Make Your Home Sparkle With Our 2025 Smart Cleaning Award Winners

The REAL SIMPLE editors spend a good percentage of our working hours sharing the best ways to get stains out of clothing, banish soap scum, and chisel sticky substances off surfaces. So we have strong opinions about cleaning products. And here they are! Introducing our favorite products that won in a clean sweep.

Bubbliest Bathroom Attendant: Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Grime Fighter

Bathrooms can get pretty gross. (Understatement much?) Social media editor Samantha Saunion turns to this disinfectant to conquer her toilets, sinks, tub, and floors. “I’m a self-proclaimed lazy cleaner, so I love that it does all the hard work for me,” she says. Spray. Let sit. Wipe. Done.

To buy: $4; walmart.com

A Win for Your Skin: All Free Clear Laundry Detergent

Beauty director Heather Muir Maffei swears by this detergent because of how gentle it is. “I have a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old, plus I have reactive skin, which is incredibly sensitive,” she says. “This fragrance-free formula is recommended by derms and actually gets clothes clean without damaging them.”

To buy: $12; target.com

A Streak-Free Formula That Really Brightens a Room: Windex Vinegar Glass Cleaner

It’s amazing what a difference clean windows can make. This stuff forgoes a lot of the typical chemicals but still leaves a streak-free shine that managing editor Tara Cox is always impressed with. “It has all the glass-cleaning power of vinegar but isn’t stinky like straight vinegar,” she says.

To buy: $4; amazon.com

An Easy Way to Keep the Flu From Spreading: Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

Some heroes come in canisters! “These are great to have on hand because they can disinfect doorknobs, light switches, counters, and other nonporous surfaces,” associate editorial director Katie Holdefehr says. Clean first, disinfect second.

To buy: $6; walmart.com

The Spray That Makes Lasagna Night Even Better: Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray

Scrubbing a casserole dish was once a dreaded task requiring lots of muscle. Until Dawn Powerwash! With a few spritzes, food melts off. “I use it on everything—my counters, stove, fridge shelves. I don’t know how I survived without it,” features editor Melissa Matthews says.

To buy: $6; target.com

The Most Likely to Succeed and Best Smelling: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner

Associate editor Ria Bhagwat will tell you that this all-purpose spray lives up to its name. “It deep-cleans everything in one shot—I’m talking tables, bathtubs, sinks, and counters,” she says. Plus, the lemon verbena scent is pretty darn irresistible.

To buy: $5; mrsmeyers.com

The Sponge That’ll Make You Feel Like Houdini: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Is it really magic? Sure feels that way! The Magic Eraser can do dozens of things, like refresh white sneakers, clean shower scum, and remove scuff marks. A note of caution from editorial assistant Abby Fribush: “It’s so satisfying, once I start scrubbing, I end up looking around for more things to erase.”

To buy: $5; target.com

An Antidote for Smelly Gym Clothes: Downy Rinse & Refresh Fabric Rinse

Associate home director Leslie Corona is a pro at cleaning and working up a sweat on long runs. “I’ve tested a zillion products, and this fabric rinse is the only thing I’ve found that eliminates bad odors,” she says. The low-pH formula helps break down the stink and leaves clothes with a light, clean aroma.

To buy: $12; amazon.com

The Spray That Breaks the Mold: RMR Solutions RMR-86 Instant Mold & Mildew Stain Remover

Mold in your bathroom is a real buzzkill, but photo editor L.J. Whritenour says it’s no match for this stuff: “Spray it onto the mold and watch it disappear.” The bleach-based formula admittedly smells a little strong, so remember to ventilate for safety’s sake!

To buy: $10; rmrsolutions.com

An Old-School Winner: Murphy Concentrated Wood Cleaner

This cleaner has earned love from generations, thanks to its 98% natural ingredients and ability to make wood floors, cabinets, and furniture shine. Contributing senior research editor Maya Kukes raves, “It leaves my house looking deep-cleaned, but without a bunch of harsh chemicals.”

To buy: $4; walmart.com

A Sink Saver Our Food Director Swears By: Bon Ami Scratch-Free Powder Cleanser

Food director Jenna Helwig, who puts her kitchen and dishes through the wringer, says this powder “cleans to a sparkle.” The nontoxic wonder features feldspar, an abrasive mineral that can polish without scratching.

To buy: $3; grove.co

A Sauce Stain’s Worst Nightmare: OxiClean May Force Spray

“This is my go-to for cleaning the many hot sauce stains off my son’s sweatshirts,” creative director Phoebe Flynn Rich says. She sprays it on, lets it sit for five minutes (or up to a week if she’s busy!), then throws the item into the wash. It works wonders on any washable fabric (whites and colors) and on grass, ink, and more.

To buy: $5; walmart.com

The Cleaner That’s Also a Degreaser: Krud Kutter Degreaser & Stain Remover

Could there be a more aptly named product? This non-toxic miracle spray can, well, cut crud from anywhere inside or outside your house. (Use it on your driveway!) Home editor Morgan Noll has this to say: “I’ve sprayed it on some impressively crusty grease spots on my stove, and it’s made them completely disappear.”

To buy: $8; amazon.com

A Shining Example For Appliances: Weiman Stainless Steel Wipes

Stainless-steel appliances: chic. Stainless-steel appliances covered in fingerprints: considerably less so. “These magical wipes not only clean the streaks and fingerprints from my appliances, but I find myself actually enjoying the process of polishing surfaces from dull to shiny,” Phoebe says. Of course, it doesn’t take too long.

