The Best Kitchen Cleaners of 2023 (2024)

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more.

Photo: amazon.com

In the never-ending quest to keep kitchens clean and tidy, there’s a huge selection of cleansers on the market, including both conventional and natural cleaning products. Tackling even the dirtiest messes needn’t be a big chore if you have the best kitchen cleaner for the specific job—and a few handy time-saving tricks. Use this guide to learn what to look for in a kitchen cleaner, and why the following products are considered among the best to help keep your cook space healthy and spotless.

  1. BEST OVERALL: CLR Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner
  2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Windex Multisurface Disinfectant Cleaner
  3. BEST BUDGET:
  4. BEST LONG-LASTING: Mistolin Lavender All-Purpose Cleaner
  5. BEST DEEP-CLEANING: GP66 Green Miracle Cleaner
  6. BEST NATURAL: Bon Ami Scratch-Free Powder Cleanser
  7. BEST DISINFECTANT: Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach
  8. BEST FOR KITCHEN CABINETS: Parker and Bailey Kitchen Cabinet Cream
  9. BEST FOR KITCHEN FLOOR: Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Floor Cleaner
  10. BEST FOR KITCHEN SINK: Biomex All-Purpose Multisurface Cleaner and Sponge

The Best Kitchen Cleaners of 2023 (2)

Photo: istockphoto.com

Before You Buy a Kitchen Cleaner

Kitchen cleaners are capable of cleaning up stuck-on food messes, grease, dirt, and even molds that are lurking. When choosing the best option for your home, cleaning power as well as environmental friendliness are important considerations to think of. When choosing a kitchen surface cleaner that is safe for homes with children and pets, look for options that use vinegar, water, or natural oils in their formulas instead of household cleaning products with harsh chemicals that are not recommended for food contact.

How We Chose the Best Kitchen Cleaner

We researched the most sought-after kitchen cleaners in their respective categories and discovered that the best options are determined by their application type, compatible materials, ease of use, ingredients, quantity provided, and other special features included by top brands.

After extensive product research, we included options in our list of top picks that were made with spray, concentrated, or cream application types for cleaning metal, ceramic, glass, wood, and more. We were sure to include cleaners in our list of top picks that were easy to spray on surfaces, dilute in a spray bottle or bucket, or even use with floor cleaner machines.

We were also sure to choose a variety of products with biodegradable, hypoallergenic, nontoxic, and/or all-natural formulas that are safe for homes with children and pets. Need more? During our research we were also sure to choose options that came with large quantities for multiple or large cleaning projects.

Our Top Picks

The factors detailed above, as well as price and environmental friendliness, were considered to compile this list of top kitchen cleaners.

Best Overall

1

CLR Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

To clean a host of kitchen surfaces quickly and effectively, consider this industrial-strength yet environmentally friendly product from CLR. It contains no phosphates, bleach, or ammonia, relying instead on fermenting sugars to create lactic acid that naturally descales hard water buildup, calcium deposits, lime, and kitchen dirt. To use, simply spray and wipe; the foaming formula works fast to clean and restore shine.

This 26-ounce CLR product is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice Program that helps consumers identify safe cleaning products that work well while being better for “human health and the environment.” People with allergies to propylene glycol butyl ether, however, may be sensitive to this product.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Foaming spray
  • Compatible surfaces: Porcelain, ceramic tile, shower doors, sinks, bathtubs, white grout and caulk, toilet bowls, and fiberglass
  • Quantity: 26 ounces (per bottle)

Pros

  • Versatile formula can be used in kitchen and bathroom cleanups
  • Contains no harsh chemicals including phosphates, bleach, or ammonia
  • Dissolves hard water buildup, calcium deposits, lime, and dirt
  • Included in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice Program for reliability

Cons

  • People with allergies to propylene glycol butyl ether may be sensitive to this product

Get the CLR kitchen cleaner at Amazon (2-pack), Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, or The Home Depot.

