21 Things To Keep Your Home Cleaner If You Have Kids

Keeping a house clean is no easy feat, especially if you live with kids: surfaces get sticky, hockey pucks dent walls and laundry magically doesn’t get folded. Regardless if you have little ones, teens or both, there are a bunch of products that can help get your home sparkling again. From melamine sponges to touch-up paint, these cleaning essentials will be a big help for you and the fam.

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1A clothes folderAmazonTeach your kids how to fold shirts with this handy gadget, which helps them turn a wrinkled piece of clothing into a neat square with a couple of movements.Promising review: "You would think folding is simple, but with this product, it's a perfect fold every time. It makes a pile of clothing so compact. Everything is uniformly folded. Makes putting clothes in drawers so much neater and more orderly. It makes my life easier." — S. ErhartGet it from Amazon for $11.49.2A pack of microfiber cleaning clothsAmazonIf your mini me loves tech, these cloths will remove tiny smudges from phone screens and tablet screens.Promising review: "I wear glasses and spend most of my time staring at the screen of some electronic device. Until I ordered these cloths, I was cleaning my glasses and screens with a microfiber cloth that came with my glasses. It worked OK, but my glasses always seemed to be at least a little smudged. Enter MagicFiber. ZERO smudging. Crystal clear lenses and clean screens. And the cloths are huge so you get plenty of cleaning area. Oh, and they are dirt cheap. Get more than you think you'll need because friends and family are going to want to 'borrow' these." —Amazon ConsumerGet a two-pack from Amazon for $5.99.3A leather conditionerAmazonDitch the plastic slip covers and use this gentle formula if you want to kid-proof your leather sofa from scuffs and more wear and tear.Promising review: "I use this for my everyday boots, as well as my dress shoes. I'm not always gentle with my boots and I thought I had ruined them the other day (worn out color, scuffs all over), but I cleaned the muck off, gave them a brushing then applied this leather honey and after letting it sit, my boots look almost like the day I bought them! It keeps the leather supple and restores color. You only need to use a small amount per use!" — David HorningGet it from Amazon for $19.99.4An eco-friendly pill remover stoneMaitland Quitmeyer / BuzzFeedKeep your kiddo's sweatshirts looking good as new with this stone that'll help remove pills. It's made from upcycled material and works on other fabrics too!Celsious is a Black woman-owned and eco-friendly focused laundromat *and* online shop based in Brooklyn, New York.Promising review: "Like many of you, I've been living in sweats and PJs during this almost-year of WFH full time. And it's made me revisit the state of some of my loungewear. Take for example, this college sweatshirt I wear all the time — as evidenced by the rather EXTENSIVE pilling all over it. So when I saw this pumice-esque sweater stone (it's made from upcycled car windshield glass — how cool is that?!), I decided it was worth the try. I was able to navigate around the contours of the logo on my sweatshirt with ease, removing pills using the corner or the entire flat bottom in a few quick strokes. It truly took no time at all — the sweatshirt was done in mere minutes." — Maitland QuitmeyerGet it from Celsious for $17 or from Amazon for $9.99.5A pack of Mr. Clean Magic ErasersAmazonCrayon scribbles and spilled baby food don't stand a chance with these erasers that'll quickly wipe them up from surfaces.Promising review: "This is as magical as unicorns! Buy NOW! I use it everywhere... walls, baseboards, mirrors, window panes, cupboards, floors, lamps, glass, faucets, everything looks brand new. Just got red hair dye that had been there for over a year off the wall in a minute. Made shower glass look brand-new after five years of hard water stains. This is the cleaning magic wand you’ve always wanted." — MichelaGet a pack of 10 from Amazon for $11.98.6Or a pack of generic melamine spongesTom Vellner / BuzzFeedThey'll work just as good as name brand sponges and help you cut through weeks' (and years') worth of household grime in the kitchen, living room and more areas around the house.Promising review: "As good as Mr. Clean Magic Erasers but half the price. They clean so many surfaces better than anything. We use them at the bar and clean our chalkboards, metal sinks and ice wells, beer coolers, FRP backsplash walls and even