32 Cleaning Products For Hard

Jan 05, 2024

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

If you've never vacuumed your mattress...I have some news.

BuzzFeed Staff

Promising review: "So I brought this originally for my son who gets really bad allergies to dust. At first we didn't know what was causing this until someone told me to check our beds and furniture. Even though we change our bed sheets regularly, there will be dust left over. So I decided to give this a try and they were right! I couldn't believe how many mites and how much dust there was. I took my time cleaning everyone's bed and our sofa which was easy to use and light. My son haven't had a reaction in a while for means this product works for my family!" —Lisa

Get it from Amazon for $109.99 (also available in a version without the UV light).

Promising review: "This extendable brush is perfect for scrubbing the shower. I am very short and the tile around my tub goes to the ceiling. Cleaning the tub is difficult because I can't reach very high. I also have trouble scrubbing with just a non-scratch sponge. This has been a lifesaver. I can easily reach all corners of the tub with the extendable pole that locks tightly into place. The head with the bristles moves around to get in the corners and the crevices under the faucet and around the handles. It also helps to easily clean the built-in shelves in the shower. The bristles are soft enough that they don't scratch or damage the tub but strong enough that they affectively clean and remove soap scum and hard water stains. This has been a big help to me. It has cut the time it takes me to clean the shower in half." —Mama O

Get it from Amazon for $15.99.

Promising review: "I love this product!! It works fantastic! I am a housekeeper for several private homes. My least favorite job is cleaning window blinds! I have used about every method there is, but the job is still very time-consuming. The main reason it takes so long is you must clean each and every slat separately to do the job right. Not any more! With this product, you can clean two slats at once and it cleans them the first swipe! The microfiber is the key to getting all the dust and the design of the product makes it super easy! PLUS this tool can be used on different types of blinds because it is flexible! I have used it on wooden shutters, plastic vertical patio door blinds, and horizontal metal 'mini' blinds. Additionally, the microfiber 'sleeve' that fits on the tool is washable and it comes with five of them so it's a real value, being reusable and with so many to use it should last a long time before they all completely wear out! This product deserves 10 stars!" —Sandy D

Get the brush and five microfiber sleeves from Amazon for $6.99.

Promising review: "Works like magic! I have a Sub-Zero refrigerator with the evaporator at the top. I looked and saw the amount of lint and grime that had built up. There were several versions of this type of product, I bought this — one of the less expensive versions — and it worked exceptionally well. I have no idea where all of the stuff goes — but when this spray hits it, it disappears. There is probably enough of the stuff in the can to do three or four refrigerators, so I passed it onto my neighbors, who were impressed, too." —MatBo911

Get it from Amazon for $17.08.

Promising review: "I rarely post reviews, but this stuff has completely changed our lives. Our dishwasher, utensils, plates, and glasses were covered with dry scale and nothing we tried came close to helping. After using the tablets three times our dishwasher looks like new; our glasses are sparkling like fine china and everything else looks fabulous. Highly recommend, worth every penny, best product BY FAR!!! One great advantage is you can use it with your dishes. Some other products are used to clean the dishwasher but not to clean dishes and glasses. Buy this, you will be blown away!!! It is astounding!" —Jenny

Get a pack of six tablets from Amazon for $8.99.

These are safe to use with front-load washing machines and top-load washing machines, and both high-efficiency and conventional machines. Recommended to use once a month!

Promising review: "Thought this was a needless item until the washer actually wasn’t working as well and clothes didn’t smell fresh, even with high-quality fabric softeners. Did it three times in a row as instructed for a machine with this problem. Immediately upon finishing, all clothes smelled fresh and noticed that all the dispensers are emptying completely and the washer is operating like it is new." —Steven

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $11.95.

Promising review: "This thing is seriously amazing. I figured out how to use it very quickly and it worked like a charm. I had a sock stuck wayy down in my vent and would've had no idea! I still can't believe how much lent and dust came out of my dryer. My husband is already talking about other uses for this unique tool, like getting into tight spaces in our cars." —J. Johnson

Get it from Amazon for $9.45+ (available in four colors).

Promising review: "Okay, so these cleaner pods are awesome! I didn't know how gross our Keurig was until today. The big Mason jar on the left is when I actually ran the cleaner through plus one rinse cycle. The middle one is another rinse cycle and the last one, on the right, is the last one I did. So yes, I would suggest running two or three rinse cycles instead of the recommended one. But it's still an awesome product for the price! I have a Keurig 2.0 and I had no issues." —Mads0421

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $9.95 (also available in a 12-pack).

This five-piece kit comes with a track cleaning brush, a tile lines brush, a window blind duster, a 2-in-1 windowsill sweeper, and a hand-held groove gap brush.

