shower floors, plus all the grout that inevitably comes with that! They say it’s just stiff enough without being too stiff that it scratches, and you won’t have to bend over to get the job done.
Lowe’s
It may not look fancy, but it seems like something a lot of people have found to be super useful! And I know the picture makes it look short, but it’s a close-up — it’s handle is basically the same length as a regular broom’s.
Promising review: “Purchased this brush to clean and scrub into the grain of the Duradeck covering on our porch. It worked extremely well to scrub out the fine dirt captured in the grain of the vinyl. In conjunction with a mild liquid detergent and warm water, this brush provided a dazzlingly clean porch surface.” —Edski47
Get it from Lowe’s for $8.98.
32.
A pack of bubbling cleaning tablets because you simply plop one into any permanently stained mug, coffee pot, slow cooker, or tumbler to fizz out stains, odors, and gunk with literally no elbow grease or scrubbing required.
You simply fill your container with warm water, add a tablet or two, wait half an hour, then rinse. Reviewers say it works best on metal or ceramic (not so much on plastic).
Promising review: “My husband drinks about three or four cups of tea each day. He uses stainless steel mugs that stain horribly. No amount of soaking or scrubbing would get them clean. I set our electric kettle to 200 degrees and poured the hot water over the tablets, filling the mug to the top. I left them in the sink overnight, and all I had to do was dump the dirty water out! No soap or scrubbing at all, and they were like new!” —Rachel
Get a pack of 12 tablets on Amazon for $8.
33.
A fume-free oven cleaner — it will erase the evidence of all those years of delicious baked goods, frozen pizzas, and bacon with one overnight treatment.
Technically the directions say you actually only have to wait for two hours to get results, but lots of reviewers let it sit overnight!
Promising review: “Oh man, this stuff is awesome! I sprayed and left it on overnight. I had no idea what to expect. I took a paper towel and started wiping out the oven. The grime just melted away. I am VERY pleased!” —KsGrl444
Get it from Amazon: a 14.5-oz can for $4.47 or, if that’s sold out, a 24-oz can for $11.92 (both come out to about $0.29-0.30/oz).
34.
Or if you want something a bit less harsh: an oven scrub cleaner made from pumice, baking soda, sodium citrate, two kinds of plant-based cleaners, and eucalyptus, peppermint, lemon, and tea tree essential oils. It may require a tad more elbow grease, but it’ll still get the job 100% done.
Everneat / Etsy
You rub the scrub all over your oven’s interior, scrub to your hearts content with a scouring sponge, then wipe off with a microfiber cloth.
Everneat is a small business based in Fairfield, Connecticut, that specializes in natural cleaning products and microfiber cloths.
Promising review: “This is the first time in my 50+ years that I have actually enjoyed cleaning my oven. And no, I am not joking! This product is effective, easy to work with, smells amazing, AND I only used a tiny amount of product!!! I don’t think I could imagine a way to improve this product. Highly, highly recommend it!!! Well worth any wait.” —Diane Coury
Get it from Everneat on Etsy for $19.99+ (available in plastic or glass jars).
35. A memory foam mattress topper if you recently stayed at a hotel with actually nice mattresses and realized your current bed could use a bit of an upgrade. It’ll make your bed significantly more cushy, so you feel like you’re laying down on a cloud every single night.
Amazon
This one’s two inches thick and has several ~zones~ that theoretically provide different levels of support. It also has over 36,000 five-star ratings, so you know people like it!!
One caveat: if you’re a hot sleeper, you might want to stay away from memory foam toppers and mattresses because they retain body heat. For a bunch of alternative options, including ones that will help with a bed that’s too soft, check out the best mattress toppers and firm mattress toppers!
Promising review: “We purchased this to help add a little bit of padding to our aging mattress. This has definitely helped prolong the life of our mattress while increasing our quality of sleep. I was afraid that this would slip around on the bed but we have had minimal issues with that. It stays relatively in place with the help of our fitted sheet. The unique cushion pattern doesn’t seem to do much for us (compared to a non textured mattress pad) but as I said, it is comfortable. In fact, our dog loves it!” —thomas
Get it from Amazon for $38.55+ (available in two colors, two thicknesses, and in sizes twin–Cal king).
