9 Gadgets and Cleaners You’ll Love If You Hate Scrubbing Your Kitchen
Unless you’re Monica Geller (Friends references still hold up, right?), there are probably some things in your kitchen that you simply HATE to clean. Or maybe you hate all the cleaning tasks in general? We get it. It’s more fun to make a Key Lime Pie than it is to clean up the aftermath. That’s why we made this list of cleaning tools and products that seem to have been designed specifically for folks who hate to clean. These finds either make chores way easier and more fun, or they basically do all the work for you.
Put a scrubby brush on the end of a drill brush, and all of a sudden cleaning becomes a LOT more fun. And way easier. Just target a grimy spot and pull the trigger. This kit comes with a few different brushes that are good for all sorts of spots in the kitchen.
If you hate mopping, it’s only because you haven’t used this setup yet. The bucket features a very-fun-to-step on foot pedal and a hands-free wringer. And the mop head is made up of deep-cleaning microfiber strands that pick up all sorts of crumbs, dirt, etc. (Just take it off and pop it in the washing machine between cleanings.) Pull up Spotify and you’ll be done in no time.
A fabric steamer might be the last thing you’d think of when it comes to cleaning the kitchen, but one of our writers added it to her cleaning kit and is totally hooked. She uses hers to steam away grease and grime that builds up on her range hood, cabinet doors, backsplash, and more. Just hold the steamer up, let it do the hard part, and then you only have to wipe away the gunk.
4. Green Gobbler BIO-Flow Drain Strips, $13 for 24
No one likes snaking the drain — even people who really like to clean. Toss one of these sticks down the drain once a month and you won’t have to.
When was the last time you cleaned the top of your refrigerator? This duster can help. It’s got a telescoping handle and the head rotates, so you don’t even have to bother with standing precariously on a chair.
6. Cameo Aluminum & Stainless Steel Cleaner, $6 for 10 ounces
Our gear pro alerted us to this stuff after she discovered that it can get her stainless steel cookware looking like it just came out of the box. It still requires some scrubbing, she says, but far less than other cleaners and for far better results.
7. Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner, $5 for six tablets
Yes, you really do have to clean your dishwasher. There’s a way to clean it by hand (see: How To Clean a Dishwasher), or you could just use these tablets, which do it for you. All you do is throw it in the appropriate slot during a wash cycle once a month or so.
8. Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner, $6 for 24 ounces
Similarly, this stuff will clean your oven for you. Spray it all around your oven, let it work its magic for 40 minutes, and then wipe it away. Oh, and whatever you do, don’t fall victim to your oven’s self-cleaning button.
9. Bottle Bright, $8 for 12
Washing water bottles is almost more annoying than washing a scorched pan. All the tiny pieces! The skinny mouth that’s too small for even your sponge! These tablets will clean all your water bottles while you do, well, anything else.