Scrub Every Surface In Your House Until It’s Spotless With These Editor-Tested All Purpose Cleaners

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From hardwood floors to stovetops to shower tile, cleaning a home covers all types of surfaces and rooms. We’ve moved on from buckets and brushes, instead opting for mops, vacuums, and steam cleaners, yet still fall short on the second part of the cleaning equation: all purpose cleaning solutions.

All-purpose cleaners add an extra dose of elbow grease that scrubs out kitchen grime, soap scum, and even stains on tabletops or hardwood floors. Alongside their cleaning power, many all-purpose cleaners are great disinfectants, improving the hygiene and safety of surfaces we use every single day. A good all-purpose cleaner cuts down on the labor of your scrubbing, kills germs safely on the surfaces it touches, and oftentimes leaves a pleasant scent when the cleaning is done.

Choosing which all-purpose cleaner to use is generally an unrefined process based on arbitrary factors from color of the liquid to the most pervasive reason: that’s what was used before. If that standby cleaner isn’t getting it done, or you’re simply looking for a change, we have options for you. After thorough testing and research, we’ve determined the best all-purpose cleaners for every surface, type, and size of room in your home.

The Best All-Purpose Cleaner

• Best Overall: Clorox Multi-Purpose Cleaning Spray System Starter Kit

• Best Value: Windex Multi-Surface Disinfectant Cleaner

• Best Vinegar-Based Cleaner: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Vinegar Gel Cleaner

• Best Eco-Conscious Cleaner: Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner Biodegradable Formula

• Best Concentrated Cleaner: Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner

What To Consider

Surface Compatibility

While every cleaner listed below is labeled as either all-purpose or multi-surface, this does not automatically make them compatible with every floor, tile, and countertop material. Make sure to read to label on each cleaner container and make a note of which surfaces are listed. Some heavy duty cleaners designed for cleaning tile, grout, and metal may be too strong for vinyl or hardwood floor. If in doubt, try a small amount of cleaner on an inconspicuous area of the questionable surface before more widespread use.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Abilities

While every all-purpose cleaner cleans, not all of them disinfect. Many cleaners are designed specifically to lift dirt, get rid of scum, and scrub out stains. This is perfect for someone who needs to tidy up around the house and add a shine to their home. Some all-purpose cleaners also come with germ-killing ingredients that disinfect surfaces during cleaning. This is especially valuable if you are cleaning up after someone was sick or in high traffic areas where germs are likely to spread, like the kitchen or bathroom.

Scent

Some all-purpose cleaners come with distinct scents while others do not. These scents are not likely to affect cleaning power in any capacity, but if you don’t like the smell, you're unlikely to use the cleaner. It’s hard to test a fragrance if you aren’t spraying it yourself, but we’ll describe them to you as best we can.

Scented options are popular for anyone that wants a fresh new smell to a room once the cleaning is done, so there will be plenty of choices. While we just listed one classic scented choice from Mrs. Meyers, there are dozens to choose from online, so make your pick off of your nose.

How We Selected

We made our final selections after extensive testing on a number of products. We tested out multiple all-purpose cleaners in a variety of key cleaning areas around the home. Each item we tested was used to clean scum from a stove, scrub grime off a countertop, wipe down a hardwood coffee table, and wash away soap residue from bathroom tile. Alongside evaluting effectiveness in cleaning, we paid attention to ease of use, scent, price, and when applicable, quality of spray bottle.

For all-purpose cleaners we did not test out ourselves, we heavily researched each choice using trusted online publications like Good Housekeeping and Wirecutter, as well as hundreds of customer reviews. We tried to vary our selection between scented, unscented, disinfectants, sprays, wipes, and pastes to give you a wider variety of all-purpose cleaners to choose from.

Multi-Purpose Cleaning Spray System Starter Kit

Cut down on plastic waste without compromising on cleaning power. This all-purpose cleaner from Clorox maintains the same effectiveness the brand is known for but with a more sustainable design.

Instead of buying one bottle at a time, this kit comes with a reusable bottle and refill pods. Fill the bottle with water, screw on the refill pod and let it pour in.

