BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Read More

There’s no call to do the hard version when you get the same results for wayyyy less work.

I'm a mom, Senior Editor on the BuzzFeed Shopping team, and BuzzFeeder since 2015, and am constantly on the lookout for smart, genuinely effective problem-solvers, especially anything cleaning, home, parenting, fashion, and skincare related.

We all have only so many hours in a day — why spend more time cleaning something than you need to? These simple, quick tips and products will help you get the job done, and done well. That leaves you plenty of time and energy to spare to go do all the other things your wonderfully lazy heart desires, like watching another episode of your current show. 

This also works with water + vinegar, or honestly just plain water. And of course you can wipe off with a sponge instead. I've been doing this for years, and have yet to find a gross microwave where this doesn't work wonders. Read my full review or watch the Nifty video.

I mean, you're still washing dishes and there's no real shortcut for that, but seeing what it did in the above during and after, I don't think that you'll find much that anything requires too much scrubbing when you soak it in this for a second.

My review: I don't use it all the time, but when I'm dealing with cooked-on oil and residue from roasting vegetables or baking cakes or casseroles, it's a must-have. You do still have to scrape off like, chunks of chicken or broccoli, but it still does the job with a fraction of the elbow grease that manual scrubbing would take!

Elizabeth Lilly, an editor here at BuzzFeed, swears by this stuff too! She says: "I live without a dishwasher, and I honestly use that as an excuse to order takeout. But, as soon as I got my hands on a bottle of this stuff (regular Dawn is my go-to dish soap, BTW), I put it to use on both a saucepan I used to make homemade enchilada sauce *and* the casserole dish I baked those enchiladas, which had a ton of caked-on food. It really does work like I say it does! Like, scary well."

Get four bottles from Amazon for $16.63.

Instead, you just toss the dirty liner in the washing machine with that week's towels. You could also totally cut cheap placemats to fit! These just might make it a little easier: They come in a convenient 12"x24" size, so they'll probably fit on your main shelves, and all you have to customize = the liners for the door shelves.

Get a set of six from Amazon for $10.69+ (available in 19 colors and designs).

Promising review: "I love these because I hate cleaning the refrigerator shelves. These have been a lifesaver. If they do get dirty or spills happen, I throw them in washing machine and hang to dry. Highly recommend." —keywestlvr

Not that I advocate replacing these every time they get dirty, they're def washable. But I think there could be particularly grimy, stuck-on occasions that would be justified.

Get an 8-pack from Amazon for $10.99 (available in up to six colors and three sizes).

Promising review: "These little covers are just fantastic! Easy to cut and form to the burners I need, super easy to wipe off or quick rinse if need be. They WILL burn if too close to the flame but it doesn't burn beyond what is touching the flame. I bought them because my guy, though a FANTASTIC cook and baker, is just a tad messy on the stove top, lol. This has helped me keep the stove top much cleaner. I have reused the original four of these for a year and finally just tossed the two most used/dirtied and replaced them. These are just amazing and very durable!" —AngsChaos

You can use it up to once a week or so; basically, it washes away all the built-up coffee residue and oils from the brew chamber and the pour spout, which will keep your coffee tasting more like it's supposed to (especially if you switch between different coffees regularly). It's also good to use right before a tea or hot chocolate K-Cup so that any coffee flavor doesn't contaminate it. Note that you'll still have to occasionally descale with vinegar — these don't touch the water chamber or the other inner parts that get the mineral buildup from water — but you can use this along with that for a truly deep clean.

Get a pack of five from Amazon for $8.09.

Promising review: "Tried this as soon as I got it. Did the job, easy peasy. I am pleasantly surprised at how much 'cleaner' my coffee tastes now. Who knew! It recommends rinsing twice, but I did three times just to be sure. Great product!" —TRyder

You can thank the ~powers of chemistry~ for its effectiveness: hydrogen peroxide removes stains and helps kill bacteria, citric acid breaks up minerals from water, and baking soda banishes oils and grime. 

