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Feb 29, 2024

31 Lazy Cleaning Shortcuts You'll Wish You'd Known About Sooner

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Stop missing out, because doing it the hard way's overrated.

BuzzFeed Staff

This also works with water + vinegar, or honestly just plain water. And of course you can wipe off with a sponge instead. I've been doing this for years, and have yet to find a gross microwave where this doesn't work wonders. Read my full review or watch the Nifty video.

I mean, you're still washing dishes and there's no real shortcut for that, but seeing what it did in the above during and after, I don't think that you'll find much that anything requires too much scrubbing when you soak it in this for a second.

In fact, Elizabeth Lilly, an editor here at BuzzFeed, swears by this stuff! She says: "I live without a dishwasher, and I honestly use that as an excuse to order takeout. But, as soon as I got my hands on a bottle of this stuff (regular Dawn is my go-to dish soap, BTW), I put it to use on both a saucepan I used to make homemade enchilada sauce *and* the casserole dish I baked those enchiladas, which had a ton of caked-on food. It really does work like I say it does! Like, scary well."

Get four bottles from Amazon for $17.50.

From This Old House and Simplify 101.

Instead, you just toss the dirty liner in with that week's towels. You could also totally cut cheap placemats to fit! These just might make it a little easier: They come in a convenient 12"x24" size, so they'll probably fit on your main shelves, and all you have to customize = the liners for the door shelves. Oh, and they're machine washable!

Get a set of six from Amazon for $15.50 (available in 28 colors and designs).

Promising review: "I love these because I hate cleaning the refrigerator shelves. These have been a lifesaver. If they do get dirty or spills happen, I throw them in washing machine and hang to dry. Highly recommend." —keywestlvr

You can use it up to once a week or so; basically it cleans all the built-up coffee residue and oils from the brew chamber and the pour spout, which will keep your coffee tasting more like it's supposed to (especially if you switch between different coffees on a regular basis). It's also good to use right before a tea or hot chocolate K-Cup so you don't have any coffee flavor contaminating it.

Note that you'll still have to occasionally do the vinegar descaling process — these don't touch the water chamber or the other inner parts that get the mineral buildup from water — but you can use this along with that for for a truly deep clean.

Get a pack of five from Amazon for $10.74.

Promising review: "Tried this as soon as I got it. Did the job, easy peasy. I am pleasantly surprised at how much 'cleaner' my coffee tastes now. Who knew! It recommends rinsing twice, but I did three times just to be sure. Great product!" —TRyder

Not that I advocate replacing these every time they get dirty, they're def washable. But I think there could be particularly grimy, stuck-on occasions that would be justified.

Get an 8-pack from Amazon for $10.99 (available in up to nine colors and three sizes).

Promising review: "These little covers are just fantastic! Easy to cut and form to the burners I need, super easy to wipe off or quick rinse if need be. They WILL burn if too close to the flame but it doesn't burn beyond what is touching the flame. I bought them because my guy, though a FANTASTIC cook and baker, is just a tad messy on the stove top, lol. This has helped me keep the stove top much cleaner. I have reused the original four of these for a year and finally just tossed the two most used/dirtied and replaced them. These are just amazing and very durable!" —AngsChaos

Get a box of 12 tablets on Amazon for $8.

Promising review: "I found these in a BuzzFeed article and figured eh, why not. I dropped in two tablets and let it sit for two hours. I dumped it out expecting to scrub a little, but nope. It took out EVERY. SINGLE. STAIN. Like it was nothing. It looks like a brand-new coffee pot, and now I'm annoyed that I've spent so much time and effort trying to get this stupid pot clean. It also leaves no smell behind whatsoever, so nothing to make your coffee taste weird." —Kindle Customer

They're made with 100% soy wax and an odor neutralizer and will stop your house from smelling like wet dog or cat litter, no cleaning required. Phew!

Get one on Amazon for $22.99+ (available in 48 scents).

Promising review: "Takes away odor, doesn't just cover it up!! I have an old house with four dogs and these candles are what I should have been buying all along!!!! They really work!!!!" —3Dstylez.scott

From One Crazy House.

For more, check out 16 Ways To Use Your Dishwasher To Clean Almost Everything You Own.

If cross-contamination has you concerned, this will cover you! It also helps dissolve any hard water buildup.

Get six tablets for $8.99 on Amazon.

Promising review: "Yes, you can clean your dishwasher without utilizing a pre-packaged cleaner. Call me lazy. This was simple to use, smelled good, and I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the dishwasher after the recommended cleaning cycle. This product actually did what it advertises that it will do! Great results, fairly economical — and by the way — it works!" —Southern Charm

Get a pack of six on Amazon for $10.98.

Promising review: "I didn't understand why I couldn't just run bleach in my machine until I actually ran one of these. The key is that the tablet doesn't dissolve right away. So as the washer runs through several repeated cycles of fill, agitate, and drain, the tablet is still there, sudsing up the water on cycle #2 and #3. If you just put bleach in the soap dispenser, it would all be gone after cycle #1. This gets very sudsy and that probably helps it reach areas of the machine that wouldn't otherwise get touched." —aberson

From Lemons, Lavender, and Laundry.