Best Bang For The Buck

2

Windex Multisurface Disinfectant Cleaner

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

When it comes to price and versatility, Windex Multisurface Cleaner is pretty hard to beat. It can remove dirt, grease, and grime as well as eliminate 99 percent of germs and viruses like salmonella, streptococcus, and E. coli on hard, nonporous surfaces. Its awesome spray formula wipes easily from tile, metal, and glass to clean and sanitize without leaving residue or unsightly streaks. To thoroughly disinfect, let the product dwell for 10 minutes before removing.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Spray
  • Compatible surfaces: Bathroom surfaces, countertops, kitchen tables, mirrors, and glass
  • Quantity: 23 ounces

Pros

  • Extremely versatile formula can be used on many surfaces: glass, metal, tile, and more
  • Kills 99 percent of germs and viruses such as salmonella, streptococcus, and E. coli
  • Does not leave behind any residue or streaks on hard surfaces
  • Completely disinfects surfaces within 10 minutes

Cons

  • Some users have reported some slight smudging on mirrors

Get the Windex kitchen cleaner at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Target (26 ounces).

Best Budget

3

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

If getting clean and saving cash are equally important, check out Simple Green’s powerful all-purpose cleaner, concentrated. The nontoxic, noncorrosive, and nonabrasive formula is a safer alternative to cleaners that contain toxic ingredients like solvents and bleach. This 1-gallon option can be used on a host of surfaces and is especially effective at getting rid of the cooking grease that can accumulate in a kitchen.

Thanks to its concentrated nature, whether applied directly or diluted with water, a little goes a long way and leaves behind a fresh lemon scent. And that’s what makes it so economical to clean various types of countertops, appliances, and floors.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Spray bottle or bucket
  • Compatible surfaces: Counters, carpet, floors, machines, equipment, and vehicles
  • Quantity: 1 gallon

Pros

  • All-purpose cleaner can be used on most washable surfaces for convenience
  • Nontoxic, noncorrosive, and nonabrasive formula is suitable for homes with children and pets
  • Large quantity provided with purchase; a little goes a long way so one purchase should last a long time
  • Leaves behind a light lemon scent

Cons

  • Spray bottle not included with purchase; may need to be purchased separately

Get the Simple Green kitchen cleaner at Amazon or The Home Depot.

Best Long-Lasting

4

Mistolin Lavender All-Purpose Cleaner

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

If not-so-pleasant smells are a problem in your kitchen, this product may just be the one-two punch your cook space needs. Unlike cleansers that use citrus scents to combat odor, this 1-gallon Mistolin product relies on a clean and calming lavender scent that can keep the kitchen smelling fresh for hours. It’s a versatile cleanser suitable for a variety of surfaces, and its concentrated formula can be diluted in water to clean large surfaces, like floors.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Spray bottle or bucket
  • Compatible surfaces: Most washable surfaces
  • Quantity: 1 gallon

Pros

  • Made to clean and deodorize a space; leaves a light lavender scent behind for hours
  • Suitable for a variety of hard surfaces; can be used in the kitchen, bathroom, or on floors
  • Comes with ample quantity for multiple uses or larger projects

Cons

  • Scent may be too strong for some users’ liking

Get the Mistolin all-purpose cleaner at Amazon.

Best Deep-Cleaning

5

GP66 Green Miracle Cleaner

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

GP66, an American-made cleaner that’s strong yet biodegradable, could prove to be a useful weapon against the toughest messes in your kitchen. Its proprietary formula, initially developed for industrial use, breaks the surface tension of water to mix and emulsify serious dirt, grease, and grime. The concentrated formula can be diluted with water in a 1 to 64 ratio or sprayed directly from the bottle. However, you should not use it in its concentrated form on varnished or water-based painted surfaces.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Spray
  • Compatible surfaces: Most washable surfaces
  • Quantity: 32 ounces

Pros

  • Biodegradable and water-based formula is safe for homes with children and pets
  • Developed for industrial use for reliability and effectiveness; cleans dirt, grease, and grime
  • Can be diluted in a 1 to 64 ratio, so it should last for a lot of cleaning tasks

Cons

  • Needs to be diluted for smaller or light-duty cleaning tasks
  • Should not be used in concentrated form on water-based or varnished surfaces

Get the GP66 kitchen cleaner at Amazon.

