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We’re no strangers to mops, vacuums, and floor cleaners of all kinds here at Apartment Therapy. Over the past year, we tested and reviewed the best of the best, bringing you our top recommendations for the most lightweight, easy-to-use machines and all-in-one products that work on different types of surfaces. In most instances, our editors agree that the simpler the gadget is, the better. And when it comes to household cleaners in general, it doesn’t get less complicated than the squeegee.
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We love this no-frills tool for removing crumbs from kitchen counters, eliminating pilling from rugs, and leaving showers free of streaks. It only makes sense, then, that the squeegee would be equally as effective for hard floors. It took virtually no time to find one on Amazon that shoppers are enamored with, and we’re sure you’ll love it just as much. The KOLLIEE floor squeegee is the tidying tool you need for spotless surfaces throughout the home.
Normally priced at $20, you can purchase this 1 lb. gadget for just $16 right now. It arrives with a stainless steel handle, which can expand from 19 to 60 inches, and the actual squeegee blade that measures 15 inches across. To adjust the handle’s length, simply twist on or remove each of the four steel parts that it comes with. Once you spray your hardwood, tile, or vinyl floors with cleaning solution, you’re ready to swipe the squeegee across and eliminate germs from your surfaces. More than 1,100 five-star Amazon raters agree that this product improved their cleaning routines, and reviewers cite using it for many different purposes. “I have German Shepherds that shed like crazy, and there is always hair everywhere,” one customer wrote. “Using this picks it up so well and makes it so much easier to clean.”
Others use the squeegee to get rid of excess water and, in turn, prevent mold in the bathroom or on the back deck. “As older retirees, our flexibility to squat down to squeegee the walls was an issue, but even tougher was the uneven curved floor of the shower,” one shopper noted. “Most products we’ve found are stiff and do not conform to uneven surfaces, but this one is perfect. We also love the fact that it swivels right at the blade, allowing the walls to be wiped without bending over at all.” Thanks to its slim design, easy maneuverability, and seamless dirt-collecting capabilities, the KOLLIEE floor squeegee is the next multifunctional tool to add to your list for fast, hassle-free cleanups.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
With the new year mere days away, we’re all in a reflective mood here at Apartment Therapy. Earlier this week, this led me down the archive, taking a look back at all the home finds I’ve written about in 2022, and dear reader, it’s hard not to marvel at all that was discovered. From the stick vacuum of my dreams to the drying rack that transformed the way I do laundry in my tiny studio, I’ve come across some pretty awesome finds over the last year. But the one that really stole the show? That was the eufy by Anker HomeVac H11 Handheld Vacuum. With this pick, I finally found the perfect hand vac — and it seems you all did, too. In fact, this hand vac was one of our most popular products of the year with hundreds of you picking one up for yourselves. So what is it about this vacuum that had me and scores of readers in a tizzy?
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Chic, cordless, and compact, the HomeVac H11 is the stuff of dreams. For the most part, hand vacuums can be rather large and unsightly, but this one puts a stylish spin on the popular cleaning tool with a sleek design that’s roughly the size of an average wine bottle. But don’t let the size (or price!) fool you — this vacuum packs a punch. With a powerful 5,500Pa suction power, a washable high-efficiency filter, and an included multi-use crevice tool to reach every nook and cranny, this dustbuster might just become the star of your cleaning kit. The best part? It packs all of this power into a device that weighs just 1.2 lbs.
Now, when I first unboxed the device, I was truly taken aback by how lightweight and stylish it was with its matte finish and slim design (yes, I was definitely immediately sold on its look, but its power was still up for debate.) Upon first use, however, I knew this vacuum was special, picking up everything from dust to crumbs with extreme ease. But where I found it really shined was on my couch. With the included crevice tool, I was able to get deep between the cushions and the lining of my sofa, removing a lot of dust and debris that had been there for I don’t want to know how long. Something I also loved was that the crevice tool can be transformed into a brush tool, one that I found particularly effective on throw pillows, blankets, and even the keyboard on my desk. By the time I was done using it, my place was spotless, and I had found a new go-to.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can snag the eufy HomeVac H11 on sale for nearly $10 less. The vac three stylish colors: black, white, and mint. So if you’re in need of a chic, powerful hand vac that won’t take a lot of space (and are interested to see what all the hype is about), give this one a try. You’ll find it sucks — in the best way.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
When I took my first vacation since before the pandemic, I returned home to find my apartment was a mess. After spending a week in an airy, spotless hotel room, I was now standing in a tiny studio where the floors looked dull and dirty, the shelves were dusty, and the whole space felt cluttered. While I vacuum and dust regularly, I realized that after nearly two years of spending more time at home (including working from home), my apartment desperately needed a much deeper cleaning. Over the following weekends, I started purging closets, dusting everything from bookshelves to baseboards, and to help tackle a multitude of chores, I purchased the PurSteam ThermaPro 211 10-in-One Steam Mop, an Amazon bestseller with over 23,000 5-star ratings that I had read about on Apartment Therapy.
