We liked that this model was light enough to maneuver easily but heavy enough to assist with scrubbing. Its sprayer was the most powerful by far; it was capable of reaching three times as far as the other models, depending on how hard we pulled the trigger. Its head swiveled not only horizontally but also vertically, which allowed us to easily flip the double-sided mopping pad as we mopped. This meant we got double the scrubbing surface area, and the machine-washable pads were plush and twice as absorbent as those from the next best model we tested. They also clung to dirt particles better than other pads, though they required extra time to install since they slipped over the mop head rather than attaching to the bottom of it.
It's Time for Easy Spring Cleaning
Our guide features longtime favorites as well as several products from our newest reviews.
This model excelled during every test: It was easy to assemble; it scrubbed up dirt, mud, pet hair, coffee, and stuck-on food spills with ease; and it was incredibly absorbent yet lightweight and nimble. We were particularly impressed by the bucket’s wringing mechanism, which rapidly spun the mop head with the push of a pedal and removed a remarkable amount of water, leaving the mop head nearly dry. We also liked the mop’s relatively long handle and wide, flat head, which was easy to remove and machine washable.
This spacious rack held enough cookware, tools, dishes, and utensils for a household of four. It has thoughtful design features, including four utensil holders, four cup holders, and a ledge where you can hang four wine glasses upside down. The swiveling spout efficiently drained off water and can turn 360 degrees, so the dish rack can be used on the right or left side of the sink and oriented the long or short way. Its low profile and rubber feet kept it sturdy on the counter.
This product looks like the classic blue sponge we've all used, but its plastic-based scrubbing side has ripples. These ripples added texture, which helped nudge off cooked-on food. This sponge was absorbent and durable, and it looked surprisingly clean at the end of testing. It was also our preferred size: thick enough to hold comfortably but small enough to maneuver in tight spaces.
Spacious, airy, and solidly constructed, with a firm attachment to the sink, this sponge holder looked good and performed perfectly in our testing. Two oversize suction cups (2½ inches across), set far apart, helped it keep a better grip. (It was the only model where the suction cups sat on the edges of the holder and extended well beyond the basket, providing support to the lightweight aluminum cage.) We loved being able to toss the sponge and see it drop right into the wide-open basket. One of the top performers in our drainage test, it helped sponges stay dry between uses. It’s also available in a range of finishes.
This “97% naturally-derived” dish soap cut through caked-on grime quickly and effortlessly. It cleaned burnt-on chicken teriyaki more than two times faster than other soaps that we tested, and testers loved its “clean,” “herbal” lavender scent.
Very easy to set up and fill, with a large transparent body that lets you see how much soap it contains at a glance, this model was reliable and dispensed soap quickly. A volume dial lets you adjust the amount of soap it dispenses, which can range from a tiny dot of less than 1 gram of soap to a heaping 6 grams. It uses four AA batteries, which are not included. We liked that the battery chamber is in the column behind the dispenser rather than underneath, so it won’t get wet (which causes batteries to corrode and leak). We also liked that the device’s grippy silicone base sat securely and didn’t threaten to topple or slide, even on a wet countertop near the sink. Random motions near and beneath the spout do not easily trigger spurts of soap; you have to deliberately hold your hand underneath, and then it dispenses soap in less than 1 second. It performed consistently throughout testing, and its generous 17-ounce soap chamber needed no refilling after nearly two months of frequent daily use.
This brush aced every category with ease: No stain could withstand its stiff bristles, it rinsed clean with minimal effort thanks to its well-spaced bristle clusters, its silicone-coated handle was comfortable to grip, and its handle curved optimally to give it good leverage for scrubbing. It also had a strip of ultrastiff bristles on the back of its head meant for the toughest messes that beat out every scraper in the lineup. Though its handle was a touch long for some testers, this brush easily outperformed its competition.
This powerful machine consistently did an outstanding job and was often faster than any other model. Even though it doesn’t have a pet hair attachment, it quickly and effectively detached dog hair from sofas and car floorboards. Its uniquely designed pivoting nozzle opened like a book from its main body and allowed us to select many different cleaning angles. There was a learning curve, but soon we were using this model to access otherwise impenetrable nooks under car seats and in the depths of kitchen corners and cabinets. It has a built-in brush and crevice tool that swings or slides, respectively, for use. Its large collection bin opened two different ways for easy access and cleaning, which was initially slightly confusing for some testers. Though it wasn’t the heaviest model we tested, a few users found it tiring during extended use and preferred lighter-weight models.
Even after we washed a sink full of greasy pots and pans, the grip on these gloves never faltered. Their slender fingers and tapered wrists fit snugly and comfortably, and the long sleeves—cleverly dammed at the end by a self-folding cuff—let us reach silverware at the bottom of a full sink without dampening our shirtsleeves.
This long, relatively thin microfiber duster picked up dust and flour easily and efficiently and did a fine job of chasing down chickpeas and rice. While it’s not meant to be used wet, it did fairly well when we used it to wipe up greasy flour.
The Small Ring Scrubber effortlessly removed cooked-on bacon and hamburger from cast iron and lasagna from our 13 by 9-inch baking dish. This scrubber’s larger size allowed it to cover more area efficiently, and we especially appreciated its fine rings, which scoured narrow grill pan grooves with ease. The smaller rings did, however, make this scrubber harder to clean. We don’t recommend using either scrubber on enamelware or stainless steel.
Every tester who tried these paper towels came back with a rave review. The sheets were thick, soft, and sturdy, and a single full-size sheet could hold nearly 1/4 cup of water—about twice as much as lower-ranked products. Thanks to their double-ply construction, these sheets looked unscathed after scrubbing—even after 300 passes across a plastic cutting board—and we detected nary a hair of lint, even on glass.
This robot was outstanding at picking up nearly every last bit of the sample messes we scattered, partly due to its unique dual counter-rotating rubber brushes. We appreciated that it would periodically dock to recharge and empty its own bin (the dock holds replaceable vacuum cleaner bags) before returning to cleaning. It quickly mapped multiple rooms accurately, making it easy to set cleaning schedules and assign it to specific rooms on demand. Its app wasn’t always the most user-friendly, with some tasks taking multiple steps, but it was adequate. One caveat: While the manufacturer guarantees that this robot avoids pet “accidents,” it didn’t do so consistently: Sometimes it was remarkably clever in dodging the larger pieces of soft plastic dog poo we placed on the floor, but it plowed right over small ones. It did avoid electrical cords as promised. We liked that this robot can be set to start cleaning when it detects that you have left the house and stop when you return, using the location on your phone or by linking to other smart home features such as your door locks. You can also set it to be silent at specific times, such as while you have Zoom meetings or the baby naps.
By far the most hands-off and intelligent mopping robot we tried, this model uses vSLAM, a navigation system that employs an onboard camera and motion sensor to plot an efficient route through a room. When paired with iRobot’s free app, this technology makes maps of your spaces and refines them with each use. After five runs, you can see a map of your home in the app, name different rooms, and mark off areas where you don’t want the mop to clean. The app allows you to instruct the robot to clean specific rooms, set an automatic cleaning schedule, and even coordinate cleaning with an iRobot vacuum for completely hands-off vacuuming and mopping in one go.