If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Cleaning 20 Clever Amazon Gadgets That Clean Often-Forgotten Areas of Your Home When was the last time you cleaned the ceiling fan? By Stephanie Osmanski Stephanie Osmanski Steph Osmanski is a shopping writer for Real Simple with 10 years of experience in digital media. She focuses on trends, news, and deals on everything in the home space, including vacuums, cleaning gadgets, home decor, and more. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 21, 2024 05:03PM EDT Photo: Real Simple / Francesca Fasciglione One of the most common home cleaning misconceptions is that bathrooms are the germiest room in the house. But contrary to popular belief, it’s actually—brace yourself—the kitchen. According to the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), kitchens contain more bacteria and even fecal contamination (ew!) than any other spot. It gets worse: More than 75 percent of sponges and dish rags, 45 percent of kitchen sinks, and 18 percent of cutting boards tested positive for coliform bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, as well as fecal contamination, compared to only 9 percent of bathroom faucet handles. We’ll let you process that disgusting—albeit true—information. But other commonly neglected areas you may forget to clean include toothbrush holders, door knobs, baseboards, coffee machines, and those pesky tracks between windows and sliding doors. Not to mention, you should be cleaning the garbage disposal, trash cans, dryer vents, washing machines, and technology weekly (although you may want to clean your phone, earbuds, and keyboards daily). Oh, and don’t forget to clean purses and kids’ backpacks, too. The 13 Best Vacuums, Tested and Reviewed Now that you’ve processed the grossest statistic you’ll discover all day, here’s a solution: 15 clever cleaning gadgets specifically designed to tackle the often forgotten areas of your home. From that moldy coffee reservoir to neglected baseboards, ceiling fans, and dryer vents collecting dirt and debris, these cleaning gadgets won’t leave a speck of bacteria behind. Shop Clever Deep Cleaning Gadgets From Amazon Magic Window Track Cleaner Tools Set, $13 (was $16) Clark’s Cutting Board Oil and Wax Kit, $53 Quick & Clean Keurig Cleaning Pods, $10 KevinRooty 50-Piece Disposable Crevice Cleaning Brush Tool Kit, $14 (was $15) Bril UV-C Toothbrush Sanitizer, $30 (was $35) Holikme 15-Feet Dryer Vent Cleaning Brush, $13 (was $22) Powerstone Pumice Stone Toilet Bowl Cleaner, $14 (was $15) Pulidiki Universal Dust Cleaning Gel, $6 (was $9) Sauberkugel The Clean Ball, $11 (was $13) Baseboard Buddy, $25 Magic Window Track Cleaner Tools Set Amazon $16 $13 at Amazon You have to admit—this is genius! If you’ve ever tried to vacuum or use an air duster to clean out the window or sliding glass door track, you’ve already put in more effort than most. Both areas have a way of collecting dust, dirt, mold, and mildew over time, and many of us have just gotten used to them being dirty. But believe it or not, there is something you can do. With the help of this clever cleaning tool kit, which features three window groove brushes, four scouring pads, and two two-in-one multipurpose detachable dustpan brushes, you can easily clean a seemingly impossible area of your home. The window groove brushes have a unique, ergonomic design that makes them both easy to grip and shaped perfectly to get into the grooves of the track. The cleaning brushes have two sides:, one end for sweeping away loose dirt and a scraper on the other edge that forces out dirt. Use them on other areas like window blinds, sills, car vents, shower door tracks, sinks, faucets, and more, too. Clark’s Cutting Board Oil and Wax Kit Amazon $53 at Amazon We were absolutely shocked to learn that cutting boards are a major breeding ground for coliform bacteria, but it does make sense. Cutting boards are used for chopping up everything from raw meat to veggies and lettuce—all known potential carriers of Salmonella and E. coli—and if you’re touching the kitchen sink faucet then the food or board, it’s a pretty straightforward contamination route. This set includes food-safe cutting board oil, wax, an applicator, and buffing pad, which when used in conjunction, properly cleans, conditions, and restores the board. The wax also forms a protective barrier on the surface that comes in handy during future uses, as it blocks moisture, dirt, and debris from penetrating deeper into the wood. (It also protects the wood from scratches, too!) Quick & Clean Keurig Cleaning Pods Amazon $10 at Amazon The coffee maker’s propensity for holding onto mold was another one of the more shocking revelations from this survey, and it makes us want to throw our machine in the garbage ASAP. But such drastic measures aren’t necessary, as these clever Keurig Cleaning Pods descale the Keurig from the inside. Each cleaning pod has perforated holes all around the cup’s circumference to provide a 360-degree clean that cuts through built-up residue and old grinds in the machine’s pack holder, funnel, and exit needle. And with six pods per set, you’ll get up to three months of cleaning power if you use your coffee maker daily. To use it, it’s as easy as brewing two large cycles—one with the pod and one with water only). KevinRooty 50-Piece Disposable Crevice Cleaning Brush Tool Kit Amazon $15 $14 at Amazon For the impossible areas of the home that you have no idea how to tackle, there are these disposable crevice cleaning brushes that can go where no other brush can. Literally, they’re as fine-detailed as a Q-tip, but with a longer stem for more reach. Each brush is 9.2 inches long and features a 1.6-centimeter flat brush head made from soft, non-woven elastic that can be used either wet or dry. It’s perfect for removing all kinds of stains and buildup in corners and crevices, and you can use it on everything from toilet gaps, refrigerator gaps, in between keyboard keys, car vents, door rails, window rails, baby bottles, and more. Basically, whenever you’re stumped about how to clean a hard-to-reach area, reach for these. Bril UV-C Toothbrush Sanitizer Amazon $35 $30 at Amazon Technically, the bathroom isn’t the yuckiest room in most houses, but it still has its areas (and moments). The most likely place for coliform to develop in the bathroom isn’t the toilet, but actually your toothbrush holder. In fact, 27 percent of toothbrush holders tested positive for such bacteria, so, what can you do? Mitigate the amount of bacteria transferring from your toothbrush to the holder as much as possible by sterilizing the bristles with UV light technology directly after each use. This neat little gadget sterilizes in only three minutes, killing off 99 percent of typical bathroom germs and airborne particles. And to be extra thorough, wipe down the holder daily. Keep scrolling for more invaluable cleaning gadgets that will really step up your home cleaning routine in the kitchen, bathroom, and beyond. Holikme 15-Feet Dryer Vent Cleaning Brush Amazon $22 $13 at Amazon Powerstone Pumice Stone Toilet Bowl Cleaner Amazon $15 $11 at Amazon Pulidiki Universal Dust Cleaning Gel Amazon $9 $7 at Amazon Sauberkugel The Clean Ball Amazon $13 at Amazon Baseboard Buddy Amazon $25 at Amazon Angry Mom Microwave Cleaner Amazon $7 at Amazon KidsCleanCar Portable Go-Kart Amazon $269 $180 at Amazon Grill Rescue BBQ Scraper Amazon $54 at Amazon Herda 316L Cast Iron Scrubber Cleaner Amazon $20 $14 at Amazon Universal Garbage Disposal Cleaner and Deodorizer Brush Amazon $22 at Amazon Blade Maid Ceiling Fan Cleaner Amazon $35 $25 at Amazon Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Sheets Amazon $24 at Amazon Jeymi Two-Pack Damp Clean Duster Sponge Amazon $8 at Amazon Ginsco Two-Piece Hard Bristle Crevice Cleaning Brush Amazon $5 $4 at Amazon Haomaomao Sewer Drain Brush Amazon $10 at Amazon Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! 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