If Cleaning Your Home Just Feels Better When You’ve Saved Some Coin, Try These 22 Cheap But Effective Products
1. The Pink Stuff, a TikTok-famous cleaning product you can use to restore so many things (both indoors and outdoors) back to practically new condition. It’s so good, you may just be tempted to part ways with every other cleaning product you own.
It shouldn’t be used on plastic or acrylic surfaces, highly polished stainless steel, or hot/warm surfaces. Plus, this is vegan!
Promising review: “Oh my gosh — this stuff is a life-changer! Used it to get my fiberglass shower totally clean. Nothing else would get it done, and this stuff brought my shower back to near-new in one use. We’ve since cleaned a weird, chalky film off our garage door, removed wall markings, and cleaned my storm door. We’ll never be without a jar (or three) of this stuff. Worth every penny.” —Nancy F.
Get it from Amazon for $5.29.
2. Dishwasher cleaning tablets so the machine you rely on to clean the things you use to eat isn’t gunking them up even more. These tablets remove odor-causing residue and help get rid of lime and mineral build-up that naturally occurs inside dishwashers.
The tablet is designed to last throughout the entire wash cycle and is recommended for use about once a month. These are safe to use in stainless steel and plastic tub dishwashers.
Promising review: “After using this product, I am happy to report that my $5 investment saved me over $500. I was ready to replace my dishwasher due to super cloudy glasses, residue, and just not getting clean. Then, I became aware that the water softener was no longer doing its job, so I had the rental company replace it. Dishwasher performance improved somewhat. I decided to do two more loads before deciding to purchase a new one. Then, I saw a product test review for Affresh in a magazine. I was ordering some stuff from Amazon anyway, so I added that to my order. When it came, I tossed one of the tablets into the bottom of the full machine and ran the regular cycle. I did not expect the results I got! My glassware, which I thought was permanently etched and ruined, came out like new. Same with cutlery. The difference is unbelievable. I will use this faithfully on a monthly basis, as recommended. I can even put it on my subscribe and save order, so I will get a new pack every six months. I am amazed!” —Sheila
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $8.99.
3. And while you’re at it, a pack of washing machine cleaning tablets to ensure your clothes are being washed in a machine that’s shiny and clean.
Amazon
Promising review: “My washer was smelling and had grime inside the seal that wouldn’t come off even when I tried to scrub it off, so I used one of these tablets in the wash. It worked like magic. Not only did it clean the washer very well (the water looked so dirty during the cycle), but it also got rid of the smell! I will keep using these as recommended.” —Eca
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $10.99.
4. A shower door cleaner because, believe it or not, once upon a time, you used to actually be able to see through your glass shower door. Cool as it might seem to have frosted doors, it’s actually quite dirty and we think you should give it the clean it deserves.
Promising review: “This product works beautifully. I tried a lot of products to remove the hard water from my glass shower. I have to admit the first time I used it with a cloth, it was not very effective. The second time I used a nonabrasive sponge for glass, it turned out beautiful just like the first day the glass was installed.” —EJP
Get it from Amazon for $11.64.
5. A carpet spot remover spray to clean stains so fast and easy, Stanley Steemer is going to start plugging YOUR phone number in their catchy jingles. It’s good for removing spots and stains from colorfast carpet, rugs, upholstery, and clothing without leaving a sticky residue or needing to rinse or vacuum.
To use, apply to the stain, gently agitate with your fingers, and blot with an absorbent cloth.
Promising review: “I had terrible rust and oil stains all over the seats of my car when I bought it. I tried other cleaners to get it out, but they actually made the stains darker. I took it to the dealership to see if they could get it out, and they flat-out told me no, so I gave up and lived with it for almost five years. I tried this after it was recommended by a friend. I sprayed it on and literally watched the stain run right off my seat. It was amazing! I thought I was going to have to pay hundreds of dollars to replace the seats in my car because nothing else would work. This stuff really is awesome!” —Brittany
Get it from Amazon for $6.65.
