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These are the most-hated chores in America — and the products you need to make them easier, starting at $5
If you have yet to tackle your spring cleaning list, we get it. Not everyone likes to scrub, vacuum and organize. In fact, some people skip it altogether and hire professionals for the really tough jobs. Earlier this year, Yelp released a report on Americans' 10 most-hated chores — the ones they often leave to the pros. At the top of the list is tile and grout cleaning — and really, it's hard to find someone who enjoys that level of scrubbing.
However, if you want to save some money and go the do-it-yourself route, we've tracked down some cleaning tools and products that can help your home sparkle with less effort. Take a look below to see the chores we love to hate, plus our suggestions for what can help make them more bearable.
1. Tile and Grout Cleaning
The most-hated chore in America is a tedious one: tile and grout cleaning. Who wants to spend the day on their hands and knees with a toothbrush, scrubbing away? Well, social media users discovered Zep's Grout Cleaner and Brightener this year, and they've shared tons of glowing results. Best of all, they say it's easy to use.
This professional-strength cleaner contains strong but safe acids, alcohol and water, which combine to clean your grout without damaging the tile itself — no heavy scrubbing required.
Just snap on some rubber gloves, pour Zep over the grout and let it sit for three minutes. When time's up, use a stiff brush to gently scrub any stuck-on dirt, then wipe it away with a paper towel and use a damp cloth to "rinse" the area.
2. Eco/Green Cleaning
While brands and consumers are starting to make the switch to eco-friendly or "green" cleaning products, they're not necessarily sure they're doing the job — or doing it well. That's why they turn to the pros! But if you're looking to clean your home yourself with planet-safe, pet-safe, kid-safe products, Kris Jenner teamed up Emma Grede (CEO of Good America and guest shark on Shark Tank) to launch Safely.
Safely's plant-based cleaning products smell amazing and actually work, fans say. And because they're plant-based, they're biodegradable, meaning less harm to the environment.
You can use Safely's multi-purpose cleaner on steel, hardwood, marble, porcelain and more. This version comes in the brand's Rise scent, which features notes of orange flower, sweet jasmine and earthy woods, so your home smells as clean as it is.
3. Oven Cleaning
There's nothing fun about crouching over your oven to scrub stuck-on grease — it can take a while! However, cleaning your oven is pretty important. When leftover grease and grime burns, it has the potential to cause a fire or affect the flavor of your food. You can make life easier by laying simple oven liners on the bottom of your appliance, avoiding the scrubbing altogether.
More than 7,500 Amazon shoppers give these a five-star rating. They're made of nontoxic, reusable PTFE-coated fiberglass fabric that can withstand temperatures up to 500°F. However, they're also nonstick and washable, so any food they catch will slide right off with warm water, dish soap and a sponge. You can also toss the liners in the dishwasher.
4. Professional Organizing
If you're not the most organized, sometimes you need another person to come in and do the job. But, professional organizing services can get pretty pricey. If you want to try your hand at whipping your own closets into shape, use these flexible storage bags from Amazon to stash winter sweaters, blankets, linens and more.
Fold up your seasonal clothes and make way for new stuff with these lightweight, flexible storage bags. If you want to take things to the next level, you can use a folding board to fold your clothes so they're perfectly uniform.
5. Garage Decluttering
Like organizing the rest of your home, decluttering your garage may require some help. But really, only you know what's necessary to keep and what can be purged. Once you've tossed, donated or sold the stuff that's just taking up space, you can use this Amazon top-selling wall organizer to keep shovels, rakes and other tools in place.
Professionals can help you get organized, but it's on you to stay that way. Go the DIY route with this expandable, adjustable tool organizer. It attaches to the wall to safely secure items off the floor and away from your car. The rack uses two types of hooks (S and L hooks), so you can use it to store most tools and gear. Plus, each S hook holds up to 66 pounds.
6. Mattress Cleaning
Cleaning a dirty mattress is never fun, but someone's gotta do it. In addition to run-of-the-mill stains, your bed can harbor unseen scaries like dust mites and bacteria. That's why, according to the Sleep Foundation, you should clean your mattress every six months (yes, really). You can keep things fresh by vacuuming your mattress and using a small steam cleaner like Bissell's popular Little Green Machine.
The Little Green Machine is Amazon's No. 1 selling carpet and upholstery cleaner, and it's ready to bring your mattress back to that "fresh from the factory" feel. Nearly 60,000 shoppers rate it five out of five stars.
"Cleans so well," said one reviewer. "I had spilled some coffee on my bed and the mattress had a coffee stain on it ... I was able to clean off about 90% of the stain and kept running the vacuum to make sure any extra coffee was sucked out."
7. Pool Cleaning
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a pool, but if you are, you know how time-consuming it is to keep it free of bugs, leaves, dirt and more. Save yourself the (expensive) trouble of hiring a pool cleaner and get this robotic helper for just $199. That's a good deal, considering most high-end pool options are upwards of $800!
This No. 1 Amazon bestseller is like a Roomba for your pool! It's ideal for above-ground or flat-floored in-ground pools and goes for up to 90 minutes on one charge.
"[You] may have to run it several times, but for a little dirt it’s great. I have a large pool and it does a pretty good job," shared one Amazon shopper. "Before this one, I had one that hooked up to the filter and had a long hose. This beats it. Not having to deal with the hose or attaching to a filter also helps with the top being kept clean and the water circulating," they added.
8. Window Washing
Cleaning windows from the inside isn't so bad — they're never as dirty as they are on the outside, where this chore is a different ball game entirely. For windows with dirt, smudges and smears, try attaching Windex's outdoor cleaner to a hose and spray them clean. The cleaner — specifically formulated to use outside — won't harm plants, siding or synthetic wood decks.
No need to wipe this cleaner off! Simply spray it on, and watch your windows shine.
"I used to pay $200-plus to have a company come out and clean all my windows. I tried this for the first time when it was on sale and wow — I didn't even need to squeegee afterward," wrote one happy customer. "Windows shine and are clear, streak-free. Recommend buying. I have 18 windows plus back patio door and did them all with half a bottle."
9. Upholstery Cleaning
Upholstery can be difficult and time-consuming to be clean. You need to be gentle enough not to ruin fabrics, but tough enough to stand a chance of actually removing dirt and stains — one of the many reasons people love the previously mentioned Bissell Little Green Machine. But for small stains, there's no need to haul out an appliance: Amazon shoppers love Resolve Upholstery and Multi-Fabric Cleaner.
This formula is powerful enough to remove chocolate stains from an ivory canvas couch (speaking from personal experience), but gentle enough that it doesn't make colors run or leave behind residue.
"The product does an amazing job," said one Amazon reviewer. "We've had our couches for about six years, and they looked a little bit dull and had some staining from everyday use. I sprayed the product, left it for a little bit and did a little bit of scrubbing, and then wiped it down. You could see the dirt lift out of the cushions from the couch — it works great."
10. Carpet Cleaning
Beyond vacuuming, actually giving your carpets a deeper clean can be a timely task. To make things easier, you could invest in machine-washable rugs or hire professional help. However, both can be a little pricey. Instead, you could get the Bissell TurboClean PowerBrush Pet Carpet Cleaner to spot clean or deep clean your carpet when it needs some extra TLC.
This carpet cleaner has over 50,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. "Reveals just how gross carpets are!" wrote one shopper who recently moved into a new house. "The carpets had been well-maintained and looked clean, with the exception of a couple of small stains, but the dirty water tank was absolutely disgusting at the end of using this!"
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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