Spring Has Sprung, but so Has Pollen, Dirt, and Mud — Here Are Our Cleaning Favorites for a Healthier Home

Health and science writer Mary Dennis takes air quality seriously, and this portable air quality monitor is actually something she purchased before we began testing.

“It takes continuous readings because it is intended for use in multiple locations in rapid succession, rather than for continuous use in a single location,” Dennis explains. “The building inspector I mailed [the air quality results] to said he’d been inspecting houses for 20 years, and I was the first person ever to ask him to include air quality in the report. He loved this device so much that he asked if he could buy it from me.”

Air purifiers can be breathtakingly expensive, but this model from Coway is typically around $100 (often less), takes up very little space, and has a three-step filtration system to trap smoke, allergens, and stinky odors. It can clean around 800 square feet in an hour, making it better suited to smaller spaces, like a bedroom or office.

“Honestly, with this purifier in my bedroom, my sleep has been way better,” says writer Raki Swanson.

I find pothos and snake plants are pretty forgiving, even for those who don’t consider themselves to have a green thumb. Just note that if you have pets that like to chomp on greenery, you’ll want to choose from The Sill’s pet-friendly section, just to be safe.

If you have pets and a variety of surfaces in your home, this vacuum may become your new favorite. It has for me.

It picks up pet hair very efficiently. The HEPA dust bag traps dirt and allergens, and it comes with attachments like a pet brush, a crevice tool, and a dusting brush. The telescoping wand lets me reach across the couch or up to the top of my curtains easily. You can switch suction power and between hard floor and carpet settings using a button on the handle. Plus, did I mention that this thing is really good at picking up pet hair?

The only thing I find irritating about the Kenmore Pop-n-Go is that the storage drawer in the body of the vacuum, where you store your attachments, will randomly pop open. However, since this has been such a great vacuum, I’m willing to overlook that minor annoyance.

Something my trusty old steam mop struggled with was stuck-on grime. I’d have to hit the spot with steam, check, repeat. This steam cleaner from SharkNinja does the scrubbing for me, with rotating (machine-washable!) scrubbing pads. Combine that with a blast of steam, and dirt doesn’t stand a chance. 

The high-temperature steam can also help sanitize floors, which the company claims can remove up to 99.9 percent of common household bacteria — that means a deeper clean with a lot less effort.

I tend to find robot vacuums more trouble than they’re worth; I might as well vacuum or mop myself, if half the time I’m rescuing it from under furniture or wrestling cords out of its innards. But this mop/vacuum combo from Roborock is actually … kind of smart.

You can set it to avoid your pets (truly!), and it uses what Roborock calls “Reactive AI” to avoid obstacles. I was actually a little weirded out when it correctly identified my living room sectional as an oversized sofa. But my favorite part? It automatically empties itself and washes its own mop pads. 

As far as performance is concerned, it doesn’t do half bad; it’s a champ at picking up fine grit, and it actually gets close enough to my baseboards to catch the dust bunnies that collect there. Its mopping function can be a bit streaky (I’m still fine-tuning the water flow), and it doesn’t replace a hands-on deep clean. But for basic cleaning and maintenance, I actually don’t mind this little bot.

For messes that are too big to blot with a towel but too small to justify breaking out the upright carpet cleaner, there’s the Bissell Little Green Carpet Cleaner. This thing has made otherwise disastrous spills or accidents seem much less dire.

I’ve used it on carpets, furniture, even the interior of my car. You need to be mindful of the type of cleaning solution you use (it has to be for small carpet cleaners, like the ones sold here, not the bigger upright ones), and the dirty water tank and attachments can get dirty and are difficult to clean. But I’ve had this gadget for years, and it hasn’t failed me yet.

A friend recommended me this about a year ago, and I haven’t looked back. It’s incredible for rolling pet hair off your furniture. It traps the hair, so when you empty it out, you can be amazed by how much it picks up. It’s also cheap and easy to store. 

All you have to do is roll this back and forth on any surface to trap pet hair and lint. It’s great for when you don’t want to break out a vacuum. And unlike traditional lint rollers, there’s no sticky tape needed, so this is a sustainable choice. 

For tough dirt and grime, this battery-powered scrubber gives you a little more oomph. It’s waterproof, easy to store, and comes with attachments like a scrubber pad and flat and flared brushes to tackle dirty sinks, tubs, grout, and more.

