How to get around doing the least-liked chores in your home
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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