Though it can be dizzying to wade through the numerous brands lining the cleaning aisle, there are some names that rightly deserve a spot in every person’s bin of spray bottles and containers. To narrow it down, there are no better opinions than those of professional cleaners who have tried countless companies’ products—from popular to less well-known—and use them on a daily basis. Sara San Angelo, a professional house cleaner who’s also known as The Cleaning Lady, says she will “never leave home without my Mr. Clean Magic Erasers in my cleaning caddy.” These melamine sponges are renowned for their ability to work across a variety of surfaces and swipe away gunk and build up. San Angelo couldn’t agree more. “They truly are magic,” she explains. “They are the best thing I’ve used to get soap scum off bathtubs and especially glass shower doors. They really shine with Magic Erasers!” A second vote for Mr. Clean’s Magic Erasers comes from MaidForYou operations manager Adriana Aziz. She’s responsible for creating the standard operating procedures at the company and their teams use Mr. Clean while tidying up homes. “We keep them handy, especially for move-out cleans where removing marks from walls is a necessity for our customers.” His number one brand is Clorox, particularly their bleach. “Bleach is the number one product we use for bathrooms because it does an amazing job at disinfecting and cleaning surfaces,” he says. “People also love the smell of bleach because they can immediately tell the space is clean.” Because of its reputation and results, Pallares says that Pine-Sol is another oft-used brand, especially for a streak-free finish on floors and other surfaces. He adds that it’s also a fan favorite for the same reason as bleach—it’s easy for clients to register the scent of Pine-Sol and feel confident that the space has been thoroughly cleaned. “The best product you can use is Dawn liquid soap,” he says. “It does wonders on countertops, sinks, refrigerators, and even windows. It is the overall best cleaner for your home. You can use Dawn to clean your entire house.” But before you start adding some to your mop bucket, press pause: “I wouldn’t suggest it for the floors, but it works great on every other surface.” The Ecolab Peroxide Multi-Surface Cleaner and Disinfectant is a staple for cleaning glass and other surfaces. For any grimy surfaces they come across in bathrooms, they turn to Ecolab’s Neutral Bathroom Cleaner. Floors, on the other hand, get treated with Ecolab’s Neutral Floor Cleaner. Kellsie R. Zapata, owner of Zapata’s Cleaning Service, LLC, stands by Sprayway’s Stainless Steel Cleaner for bringing shine back to metallic surfaces, whether it’s a fridge or stove, and says, “We always keep this fantastic cleaner in stock.” “This product will clean, polish, and protect all types of stainless steel surfaces. It even works on chrome,” explains Zapata. “It does a great job at resisting fingerprints. I love being able to use this product at our client’s homes and I even do the ‘fingerprint’ test in front of them to show how it truly does resist fingerprints.”