Get it from Amazon for $5.97.

Promising review: "Found this product on TikTok. I don’t think I’ve ever seen value like I do this product! Literally use it on EVERYTHING!! Kids and teens have dirt, grime, and grease on their walls? ...This will make it look like a new paint job. Baseboards need some love? A pea-size amount of this makes them look brand new. Need a shoe cleaner? PERFECT for sneakers. I could name a million more uses, but I can ASSURE you this is worth every penny. What’s more? You need such LITTLE of this product, it will last a VERY long time. Thank you, TikTok!!!" —Rachel in CLT

Note that if you're disposal's clogged, though, this definitely won't take care of the problem. For that, you'll probably need to call a plumber.

Get a pack of eight on Amazon for $10.85.

Promising review: "I had noticed my disposal had a bad smell to it, but my the landlord doesn’t do a great job at coming to look at things. I got this to clean it and hopefully help with the smell. I’ve been using it once a week, and I have noticed that the smell is gone and the disposal just sounds happier when being used. These are VERY simple to use. Take a packet (DO NOT open it) and put in sink after having warm water running for about a minute. Turn on the disposal. Run until the blue foam goes away. Perfection!" —L. Johnson

It's the perfect excuse to stay in the warm steam just a little big longer! Just don't forget to rinse well afterward. From Smart School House.

Get a dishwand from Amazon for $3.19, and a pack of two refills for $3.69.

This daily shower cleaner prevents *and* helps clean buildup of all kinds of nasties, including the dreaded soap scum and limescale, with no need to scrub — simply rinse the next day, right before you shower again. Get enough to last 12 weeks from Amazon for $20.98.

Promising review: "Does a FANTASTIC job if used regularly. I love this product. I hate cleaning tubs. This product has made our tubs look new. I don't use it every shower...maybe every third. Just spray down everything after the shower, and forget about it. You DO need to rinse tub before the next shower due to product making it slick. The fumes of other cleaners always messed with my asthma. I have noticed that for some reason with this one, I sneeze twice, because I have to spray shower doors while I'm still in the shower...but it never affects my lungs. I would recommend this to EVERYONE!" —Angela GIllaird

It'll also remove any rust stains from color-safe fabrics, among many other surfaces. (Some reviewers use it with a Magic Eraser, for extra oomph).

Get two bottles from Amazon for $16.17.

Promising review: "I’m new to the iron issue so I have been looking forever for something to clean up the nasty rust color of all my sinks/tubs/toilets. It’s like a magic act…you spray and the rust disappears! Awesome. Will definitely be buying again!" —Tara Utsman

This fits over pretty much any drain, whether it pops up, sinks in, or is flat and flush with the rest of the tub. It's made of silicone, which means even if it gets a little mildewy you'll be able to easily wipe the gross stuff off. The weighted top holds it in place, and your hair stays trapped while the water flows through.

Get one on Amazon for $11.99.

Promising review: "I put this over my tub drain to block my hair from clogging the pipes when I wash my hair in the shower. I love the silicone feel and it really works well in blocking the drain. It's super easy to clean and really does the trick. It's one of the best inventions since sliced bread, lol!" —Nema Llirehc

I do exactly this about every six months or so, and it works every single time! See my full shower hack review.

All you have to do is re-stamp as needed. If you can't imagine not using your toilet brush, you can use the small remaining bit of gel to scrub down the bowl before applying more. I used this in college and can personally attest it really does work!

Get enough to keep your toilet clean for up to 10 weeks for $4.67 on Amazon.

Promising review: "My favorite thing for lazy weeks when it comes to cleaning. It lasts a while and is easy to use. I may never go back to using traditional bleaching and cleaning maintenance after this!! My favorite bathroom hack." —Bea

You do have to let it sit for 4–5 hours (or even overnight), but the results, as proven by the review photos like the one here, are worth it. The gel formula lets it stick and stay exactly where you put it down, which is why it works better than just spraying with regular bleach: The bleach stays right on the mold stain until it's gone, without drying up or running off. My best friend bought some of this from one of my posts and said it worked exactly the way I said it did — and when I saw her shower, all the grout and caulking were perfectly white!

Get one tube from Amazon for $14.99, two tubes for $26.99 ($13.45/bottle), or three tubes for $36.99 ($12.33/bottle).

Promising review: "I had some black grout in my shower, but I'm too lazy to scrub anything. Put this on, left overnight, and rinsed off for all perfectly clean-looking grout! One bottle was not enough for the full shower, but I only was doing a few specific spots. If you're doing your full shower I would recommend getting 3 bottles." —LR

I've had one of these since 2017 and pull it out pretty much anytime I have a tough scrubbing task! My grout, corners of my shower, edges around my faucets, and all kinds of other small spots get impecabbly clean in no time, using just this brush and a little diluted soap. And it's handy to pull out anytime I have a particularly stubborn, stuck-on mess, like on my stove! Read my full Rubbermaid Power Scrubber review for more.

Get it from Amazon for $17.38.