To buy: $9; weiman.com

The Best Invention In the Last 25 Years: Swiffer WetJet Mop Starter Kit

Remember life before this mop-broom hybrid? Neither do we. “It’s a low-effort alternative to hauling out a stinky mop and sloshy bucket and great for getting floors looking and smelling good,” senior home editor Hannah Baker says.

To buy: $28; lowes.com

Brushes With Greatness: Oxo Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set

“Like toothbrushes but with stronger bristles, these get into crevices around faucets and fixtures,” Maya says. She uses them to hit the tricky spots a sponge can’t reach. Best of all, they’ve never been in anyone’s mouth.

To buy: $9; oxo.com

President of the Clean Plate Club: Cascade Platinum ActionPacs

Do not prerinse your dishes. We repeat: Do not. Just scrape them and load them into your dishwasher with one of these sodium-carbonate-filled pods. The pods can get all that gunky mac and cheese and meatloaf off your dishes while you save a ton of water. Tara says they’re a clear winner: “Some other pods leave a film on glassware, but these make them look like crystal.”

To buy: $21; amazon.com

Sponges That Won’t Skeeve You Out: Scotch-Brite Zero Scratch Scrub Sponges

These blue guys are made with recycled plastic, and their scrubby side can grab grossness without doing damage. “They power through grime in bathtubs, crud on stoves, stains on pots and pans—anything,” designer Natalie Guisinger says. While they still need to be replaced often, they tend not to get as grody as other sponges.

To buy: $3; target.com

The Germ Terminator: Clorox Bleach

People are often wary of bleach, but there’s a time and place for it (ask an infectious disease specialist). Namely, your bathroom or anywhere you’d want to kill household germs. That’s when Morgan turns to the classic disinfectant. “It helps me rest easy, knowing my bathroom is truly clean,” she says.

To buy: $6; walmart.com

A Pantry Staple With Loads of Bonus Uses: Heinz Distilled White Vinegar

We suggest you move this bottle from your kitchen to your cleaning closet—or get a second bottle! It does a little of everything, including cleaning faucets, microwaves, and shower-heads. Design director Deanna Lowe has her own agenda for it: “I keep it premixed with a 1-to-1 ratio of water in a spray bottle for mirrors and windows.”

To buy: $5; walmart.com

The TikTok-Famous Product That Actually Works: The Pink Stuff Cleaning Paste

If you’ve spent any amount of time on CleanTok, you’ve likely seen people whip out this mildly abrasive pink paste and use it to conquer grout, grills, and glass. Executive editor Lisa Freedman says it’s a wonder in the kitchen as well. “It’s the most effective thing I’ve ever used on the inside of my oven door,” she raves.

To buy: $6; amazon.com

Your Cleaning Caddy’s MVP: Bar Keeper’s Friend

This was our most nominated cleaner, and it’s easy to see why. The powder can gently remove rust, scuff marks, and about a bajillion other things from counters, toilets, and more. Copy and research chief Jenny Brown says it’s a major time-saver too. “I use it when I have a cruddy stainless-steel pan and don’t want to spend the day scrubbing.”

To buy: $2; walmart.com

A Dish Soap That Does It All: Dawn Original Dish Soap

If you’re a regular reader of REAL SIMPLE, you’ve probably noticed that Dawn Original Dish Soap is a mainstay in our Clean This column. That’s because the blue goo can do so many things so well. (Yes, wildlife rescuers even use it to clean duckies after an oil spill!) Lauren counts herself as one of its biggest fans. “It’s great for pans, but try a little dab with water on clothing stains, or rub a bit on your eyeglasses under the faucet,” she suggests.

To buy: $3; walmart.com

A Laundry Detergent That Passes the Smell Test: Tide Free & Gentle Laundry Detergent

Katie is sensitive (scent-sitive?) to fragrance. “I appreciate that this is scent-free,” she says. Like Heather’s favorite detergent, it can also be good for reactive skin.

To buy: $16; target.com

The Tool That Feels More Like a Toy: Casabella Power Spin Scrubber

Perhaps you saw editor in chief Lauren Iannotti joyfully use a rechargeable cordless scrubber on TV. If not, Hannah has her own glowing review: “This set totally alleviated my dread of scrubbing my tiles, because it cleans the heck out of the grout and tiles without much time or elbow grease.”

To buy: $50; target.com

Super (Toilet) Bowl Champion: Clorox Foaming Toilet Bomb

No part of getting on your hands and knees and scrubbing the inside of a toilet sounds like fun. Leslie promises that these make life a lot better. “Toss one in, wait a few minutes, then give the bowl a quick swipe,” she says. “They smell incredibly clean too, so they’re a smart way to freshen up your bathroom before guests arrive.”

To buy: $5; walmart.com

A Top Mop That Puts Others to Shame: O-Cedar EasyWring RinseClean Spin Mop System

While the Swiffer is great and all, sometimes mopping really is the way to go. Luckily, this one eliminates one of the worst things about the chore. “The bucket has two separate water tanks, so you never have to mop with dirty water,” Lisa says. “And the dirty side has a very effective built-in spinner.”

To buy: $50; target.com

A Cleaner for Your Cleaner: Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner

Yes, you have to clean the things that clean other things, Lauren says. “Degunking your dishwasher filter can only get you so far, as you know if your machine ever smells like wet dog.” Between deep cleans (and sometimes in place of them), she drops in a tablet and lets it get to work on limescale and mineral buildup.

To buy: $9; amazon.com