Best Natural

6

Bon Ami Scratch-Free Powder Cleanser

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

Eco-conscious consumers can rely on the power of Bon Ami Powder Cleanser for their kitchen counters, grout, bathtubs, toilets, sinks, glass-top stoves, microwaves, faucets, pots and pans, china, outdoor furniture, and even walls and floors. Biodegradable and made with no harsh chemicals, this 14-ounce scratch-free powder cleanser is great for food residue and scuff marks on hard surfaces with the help of its feldspar, calcium and sodium carbonate, and limestone formula.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Powder
  • Compatible surfaces: Most washable surfaces
  • Quantity: 14 ounces or 21 ounces

Pros

  • Eco-conscious formula is biodegradable and suitable for homes with children and pets
  • Can be used on virtually any washable surface in the home
  • Scratch-free powder formula will not scratch or scuff glass surfaces
  • Unscented formula is ideal for those that want a fragrance-free space

Cons

  • Comes in a smaller quantity than some comparable kitchen cleaners
  • Should not be used on windows or mirrored surfaces

Get the Bon Ami kitchen cleaner at Amazon (2-pack).

Best Disinfectant

7

Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

Though bleach is a reliable disinfectant, it’s not an effective cleaner, which is why it’s typically recommended to “pre-clean” surfaces before disinfecting with bleach. Fortunately, the Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach spray was designed to combine cleaning and disinfecting in one product. It gets rid of 99.9 percent of germs while banishing stains, grease, dirt, and soap scum. It also kills odors caused by germs and mildew.

This disinfectant sprays, so it’s ideal for use in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and more. Plus, this option has a new Smart Tube packaging to spray every last drop of product. This Clorox antibacterial spray needs at least 30 seconds of dwell time and should be rinsed with water to prevent viruses and bacteria from getting a foothold in your kitchen.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Spray bottle
  • Compatible surfaces: Most hard surfaces
  • Quantity: 24 ounces or 32 ounces (per bottle)

Pros

  • Disinfects as well as cleans; suitable for use in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and more
  • Comes with multiple bottles for small to large projects
  • New Smart Tube packaging uses every last drop of cleaner in the bottle

Cons

  • May not be ideal for use on surfaces that will fade or stain with bleach

Get the Clorox cleaning spray at Amazon (3-pack) or The Home Depot.

Best For Kitchen Cabinets

8

Parker and Bailey Kitchen Cabinet Cream

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

This Parker and Bailey product can simplify the chore of keeping kitchen cabinets clean. A gentle yet effective cream-formula polish, it tackles grease, cooking oils, food stains, and fingerprints on any wood, laminate, formica, and painted cabinets surfaces. It also helps restore and condition wood against dryness and cracking.

Debuting in 1879, the gentle, nontoxic product contains no harmful solvents, silicone, or waxes. You may have to use an ample amount to clean cabinets that are heavily soiled with grease (or pre-clean with a degreaser), but can then use sparingly for routine cleanings.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Cream polish
  • Compatible surfaces: Cabinetry
  • Quantity: 8 ounces or 16 ounces

Pros

  • Cream polish can take away grease, cooking oils, food stains, and fingerprints
  • Restores wood dryness and cracking; can be used on wood, laminate, formica, and painted cabinetry
  • Nontoxic formula is ideal for homes with children and pets; no silicone, waxes, or solvents

Cons

  • Small quantity provided per purchase; may need more for larger kitchens with lots of cabinetry

Get the Parker and Bailey kitchen cleaner at Amazon (16 ounces) or 8-ounce bottles at Ace Hardware orMenards.