36.
A foaming garbage disposal cleaner that you simply drop in, run a little water, then let its fizz reach down into the depths of your disposer for you, ridding it of any built-up slime and grossness.
Note that it’s best if your garbage disposal’s just generally smelly or dirty and not actually clogged — if it’s clogged, definitely call a plumber.
Promising review: “After seeing it say it only takes two minutes (mine was closer to four) I thought there was no way it would work. But I can literally hear how much easier the disposal spins. I can see the metal which used to be black. I’m in an apartment where it has probably never been cleaned. I didn’t even know the second sink drain was white until this. It had a layer of brown gunk. Simply amazing, I’m shocked how well this stuff works.” —J. Peace
Get a pack of four uses on Amazon for $3.78, or a pack of eight from another listing for $9.97.
37.
A bottle of jetted tub cleaner because over the years those pipes get coated in soap, dead skin cells, and all kinds of other gunk that you definitely don’t want keeping you company in your relaxing bath.
And it takes just 15 minutes to see results; simply run your water, pour in some cleaner, and start your jets.
Promising review: “This stuff is seriously amazing! I am relentless about cleaning my tub because I use it so often. Before I purchased this, I used the typical homemade recipe of bleach and powdered dishwashing soap. I’d have to run two or three cycles to get it crystal clear. One cycle with this stuff, 15 minutes, and the results are amazing! I first ran my tub with the solution, then drained it and wiped it down with a sponge. When I refilled the tub up and reran the jets, I kid you not the water was CRYSTAL CLEAR! I’m so impressed!” —Chelsea
Get it on Amazon: a bottle good for four cleans for $17.84 ($4.46/clean), two bottles for $31.49 ($3.94/clean), or a gallon good for 32 cleanings for $62.99 ($1.97/clean).
38.
A pet hair removing–roller so you can pick up basically every last bit of shedding your furry friend’s always leaving in their wake from any fabric surface with a quick, simple brush-brush-brush.
Because it doesn’t rely on adhesive paper, you only have to buy it once and use it forever — cleaning the hair off the brush when it gets clogged, of course!
My boyfriend’s parents have one these (and a doggie that sheds constantly, and loves pets), so I’ve used one a bunch over the past year and a half. It really does pick up all the hair easily, use after use!
Promising review: “We live in a household that contains two humans, two dogs, and two cats. It’s a real Noah’s ark furnished with a black sectional couch. Our dogs hate the vacuum so much so they will attack it even before we power it on. This makes the task of cleaning our couch extremely unpleasant and nearly impossible. Thanks to ChomChom, we no longer have this problem! With a simple, quick, SOUNDLESS sweep, we’re able to keep our couch pet hair free in blissful peace. This tool does an amazing job picking up pet hair but not so much with crumbs. We were so impressed, we gifted these as Christmas presents for all of our pet-loving friends.” —Magpie
Get one on Amazon for $31.95.
39.
And a Pet House candle you’ll burn every day because it really does eradicate any lingering odors around the house, whether they’re from your beloved kitty or pup *or* from cooking yesterday’s delicious dinner. Several of us here at BuzzFeed use them all the time and know they actually work!
Amazon
They’re made from cleaner-burning soy wax, come in 21 scents that smell just like normal candles, and will burn for up to 60 hours.
Promising review: “I have multiple dogs in the house and am always concerned that it smells like that to visitors. I have used other candles and melts that add a pleasant smell to the underlying odor, but these candles do better. I can leave the house and return hours later and when I first open the door, I don’t smell dog. We recently had a house full of people (many of them pet parents) over for Christmas dinner and it was actually commented, ‘Your house smells really nice. How do you keep the dog smell out?’ I laughed and told them I was just wondering if the candles were working.” —LLL Texas
Get them on Amazon for $22.99 (available in 40 scents).
Want to know even more? Read our Pet House Candle review!
40.
