Spring Cleaning Is Fun If Your Cleaning Supplies Are, Too

Welcome to Someone Buy This!, a monthly shopping column featuring the fun, the frivolous, and the practical from a very discerning shopper.

I have a love/hate relationship with cleaning. Vacuuming is fun but mopping is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ll put on a podcast and clean the bathroom, until I get to the tub, which gives me the ick for some reason. I meticulously clean my massive mirror but I avoid washing dishes I’ve left in the sink for way too long. (On one of my lower lockdown-era days I walked past my full kitchen sink and thought "WHO used all these dishes?" I live alone.) This brings me to this month’s shopping list which answers a question that feels vital to this process: What if cleaning products were nice to look at? Does that even exist? It does!

Devoted readers of this column know that I love Staff’s entire line. They put a silly little face on oven mitts, plungers, toilet brushes and now…a mop! When I unboxed the mop I made a sound I can’t quite spell because the mop is wearing a little hat. Some may ask, "But Veronica, how is this different from my Swiffer?" Is your Swiffer wearing a little hat? I didn’t think so!

If you don’t want your mop to have a little hat and a smiley face (I don’t understand, but whatever) you may be more into Muji’s very cool "cleaning system." With mop, broom and even a giant lint roller attachment for carpets, this line has most of the cleaning tools you need. It’s super minimal and sleek, too—not something you’ll wanna stow away in a closet. Speaking of sleek, get a load of this duster! This thing looks like it could come to life in the live action remake of Beauty and The Beast. The same brand makes a little keyboard and desk duster. My computer always seems dustier than it should be, so I’m keeping that tab open…

One thing that’s particularly trendy right now is cleaning product concentrates. Public Goods is one of the many companies offering cleaning product refills and reusable glass bottles. If you’re interested but don’t know where to start, try their household starter kit.

I’m very particular about laundry. I love to splurge on clothes and I like to make sure I’m caring for my pieces so that they last as long as possible. This means that much of my closet requires "special care" and can’t go in the dryer. If you happen to see my apartment on laundry day, you’ll definitely find pieces draped over every chair, the shower rod and coat hooks. I should really get a clothes horse but they seem so…ugly?

I came across this one from Zara Home and even though it’s a bit pricey, I love it. It’s great that it folds back into itself and that it’s nice to look at!

 Folding and collapsible things are very important in a small space, which is why I love this bendy laundry basket. It’s not visually appealing, but it folds almost flat and you can stick it in your closet and not have to see it until you need it! 

Another laundry product I love is Dedcool’s detergent in "Milk," which is also my go-to perfume scent. It’s super light and fresh, just barely noticeable. While exploring laundry options I came across this cart, similar to what you’d find in a laundromat. I love it! If my laundry routine didn’t involve lots of stairs I’d add this to my online shopping cart and not look back.

I absolutely hate washing dishes. It is by far my least favorite chore. I recently saw these sparkly sponges in a home decor store and wondered if they’d make washing dishes "fun." Jury’s still out on that but they’re definitely fun to look at! 

Some people are Dish Brush People, and for them I’d recommend these beautiful wood-handled dish brushes. I’ve always been a sponge girl but now that I think about it, putting a handle’s worth of separation between me and the dirty dish I’m washing is not a bad idea…

My last dish-washing recommendation is a special one. Dorai Home makes a series of fast-drying products for the wet spaces in your home: your bathroom, the area around your pet’s water bowl and, famously, the area next to your sink where your dishes dry. I have their pet feeding set which includes a fast-drying platform where the food and water bowls sit, and it has greatly reduced the amount of water my dog gets on the floor as he messily drinks from his water bowl.

The dish pad works similarly, instantly absorbing water as it drips from your clean dishes. The pads are made of Diatomaceous earth, which can absorb up to six times its weight in water. Feels like magic! 

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