Many of our readers like you have tried this over the years and say so in their reviews! Here's a highlight — and yep, that's their before and after on the right. 

Promising review: "I saw this product in a BuzzFeed article and thought, 'for the price, what the heck.' I almost exclusively use my Yeti cups for coffee and WOW!! I attached pictures of my old and stained Yeti I had quit using bc it got too stained, and look at it now!! Amazing. I can only give 5 stars, but I would give 10!" —Jada Rambin

They're made with 100% soy wax and an odor neutralizer and will stop your house from smelling like wet dog or cat litter, no cleaning required. Phew! 

Get one on Amazon for $23.99 (available in 12 scents).

Promising review: "Takes away odor, doesn't just cover it up!! I have an old house with four dogs and these candles are what I should have been buying all along!!!! They really work!!!!" —3Dstylez.scott

That's so the water your dishwasher pulls in is as hot as possible, which helps clean away anything that's a little greasy. 

From One Crazy House. You could even clean all of your floor and ceiling vent covers at once.

If cross-contamination concerns you, this will cover you! If you haven't ever cleaned your dishwasher and it's supremely gunky, though, you may need to run multiple cycles, or follow your user's manual for more manual deep cleaning. 

You can get a three-pack of Affresh from Amazon for $8.98.

Promising review: "I saw these on BuzzFeed, figured I would give them a shot. Our dishwasher was leaving terrible water stains and spotting glasses. I probably used 3 in a row and cleaned out the sprayer holes between each cycle. But it worked! Thanks, Buzzfeed, for the recommendation!" —Mrs. Hawkins

It works for both top and front loaders, and is recommended by thousands of reviewers. Haven't cleaned your washer recently — or maybe ever? You may need to run multiple cycles of cleaning tablets on the hottest, heaviest wash setting. Six tablets are $11.98 on Amazon.

Note that if you have a front loader with mold problems, this may help some, but probably won't completely fix it; for that, you'll probably need bleach gel, $14.98.

But I think the best solution to that problem is prevention: every time you're done washing for the day, dry off as many nooks and crannies as you can reach with a towel, and make sure to leave the door open. And yes, that includes that lip under the rubber seal, and I'd even pull out the detergent drawer all the way to dry that and the area where it sits.

My review: My mom's had stainless appliances for well over a decade and a half now, and discovered this spray from reading our posts, and said it works *wonderfully*, truly 100% better than any other kind of stainless cleaners she'd tried in the past!! So naturally, I bought a bottle when we moved to a place with stainless steel appliances, and I second every word she says. It's fast, cleans off all kinds of stains, and leaves a like-new shiny finish with a simple spray and wipe! If I'm in a hurry, I'll also use it on our granite counters and wood cabinets, and it works well there, too.

Because this product also includes a polish, it cleans off current fingerprints and smudges and helps protect the surface of your stainless steel from future messiness. The 16-oz bottle comes with a large microfiber cleaning cloth — the key is to spritz the cleaner on the cloth, so you don't end up with too much product on your appliance (which can cause fingerprints) *or* a slippery residue on your floor. One reviewer notes that it needed to be left to dry for a bit after buffing before it became fingerprint-resistant.

Get a bottle and the included cloth from Amazon for $19.95.

Technically, you can let this sit anywhere from two hours to overnight to get results. And while you might have to do *some* light scrubbing, it should be much easier than it would've been without this cleaner! 

You can spray it on the racks, too, if they're stainless steel. If they're coated, though, skip the cleaner and follow the manufacturer's directions. 

Promising review: "This stuff is amazing! Spray it on, let it sit overnight and wipe it out. Looks brand-new. I honestly didn’t think this was possible. The grates had years of cooked on grease, sprayed right off in the sink. Can’t wait to try it on the BBQ." —Kalub hall

If you need vinegar, get some from Amazon: $0.88 for a small bottle or $27.95 for two gallons. 