A glass and ceramic cooktop cleaning kit that comes complete with a heavy-duty scrubber, a razor blade, and a bottle of powerful cleaner — basically everything you need to conquer even the messiest of burners so it shines like it was painstakingly restored by a renowned art historian.
Promising review: “I hadn’t thoroughly scrubbed my glass cooktop in years, only wiped down with random multipurpose cleaners which never seemed to do much. Then a friend recommended this product… AMAZING! The included scrubbers and scrapers really make the difference. It will leave your cooktop shiny and new. Even marks that had been on there for years came almost completely off. 98% better. The key is to use very little product. Let it dry to a haze and buff with a clean, dry cotton towel, just like waxing a car.” —B. Swartwood
Get the kit on Amazon for $11.54.
41.
A pack of six Mr. Clean Magic Erasers ready to give you a series of your own incredible before and afters with minimal elbow grease: Your stove, covered in dried-on specks from the last month of dinners, will be clean and shiny again. All that grime stuck on the bottom of your bathtub from the previous renters will wipe right off. And those mystery marks your kiddo made on the wall will vanish as if they were never there.
Target
This pack comes with two specialty kitchen scrubbers infused with Dawn (to help fight grease), two specialty bathroom scrubbers scented with Febreze lavender, and two of the heavy-duty erasers that hold up to all kinds of messes. I’ve used all three types multiple times in my life and they work so well, I never like to run out of ’em! You just wouldn’t want to use them on something that would scratch, like stainless steel.
Promising review: “These are made of melamine foam. Cured melamine is a hard, glass-like material. The foaming is what makes it magic. These Magic Erasers feel soft but they are actually more like a gentle sand paper. Since they are abrasive you need to be careful what you use it on and how hard you rub. I never use these on something I don’t want to leave any mild scuffs. Pans, no problem, stainless steel fridge, no. A must-have for your cleaning kit.” —Dave
Get the pack from Target for $7.99.
42.
A pumice stone because it beats back even the worst hard water buildup on toilets and tubs, so you can enjoy having a bathroom that actually looks clean again.
Promising review: “I have a 19-year-old master bathroom toilet that had accumulated some nasty stains over time which regular toilet brushes and cleaning products just would not remove. Decided to try this pumice stone, figuring that the worst that could happen would be that it scratched the porcelain and I’d have to replace the toilet. Which was what I would have had to have done anyway, if I couldn’t get the disgusting stains out. Pumice stone worked like a charm! Given the nature and severity of the stains, it required some elbow grease, but 10 minutes later I have a new-looking bowl, and I see no signs of scratching. Am very happy with this purchase…well worth the very low price!” —Happy Retiree
Get it on Amazon for $11.99.
43.
Some Goo Gone — it quickly and painlessly removes everything from tape residue to mysterious sticky substances, pretty much wherever you find them around your home.
This is another product I bought for my move last year: My boyfriend had hung up these posters that used big foam adhesive squares (no, they were not Command strips), and when we pulled them off the wall, they left a bunch of foam and sticky stuff behind. Goo Gone (plus a plastic scraper) came to the rescue! It took a little patience, but the stuff would never have come off without the Goo Gone. It helped break down both the foam stuff and the adhesive, which came off in little bits, leaving nothing behind. We did then wash off the paint with some dish soap and water — Goo Gone is super greasy — but by the end, you couldn’t tell anything had been there at all, and the paint was undamaged.
Promising review: “This stuff is amazing. So far, I have used it to remove heavy adhesive from a tile floor where we had previously had a cover for a wire running across the area. I applied Goo Gone, scraped the majority of the adhesive and fibers off, then wiped off the remaining residue with a paper towel. I also used it to clean grease off of wood veneer cabinets using a paper towel, and it was so effortless! We have a microwave above the stove, and I also used Goo Gone to clean grease from the exhaust vents, which was so much easier than ever before.” —Cass
Get a bottle on Amazon for $6.90 (they also make a spray-on version for $17.98).
44.
