10 Top-Rated Tools You’ll Want for Post-Holiday Cleanup

After all the meals are eaten, presents are opened, and your guests are gone, you are left with a mess after the holidays. While you may be fretting over the carpet stains, dirt on your hardwood floors, and wrapping paper and tinsel remnants at every turn, there is help ahead. We’ve gathered the most critical tools you’ll need to get your home sparkling again. From vacuums for every situation to carpet cleaners, mops, and brooms, the following highly rated cleaning tools will ensure your cleanup process is a breeze.

While traditional vacuums can weigh up to 20 pounds, the Tineco Pure One S70 Stick Vacuum weighs only 6.76 pounds. This cordless stick vacuum works on all floor types, converts to a handheld vac for cleaning upholstery, and boasts powerful suction. Featuring an Upgraded ProSense 3D Cleaning System, it can sense dust levels and automatically match the required suction for optimal cleaning. It also has a green LED light that highlights invisible dust and hair, ensuring you never miss a spot. And thanks to a 180-degree foldable tube, it can easily fit under furniture. It comes with a vertical charging dock that houses all the attachments and charges the vacuum. It is also equipped with a high-performance HEPA filter, making it an excellent choice for individuals with allergies or those who have pets in the home.

What our tester says: “We used the Tineco to vacuum our hardwood floors, tile, and area rugs, and were impressed by how effortlessly it glided across all types of floors. Thanks to its light weight, it was also easy to carry up and down the stairs. We were able to vacuum our 2,000+-square-foot home in Auto mode without the battery dying. This lightweight powerful vacuum removed debris large and small, leaving our floors spotless.”

This is one of those handy tools that makes everyday cleaning instantly easier. The upgraded deluxe design of this Swiffer Sweep & Mop Deluxe 2-in-1 Kit transitions from dry sweeping to wet mopping in seconds, trapping dust, pet hair, and sticky messes on tile, laminate, or sealed wood floors. This starter kit includes the sweeper, heavy-duty dry cloths, and wet mopping pads. Use the dry cloths to trap dust and pet hair, then switch to wet pads to clean up sticky spills. The lightweight handle and 360-degree swivel head reach under furniture and into corners, giving floors a polished, streak-free finish in minutes.

What our tester says: “Thanks to the locking mophead, I was able to dust the top of every baseboard in my house—no bending over or crouching necessary. I also appreciated the collapsible design. With a click of a button and a gentle push, the Swiffer Sweep and Mop Deluxe collapses to just 25 inches tall, making it small enough to lay inside a cabinet. The handle also has a generous-sized hole at the top for convenient hook storage. …this sturdy, easy-to-store upgrade is worthy of a place in your cleaning cabinet.”

Brooms may be simple, but they’re also essential for sweeping up dust and debris from your floors. The O-Cedar PowerCorner Pet Pro broom with dustpan won our top award for its excellent design and performance. It features an angled head and a dual-bristle design with firm black bristles on the outside for pulling debris from corners and tight spaces, plus softer grey bristles through the center for capturing and moving the mess onto the dustpan without scattering it. Made of 80 percent recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the bristles are durable enough to resist shedding and fraying under normal use, though they may wear down on rough surfaces like garage floors. The steel handle is lightweight and durable, and it also has a convenient hanging hole for storage. 

What our tester says: “If there’s such a thing as a thoughtfully designed broom, this is it. Every detail, from the angled bristles to the step-on dustpan, makes sweeping easier and more effective than any broom I’ve used before. The dustpan that comes with this broom is also a major upgrade over standard units. When you step on the handle, it creates a tight seal between the rubber edge and the floor to prevent debris from slipping underneath. It has integrated combs at the back that pull hair off the bristles so that you don’t have to do it by hand, plus an anti-static design so that everything slides cleanly into the trash rather than clinging.”

These machines preserve the classic luster of hardwood floors while removing dust, grime, and allergens from your home environment. Bissell’s corded SpinWave electric floor mop features two spinning mopheads that perform a scrubbing action to keep sealed hardwood floors and tile floors in spotless condition. It safely brings out an attractive shine on hard floors as the spinning pads scrub away soils and spills. The on-demand spray system gives users precise control over the quantity of cleaning solution released onto the floor.

