Cleaning your home is a routine task on your calendar, but it doesn’t have to be one you dread (or worse: one that you keep putting off).
A common household staple, without a doubt, is an all-purpose cleaner that you can pretty much use on anywhere: on window trim, on faucets, on counters.
But, we scrubba-dub-dubbed-down the confusion on these type of versatile, best-of-both-world products: what really makes an all-purpose cleaner ‘all-purpose?’
And that, precisely, is why we turned to a cleaning expert.
“An all-purpose cleaner should be basic and safe to use on most surfaces for daily cleaning, just enough muscle to lift ‘the daily grime’ after your daily grind,” Melissa Maker, founder of Toronto-based cleaning service, Clean My Space (and author of her brand’s accompanying cleaning book), told the New York Post. “Technically speaking, it should be safe to use on multiple surfaces and powerful enough to lift away grease and grime (to what extent, well that depends on the product you choose).”
Ahead, Maker selected nine top products that fall into that seemingly vague all-purpose cleaner category — brands and formulations she loves and recommends. She also answered some FAQs, making everything about these types of cleaners black and white (or, rather, spick-and-span).
Click to jump to the best all-purpose cleaners:
What to look for in an all-purpose cleaner, according to an expert
According to Maker, the market has “gone bananas with offerings and the moniker all-purpose or multi-purpose has people utterly confused.” But — it doesn’t have to be all that confusing, so long as you know and understand your cleaning preferences.
“I’ve always taken the approach to start with the simplest, most basic product and work my way up the chain as needed,” she explains. “I do most of my daily cleaning with dish soap and water.”
“You get to choose your own adventure: you can choose your scent profile, how eco-conscious you want it to be, whether you want a concentrate, an old-school bottle with spray nozzle, a refillable bottle with replacement pods, and how much muscle you want it to have.”
Melissa Maker, founder of Toronto-based cleaning service, Clean My Space
What truly makes an all-purpose cleaner ‘all-purpose’?
The golden question, right? Think about what an average home needs to clean up in a week: your kitchen, your bathroom, maybe a dog’s paw prints or your kids’ potty training accident, a few fingerprints on surfaces, etc.
“We’re not talking about months of build-up, neglect or a major restoration project,” Maker says. “We’re not talking about specialty or über-fancy surfaces.” That said, an all-purpose cleaner should be safe to use on these surfaces and its one job is to lift the grease and grime off the surface with ease, allowing you to wipe clean and rinse.
What ingredients do I look for in an all-purpose cleaner?
As Maker mentioned, this comes back to choosing your own adventure. “They’ll all be made with some sort of surfactant (an ingredient that will lift dirt off a surface), and potentially an acid to help dissolve grease or grime,” she explains. “They may come with antibacterial ingredients and scents as well.”
If you want to be more eco-conscious, don’t pay for water. Look for tabs or liquid concentrates that you can dissolve or dilute at home. You may also find some with bleach.
“I personally don’t use those,” Maker told The Post. “I find bleach risky to use around the house and I’ve seen too many bleach stains happen in my day, so I have not recommended those.”
Not to mention, as soon as Maker sees an all-purpose cleaner get too specific (i.e. it works well on these surfaces but not on those, it’s just for degreasing, it’s perfect for the bathroom), then to her, it has lost the title of all-purpose. “You have one purpose, not all of them,” she says. “I call those ‘specialty products’ because they have special jobs. They are great to have in your arsenal, but not needed for all the cleaning, just some.”
The different types of all-purpose cleaners, explained by an expert:
Maker lists the three different types of all-purpose cleaners to reference the next time you shop:
- Disinfecting all-purpose cleaners: These will kill bacteria and viruses so long as they are used properly (i.e. left to dwell on a surface) for the right amount of time.
- Degreasing all-purpose cleaners: These are great for greasy areas in the kitchen and will usually feature something citrus-based to help dissolve the grease.
- Bathroom all-purpose cleaners: These usually feature an acid and can help break down scum and hard water build up.
What surfaces can I use an all-purpose cleaner on?
First word of advice: always check the package first, since many of these specialty all-purpose cleaners will not be safe for all surfaces.
Is the product acid-based? Don’t use it on natural stone or porous surfaces. Is it a disinfectant? “You can’t use it on food prep surfaces (or if you do, you need to rinse that surface well),” Maker advises. “As with any new product, I like to test on surfaces first before I commit to spraying the entire surface down.”
What makes an all-purpose cleaning product pet-safe?
This all boils down to Ingredients. “Any company that produces a product will proudly tell you if the product is safe around pets,” Maker notes. “If you are unsure you can check the product’s website.”