Promising review: "Found this product on TikTok. I don’t think I’ve ever seen value like I do this product! Literally use it on EVERYTHING!! Kids and teens have dirt, grime, and grease on their walls? ...This will make it look like a new paint job. Baseboards need some love? A pea-size amount of this makes them look brand new. Need a shoe cleaner? PERFECT for sneakers. I could name a million more uses, but I can ASSURE you this is worth every penny. What’s more? You need such LITTLE of this product, it will last a VERY long time. Thank you, TikTok!!!" —Rachel in CLT

This gets rid of any odor, although it won't unclog your garbage disposal — for that, you'll have to call a plumber. This is a product one of our readers recommends (see the review below), and it's available on Amazon, $12.86 for eight uses in a lemon scent.

Promising review: "Holy cow I didn't realize how easy and quick it was to clean a garbage disposal. I stumbled across this through a BuzzFeed article. Very simple instructions, literally takes five minutes and some hot water and VOILA! You have a clean, no-longer-stinky garbage disposal. Anytime I got a whiff of an odor, all I did was drop one of those packs in the disposal and the smell was GONE! Plus the blue foam bubbling through the sink was amusing to watch." —VadersGirl

It's the perfect excuse to stay in the warm steam just a little longer! Just don't forget to rinse well afterward. 

Get a dishwand from Amazon for $3.33, and a pack of ten refills for $17.99. 

This daily shower cleaner prevents *and* helps clean buildup of all kinds of nasties, including the dreaded soap scum and limescale, with no need to scrub — simply rinse the next day, right before you shower again. Get enough to last 12 weeks from Amazon for $19.98.

Promising review: "Does a FANTASTIC job if used regularly. I love this product. I hate cleaning tubs. This product has made our tubs look new. I don't use it every shower...maybe every third. Just spray down everything after the shower, and forget about it. You DO need to rinse tub before the next shower due to product making it slick. The fumes of other cleaners always messed with my asthma. I have noticed that for some reason with this one, I sneeze twice, because I have to spray shower doors while I'm still in the shower...but it never affects my lungs. I would recommend this to EVERYONE!" —Angela GIllaird

Promising review: "This is literally the only thing that worked on my hard water stains on my shower doors. I tried everything else I could find and many Google remedies and nothing worked until this. It’s super easy to use and requires little to no elbow grease, even on my hopelessly stained shower. I’m so glad I came across this on some random BuzzFeed list." —Kate R

It'll also remove any rust stains from color-safe fabrics, among many other surfaces. (Some reviewers use it with a Magic Eraser, for extra oomph). Two bottles are $16.01 ($8 each) or three bottles are $18.98 ($6.32 each) on Amazon.

Promising review: "I’m new to the iron issue so I have been looking forever for something to clean up the nasty rust color of all my sinks/tubs/toilets. It’s like a magic act…you spray and the rust disappears! Awesome. Will definitely be buying again!" —Tara Utsman

This fits over pretty much any drain, whether it pops up, sinks in, or is flat and flush with the rest of the tub. The weighted top holds it in place, and your hair stays trapped while the water flows through.

Get one on Amazon for $11.99; if you need one for your shower stall, get a flat version for $13.90. 

Promising review: "I put this over my tub drain to block my hair from clogging the pipes when I wash my hair in the shower. I love the silicone feel and it really works well in blocking the drain. It's super easy to clean and really does the trick. It's one of the best inventions since sliced bread, lol!" —Nema Llirehc

Leave it anywhere from a couple of hours to overnight, then remove and voila!

At the time I took this photo, I added a dash of baking soda to create bubbles, but I've since learned that fun fizzies produce essentially neutral salt water, which doesn't have much cleaning power. So stick with the vinegar! I've done it many times, and it works wonders. 