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Hundreds of AT readers picked up this bad boy in 2022, and I had been considering buying this steam mop for quite a while because it claims to do it all: clean floors, rugs, blinds, glass, mirrors, grout, and upholstery, and it even converts into a handheld clothing steamer (because who feels like ironing?). Since I was on a mission to make my place spotless, it seemed the perfect time to finally take the plunge and buy this multitasking tool.
Once the mop arrived, I couldn’t wait to take it for a spin, as I was certain it would make my life easier. Lifting it out of the box, it was surprisingly compact, lightweight, and easy to assemble. All I had to do was attach the mop head to the base. The mop comes with eight attachments — an angled nozzle, a scrape tool, a double brush tool, a big brush tool, a small brush tool, a steamer jet, a steamer attachment, a squeegee attachment — plus two washable, reusable microfiber cloths, a steamer cloth for the steamer attachment, a carpet glider for cleaning rugs, and a funnel and cup for filling the water tank. Whew!
The options of what I could clean were endless, but I decided to start with my drab hardwood floors. After vacuuming my living area, I attached a microfiber cloth to the mop head, filled the water tank (which provides 12 minutes of steam), plugged it in, and turned the dial up a few notches to get a small stream of steam flowing. It heated up within seconds, and then I effortlessly glided it across the floor and wiped away dust, dirt, and a few tiny dried-up stains I hadn’t noticed before. Within five minutes, I was done, and the wood was literally gleaming and looked like new — even some of the small scratches in the floor were hardly noticeable.
Next, I tackled a few tasks in the bathroom, using the steamer jet and double brush tools to scrub the blackened grout between the floor tiles. I was appalled and amazed by the dirty water that pooled on the white tile as it swiftly lifted out the grime. After mopping down the floor, I turned my attention to the sink faucet, which had a bit of limescale buildup on the knobs. For this job, I refilled the tank and again used the steamer jet and double brush attachments to scrub the discolored deposits away (be careful when switching/adding attachments — those things can get hot from the steam). Though it took a few minutes, the steamer did an incredible job and the silver fixtures were left spotless and sparkling.
Since there was still some water left in the tank, I turned my attention to the shower tiles, swiftly brushing any traces of mildew out of the grout. Usually, I find this chore laborious because of all the stretching and scrubbing, but the steamer made it so there was no sweat strain on my back. With my cleaning done for the day, I filled the tank one last time, attached the steamer tool and cloth, and steamed the wrinkles out of a shirt I wore to dinner with a friend that night. Among the topics we discussed? My obsession with my new steam mop!
The PurSteam ThermaPro 211 is seriously a game changer, and I only wish I had gotten it sooner. (Pro Tip: Snag it now, while it’s on sale!) I have been wowed by how useful it is and how it makes cleaning my apartment so much faster and easier. In fact, it is actually motivating me to clean more, and I can’t wait to use it on my stove, my area rug, my sofa, my windows, and my mirrors. If only it could wash my dishes … but maybe they’ll make an attachment for that, too!
Ashley Abramson is a writer-mom hybrid. Her work, mostly focused on health, psychology, and parenting, has been featured in the Washington Post, New York Times, Allure, and more. She lives in the Milwaukee suburbs with her husband and two young sons.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Yes, I’m essentially a professional shopper, but I’m still constantly amazed by the inventions that brands (and independent makers) come up with to simplify housekeeping, save space, and look good doing it. Yamazaki has been at the forefront of so many of these innovations for years, but the brand just continues to raise the bar. As part of its Tower collection, these Magnetic Spray Bottles practically disappear into even the most minimalist home decor schemes while allowing you to save counter, shelf, and cabinet space at the same time.
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This $12 spray bottle, available in matte black or white, holds your decanted cleaning solutions — be they for laundry stain removal or countertop disinfecting — and adheres (damage-free!) to any magnetic surface, from your dishwasher and refrigerator to your washer and dryer. Keeping these spray bottles at the ready, wherever you frequently use liquid cleaning formulations, means staying on top of regular tidying sessions, quickly addressing stain emergencies, and dedicating fewer weekends to deep-cleaning marathons.
Of course, the Magnetic Spray Bottles can be used for so much more than just cleaning. Try keeping your cooking oils in them, perhaps with some cool, custom labeling, and attach them to your fridge or oven border for easy access and quick, even application when you’re getting ready to sauté or bake. When you go to mix up your perfect salad dressing each week, why not keep it in a Yamazaki spray bottle attached to the inside of your fridge, saving shelf space and mason jars for other things? You can get as creative with the Magnetic Spray Bottles as you want.
As someone partial to decanting everything into attractive, uniform containers, I’m this close to buying 10 of these spray bottles myself, scattering them across my home, and having my cleaning solutions, air fresheners, and kitchen ingredients handy at all times.