6. A toilet tank cleaner that’ll leave that area you never even THINK about cleaning looking good as new. And the best part? You don’t have to scrub. You can thank us later.
Promising review: “I didn’t have much calcium or other hard mineral deposits in my two toilet tanks. But there was a fair amount of slimy sediment. One treatment cleaned up the tanks about 90%. I ordered another bottle of the cleaner and gave each tank a second treatment. The tanks now look like brand new! The important thing is to give the cleaner enough time to work. I put the cleaner in the tanks before I went to bed, so it worked overnight.” —Jack
Get it from Amazon for $7.07.
7. And a pumice cleaning stone to scratch away at those pretty repulsive toilet stains without leaving horrid scratch marks in the bowl.
It removes calcium, lime, and hard-water stains using gentle abrasive action and cleans porcelain fixtures, pool tile, toilet bowls, barbecues, steel, and stone.
Promising review: “I have a 19-year-old bathroom toilet that had accumulated some nasty stains over time, and regular toilet brushes and cleaning products just would not remove them. I decided to try this pumice stone, and it worked like a charm! Given the nature and severity of the stains, it required some elbow grease. But 10 minutes later, I have a new-looking bowl, and I see no signs of scratching.” —Happy Retiree
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
8. A garbage disposal foaming cleaner that’ll tackle built-up grime and those nasty smells you gag at every time you’re near your kitchen sink. It’s truly so…disgusting.
Amazon
Promising review: “It seems counterintuitive to put a little packet down your garbage disposal to clean it, but this does actually seem to work, at least for getting out weird smells that baking soda and vinegar don’t really touch. I scrub the sink down first, especially around the garbage disposal area, rinse it down, and then just follow the directions on the package. I have used it with single, large-size sinks and with double sinks — only difference is that the double sink will have blue cleaning foam rise up the drain, which you rinse away when the disposal sounds clear again. I have tried the foaming cleaner in a can, but unfortunately, it stopped coming out of the can about 10% of the way through. Went back to this tried-and-true.” —KS
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $3.78.
9. A wood polish and conditioner for bringing your precious wooden furniture back to factory condition. Did you just get your house redone by an HGTV crew or are you just super good at picking out cleaning products?
Promising review: “This stuff is absolutely AMAZING. My wife and I were getting tired of looking at our worn-out cabinets and wood paneling and were very close to paying a professional thousands of dollars to refinish it all, but then we came across this product. Our paneling and cabinets were looking rough. We have two dogs that jumped up and scratched places. We also had an area damaged by water spots where our dog bowls were and several other areas that were just worn from heavy traffic. This stuff was like a magic eraser for water spots, scratches, scuffs, and any other blemish. We simply wiped the product on with a paper towel and let it sit for 20 minutes before wiping it off with a clean towel. Everything looks brand new. I’m buying a couple more so we can finish our cabinets and wood paneling. We’re so glad we found this product.” —Kris
Get it from Amazon for $9.98.
10. A fabric defuzzer you can just glide over an area of furniture that’s covered in unwanted fuzzies.
Check out our Conair fabric defuzzer write-up! The battery-operated model requires two AA batteries that aren’t included, but you can buy some right here!
Promising review: “I don’t normally rave about things like this. I bought this on a whim in a last attempt to save my favorite duvet cover. The pills had gotten to the point where it was seriously uncomfortable to sleep, with them getting all up in my leg space. I thought I was going to have to get a new duvet cover entirely. Along came this lil’ baby. Not only is my duvet cover basically brand new, but I have found a new hobby. I’m depilling everything. Sweatshirts, leggings, blankets, socks, anything that looks like it needs some love. It does the job quickly and leaves everything looking fresh. Hi, I’m obsessed. I can’t stop. I should send this back. I’ve started asking if my neighbors need anything depilled. I’m going to buy one of these for everyone in my life. Everyone needs to own this. Take it away from me.” —Sydney Selmer
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in six colors and two styles).