As a cat mom herself, Maker tries to keep heavily scented products away from her cat, so she’ll pop her in another room when I’m cleaning. “If there’s a concern, rinse the surface you’ve just cleaned with water after use so that your pet will be safe,” she adds.
What makes an all-purpose cleaning product eco-friendly?
Like pet-safe cleaning products, this boils down to ingredients. “Manufacturers will aim to use plant and mineral-based ingredients,” Maker explains. “They will proudly show off any certifications they have (B Corp, EcoCert, EcoLogo, EWG, Leaping Bunny, Peta, etc.) and talk about their efforts on their website.”
You can also make eco-friendly choices by making your own product, too, or reusing a quality spray bottle. The less plastic you buy, the better.
Best All-Purpose Cleaners
1. Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap (2-Pack), $18
“My recommendation is Dawn Dish Soap and a plastic spray bottle of your choice,” Maker recommends. “This is what I use.”
What’s more, it’s cheap and effective to get the basic jobs done. Plus, it’s a no-rinse formula which is simply divine — spray, wipe, move on.
2. diptyque La Droguerie Multi-Surface Cleaner, $40
According to Maker, the diptyque La Droguerie Multi-Surface Cleaner “offers a delightful scent experience, as if you’re walking through a luxe perfume shop but really, you’re cleaning and want to be swept away momentarily.”
The bottle is made from glass, too, which is more durable and eco-conscious than their plastic counterparts. “However, the nozzle is what matters most and if the nozzle breaks down, the bottle is useless,” Maker adds.
3. Saje Multi-Surface Cleaning Kit, $24
“If you have a ton of cleaning experience and spray more than a countertop every day, function over form may be more important,” Maker notes. That’s why she recommends the Saje Multi-Surface Cleaning Kit. Not only is its formula plant-based but it comes in a refillable glass spray bottle, its sweet citrus scent eco-friendly and effective.
4. Guests on Earth All-Purpose Cleaner Kit with Waffle Cloths, $45
“Special note about Guests on Earth: they are the most cleaning-focused of the lot and have taken ingredients and home safety into consideration the most,” Maker adds. The brand, which has on-trend, minimalist-focused packaging and can be used on a wide variety of nonporous surfaces, is one to consider — especially for the included waffle cloths.
5. Blueland Multi-Surface Starter Set, $18
“Blueland is all the rage, and you can see why,” Maker says. “The brand’s products look beautiful and the reviews speak for themselves.” What’s more, these products come with no plastic packaging and refills are about $2.50 each for a 24 oz. bottle.
You’ll also appreciate its fresh lemon scent, plant-based ingredients and space-saving tablet design.
6. Attitude Nature+ All Purpose Cleaner Disinfectant 99.9%, $5
For eco-conscious and budget-conscious folks alike, Maker recommends Attitude, as the brand has been a longtime favorite brand of hers. “Years before it was trendy, the brand was looking to meet the highest standards of eco-concious products, and today they are a leader,” she notes. “Their products are eco-logo certified and EWG verified.”
He favorite product of theirs is the Thyme All-Purpose Cleaner. “It has the same efficacy as a traditional disinfectant but lacks anything harsh and features only plant and mineral-based ingredients,” she explains. “I would grab this whenever I’m cleaning a surface after preparing meat.”
7. Mr. Clean All-Purpose Cleaner, $6
Mr. Clean has been a go-to product for many, and its famous lemon scent is unmistakable.
“Its concentrate version can be mixed up in a spray bottle, added to a mop bucket and it knows to tackle grimy surfaces,” Maker explains. “The newest delivery system for this product is the Mr. Clean Clean Freak Cleaning Mist, which provides and even misting of the product on any surface.” Even better: you can purchase refills as well.
8. Fabuloso All-Purpose Cleaner (6-Pack), $21, original price: $38
“Fabuloso can be diluted in a bucket or spray bottle and offers a no-rinse formula and, not to mention, it has definitely gained popularity on TikTok.
“It doesn’t offer virucidal capabilities like some of the other cleaners in this category does, though,” Maker points out. “So, if that’s important you, look for ‘disinfectant’ and remember to use the correct dwell times required.”
9. Lysol Clean & Fresh Multi-Surface Cleaner, $3
Lysol Clean and Fresh offers a concentrated product that acts as a disinfectant as well — and one Maker recommends.
“Whether it’s diluted or used straight, when used according to the label it’ll kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria on a surface,” she adds. “You’ll want to check and make sure this product is safe to use on the surface you plan to use it on, but can be used to remove grease and grime and can be diluted in a spray bottle, bucket or used straight for heavy-duty cleaning.”
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