A carpet shampooer that will scrub away then suck out years’ worth of mystery stains now, leaving your floors looking fresh, then come in handy over and over later, whenever you discover your spouse/toddler/teen/pet left you a surprise…like, several weeks ago. WHY.
It also works wonders on area rugs! And it only weighs about 13 pounds — heavier-duty carpet cleaners usually weigh around 20 — so you won’t feel completely exhausted by the time you’re done with your living room.
Promising review: “I run dog services, boarding, and daycare out of my home. My carpet sees high traffic regularly and potty accidents on occasion. Love this Hoover! Holy moly! It picks up an INCREDIBLE amount of deeply imbedded debris, dirt, stains, and hair. The difference in how much cleaner my carpet is after using it is OUTSTANDING!! I regularly vacuum and spot clean with other carpet cleaners and couldn’t fathom the filth I was actually living in after using the Hoover. It’s easy to assemble and light weight too. You can’t deny the results when cleaning out the dirty water tank. Easily the best purchase I have made for my small business! Very impressive!” —Patty DeCarlo
Get it on Amazon for $97.99.
45.
Or a lavender-scented carpet refresher if your floors have seen a few too many stinky feet, smelly cleaners, garlicky post-cooking scents, or, like the reviewer below, licks from a particular pup.
Ash & Indigo / Etsy
You simply sprinkle it over your floors (or even mattresses or upholstery), let sit for a while, then vacuum it up. Note that depending on your vacuum and how much of the powder you use, you’ll want to clean the filter before and after use to keep your vacuum in working order.
Promising review: “I have dogs and one of them has really bad breath. She licks the carpet and I’ve been having a difficult time trying to keep our carpets clean. This amazing powder does the job. It came quickly and smells amazing! I’ll be ordering more once I run out. Thank you for such a wonderful product!” —Donna Nemerovski
Get it from Ash And Indigo Boutique on Etsy for $6.75.
Ash And Indigo Boutique is a small business in Klamath Falls, Oregon, that carries natural soaps, moisturizing balms, and candles, as well as a few witchier items like crystals and stone jewelry.
46.
A pair of scrub brushes — they have your back no matter how stuck on or deeply embedded the grime at hand happens to be, *especially* if you’re in the mood to tackle your grout situation, or if your kids have a tendency to spray toothpaste all over the sink.
Amazon, amazon.com
The smaller brush has tapered bristles and a rubber blade on the end for wiping up grime from super narrow areas, like where the edge of the sink drain meets the sink. And the larger brush is sized perfectly for scrubbing at grout.
Promising review: “I HIGHLY recommend these brushes for grout. If you are on the fence of ‘Ehhh do I NEED a grout brush? I could just scrub the floor…’ Stop. Get these brushes. They are stiff and cut down the elbow grease time incredibly. Plus you can use them on anything. Pros: sturdy, easy to clean, solid brushes. Con: hands may ‘hurt’ a bit after use due to elbow grease.” —Jennifer
Get the two on Amazon for $8.99 (two colors available).
47.
A specialty dryer vent cleaning kit and brush that (optionally) attaches to your drill, because lint can seriously build up in those vents and once you push the excess out, you’ll reduce your fire risk and your clothes will dry faster (which means you’ll save on energy bills).
Oh, and you could get a pro to do this, but it’s a pretty simple DIY — that’s more money saved! Just make sure you get enough rods to extend all the way through your dryer vent in one direction (see below for options) to completely clear the buildup. BTW, several reviewers recommend using duct or electrical tape to secure the rods even more!
Promising review: “We bought a 16-year-old house from the original owners, who are fine people but not legendary for their routine maintenance. The dryer that came with the house would take two 40-minute cycles to dry towels. I followed instructions, cleaning about three feet at a time, then pulling out the assembly and adding two more shaft sections, and repeating until the brush got to the roof vent. All told, about half a grocery bag of lint came out of the vent pipe. 20 minutes work, and drying time has been cut in half. Worth every penny and effort.” —Hillyb
Get it from Amazon: with 15 feet of reach for $15.95 or with 26 feet of reach for $17.95.
Your home, reacting to you using even just one of these products:
Hulu
The reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.
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