11. A cooktop cleaning kit because look: You’re using the thing to make your meals, so naturally, it’s going to get dirty. Sometimes things fall out of the pot, sometimes things splatter from the pan, and sometimes burns on your ceramic surface happen because you’re too busy dancing to the Jonas Brothers and forgot about your pasta…not speaking from personal experience here!
Comes with a 10-ounce bottle of cooktop cleaner, a cleaning pad, a grip pad tool, and a scraper. It helps to clean grease and stains and remove burnt and baked-on deposits.
Promising review: “As soon as I used this stuff, I couldn’t believe it! We had a new stove that I hadn’t cleaned for months, and I assumed the burnt pea juice (my enemy) would just be a new stain forever. However, after one application, it was basically gone. I used the scraper that came with it and did one more small application on just that spot, and it was gone! Every time I use this, it looks like my stove could be brand new.” —Christi
Get it from Amazon for $11.48.
12. And an oven cleaning spray so the next time you open the oven door and pop in dinner, you’re not tempted to puke all over it because of the yucky buildup you’ve let your oven accumulate.
It is good for use on ovens, broilers, and barbecue grills. Spot cleaning only takes about five minutes.
Promising review: “Fantastic product!! Wish I knew about it sooner. I also wish I had taken before and after photos because it is that amazing. Just be careful to protect the heating elements before spraying it. I forgot, so it smelled a bit when I used the oven the first time after cleaning it. The smell didn’t last long, though.” —Ivana K.
Get it from Amazon for $8.98.
13. A time-saving blind cleaner tool for getting dust and other gross particles off a spot you may normally forget to clean, multiple slats at once!
Comes with five microfiber cloths that pick up dust easier and faster. The sleeves can be washed and reused.
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 anymore! 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.
14. Bar Keepers Friend soft cleanser to help you get a bunch of surfaces and objects in your home looking as good, if not better, than the day you purchased them.
Promising review: “We have had a pretty resilient green hard water stain on our bathroom sink for years and have tried a number of products to remove it to no avail. I found this, saw the strong reviews, and figured, Why not? Let’s give it a try. I just got it today, and in less than five minutes and only one application, our formerly stained bathroom sink looks as good as new. Anyway, based on my initial use of this product, I give it a very strong two thumbs up!” —“c2hopper”
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $14.
15. Melamine cleaning sponges — extra thick but gentle sponges ready to tackle all sorts of surfaces in and around your home. They’re described as “magic” for a reason.
All you gotta do is wet and swipe!
Promising review: “I own a cleaning business and have spent a small fortune on the name brand. I clean everything from condo rentals to long-term lease/residential rentals, and I have had to clean unimaginable NASTY, I mean ‘pics or it didn’t happen’ kind of nasty, and these cut right through it. They work just as well as the name brand, if not better, and they seem to last a little longer!” —Keisha Marie
Check out BuzzFeed’s STK cleaning pads review for more deets (and incredible before and after photos).
Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $12.56.
16. A rust stain remover spray you can think of as fairy pixie dust in a bottle. That rust stain that’s been living rent-free on your shower wall since you moved in? The one you always have to cover with a shower curtain? Yeah, time to say goodbye to it for good.
It comes in an easy-to-use trigger spray and is ideal for cleaning bathtubs, showers, toilets, colorfast fabrics, vertical surfaces, and hard-to-reach spots. Plus, it’s non-abrasive and made with a non-hydrofluoric acid-based formula, which is safer than other similar liquid rust stain removers.
Promising review: “Holy wizardry! Seriously, it was more work to clean the mirror over the vanity than to use this product. With almost no effort, this made my dark orange, iron-water shower stall white again. I definitely suggest wearing a mask or bandana and running the ventilation fan if spraying in an enclosed area. Great product!” —Jessica B
Get it from Amazon for $11.33.