Promising review: "I'm going to be honest, y'all — I suck at housekeeping. I am one of the laziest people I know when it comes to keeping a clean house. So this little battery operated scrubber is SO. HELPFUL. I used it to clean my bathroom counter and this tool got off several years of caked on dust and hair. I was even able to clean under the rim of my sink, and what came out thanks to this brush was near barf-worthy. If you are like me and you're ultra lazy, this tool is for you." —Ashley

The possibilities are endless; these drill brushes can tackle pretty much anywhere you have stubborn dirt, except maybe fabrics (naturally). The set of three comes with a small two-inch circle brush, a larger 4-inch circle brush, and the "original" brush, which is tbh basically shaped like a toilet brush, except with a base that attaches to your drill.

Get a set of three scrub brushes from Amazon for $18.95+ (five bristle-stiffness options available).

Promising review: "I bought this on a whim because my walk-in shower is just a pain to clean. I'm 51 and I guess I've just been old school with how I clean, so hand scrubbing it was for years. The FIRST time I used these to clean my shower it took five minutes AND it scrubbed my shower more clean than it has been in years. In the corners, the floor, the glass door...everything came out squeaky clean. I'm NEVER cleaning my shower by hand again." —Terry

This vac moves between hard floors and low-pile carpets/rugs without a glitch and can pick up all the accumulated dust, dirt, and hair left strewn about your home while you go do (or don't do!) other things. Sure, you have to clean the dust bin every once in a while, but that takes what, two minutes? Way faster than actually vacuuming.

Get it on Amazon for $229.99 (available in two colors).

Promising review: "If you’re like me where you're lazy to sweep the floor; this is definitely a must. Before this, my hard wood floor would get dusty and dirty just with random little stuff. Now I don’t have to sweep. This is a MUST-HAVE." —Eric

And if you're in the market for a good vacuum of any kind — full-size, stick vacs, robo vacs, and more — check out 15 Of The Best Vacuums That You Can Get On Amazon.

Former Buzzfeed editor AnaMaria Glavan recommends it:

"The glove is super comfortable and using it couldn’t be more foolproof: just put it on and run your hands through your pet’s fur. That’s it! The silicone grooves pick up so much fur with ease. Like, my dog looks close to hairless. HOW is he shedding so much!?!?

After a few runs, I found that I would have to remove fur from the glove before continuing (you can pick up the fur with your other hand or run the glove under some water — either works) but it’s no biggie. The silicone actually makes it really easy to keep this clean.

We got Rockie when he was 5 and he’d been riddled with skin issues and allergies, so I was pretty nervous to use anything that could potentially aggravate his conditions. However! Not only does this *not* bother his skin, but he…loves this. A lot. He starts snoring after exactly two run-throughs on his back. Also, his coat looks SO shiny after each use! TL;DR: this is one of those inexpensive add-ons that any pet owner should have on hand."

Get it from Amazon for $6.99.

From Creekline House. Get a pack of five lint rollers from Amazon for $19.99.

Okay so this isn't SO much of a shortcut — you still have to actually dust — but getting rid of the dust is THE key to a home that needs less dusting. This one from OXO is very thin so it can squeeze into tight crevices. To clean it you just run it through a gentle cycle in the washer, and air dry.

Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (or one with an extendable handle for $17.99).

Promising review: "Saves time and energy! It’s a bit too big for small, delicate knickknacks, but it’s terrific for large or textured furniture. A few swipes and a dresser, piano keyboard, or TV is dust-free. Its size is also helpful if you’re on the short side and want to reach the top of a door frame or bookcase, or give blinds a quick dusting. I haven’t washed it yet but the fabric unsnaps from the plastic handle easily. I’m very happy with this purchase and wish I would’ve made it a long time ago!" —Olivia D. A.

The kit includes one Baseboard Buddy and three reusable microfiber pads which you can use either wet or dry.

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

Promising review: "Buy it NOW. It was easy to put together and I sprayed it with Mean Green and went to the baseboards. No more kneeling and no broken back. This thing is amazing. It is durable and the pad is super absorbent. I am so happy. I can't wait to do the rest of the house!" —artgirl

From One Crazy House. Get a pack of 24 microfiber cleaning cloths $14.35 from Amazon.

Two blinds = you could easily make one window's blinds look basically brand new in under 10 minutes. Plus it comes with five microfiber sleeves, which means you can finish all the blinds in your home without stopping to clean it off over and over — you just pop all the covers in the wash when you're done.

Get one from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "A super time saver. It legitimately used to take us hours to clean all the blinds. My wife now does all the faux-wood Venetian blinds in the house in about one hour. It's really nice that it comes with some spare cloths for it, and it's cheap enough to buy a whole additional set so we can make more than one kid do this chore at the same time." —R.D.

Get a tub from Amazon for $14.98.

Promising review: "These towels are awesome for so many things. They are large and very sturdy, so they work well for household cleaning. The real benefit for me, though, is having a wipe that works for things like the grill, the oven, the dashboard of my car, muddy shoes, chairs and umbrellas that go to soccer games and practices, and lawn furniture. I frequently wipe something down, rinse the towel, and wipe again. The wipes are heavy enough to go through three to four rinses and wipes and still hold up." —COMom