Promising review: "These little brushes are exactly what you’re missing. They’re the perfect size to clean all the annoying, hard-to-get to areas like window tracks, blinds, etc. They make these chores so much quicker to accomplish, so you can get on with your day. Also, the tiny microfiber cover for the blind cleaner is washable. Get these!" —Roseann

Get it from Amazon for $9.59.

Just fill up the bath, add a quarter of the bottle, wait 15 minutes for it to clean all the gross residue, then drain the tub! Each bottle cleans about four times, and it's septic safe. Check it out in action (and some very gross results) in this TikTok!

Oh Yuk is a small, family-owned business based in Minnesota that specializes in PhD chemist-formulated cleaning products for home appliances, from dishwashers and washing machines to hot tubs and jetted bathtubs.

Promising review: "I am now a loyal customer of this product! I was skeptical that it would clean better than whatever else I could find. But it did. WHOA. We recently lived into a house with a jet tub and I wanted to get a really deep clean. The amount of what had to be dead skin cells that came out after using it was DISGUSTING. And also awesome. Hahaha. It also just left the tub sparkly and shiny when I was done! But I could tell it did exactly as intended and cleaned the buildup inside of the jets’ pipes. AMAZING product. Nothing else like it!" —Katy S.

Get it from Amazon for $17.84.

Simply fill your dirty mug with water, add a tablet, let it fizz for 15–30 minutes, and then give it a thorough rinsing before drinking from it!

Promising review: "Saw this on BuzzFeed, had to give it a try. Used it on our stainless steel coffee carafe that I have been trying to get clean for two years. The coffee stains inside just would not come out, no matter how much vinegar, dish detergent or scrubbing I did. Until today!! Hot water and tablet in, let it sit for three hours, and UNBELIEVABLE. Where has this Bottle Bright been all my life?? I can’t wait to use it on all my travel coffee mugs. Can you please make tablets for all my cleaning needs?! This was about the easiest thing I have ever done. Love it. Highly recommend!" —Someone

Get a 12-pack from Amazon for $8.

Check out our Bottle Bright tablets deep dive for more incredible before and after pics. 👀

This works well for narrow glasses, mugs, and decanters as well!

This small biz was started when the founder, John, had trouble cleaning drink containers. This lil' gadget makes it so much easier to get your bottles clean. Each sponge lasts about four months.

Promising review: "The Cleanzy Sponges are awesome!! They are so easy to use and they really clean your water bottles! I actually don’t mind cleaning my water bottles now! I received the Cleanzy Sponges pretty quick too! It’s definitely worth the money and they are cute!" —Sharon Baker

Get the blue sponge from Cleanzy Sponges on Etsy for $9.99 — the yellow and green sponges have their own separate listings.

The microfiber duster head is removable and washable!

Promising review: "I love my new duster. The ability to extend the pole makes it easy to clean the ceiling fan blades, chandeliers, and the AC vents. Because it’s so light weight it makes reaching very easy." —Linette L.

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in six colors and a multipack).

The reviewer above got such amazing results by using this tool along with soaking their brush in a Dawn-and-diluted-vinegar solution!

Promising review: "When I bought this I was really skeptical. I am grossed out by my hairbrush and clean it all the time. I've soaked it in vinegar and tea tree oil, used a toothbrush, scrubbed it with shampoo, picked it clean by hand — everything you can think of. Still, it's so hard to get the little lint that forms at the base of the brush — they don't dissolve off and you have to pick them off the bristles one by one because a toothbrush won't even break them up. This thing works amazingly. I don't know why, it just does — the particular texture of the bristles on this really grabs everything. It scraped the little lint rings right off and now my brush is cleaner, 10 times as fast." —HeartsofHavoc

Get it from Amazon for $11.95.

It's super quick to install, and one cartridge can last up to three months!

Promising review: "Wife and I used chlorine tablets for years. Kept bowl nice and clean. However the chlorine eats away at tank components. After five years or so while on vacation we got a leak at the tank bolts. $10,000 in hardwood floor damage and we decided no more chlorine. Until we found this product. No chlorine goes into tank. Goes directly into porcelain bowl so no problems and just a clean bowl. Best of both worlds, clean bowl and zero chlorine in tank. The tabs sit in this device and water breaks down the tabs. When you flush the water inside device transfers to bowl directly. This product should last our four toilets a lifetime. Wish I'd found this product $10,000 ago..." —whatever

Get it from Amazon for $10.53.

Promising reviews: "Made hard water spots disappear, cleaned both sides of my sinks, and freshened up the nasty smelling disposal. Don’t know how I lived without it for so long." —KristinJA

"Ever since I got a new LG dishwasher four years ago I have been struggling with a foul odor. No amount of cleaning or cleaners helped. I have tried numerous disposal cleaners as well that have been a waste of time and money. Then I found these. My sink and dishwasher has been completely odor free and I couldn't be happier! No more embarrassment with the death smell that came every time I opened my dishwasher. Will definitely order more." —Ferg4914

Get a bag of four from Amazon for $3.78.