graffiti in the bathrooms comes off more easily with these than other cleaning products. I took one home and cleaned my shower faster and more easily than with bottles of shower cleaner. Highly recommended." — Stephen BrandauGet a 20-pack from Amazon for $6.10.7A bottle of Poo-Pourri toilet sprayAmazonSpritz this citrus-scented formula whenever potty training gets a little stinky. Your bathroom will smell like fresh-picked lemons (and not smelly poop).Promising review: "One bathroom in an apartment just isn't enough for two adults with a healthy colon. Enter Poo-Pourri. It is very fresh and not overpowering. It is not synthetic smelling. With most room sprays, you end up just smelling flowery poo. This masks the smell completely. I can walk in the bathroom 30 seconds after my boyfriend and only smell lemon." — Allison HGet a two-ounce bottle from Amazon for $9+ (available in 19 scents).8A 12-piece toy cleaning setAmazonIt comes with a duster and dust pan, a mop and bucket, a broom, some cloths, a caution sign, a sponge and an unfilled spray bottle, so your mini me can "clean" the house with you.Promising review: "My daughter always wants to help when she sees me cleaning, so my husband found this cute set for her. It's just adorable and it's the perfect size for her to easily control (compared to trying to handle a full-size broom or Swiffer). Now she has her own cleaning tools so she can 'help' while mama does the real cleaning!" —PawpatrolisonarollGet it from Amazon for $23.75.9A stainless-steel barAmazonEveryone in the fam will appreciate this sink-friendly bar, as it'll get rid of odors from handling food and washing dirty dishes.Promising review: "This little bar of 'soap' does exactly what it is intended to do. Do you have a sponge or rag that has that odor? Simply wash your hands under the sink with this little guy and suddenly, your hands smell like hands again. I've used it after handling several smelly items that have a tendency to make an odor stick with you. It's worked consistently every time." — JeremyGet it from Amazon for $8.99.10A bottle of Bar Keepers Friend soft cleanerAmazonTackle lime, rust and other pesky stains with this soft cleanser that'll get to work on surfaces used by everyone at home.Promising review: "I purchased this cleanser in an attempt to revive our stainless steel knife set, which is a great, moderately priced set that has seen better days and I'm extremely happy that I did. The cleanser not only took away the rust spots with minimal difficulty, but it returned them to their original luster! After cleaning our knives, I gave it a shot on our porcelain sink, which I typically have to douse in bleach cleaner to remove the stains from, causing the entire kitchen to be filled with noxious fumes and it worked beautifully! The stains came clean, and it made the sink look pretty enough to eat off of." — Kat (Ferrari) BackaGet a two-pack from Amazon for $13.99.11Or a bottle of organic Castile soapPur HomeThis plant-based formula can be used to clean anything from kids' toys to car windows to dirty laundry!Pur Home is a Black woman-owned brand known for their eco-friendly cleaning products. From multi-surface cleaner to laundry detergent, you'll find a variety of goods with plant-based ingredients.Get it from Pur Home for $19 (available in four scents).12A clean/dirty dishwasher magnetTheRedSwanGiftShop / EtsyThe fam will finally get the message when it's time to load the dishwasher or unload it.Get it from TheRedSwanGiftShop on Etsy for $7.95.13Or a baby mop onesieAmazonYour mini "Swiffer" will get to crawl their heart out and clean the floor at the same time.Promising review: "I got this because I seen a baby on TikTok wearing it. Of course I had to be that extra mom and get it for my son. It’s really soft!" — Amazon CustomerGet it from Amazon for $23.99 (available in four sizes and three colors).14A Good Vibes All Purpose CleanerGood VibesGet your home squeaky clean (and leave it smelling like cotton candy) with this gentle cleaner concentrate that can be used in your child's bedroom and more areas indoors.Good Vibes is a Black woman-owned business based in Pennsylvania. Their plant-based all-purpose cleaner comes in a variety of fresh scents from frankincense to myrrth to sandalwood.Promising review: "Absolutely love this product. All of the scents are honestly DIVINE — I love this particular scent for laundry! I have tried so many natural laundry solutions and nothing leaves the clean smell like this. You have a customer for life. Please make room deodorizing sprays! :)" — Rainbow RaeGet