If you need vinegar, get some from Amazon: $0.88 for a small bottle or $27.95 for two gallons. 

If you can't imagine not using your toilet brush, you can use the small remaining bit of gel to scrub down the bowl before applying more. I used this in college and can personally attest it really does work! Our readers like you agree:

Promising review: "I bought this product after reading about it in one of those BuzzFeed must-have product lists. While it doesn't replace manual toilet bowl cleaning, it does a great job at extending the time between the dreaded task. The first couple of times I used this stamp, there was a bit of a learning challenge, but now that I have the hang of it, it is pretty simple to use." —Jane and her Dragons

Get enough to keep your toilet clean for up to 20 weeks for $7.98 on Amazon.

My review: The magic of chemistry yet again! When I initially tested it on a small section of caulk (pictured above), the mold completely vanished in just two hours. Application is as easy as using a bottle of elementary school liquid glue. Err on the side of laying it down thickly, so it covers every little bit of the mold on the caulk — you can see a few tiny spots in the after photo that didn't get covered. Not surprisingly, they disappeared when I touched them up, and I finished bleaching the rest of the mold with flawless results. 

Yes, it contains bleach, but because it doesn't run at all, I find it easier to use without accidentally staining my clothes than other bleach products. Though I still wear an old t-shirt to be safe! As long as I run the bathroom fan, it doesn't smell too fume-y. 

Some reviewers report needing to let it sit for four to five hours (or even overnight) for full effect, but the results are still worth it. It likely depends on your grout, humidity, and how thickly you apply it. 

BTW, if you have mold in your front-loading washing machine gaskets, reviewers say this can clean that, too!

You can get a bottle from Amazon for $9.99. 

My review: I use and LOVE this brush, have had it since 2017, and it's absolutely the easiest and fastest way to clean grout (besides maybe bleach, which I only like to use when necessary). You literally see the dirt come up and the grout lighten with just 30 seconds of use. They make a specialty grout head you can buy for it, but TBH the default brush works just as well, unless you have incredibly narrow grout lines. (Some reviewers like to use it with a grout and tile cleaner, but I just use some Castile soap diluted with water. I haven't tested to see if one is faster than the other!) I've also found many other uses for it over the years — stuck-on stove gunk, mystery buildup in the shower window, lurking mildew in the crevice behind sink faucets — basically any time I run into stubborn grime, it has my back. 

Promising review: "I'm going to be honest, y'all — I suck at housekeeping. I am one of the laziest people I know when it comes to keeping a clean house. So this little battery operated scrubber is SO. HELPFUL. I used it to clean my bathroom counter and this tool got off several years of caked on dust and hair. I was even able to clean under the rim of my sink, and what came out thanks to this brush was near barf-worthy. If you are like me and you're ultra lazy, this tool is for you." —Ashley

The possibilities are endless; these drill brushes can tackle pretty much anywhere you have stubborn dirt, except (not surprisingly) fabrics. The set of three comes with a small two-inch circle brush, a larger 4-inch circle brush, and the "original" brush, which is basically shaped like a toilet brush, except with a base that attaches to your drill.

Get a set of three scrub brushes from Amazon for $19.95+ (six bristle-stiffness options available).

Promising review: "I bought this on a whim because my walk-in shower is just a pain to clean. I'm 51 and I guess I've just been old school with how I clean, so hand scrubbing it was for years. The FIRST time I used these to clean my shower it took five minutes AND it scrubbed my shower more clean than it has been in years. In the corners, the floor, the glass door...everything came out squeaky clean. I'm NEVER cleaning my shower by hand again." —Terry

This vac moves between hard floors and low-pile carpets/rugs without a glitch and can pick up all the accumulated dust, dirt, and hair left strewn about your home while you go do literally anything else. The reviewer who took the pic on the right above says that with a goldendoodle in the house, it picks up that much dust and hair EVERY DAY. Omg. 

