My Essential, Must-Have Cleaning Products and Tools
Since writing about the shower cleaning hack I learned from TikTok, I have been inspired to share even MORE cleaning tricks and dodads that I love. They’re not necessarily from TikTok, but they are things I will evangelize about to anyone who will give me the chance.
Mr Clean Magic Eraser Sheets
I love a Magic Eraser, so when I saw they came in super-thin sheets, I had to try them. I cut the regular Magic Erasers into smaller erasers anyway, so a smaller, more malleable version appealed to me. They’re just as awesome as you’d imagine, but my absolute favorite use for them is on my kitchen appliance handles. There’s nothing like reaching for the fridge handle and feeling something… crusty. I don’t care if I know it’s from me grabbing an egg while I was baking, it’s GROSS. A few times a week I take a Magic Eraser Sheet and run it along all the handles (fridge, oven, dishwasher, microwave), my kitchen faucet, and then any spots on my kitchen cabinets. I do always end up accidentally ripping the sheet, but I think that’s more an issue with me rather than an issue with the product. And just a teensy reminder: Magic Erasers, and any Magic Eraser-like product, is essentially really really fine grit sandpaper. I would not (and you should not) use a Magic Eraser on anything precious, including YOUR BODY (I’ve seen Magic Erasers recommended for everything from self-tanner mistakes to teeth whitening and PLEASE DO NOT).
Scrub Daddy Power Paste
I bought this because I saw a TikTok admonishing use of specialized glass cooktop cleaners. As someone with a glass cooktop, who used this cleaner, I felt called out. But I had to admit, that cooktop cleaner does leave streaks on my stovetop and sometimes it looks baaaad. Someone in the comments recommended Scrub Daddy Power Paste, so the next time I was at Target I got a tub. It comes with a Scrub Mommy (a Scrub Daddy with a soft side) which is very convenient. I’ve used the paste with other tools, but it really does work best with a Scrub Parent. First I used it on my stovetop. Truly that surface has never looked better. Then I used it on my kitchen sink. Again, I was impressed with the results (I usually clean my sink with Soft Scrub, Power Paste is better). THEN, just last Friday, I used Power Paste on my glass shower door. It looked good, I didn’t think much of it. But when I came into the bathroom that night to take a shower, I was shocked at how sparkly clean my shower glass looked. I was so impressed I took a photo:
I MEAN.
Part of the sparkly shower magic is from the Power Paste, and part is because I followed up with…
Left, from Costco, Right, from Target
Sprayway Glass Cleaner
I’ve written before about Sprayway Glass Cleaner. It is truly the best and only thing to use on glass, mirrors, anything you would use some WIndex on. Except once you try Sprayway you will NEVER go back to Windex. I get mine at Costco in a multipack, but it’s available all over. Just look past the pretenders to the glass cleaner throne and you’ll find it.
@thephoebs Day 4 of daily dawn power washing cleaning - OFF LABEL use. ✨If it is safe for dishes that I eat off of… it’s safe for other things in my house IMO✨
♬ original sound - thephoebs
Dawn Power Wash
I love Dawn Power Wash, but it wasn’t until my dishwasher broke a few weeks ago that I actually used it for dishes. I think that’s a great endorsement for Power Wash’s myriad uses: I worked my way through multiple bottles before ever using it on dishes. I used it to clean my incredibly stained oven door. I used it to spot treat some weird stains on a dog bed. I used it to clean my shower, before the aforementioned brush hack. Dawn Power Wash is that girl. She can do it all. (Again, a reminder: This is soap, so you do need to wash it off whatever you put it on)
Rubbermaid Power Scrubber
Another one of my favorite things I’ve already told you about. This little brush is essential. I recently used my Rubbermaid Power Scrubber with Power Paste to detail some parts of my shower and OOOOH they work so well together! The only bad thing I have to say about the Power Scrubber is that you can’t easily get replacement brush heads (I mention this in my original post from years ago. Still true now). The handle on mine is going strong and works great, I don’t want to buy a whole new brush when I just need a brush head! Rubbermaid, hear my plea!