Best For Kitchen Floor

9

Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Floor Cleaner

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

Whether you are dealing with hardwood, tile, bamboo, vinyl, laminate, concrete, stone, or linoleum flooring in your kitchen, feel confident using Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Floor Cleaner. This 32-ounce formula gets into tough dirt and grime and can be used in a bucket, spray bottle, or in floor cleaning machines. Plus, this floor cleaner is EWG A-rated for safety, dermatologist tested, pet-friendly, and hypoallergenic.

This all-natural floor cleaner is made with distilled white vinegar, peppermint oil, lemon peel oil, orange peel oil, spearmint oil, and more. If you are interested in other scents than bright lemon, this cleaner comes in a variety pack, eucalyptus, or lavender.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Spray bottle or bucket
  • Compatible surfaces: Most floor types
  • Quantity: 32 ounces

Pros

  • Works on many different flooring surfaces; lifts grime and tough dirt
  • Can be applied with a spray bottle, in a bucket, or in floor-cleaning machines
  • EWG A-rated for safety, dermatologist tested, pet-friendly, and hypoallergenic
  • Comes in multiple scents to suit many users’ preferences

Cons

  • Requires dilution before use and does not come with a spray bottle

Get the Aunt Fannie kitchen cleaner at Amazon.

Best For Kitchen Sink

10

Biomex All-Purpose Multisurface Cleaner and Sponge

Photo: amazon.com

SEE IT

Though this Biomex cleaner is a tough, multisurface detergent product, it’s particularly effective for the kitchen sink because it’s organic, biodegradable, and nonabrasive. It comes as a cream that turns into a hard-working foam when used with a moistened sponge (sponge included). Biomex scours away the dirt and greasy grime that tends to accumulate in metal and ceramic sinks without scratching the surface and rinses easily. It’s handy in the kitchen and throughout the house; it is formulated to clean metals, including steel, aluminum, chrome, copper, and brass as well as lacquered wood, ceramic tiles, and other surfaces.

Product Specs

  • Application type: Cream
  • Compatible surfaces: Metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, tile, enamel, marble, and others
  • Quantity: 300 grams

Pros

  • Organic, biodegradable, and nonabrasive formula is ideal for multiple sink materials
  • Has a light citrus scent that leaves the kitchen smelling fresh
  • Targets stuck-on grime and dirt for a polished look

Cons

  • Limited quantity provided compared to other kitchen cleaners available

Get the Biomex kitchen cleaner at Amazon.

Or, DIY Your Own Kitchen Cleaner

Buying a kitchen cleaner is a valid option, but making a DIY kitchen cleaner can be safe, easy, and effective. Plus, all you need is baking soda and vinegar! Here is our recipe for the best DIY kitchen cleaner for sinks, metal appliances, and countertops:

  1. Combine 1 part water with 2 parts baking soda in a bowl to make a paste.
  2. Scrub into kitchen counters as well as sinks. Thoroughly rinse with water and then wipe clean.

Next, here is a DIY kitchen cleaner for cabinetry:

  1. Mix 1 part vinegar and 1 part warm water together in a spray bottle.
  2. Mist onto cabinetry and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Wipe all the cabinets clean with a soft cloth.

Jump to Our Top Picks

Our Verdict

While researching the best cabinet cleaners on the market, we chose our list of top picks based on their all-natural or effective cleaning power. However, we decided to leave some popular products out of our list of top picks because of their use of harsh chemicals. For example, Lysol Multisurface Cleaner is not safe for use on surfaces that come into contact with food due to the chemicals included in the formula; therefore, this product is not ideal for use in kitchens where food is being cleaned and prepared.

What to Consider When Choosing a Kitchen Cleaner

The kitchen is not only the center of food preparation, it’s the place where household members meet to eat, chat, do schoolwork, play games—in other words, live. So keeping this busy hub clean and disinfected is important to the health and comfort of all who assemble there. To choose the best products for your kitchen, consider the types of dirt and stains or surfaces that need cleaning, and the various ways to apply cleanser.

