11 Time-Saving Cleaning Products House Cleaners Swear By

Want to save some time during your cleaning routine? Instead of having your cleaning products strewn about the house, keep them all in a convenient caddy instead. "If you have multiple floors in your home, you may want a fully-stocked cleaning caddy for each floor," Debra recommends. Fill your caddy with whatever you use on a daily basis, from all-purpose cleaners to gloves and sponges. We love this stylish and affordable storage pieces from T.J.Maxx!

This is one cleaning product Debra can't live without. Instead of your typical, run-of-the-mill duster, opt for microfiber cloths. "Microfiber cloths trap dust, rather than spreading it around other surfaces or making it airborne." The best part? "Microfiber also helps keep surfaces cleaner longer." To keep your microfiber cloths organized according to different cleaning tasks, Debra recommends color-coding.

Debra identifies melamine sponges as one of her favorite cleaning tools — second only to microfiber cloths! They're excellent for cleaning all kinds of scuffs, fingerprints, and other marks that you may have just resigned yourself to living with. Debra says, "Test a damp eraser pad on an inconspicuous spot to ensure that it won’t damage the paint on your walls. Once the test spot is dry and looks good, go ahead and use the magic eraser to clear all of those scuffs — we all have them!"

Dirty coffee filters aren't going to help you here, but clean coffee filters are a surprisingly great way to clean your windows. They don't contain any lint, so they'll leave your windows shiny and clear. And because dryer sheets are designed to absorb static, they're surprisingly adept at cleaning tricky spots like blinds, computer screens and more. Who knew?!

It may surprise you to hear that some of the best cleaning products are already in your pantry or bathroom cupboard. Everyday household products like rubbing alcohol and vinegar can be combined to make window cleaners, as Debra notes. "Mix one cup of rubbing alcohol with one cup of water and add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar and you’re good to go." Mixing vinegar with water can make a great all-purpose cleaner as well. Here are 11 ingenious uses for vinegar around the house!

Steamers are great for deodorizing and cleaning a wide range of surfaces — even your hardwood floor. "Steam is quick and powerful, and since you’re only using water, you eliminate the need for using products." If you're using it for hardwood, Debra recommends making sure the model you're using is meant for that kind of surface.

Don't spend hours and lots of elbow grease on trying to get those stuck-on messes off your countertops and appliances. Instead, Debra recommends a scraping tool. They're great for crevices and seams. "The Lil Chizler is my go to for scraping tools — it’s plastic and safely lifts and scrapes without scratching."

For pet owners, Debra recommends using a pet sponge to clean upholstery of pet hair. Using a pet sponge regularly can keep upholstered furniture looking clean and can also prevent your pet's natural oils from building up on your furniture. They're a great alternative to covering your furniture in pet covers or old sheets, because who wants to do that?

Another time-saving trick: robot vacuums! "These vacuums are safe for both carpet and hard surface floors and are a huge time saver," Debra says. While these often don't get the credit they deserve, robot vacuums are not just great for keeping your floors maintained in between deep vacuum cleanings, they can also be used while you're away.

Debra recommends investing in a 50-foot extension cord — which can be especially useful if you have a large house. It can make vacuuming way easier and saves you from having to find a new plug in each room. "This lets you plug in the vacuum cleaner once, instead of having to lug it around to different outlets."

Those hard-to-reach-places in your home don't have to be neglected. Instead of avoiding them, grab a step ladder and tackle them head-on. "Having a two- or three-foot step ladder lets you get to those hard to reach areas, like air vents near the ceiling, light fixtures, and the highest shelves."