Despite all of the ways to get your bathroom, kitchen and living room clean in a hurry, cleaning is still something we avoid in favor of binge-watching Netflix, playing video games or doing literally anything else.
But armed with the right tools, cleaning can be painless and almost, dare I say, fun.
These are the cleaning tools that make us actually want to clean.
These durable but gentle sponges
Jet-Scrubz
These tough-looking black sponges hold up to a lot of dishwashing abuse and promise not to scratch your dishes.
One CNET editor said that these sponges make her actually want to do the dishes — high praise indeed.
Jetz-Scrubz Scrubber Sponge, pack of three
A dish scrubber that looks like spaghetti
Goodbye Detergent
For stuck-on food, this versatile scrubber made from peach pits is perfect. It’s a long strip of sandpaper-like material that you can bunch up to scrub and then stretch out to wash and dry. I’ve owned several and loved them.
Goodbye Detergent All Purpose Spaghetti Scrubber
Scrapers to clean food from your dishes before the dishwasher
Pampered Chef
You already know that you should be scraping — not rinsing — your dishes before they go into the dishwasher, right? These small scrapers are built for just that.
Bonus: They’re also good for getting rid of bits of stuck-on food from your pots, cast iron pans and stove top.
Pampered Chef Nylon Pan Scrapers, pack of three
Dishwasher cleaning tablets for when it gets gunky
Affresh
The appliance that cleans your dishes needs cleaning too. Every so often run an empty cycle with one of the tablets in the detergent chamber to remove all the limescale, rust, grease and other gunk that can accumulate.
Plus a garbage disposal cleaner too
Glisten
Garbage disposals do the hard work of breaking up food pieces and, over time, leftover bits of food can cause a nasty smell.
This foaming cleanser disinfects your disposal and drain, including that black splash guard that can get really gross.
Glisten Disposer Care Garbage Disposer Cleaner, pack of eight
A rubber broom that works on any surface
Evriholder
Sweeping the floor should be a daily task, especially if you have pets. If you’re annoyed that most brooms bend and get gunky, it’s time to try a rubber broom. The flexible bristles pick up pretty much everything on your floor, plus it has a squeegee to wipe up spills.
Oh, and you can use it to get pet hair out of your carpet or rugs.
These multipurpose cleaning brushes
Oxo
If you have a blender, juicer, food processor, coffee grinder or pretty much any other kitchen appliance, you know they can be a pain to clean. This set of cleaning brushes is designed to get into the nooks and crannies of pretty much any appliance you own.
You can also use them for general cleaning in the bathroom or kitchen.
OXO Good Grips Kitchen Appliance Cleaning Set
A scrub brush that does the work for you
Drill Brush
When you don’t want to use elbow grease to get your shower clean, these brushes are the answer. They attach to a cordless drill (not included) to use its power to scrub anywhere in your house. Cleaning the bathroom has never been faster.
Drillbrush Power Scrubber Cleaning Kit
The all-mighty Magic Eraser
Proctor & Gamble
I doubt I have to convince you of the merits of the Magic Eraser. But in case you’ve never used them, these foam sponges clean away kitchen grime, soap scum, marks on your walls and dirt from pretty much anywhere in your house, all with a little water.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, set of eight
All-purpose cleaning cloths that make everything sparkle
3M
I’ve used many different microfiber cloths, but this one is my favorite because it’s durable and doesn’t leave streaks behind.
You can use it to wipe down counters, sop up spills, but cleaning mirrors and glass is where is really shines.
Scotch-Brite Microfiber 3-in-1 Cloth
Fizzy tablets that clean your water bottle
HydraPak
I am guilty of using disposable cup after disposable cup for water at the office because I hate cleaning my water bottle. These tablets are here to change that.
Plop one in your water bottle, add water and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes and you’ll have a clean bottle without any scrubbing.
Bottle Bright Tablets, pack of 12