17. A watermark remover cloth that’ll get rid of those annoying ring-shaped stains on your furniture. You warned your family to use a coaster, but, of course, they didn’t listen!
Cloth is reusable and can be used to remove marks on wood caused by water, alcohol, and heat. It can also be used to polish metal and chrome.
Promising review: “I must admit I ordered this as a last hope. I had a mark on my bedside table that I tried various things to remove but was totally unsuccessful. I tried this today, and there is NO sign of the mark. It is like new again. I was thrilled with the result and highly recommend it to anyone, but I would suggest you try it first to save yourself grief! It is inexpensive in the first place, but to know I can reuse it if necessary on another mark (hopefully that doesn’t occur, but life happens) makes it an even better value.” —Kritik
Get it from Amazon for $5.65.
18. A dryer vent cleaning kit because, be honest, when’s the last time you checked and cleaned out all the lint accumulating in your machine? Don’t worry; we’re not here to judge. We’re just here recommending that you buy this kit so your dryer can run more efficiently.
Promising review: “Work perfectly for scrubbing the stuck lint out of the insides of your dryer. Everyone who owns a dryer should have these; they’re basic safety equipment. Clean that lint, reduce fire hazards, and make the machine more efficient. They’re long enough, strong enough, and just flexible enough without being too flexible.” —Winged Wolf
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $7.99.
19. A mold and mildew removal gel for making your bathroom surfaces look brand new. Mold and mildew are bound to happen, there’s no need to fret!
Promising review: “Wow! I would give this 10 stars if I could. We’ve had issues for a few years with the caulking behind the handle of our kitchen faucet turning black from mildew. We’ve scrubbed with what seems like a million different products with no luck. We were actually just talking about ripping out the caulking and doing a total replacement. But my husband saw this online the other day and decided to order it. Almost immediately when he applied it, you could see it was starting to work. We left it on overnight, and the black is COMPLETELY GONE! It’s incredible. It’s 1,000% worth the (small) investment. Seriously — just buy this. It’s amazing!!” —Nicole D.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
20. A grout pen to get your floors shining like the top of the Chrysler building in no time at all. Did you hire a fancy schmancy service to clean your tiles? Nope, you used a PEN to cover it all up.
Pen is ideal for use on floors and walls!
Promising review: “I was pleasantly surprised by how far these went. I did the entire floor of my bathroom and a little of the shower with one pen. It is pretty forgiving, and you have quite a bit of working time before it dries completely. This was not a quick task, but it went faster than I thought it would. I was worried the white would look too bright, but it just makes everything look so much cleaner. I’m very happy with this product!” —Jenelle
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two sizes and other colors).
21. A bottle of Goo Gone adhesive remover for making sticky things get…unstuck. I can personally attest to how amazing this stuff is. I once got gum stuck on my jacket (GROSS, I KNOW), but this stuff removed it so effortlessly, I was like, “What gum?”
Promising review: “This stuff is amazing. So far, I have used it to remove heavy adhesive from a tile floor where we had previously had a cover for a wire running across the area. I applied Goo Gone, scraped the majority of the adhesive and fibers off, and then wiped off the remaining residue with a paper towel. I also used it to clean grease off of wood veneer cabinets using a paper towel, and it was so effortless! We have a microwave above the stove, and I also used Goo Gone to clean grease from the exhaust vents, which was so much easier than ever before.” —Cass
Get it from Amazon for $7.55.
22. An Angry Mama microwave cleaner to get mad at you like a mother would because how in the heck did you let your microwave get to this point? But hey, she’s a mama, and in the end, she’s gonna clean up the mess you made because she loves you too much to let you do it all on your own.
Promising review: “This little device is great. Super simple. Fill it to the lines with vinegar and water, nuke for seven minutes, let sit for two minutes, then wipe clean. My embarrassingly super gross microwave was wiped completely clean with a couple of paper towels. Highly recommend.” —UglyPetty
Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in four colors).
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.
