Our list of cleaning companions include steam cleaners and handheld vacs that can get into almost every nook and cranny of your home, plus carpet cleaners and stain removers to remove unsightly marks.
Our experts have also put together a list of supposed ‘cleaning hacks’ that don’t work or could do more harm than good. For example, using vinegar to clean a hardwood floor could ruin the finish completely. Keep scrolling for the details.
Get our Home newsletter – it's free monthly1. Try a dust-busting steam cleaner
If you suffer from asthma or allergies that are exacerbated by dust mites, investing in a capable steam cleaner could be a wise move.
The high temperatures produced by steam cleaners aim to eliminate all traces of dust and harmful bacteria without the need for harsh chemicals, and the best we've tested will clean almost every inch of your home.
As well as cleaning hard floors and carpets, bathrooms and curtains, you can use a steam cleaner to sanitise a mattress. You can also experiment with modes designed to clean your oven and hob (as long as you avoid the oven's heating element), and speed up defrosting the freezer while sterilising its surfaces.
Popular steam cleaners* that we've tested include:
Take a look at all of our expert , or consult our guide on the .2. Use a handheld vac to reach tough spots
Handheld vacuum cleaners are generally easy to use, cordless and lightweight, which means you can use them anywhere.
Although they aren't quite as good at cleaning as their full-sized counterparts, handheld models are great at quick tasks such as cleaning the inside of your car. Make sure you shop for one with decent dust capacity and a good battery life that won’t run out of power mid-clean.
Popular handheld vacuum cleaners* that we've tested include:
See our full selection of , or jump straight to the around.3. Freshen up your walls with washable paint
Washable paint is more durable than standard paint and shouldn’t flake, peel or fade when you need to clean stains or scuff marks.
We've tested matt emulsion paint from Dulux, Farrow & Ball, Johnstone, Little Greene and more. See our guide on the
4. Banish marks with a stain remover
A dedicated stain remover is your best bet for shifting a mark on your sofa, curtains or a cushion, or a dried-on stain that a carpet cleaner can’t get rid of.
On a mission to see which popular stain removers do their job effectively, we've tested several options including Ace Stain Remover Spray, Pink Stuff Stain Remover Spray and Wilko Stain Remover. Our research uncovered a pair of standout Best Buys that performed best at shifting the most stains.
See which cleaning products we recommend with our guide to the
5. Clear clogged pipes with a drain unblocker
Having a powerful drain unblocker at your disposal will help you de-clog pipes and avoid a kitchen sink full of dirty water.
We've tested kitchen-drain unblockers by pitting them against a tough food blockage consisting of broccoli, lard and breadcrumbs. For bathroom drain unblockers, we undertook the pleasant task of mixing hair with shampoo to make drain-clogging hairballs.
To avoid frequent use of these harsh chemicals, invest in drain protectors to stop food and hair going down your plughole. Enzyme cleaning sticks, designed to naturally digest fat, grease and soapy residue, are also useful for keeping drains clear and odour-free.
Find out which drain unblockers can save the day with our advice on the and .6. Test your CO and smoke alarms
While giving your home a once over, take the chance to check that your carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke alarms are working as they should. Use the test button and change the batteries if they’re more than a year old.
If you’re in Scotland, you’ll need to install interlinked heat and smoke alarms in your home. Many major manufacturers (Aico, FireAngel and Kidde) have smoke and heat alarms that will work with one another so they all sound.
Popular smoke alarms* that we've tested include:
For more on alarms and how to install them, check in with our guide on the .7. Keep your floors fresh with a carpet cleaner
To ensure your carpets are as clean as possible, we recommend giving the area a once over with a vacuum cleaner before using a carpet cleaner. You should do this even if you use a multi-function carpet cleaner that has a vacuuming mode as well as washing.
Read the instructions carefully to find out how many times you need to go over each section of carpet. The carpet should take around 24 hours to dry thoroughly after it has been cleaned.
Popular carpet cleaners* that we've tested include:
Browse all of our , or jump straight to the top-rated models in our guide to the .Revealed: cleaning hacks that simply don't work
Cleaning with vinegar
You can use it to clean some items, but don’t use it on mirrors or granite counters as it’ll dull the shine. Vinegar can damage the inside of a washing machine, iron or dishwasher, and will ruin a hardwood floor’s finish.
Drain unblocking home remedies
When we tested drain unblockers, we also tried out a home remedy of bicarbonate soda, salt and vinegar. It didn’t work on our hairball or food clog, and we had to use a plunger to clear the pipes.
Vacuuming wet spills
Vacuuming anything wet will clog your vacuum, potentially block the filter and turn the dust inside into a damp mess. Use a cloth to dry wet spills and sweep up with a dustpan and brush before using a vac.
Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar on dirty saucepans
We found that bicarbonate, vinegar and salt was the least effective way to clean burnt food from a pan. Simmering water and a dishwasher tablet for 10 minutes was much more effective.
Smelly stain removers
Internet ideas include a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, white wine (on red wine stains) and mixtures of distilled vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, but we found they all left a horrible, lingering smell.
* Based on the number of visits to our reviews over the past year, as of April 2023. Note that 'popular' and 'impressive' can be two different things, so make sure you consult our expert reviews before you consider buying.
Additional reporting by Tom Morgan.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/7-expert-tips-to-conquer-your-spring-cleaning-anEss3i9Apq6