Promising review: "This product can be a major kitchen product if you have issues with odors in your garbage disposal. We eat a lot of cereals for breakfast and almost all are loaded with preservatives, which are like glue when they get wet. For two years, we could not get rid of a foul odor for more than a day or two. I purchased this as a last resort, but only expected it to help a little. The first time I used it, I was amazed at how much gunk was brushed away and the odor was reduced." —C. D. Cornett

Get it from Amazon for $10.97.

Promising review: "Bought a new home and I noticed some dust under the stove and fridge so I bought this Oxo duster. Well, surprise, surprise! The previous owners were disgusting and I cleaned out much more than dust; dust, crumbs, toys, cereal, oats, nuts, and pills. Yuck yuck yuck. I don’t think I would’ve pulled out all this crap with any other duster." —Reading&Writing

Get it from Amazon for $16.95.

Promising review: "Working from home like a lot of people I eat at my desk. Crumbs were getting everywhere. Plus my cat loved to lay on my keyboard if I was using my laptop. It does such a great job of getting fur and crumbs up. I used a little bit at first because some of the reviews were saying it was sticking. But I didn't have that problem at all. It only now it's sticking to my keyboard and hands more. But that makes sense it's just a glob if junk. So much better than an air can. A must-have for all office desks." —Ashley

Get it from Amazon for $5.94.

Promising reviews: "This machine is perfect for cleaning small messes or hard-to-reach areas (like stairs). We have a dog who has accidents on the couch when she gets scared and this is perfect to be able to pull out, quickly clean the small area, and move on!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $123.59.

BTW, this tool comes with small bottles of ready-to-use cleaning formula, but if you need more, grab a bigger bottle for $11.98!

Twist the bottom of the pen to dispense the fluid and brush onto the gem to clean!

Promising reviews: "I love this product. Not only does it work well, but it’s very convenient to stash in your bag for on the go. The bristles on the brush are helpful for getting into the crevices of your ring and hard to reach areas. 10/10 would purchase again." —L Nulph

"This ring cleaner WORKS. Cleans in less than five minutes!!! THIS PRODUCT IS A STEAL! (compared to more expensive ring cleaners or taking into the store to get cleaned). The process is SO easy, a kid could do it! It’s a twist-up pen — you twist it until the blue product dispenses onto the brush. Then you swipe the brush onto the diamond areas. I let it sit for about two minutes, then I rinsed my ring clean under water and dried it. TA-DA! My ring was AMAZINGLY CLEAN! You can see the main diamond and even the smaller diamonds sparkle! I didn’t even realize my diamond was cloudy until this product revealed how sparkly it could be!" —Kayla N.

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $17.99.

The kit comes with one Baseboard Buddy and three reusable pads, which can be used wet or dry.

Promising review: "Buy it NOW. Honestly, I had huge reservations for this thing. Yet another miracle cleaning tool that will break or bend or something. I was so wrong. It was easy to put together and I sprayed it with Mean Green and went to the baseboards. No more kneeling and no broken back. This thing is amazing. It is durable and the pad is super absorbent. I am so happy. I can't wait to do the rest of the house!" —artgirl

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

If you happen to need a drill, here's a good Black & Decker one. And check out our Drill Brush attachment review for more on just how well it works!

Note: Each color of the Drill Brush attachment corresponds to the type of bristles they have, and each one is best suited for a specific type of cleaning job (for example, the yellow brush has medium bristles, best used for bathroom cleaning — bathtubs, showers, tile, and porcelain). Be sure to check the listing for which color is best for your intended purpose before buying!

Drill Brush is a small business based in New York that makes cleaning brushes that attach to drills. It was started in 2007 by a former electrician who suffered from carpal tunnel and needed a way to clean without causing him harm.

Promising review: "The brush bristles are exactly what I have been looking for to help make those hard-to-reach areas so easy to clean! I love having this to use and often look for things to scrub clean with it! It is very durable and holds good against most surfaces! It really takes the muscle work out of scrubbing anything! I highly recommend this product to anyone looking to clean anything with ease!" —Melanie F

Get a set of three from Amazon for $18.95 (available in six styles).

Promising review: "I wish I had bought this sooner. I knew my grout was dirty but I didn't realize how disgusting it was until I used this cleaner. Sprayed it on and waited three minutes. I then used the brush to agitate the dirt in the grout, which was much easier than I expected it to be — I thought I was going to have to scrub hard. Instead, it was a very simple back-and-forth motion and the dirt immediately came loose and out of the grout. I then used a very wet dish towel to clean up the cleaner and dirt. The results were significantly better than I anticipated. I'm buying more to finish my entire home." —FatherOf4

Get the bundle with a spray and little scrubbing brush from Amazon for $24.98.