In each pod, there is concentrated, bleach-free cleaner fluid. So, when you run out of cleaner, simply place on another pod. The bottle is rated for re-use up to 30 times.

Multi-Surface Disinfectant Cleaner

Remove all the bells and whistles. This is an all-purpose cleaner that simply gets the job done. I tested this option from Windex on a granite countertop, a wooden table, and a greasy stovetop. Under each test, the all-purpose cleaner was an easy-to-use, effective choice.

Alongside a cleaning power that cut right through weeks of caked-on cooking oils, this choice from Windex is a solid disinfectant as well. Simply spray and wait 10 minutes to kill off germs living on the surface.

True to its namesake, this Windex product was also effective at cleaning windows, with the spray wiping away smudges and leaving no streaks behind.

Vinegar Gel Cleaner

Go back in time and clean your home with a classic cleaning ingredient: vinegar. This all-purpose cleaner from Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day is a vinegar gel designed for breaking down hard stains without causing damage.

Alongside vinegar, the gel is also made of essential oils and plant-based cleaners that improve its power against built-up scum. This was particularly helpful when scrubbing down the tiles on the walls and floors of my shower.

After a layer of the gel cleaner and some solid scrubbing, most of the hard water stains were completely gone.

While the all-purpose cleaner is scented, there is a noticeable hint of vinegar in the air after you finish using it.

All Purpose Cleaner Biodegradable Formula (Pack of 4)

Made of 100% biodegradable materials, this all-purpose cleaner from Seventh Generation is a great choice, particularly for the environmentally conscious among us. The focus on biodegradable ingredients also makes this all-purpose cleaner safe to use around pets and young children.

Don’t let the safe, eco-friendly ingredient distract you from how effective this cleaner is. Feel free to use this across nearly any surface including glass and windows without the risk of streaks or water stains.

All-Purpose Cleaner (Pack of 3)

Scale the strength of your all-purpose cleaner with Simple Green’s option. This cleaner is concentrated in the bottle, so you can dilute it with water to stretch out its use. Diluting the bottle also gives you a scale of strength to choose from. Use an undiluted bottle for heavy grease and scum that needs some extra power, and a diluted bottle for every day cleaning.

This strength does not mean heavy chemicals. This all-purpose cleaner meets the safer choice standards set by the EPA, so you don’t have to worry about using it around kids or pets.

Disinfectant Wipes (Pack of 4)

If you don’t have the desire for spray and paper towels every time you clean, a disinfectant wipe from Lysol is a convenient alternative. As a wipe, you don’t need any extra equipment to get to cleaning; simply pull from the container and begin.

These wipes contain disinfectant, so you’ll actively be killing germs on every surface as you scrub off stains and scum. Each container only comes with 80 wipes, so the tradeoff for convenience is fewer cleans per purchase.

Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner (Pack of 3)

While many of the choices on our list come with a light scent or no scent at all, this all-purpose cleaner from Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day comes with a lavender scent with every spray. The added scent doesn’t detract from the cleaning power, as the spray was incredibly effective at removing stovetop grease during our tests.

The lavender scent isn’t overwhelming either. While many people don’t enjoy an added smell to their cleaners, this left surfaces smelling fresh without being too fragrant.

All Purpose Cleaner, Clean Freak Mist Cleaning Kit

For an all-purpose cleaner with a quality formula and light scent, this option from Mr. Clean is perfect. The cleaning fluid is strong enough to scrub out hard water stains, and the lemon zest scent is refreshing and light.

What makes this cleaner worthy of our list actually has to do with its spray bottle. While the cleaning liquid is a capable and worthy inclusion on its own, the spray bottle can spritz in multiple different ways, from short bursts all the way to continuous spray.

The Pink Stuff All Purpose Cleaning Paste

If you need to get out heavy stains and grime, trust The Pink Stuff to get the job done. This all-purpose cleaner focuses mainly on the tougher, stronger scrubbing jobs, so if you have pots, pans, or shower tiles that need a facelift, this is the cleaner to consider.

That being said, be wary of using this cleaner on delicate surfaces. While it likely won’t cause scratches or damage, the abrasive and textured feel of the paste could be too much for some surfaces to handle.

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