it from Good Vibes for $10+ (available in two sizes).15A container of heavy-duty cleaning wipesAmazonWipe down your microwave when it's covered with Spaghetti-O's, mac and cheese and other foods your kids heat up for lunch.Promising review: "I think these wipes are made out of magic because they can clean just about anything with very little effort! One wipe cleaned my ENTIRE BATHTUB, including the hard water buildup and some residual soap scum. The wipe stayed wet for the entire use, and there was absolutely no sweating involved. I hate cleaning but I was so pumped about the tub, I took wipe #2 to my hood vent and good golly, it's like it's brand new. I've told everyone I know to buy these." — JenMGet a 90-pack from Amazon for $13.98.16A bottle of Goo Gone Adhesive RemoverAmazonSay goodbye to the stickers, lollypop remains and more gooey messes left by your kiddos.Promising review: "I have a terrible habit of putting chewing gum through the wash which then gets stuck all over the barrel of the dryer. For years I'd just put up with having the gunk stuck on there, but I decided to give this a try to get rid of a particularly bad lot that got stuck on. It is amazing — the gum comes straight off with very little work, and for smaller amounts of gum you only need a tiny bit of it. One bottle has lasted for ages. It's also easy to clean off the Goo Gone itself once you're done. Excellent stuff." — mech4bgGet it from Amazon for $6.80.17A scratch-free scraper toolAmazonFood-covered high chairs and stained toys are no match for this tool that'll scrape away grease and grime with little effort.Promising review: "The perfect handy tool for getting into tight places. It's firm enough for multiple uses but it doesn't scratch or mar surfaces. I should have gotten the five-pack, I have so many uses for these things. I think the best use yet was cleaning the sliding door track, I finally could get into the corners to get the grunge out. A great invention." — MissPickyGet a 2-pack from Amazon for $9.97.18A bottle of touch-up paintAmazonCover up any scratches and marks on the wall with this touch-up paint that'll be really handy if your kids love to play ball and other games indoors.Promising review: "This is like a whiteout for the imperfections. I didn't want to have to paint the entire bathroom for some small spots, but those spots were bothering me for certain. Now I don't even know where those spots are anymore, and the walls look normal. This is such a lifesaver." — mrsjGet it from Amazon for $13.95 (available in 10 shades).19A stainless steel cleanerAmazonIf your little one loves to leave fingerprints on the fridge, stove or dishwasher, this cleaner will remove them without leaving a streaky residue.Promising review: "I was truly surprised at how well this product worked. A friend recommended it, and I thought at this price, I would give it a try. I couldn’t believe the difference it made to my stainless-steel appliances. Highly recommend using a microfiber cloth as directed. It buffed out all the smudges and fingerprints and does a good job of preventing future fingerprints." — AmandaGet it from Amazon for $11.88.20A pack of dye-trapping sheetsAmazonIf you have teens that regularly forget to sort their clothes before throwing them in the wash, these sheets will prevent their white shirts from turning into tie-dye masterpieces.Promising review: "These are an absolute necessity in my house! I have two little girls and I never have enough of their dirty clothes to do loads separated by color. I just throw everything in together (yes, even reds and whites) and nothing ever bleeds onto the other. My husband does his own laundry, too, (he isn't the best at separating), and this saved him when a red sock accidentally made its way into the whites. I use these for my jeans, too, since there are many variations of color; from light wash to dark. If you do laundry, then you need these!" — Shannon SchneiderGet a 72-count from Amazon for $9.94.21And a pack of reusable cloth towelsCozy Simple Living / EtsyKeep a bunch of these stocked in the kitchen, especially if your kid goes through a regular roll of paper towels like lightning.Promising review: "Incredibly fast shipping, I love them. They cling well to each other so there's no need for snaps. I'm officially done with real paper towels. Also they included a couple of items for free to try. I will never shop from anyone else." — CassidyGet it from Cozy Simple Living on Etsy for $26.50 (available in various patterns).Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.More:shoppingParenting