Promising reviews: "Used it for nearly 8 hours straight without a hiccup. The five different nozzle attachments actually was a great idea and allowed me to tailor the spray to the specific part of the deck I was having a problem with. Hadn't cleaned the deck in a couple years and had moss growing on certain parts. Also used the extension wands to reach some hard to get at places and they assembled easily." —Lonelyringer

"While this isn't a commercial power washer, it can handle most household jobs. We have a fence in the back with 20 years of grime from exposure that was whisked clean in less than an hour. 20 years of buildup on a sidewalk and driveway? Gone in seconds. Our drive and sidewalk look like NEW. We probably added $10,000 to the value of the home with a weekend of work using the Sun Joe power washer! GREAT product. Cord is quite long and the reel works well." —Thomas

Get it from Amazon for $219.99.

It's reusable (though some people prefer just to toss it, understandably) — just remove hair after use and clean with soap, water, and a brush. It's compatible with most bathroom drains without needing to take off the stopper.

Promising review: "My sink was barely draining after using two full jugs of vinegar alternating with hot water. We have a septic field, and chemicals like one would find in Drano or something similar cannot be used. Initially the tool only pushed down an inch or so; I couldn’t spin it and was pretty sure it wasn’t going to work. It pulled out a few random hairs, nothing show stopping. I persevered, making minimal progress for the first few attempts. Then it went down just a bit more and GROSS. Make sure you have something like a cloth or paper towel to wipe it off. Several more attempts and it was then going down full range. I was pretty queasy by this time and wishing I had bought two or three so I could just toss it. However, I only had one. The whole process took about five minutes total. The sink is draining perfectly. I was going to throw the tool out but ran it under hot water and was able to pick off the last few remaining hairs with my fingers. It cleaned up beautifully. Wish I had found this tool years ago." —Unanimous

Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

Promising review: "I love this thing! My hubs buys me lots of flowers and I'm always fighting to get vases clean. This scrubber handles any stuck-on leaf/petal with ease. And it's kinda fun bc, well, magnets are fun." —Kassie Hicks

Get it from Amazon for $12.87.

Promising reviews: "This is the greatest cleaning tool invented! I love it! I had tried every tip to get rid of the hard-water buildup around my sinks and this little gizmo gets rid of it in a breeze. Everyone should have one. So simple and so brilliant." —Debra J.

"Great to scrape small areas or tight spaces on dishes, stove, etc. I also use it for crafting and after craft cleanup. Very handy gadget for cleaning nooks and crannies and hard-to-reach areas." —Tony Mills

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $11.99 (also available in a five-pack).

The built-in squeegee is also effective on hardwood, tile, and other flat surfaces to clean up any messy spills.

Promising review: "I am amazed by it. It rakes animal fur up and it doesn’t fly everywhere. Even better than vacuuming. I have three cats and a Belgium Shepherd, and I am constantly trying to keep floors clean. Even though floor was vacuumed yesterday, I might have raked up an extra kitten this morning 🤣🤣. It is narrow enough to get places harder to get with a vacuum, too. plus! When you shrink to the 3-foot size, it is easier to get under furniture in cramped spaces!" —Michelle Carney

Get it from Amazon for $16.99.

Check out our FURemover broom review for more satisfying photos of the hair it removed from one BuzzFeed Shopping editor's carpet.

Just store this away from your pets, as they may chew it up if they get a hold of it! BTW, Pet Wedge is a small business!

Promising review: “Fantastic! I was able to pick up a large amount of cat hair from my cats kitty condo without any trouble! Well worth the money as opposed to the disposable sticky pet/lint removers!" —Shannon Turner

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $23.99.

Note this doesn't come with the handle! If you don't already have a Swiffer duster, you can get one from Amazon for $5.35.

TS Designs is a West Leroy, Michigan-based small business that sells fun gifts and decor along with eco-friendly items.

Promising review: "Great washable duster replacement tops. They vacuum off and wash up easily, and they grab dust and cobwebs every bit as well as the disposable ones I was using. Considering it means putting a bit less into landfills and also saving money in the long run, I only wish I had bought these years ago, sincerely. Also they shipped very promptly and arrived sooner than expected, so that was a pleasant surprise. Thanks!" —otherlings

Get it from TS Designs on Etsy for $4.49+ (available in 10 colors as well as multipacks).

Promising reviews: "This stuff is incredible. There's no smell, it's a super easy application, and it gives instant results. You could see the dirt dripping down the chandelier...gross. I will definitely be buying this again. I recommend putting plastic underneath with a sheet or paper towels on top to absorb the drip. I’ve attached before and after one application photos —seen above." —kw

"We have two extremely large chandeliers on 19-foot ceilings. Some crystals are hard to reach even on ladders. We just spray those and they sparkle." —SavyConsumer

Get it from Amazon for $22.89.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.