What our tester says: “The SpinWave performed well on our stain tests, removing the pasta sauce and soft drink in only a couple of passes. We’ve used the SpinWave dozens of times, and the mop pads have held up well after several washes. It’s a gentle mop suitable for all floor types, including moisture-sensitive flooring like hardwoods and laminate.”

Dusters are a key necessity when cleaning a home. Their special design helps trap dust, hair, and other debris, preventing them from dropping to the floor and making more of a mess. The OXO Good Grips Microfiber Hand Duster is a reusable, machine-washable option that can help you keep the surfaces in your home dust-free. This double-sided duster features a flexible head with long, fluffy fibers that get into nooks and crannies and can remove dust from objects with a light touch.

Getting rid of dirt, dust, and debris on stairs can be a daunting task, but the right vacuum designed for uneven surfaces and hard-to-reach corners can help you get the job done. The Levoit LVAC-200 is our top pick for its lightweight design, impressive suction, and affordable price. Weighing just over 3 pounds, it’s easy to maneuver in tight spaces and carry up and down stairs. It has three speed settings—eco, medium, and turbo—and comes with a crevice tool and pet tool, making it versatile for different surfaces and cleaning needs. 

What our tester says: “The things that put this model over the top for me were the headlights that help illuminate dirt and its ability to stand on its own without tipping over.”

The Rubbermaid Reveal Microfiber Spray Mop Cleaning Kit features gentle and wide microfiber pads suitable for daily cleaning. This 5-pound mop is safe to use on all sealed floor types, including hardwood, laminate, tile, and vinyl. The microfiber pads are machine washable up to 100 times. The pads were slightly larger than the head, making it easy to clean corners and baseboards.

What our tester says: “Rubbermaid’s Reveal microfiber spray mop cleaning kit worked equally well on all types of flooring, including our laminate, vinyl, and tile. We found that it was easy to use, lightweight and maneuverable, and didn’t require much elbow grease to pick up everything from dust and hair to dried orange juice.”

Read our full review: Rubbermaid Reveal Microfiber Spray Mop Cleaning Kit

AIDEA Microfiber Cleaning Cloths are a top pick not only because they are super plush and highly absorbent, but also for their versatility. You can use them to capture dust, dirt, and debris on just about every surface imaginable, without worrying about causing damage in the process. Made of non-treated polyester and polyamide fibers, these microfiber cloths don’t scratch paint, stainless steel, or electronics—and they won’t fade or deposit lint either.

The right power scrubber can make many dreaded chores much more bearable. With a rapidly rotating stiff brush, these portable power tools can reduce the time and effort it takes to clean manually with a standard sponge or brush. The Casabella Power Spin Scrubber offers versatility at an affordable price. It features a rod that extends up to 47.5 inches as well as four uniquely shaped scrub brushes, including a large flat brush, a small flat brush, a small cone brush, and a dome brush. It also has an adjustable head, enabling it to reach tight spaces when needed.

What our tester says: “Assembly was a breeze. It came in three pieces that snapped together. We first used it as a shower scrubber, spraying our surround with cleaner and then using the flat and cone brushes to expel dirt and soap scum. We also used the large flat brush to scrub ceramic tile and linoleum floors. We were impressed by how much visible dirt was lifted from the linoleum after only one use. The adjustable extension rod was one of our favorite features, easily reaching floors, showers, walls, and other surfaces without having to bend or kneel—and it kept potent tub and tile cleaners at a safe distance.”

Deep-clean your home quickly with the best carpet cleaners for floors covered in dirt, stains, pet hair, and odors. With no buttons to push or triggers to pull, Hoover’s high-tech SmartWash+ carpet cleaner makes quick and easy work of messy tasks. Pushing the unit forward automatically turns on the cleaning function, and pulling it back switches the machine to auto-dry. The cleaner’s AutoMix system combines and dispenses the correct amount of carpet cleaner solution​, while the 1-gallon tank provides ample capacity for washing and rinsing.

What our tester says: “It took us a little while to get used to the lack of buttons and triggers, but once we used the machine for a bit, we found it to be one of our favorites. In addition to being easy to use and effective, this upright carpet-cleaning machine was lighter than similar models, which made it easier to maneuver and carry. With its longer power cord, 8-foot hose, and several attachments (including one for pet hair), it’s also quite versatile.”

 

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