DadMode’s Home & Laundry Cleaning Set Removes Stains ‘Like Magic’

First things first: Get a standing dustpan. I’ve written before about how it’s made sweeping easier on my back, and I highly recommend it for anyone who hates sweeping. It practically sweeps on its own, requiring minimal effort on my end to pick up gross stuff. I have this pink one, which is so cute that I don’t mind leaving it out. The dustpan is super easy to empty.

I know the trendy kitchens of TikTok are all about those aesthetically pleasing bamboo dish brushes, but my goodness, just get into these Scotch-Brite brushes. I distinctly remember my family having one of these when I was growing up, and I started using them a few years ago in my own adult home. If you hate doing dishes, one of these will make it so much easier. Since the soap is already in the handle, you don’t have to put your hand on the gross sponge. And the handle gives you extra leverage.

I’m a late adopter of the cordless vacuum. As you now know, I don’t like cleaning, so I never thought it would be a worthwhile purchase. I recently got one from Bissell, because I trust the brand name and it cost under $200. I have been blown away by how easy the cordless model makes vacuuming, and do find myself doing it a hell of a lot more than I ever did before. Not to sound like a mommy blogger, but I really do find it so easy to give the home a quick swipe and to get dust and dander off the floor.

The one I have isn’t available online, but this ReadyClean model is similar and has some very cool features — it can even convert into a handheld vacuum.

I don’t try to “make cleaning fun” per se, but I do find that throwing on some music or a podcast makes cleaning a more enjoyable experience. I switched to using an Amazon Echo Pop last year and swear by it for playing music with a voice command. Sometimes I’ll find myself in the middle of doing dishes, and I realize it would be nicer with music on. So I literally can shout, “Alexa, play music,” and the tunes will come. I also love to use this device for reminders — it tells me when it’s trash day every week.

Cleaning — at least when you’re struggling to do it — is a “fake it till you make it” game. I find that a nice room spray, like this one from Mrs. Meyer’s, can get me in the mood to tidy up a little bit. It makes my space feel homey and nice, even if it looks like a bomb went off. Smell is such a powerful sense, and giving your space a good scent can get you into a cleaning mood and make your space more enjoyable as you’re knee-deep in piles of stuff.

I have a stack of dishes in my sink at all times, and that really is just what it is. I don’t have a dishwasher and I really struggle to consistently do my dishes after I cook. I swear by this spray from Dawn that works powerfully even for caked-on and dried-up food. I find that by spraying a plate down and letting it sit for 30 seconds, this soap almost cleans it for you.

Another pretty simple hack: Get an extending duster. This option from Swiffer can extend up to 3 feet in length and help you get dirt and other nastiness off of your fans, baseboards, walls, ceilings and everything else. I find that I’m more likely to clean if I can just lazily stand in one place and dust all around me without too much moving, and this lets you do just that.

Gloves are such an easy hack that I can’t believe I didn’t realize it for such a long time. For a while, I was into reusable rubber dish gloves, but I found that those got gross on the inside or would fall into my sink and then get wet. I recently made the swap to disposable food-serving gloves, which I use when cleaning dishes and messes. They are not waterproof and don’t keep my hands completely dry while doing dishes, but they keep me from touching old food and they just go in the trash when I’m done. These are also great for grabbing a mousetrap, taking out the trash or doing any other undesirable (but normal!) part of life.

I know many people have sworn off paper towels, but I truly could not live without them. Bounty paper towels are essential for me, as I don’t need to further clean them after using them. I do use rags in the kitchen, but having to clean a rag after using the rag to clean a spill? Give me a break. I love paper towels for cleaning the toilet, sinks and tables, as well as spills and really any other gross mess. I keep rolls all over my home, so I can always reach for one when I need it. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s better to splurge on a more heavyweight towel — just one sheet can often do the trick (as opposed to a whole roll of a cheapie brand).

Another great cleaning hack for me has been buying multiples of supplies — so I don’t need to cart individual bottles from room to room — and setting up little cleaning caddies so I have everything at hand. I have a caddy like this under my kitchen sink and under my bathroom sink, each full of the products I need to clean the area. That makes it so easy to just pull a caddy out and have all of my sprays and cleaners together.

Outside of my job, I read and write a lot. This means I have an assortment of notebooks and books everywhere at all times. I love having good-looking crates, like this trio of wooden ones, around my home that can I designate for such items. When I’m cleaning, I just throw every book and notebook into the crate, clearing up table space, the couch and my bed. Later, when I’m looking for a certain book or notebook, there’s a great chance it’s in one of the crates.

Don’t get it twisted: I certainly do not return the book to the crate after reading it. No, no — I put the six books I’ve taken out all in the crate when I want to sit on my book-covered couch. Obviously, these can be used for any item you have a lot of, or as a general grab-bag situation. But the point is, creating spaces for certain stuff lets you easily move it when you’re cleaning.

Dirty dishes around my home are another consistent problem for me. At any given moment, there are 12 dirty cups in my bedroom. Similar to crates, I’ve gotten into really cute trays, creating a set spot for food and dishes to go. When I notice the cups are starting to stack up, I can put them all on a tray, making them easy to carry back to the kitchen.

I could talk for hours about the joy of the catchall tray, especially if you are someone who takes their jewelry off willy-nilly during the day without noticing until you realize it’s gone. Something like this adorable shell dish can provide a designated place for small items to go. It may inspire you to store your little things in it, or it might just give you a temporary place to put your items when it’s time to clean. It can quickly tidy up a shelf or coffee table, and it lets you consolidate your little items with ease.

I have stairs in my apartment, which just become completely covered in things that need to go upstairs or downstairs. For the last year or so, I’ve started a sorting system with these hard-sided grocery bags. One sits on the top step for things that need to go downstairs, and one rests on the bottom step for things that need to go up. I find that having these designated spaces for crap helps ensure my stairs are clear and safe. When I notice that the stairs are getting full of stuff and I’m in a rush, I can throw it all in a basket, get it out of the way and know that I need to sort it later. (As with any basket system, this runs the risk of just becoming a basket overflowing with random items. But the trade-off is worth it to keep my stairs safe, and each basket is easy to carry around and then sort.)

Trash cans are your friend. So much of me not putting things where they go is because the “spot” for the thing is in another room and I’m too engrossed in what I’m doing to move. This can totally be the case for trash — seltzer cans, junk mail, food wrappers. An easy fix for this is just having more trash cans in my space. When every room and hallway has a trash can, it’s a lot easier to actually dispose of things. Then when trash day comes around, I just have to stop by the cans instead of picking up single pieces of trash from all over. I love this set of four compact, neutral trash cans that will blend into any space.

The front door is another zone that so easily gets out of control and can really hinder your home cleaning. I love having a front door station with a spot for my keys, my sunglasses and anything that’s outgoing, like mail or items I need to give to people. It gives all of these things a designated spot, meaning there’s less cleaning up for you.

I know it’s gross to talk about bugs and ants, but it is what it is and sometimes they happen. I recently was dealing with a gnarly ant situation, and these Hot Shot traps have been great for controlling that.