Purpose

Regularly cleaning and disinfecting all the surfaces in your kitchen is a great defense against food poisoning and contamination. According to FoodSafety.gov, there are an estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, which is the equivalent of one in six American citizens getting sick from contaminated foods. Those, in turn, resulted in about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Many of these hospitalizations were caused by bacteria, viruses, or contaminates. Keep in mind that while a spray-and-wipe routine may clean, it’s typically necessary to give products several minutes of dwell time to thoroughly disinfect.

What’s more, different kitchen messes, such as grease, stains, spills, crumbs, and dirt, may each require a specific attack plan. You may also hope to avoid chemical ingredients, like bleach and ammonia, preferring natural substances in your cleaning products to get the job done.

Surface Type

All kitchen surfaces may come into contact with foods that can stain, foreign materials that can contaminate, viruses that can infect, and bacteria that can multiply as well as plain old grease, grime, and dust. The goal of kitchen cleaning is to effectively banish the offenders without damaging the good-looking, hard-working surfaces.

The cleanser that works well on a glass tile backsplash may be inappropriate for granite or marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, and wood cabinets. While there’s a large assortment of multipurpose kitchen cleansers on the market, with some being quite good, multipurpose tends to mean safe for use on hard, nonporous surfaces, such as glass, metal, ceramic, and porcelain. Manufacturers have developed specialized cleaning products to target porous materials such as wood and natural stone. In fact, some porous surfaces can be permanently damaged by the wrong cleanser, especially if it’s been left on long enough to soak in and stain.

Application

Spray bottles are popular in kitchen cleansers for their ease of use. Simply pull the trigger to apply, and swipe or scrub with a cloth or sponge to remove. However, concentrated solutions, either used straight from the container or diluted in water, can be effective and far more economical. Whichever application method you choose, remember that some cleaners need to sit on the soiled area for several minutes before being removed. Read package directions to understand the correct way to use any product you purchase for maximum safety and effectiveness.

FAQs

With so many kitchen surfaces to clean and so many products on the market, you may still want more information on using cleansers effectively. Consider the answers to some commonly asked questions about kitchen cleaners below.

Q. How do you degrease kitchen surfaces?

Apply a surface-appropriate cleaner to the soiled area, let dwell, and use a sponge or cloth to scrub the grease away. Avoid using any sharp implements, like a knife, to scrape grease off as this could scratch or otherwise damage kitchen surfaces.

Q. Can you clean kitchen surfaces with bleach?

Bleach is an effective disinfectant, but it doesn’t clean. Pre-clean with a soap or detergent product, follow with bleach to disinfect, and then rinse thoroughly with water to remove bleach residue.

Q. How do you get burnt-on grease off a stove?

For stubborn grease, let the deep cleaner sit on the affected area for 10 minutes before scrubbing. Repeat as necessary.

Why Trust Bob Vila

Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series including “This Old House” and “Bob Vila’s Home Again,” he popularized and became synonymous with “do-it-yourself” home improvement.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Bob Vila has helped millions of people build, renovate, repair, and live better each day—a tradition that continues today with expert yet accessible home advice. The Bob Vila team distills need-to-know information into project tutorials, maintenance guides, tool 101s, and more. These home and garden experts then thoroughly research, vet, and recommend products that support homeowners, renters, DIYers, and professionals in their to-do lists.

The Best Kitchen Cleaners of 2023 (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Maia Crooks Jr

Last Updated:

Views: 6014

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (43 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Maia Crooks Jr

Birthday: 1997-09-21

Address: 93119 Joseph Street, Peggyfurt, NC 11582

Phone: +2983088926881

Job: Principal Design Liaison

Hobby: Web surfing, Skiing, role-playing games, Sketching, Polo, Sewing, Genealogy

Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.