Promising review: "Best housekeeping hack! I have to empty it almost everyday because it does it's job so well! I call her Mrs. Doubtfire and may purchase a twin to work upstairs as well. Timer was easy to set after reading the directions. Cleaning her out is a regular occurrence. She rarely gets stuck but usually only if the floor is cluttered worth cords or something. She also stops when she's full and needs to be cleaned instead of burning out her own motor which I think is nice. I have two Great Pyrenees and she handles the hair beautifully as well as the mess I track in from the barn." —Amazon Customer

And if you're in the market for a good vacuum of any kind — full-size, stick vacs, robo vacs, and more — check out The Best Vacuums For Tackling Pet Hair Around The House. 

Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.47.

Promising review: "I love this product! It's a game-changer. I have an older dog that is now starting to have accidents. I rent my place, and I was carpet cleaning every other week. Now with this, I don’t have to as much. She went on my new rug, which is white, and I was convinced it was gonna be ruined, but it’s not! The Stomp 'N Go did its job! My rug is perfect and no urine stains or odor. If you have a puppy or older dog, I highly suggest this product." —Sandra E.

Get a pack of five lint rollers on Amazon for $19.99.

Actually getting rid of the dust is THE key to a home that needs less dusting. This one from OXO is very thin so it can squeeze into tight crevices. To clean it you just run it through a gentle cycle in the washer, and air dry.

Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (or one with an extendable handle for $28).

Promising review: "Saves time and energy! It’s a bit too big for small, delicate knickknacks, but it’s terrific for large or textured furniture. A few swipes and a dresser, piano keyboard, or TV is dust-free. Its size is also helpful if you’re on the short side and want to reach the top of a door frame or bookcase, or give blinds a quick dusting. I haven’t washed it yet but the fabric unsnaps from the plastic handle easily. I’m very happy with this purchase and wish I would’ve made it a long time ago!" —Olivia D. A.

The kit includes one Baseboard Buddy and three reusable microfiber pads which you can use either wet or dry. 

Promising review: "Buy it NOW. 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

The tongs idea comes from One Crazy House. Huck towels were originally made for hospitals, but reviewers, including two professional cleaners (here and here), love them for lint-free cleaning. Like all towels, they'll stay more absorbent if you skip the fabric softener in the laundry. 

A pack of 24 microfiber cleaning cloths is $10.35, or a pack of 12 huck towels is $22.99, both on Amazon. 

Two blinds = you could easily make one window's blinds look basically brand new in under 10 minutes. Plus it comes with five microfiber sleeves, which means you can finish all the blinds in your home without stopping to clean it off over and over — you just pop all the covers in the wash when you're done.

Promising review: "A super time saver. It legitimately used to take us hours to clean all the blinds. My wife now does all the faux-wood Venetian blinds in the house in about one hour. It's really nice that it comes with some spare cloths for it, and it's cheap enough to buy a whole additional set so we can make more than one kid do this chore at the same time." —R.D.

Promising review: "These towels are awesome for so many things. They are large and very sturdy, so they work well for household cleaning. The real benefit for me, though, is having a wipe that works for things like the grill, the oven, the dashboard of my car, muddy shoes, chairs and umbrellas that go to soccer games and practices, and lawn furniture. I frequently wipe something down, rinse the towel, and wipe again. The wipes are heavy enough to go through three to four rinses and wipes and still hold up." —COMom

* If You Missed Spring Cleaning, These 33 Products Will Help You Make Summer Cleaning A Thing

* Cleaning Products That Work So Well, I Bet You'll Keep Using Them Forever

* Just 39 Terrifyingly Good Before And Afters Of Cleaning Products Doing The Dang Thing

* Cleaning And Organization Products That’ll Keep You In Your Roommates’ Good Graces

* Products With Downright Shocking Result Photos That’ll Motivate You To Finally Clean Your House

* These 27 Cleaning Products Will Have You Wondering If Magic *Does* Exist

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.