Editorial director Simone Scully admits to initially being skeptical, but adds, “I have to say, I really like the electric cleaners a lot. They just make things easier. You don’t have to scrub at dirt quite as hard.” She also used them on her stove and says that “it does look amazing.”

Made with a blend of Marseille soap and white vinegar, this all-purpose spray cleaner is a gentle, eco-friendly pick for countertops and sinks. There are no harsh chemicals. It’s safe on surfaces in your kitchen, bathroom, and more (so long as they’re nonporous). For tougher messes, leave the solution for 30 seconds after spraying, and you’ll be able to cut through grease and dirt. 

Don’t let the vinegar part fool you — it also smells good. Scully tested this and says, “The surface cleaner works very well and has all-natural ingredients with no harsh chemicals.”

These are the kind of basic microfiber cloths you should always have on hand. They’re cheap, reusable, and more eco-friendly than using rolls of paper towels. They’re perfect for dusting off surfaces. They’re also soft and absorbent, and have a light texture that’s great for scrubbing stubborn spills.

Opinions are divided on these when it comes to the best size; I like the larger size (they’re 16 by 12 inches), but some may find them a bit unwieldy.

If I could outsource one cleaning job forever, it would be dusting. I loathe it. This extendable duster makes the chore a little more bearable. The extendable handle makes it easy for me to reach my ceiling fan blades (not as often as I should, admittedly) and my baseboards (same), and the duster’s fibers trap dust instead of flinging it around.

The disposable duster heads are not the most eco-friendly thing since they’re meant to be thrown out after use. But if you’re dusting blinds (another job I hate), these do make it a bit easier.

This plant-based cleaner is a nontoxic alternative to formulas that contain harsh chemicals. Public Goods uses ingredients like coconut, citric acid, and corn to cut through grease and leave your mirrors and windows streak-free.

“This glass cleaner works so well,” says Scully. “I’ve always kinda hated cleaning windows and glass because a lot of other products I’ve tried are prone to streaking, but not with this one. It’s my new go-to because it makes the chore so much easier.”

This linen spray from Homecourt will not only make your sheets smell good but also help smooth wrinkles and remove static. Made with plant-based ingredients, it comes in scents like Steeped Rose, Neroli Leaf, and Cece (with notes of cedarwood and cardamom).

“I tried the Steeped Rose scent with this spray and kind of fell in love,” says Scully. “The scent is very natural, subtle, and actually smells like a fresh rose rather than something artificial. I love spraying my sheets with this before I change the bed — it makes everything smell very fresh.”

If you want a water filter pitcher that does the job without extra fuss, this is it. It has a 10-cup capacity, an easy-fill lid, and an activated carbon filter to reduce the taste of chlorine and contaminants like lead.

Writer Ysolt Usigan says it gave her water a “crisp, clean taste,” adding that the water from this pitcher “didn’t have that hint of chlorine-mineral-pipe taste that tap water sometimes gives off.”

I started using this once a month when an inspection of my appliances revealed that my washing machine was “a little sudsy.” Once I got over my initial indignation (um, isn’t that kind of the point?), I did some research and realized that washing machines can collect a gross buildup of detergent and other gunk over time, which can affect the machine’s ability to do its job and potentially make your clothes stinky.

These tablets are easy to use — just drop one in and run your machine (sans clothes) on the hottest and longest setting once a month.

Writer and editor Nicole Bonaccorso tested this starter kit and says, “I love that this is plastic-free and bio-based. I’m always looking for plastic-free items. It helps me feel like I’m doing the best for my family.” It’s also effective. “My laundry actually smells more fresh when I use this product,” she says.

I guess I’m at the age where this is the sort of thing my friends talk about, but one of my friends bought this and raved about it. She got one for each bathroom in her home, then proceeded to convince four other friends to buy it. (Alas, I had to return mine; even this organizer’s magical powers are no match for my 1960s under-sink situation.)

It can be expanded to fit just about any under-sink area, with pull-out drawers to make it easier to access sponges and cleaners (one of my friends uses these to store her candles). It’s not a very exciting solution, but for someone who hates digging through the dumping ground that these areas become, it can be a game changer.