We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A set of Snug Plugs if your hair dryer plug keeps falling out of the bathroom outlet and you're starting to wonder if you need to pay for an electrician to get involved. These little contraptions make a snug fit between outlets and plugs to keep 'em where you want.
Snug Plugs is a small business that specializes in home improvement products.
Promising review: "I saw Snug Plug on TikTok and immediately ordered them. I have outlets at home AND at work that I couldn't keep anything plugged into because they're so loose. Snug Plug quickly and easily solved that problem and now I can finally have a phone charger in my den. Yay! I highly recommend this product." —KSay
Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $10.99.
2. An oil stain remover capable of annihilating that grease stain from when your cousin parked his junker in your driveway during your 4th of July cookout.
Promising review: "Changed the oil on my girlfriend's car and some oil spilled on my NEW driveway...which I didn't notice 'til four days later. Four spots all about the size of a dollar bill baking in the Arizona sun for four days. Put the stuff on (sits on the stain like pancake batter — don't be afraid to pour liberally) and let it sit from 6 p.m. 'til about 9 a.m. the next day. It dried and the instructions said to just sweep the stuff up (right, like I am not going to need a scraper and wire scrub pad for an hour. HA). Well it broke apart with the broom and the stains were gone, just swept up the powder pieces — took about a minute. I WAS SHOCKED! Something that actually works on oil and it's easy. Absolutely NO sign of anything that was there." —AmazonBob
Get it from Amazon for $17.97.
3. Or some concrete paint — it will take a bit of elbow grease to spruce up stained concrete patios or walkways but it'll make a HUGE difference without tearing up any hard surfaces.
OK, so painting your concrete patio may not sound like the easiest upgrade but if you're no stranger to painting and want a big impact, give it a try!
Promising review: "Excellent, easy to use and clean up. My outdoor patio is a little rough and it took a full gallon to cover 200 sq feet." —RLB
Get it from Amazon for $43.48+ a gallon (available in two shades of gray).
4. A 28-inch Fiskars tree trimmer — also called a lopper — that can help you trim tree branches that are close to your property fence or just generally in the way. But it'll come even more in handy after a storm that leaves a bunch of branches in your yard. It'll make for much easier cleanup so you can break the branches down for easier removal.
Just make sure that you're cutting *your* branches, lest you start a war with a neighbor.
Promising review: "It's really easy to cut the trees. Took me only five minutes to cut half of the branches off the tree, so happy with this purchase." —VR
Get it from Amazon for $24.98+ (available in five styles).
5. Or if you need to reach father to cut some branches, a lightweight extension pole with a trimming saw can get to where your human hands can't — or at least safely reach.
Promising review: "Hurricane Ian did a number on my property (Polk County, Florida) and partially knocked down one tree and another had made its home on my roof. This pole saw was a lifesaver, literally. The yard is mostly sand, so using a ladder required circus acrobatic skills, but this pole saw was able to do everything safely and most surprisingly, quickly.
I have a couple of hand saws that I’ve used on lower branches, and cutting through similar thickness branches required SO MUCH work that I'd tire out after a branch or two. This saw treated them like butter, and the whole yard was trimmed in about an hour total, moderate physical toll. Using the saw as a hand saw turned a good portion of the thicker branches into firewood in no time." —J. Marshall
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in four lengths).
6. A roll of faux ivy to attach to ugly wire fencing or a railing with a view you don't love. Here's to a bit more privacy from those nosy neighbors you wish the Zillow listing mentioned!
Promising review: "This is the second privacy screen I've purchased from Amazon. I have an area in my garden visible from the street. The screen hides all my gardening stuff (i.e. wheelbarrow, buckets, etc.). It truly looks like the real deal!!!" —soooz
Get a roll from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in three roll sizes).
7. Some pleated fabric shades can make your place look extra polished while adding some privacy and cooling shade to your rooms that get ALLLL the natural light — or just overlook your neighbor's patio where they basically live.
Promising review: "I went out on a limb and bought 24 of these bad boys. I hung them up all throughout my house. I didn't use the adhesive though, I bought an 80-count pack of thumbtacks for $1. I live in Alabama, the temperature outside is 99 today. I do not have my air conditioner on since I have put these up, it has literally cooled off so much in my house. TOTALLY worth it. I'm so happy I didn't drop hundreds of dollars on regular blinds. I'll never go back!!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in four sizes and three colors).
8. A window film can provide some privacy and still let in SO much light. This'll be especially great if your windows face the street or you live on a road. No more people casually snooping.
I did this to my bathroom window and congratulate myself for it every day. It does take a little patience, but no hammering or drilling! I'm glad I did it every time I see it.
Promising review: "I have a weird skinny window in my house where no normal window covering works. People walking on our community trail can see up into our upstairs bathroom when the light is on and it's dark outside. Not a good plan at all. So I used this window film and cut different-sized circles and placed then on this window to interrupt the view into the house. Worked perfectly! Very easy to use." —Marsgard
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in 11 sizes).
9. A mold-removal gel to help de-funk your washing machine if you can SEE what's making your machine (and therefore, your clothes) smell weird.
Promising review: "I tried everything to scrub off the mold stains on my front loader washing machine door gasket. It was leaving my clothes smelling musty! this worked beautifully. It is thick and stays where you squirt it. The stains and smell were gone in two applications. I got most of it in the first go around and got the spots I had missed the second time around. I let each application set for 24 hours. Scrubbed it, wiped it down, and then ran a cleaning cycle on the machine settings." —C. Perillo
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
10. A portable mini washer/dryer in case either of your machines is on the fritz and you need to wait it out a little bit to buy a new machine or are waiting for parts or, simply, a maintenance appointment.
There are many reviewers who have used this appliance in between working appliances.
Promising review: "We bought this for temporary use while our large one was being repaired. It washes, rinses, and spins clothes very well. It by no means works like a full-size washer and there is a lot more manual work to washing, but it worked wonderfully for what we needed and would work as well in a camper." —reader of many books
Get it from Amazon for $89.99.
11. Plus a portable clothesline with 12 attached clips that'd be handy to have for your next trip BUT would be good to have at home as a backup in case your dryer isn't doing what it's supposed to do.
And! It comes with a waterproof bag. Reviewers have used it for cruises, hiking trips, camping, and a variety of vacations.
Promising review: "If you need to hang clothes to dry but can never find the clothes pins, try this. The clips are attached so you can’t lose them. The product is strong and stretches. Can’t go wrong here." —Rebeka K
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
But if you're doing a little bit of dryer troubleshooting for why your loads need an extra cycle, try out some Wad-Free sheet detanglers for bedding and/or some dryer balls that bounce around to help circulate the dryer cycle air while "softening" clothes and bedding like dryer sheets.
12. A standing weeder (without the chemicals!) to help improve your view of your sprawling yard that was very enticing 'til you had to weed it. You're not the only one who has trouble enjoying weed-filled scenery. And hey, while you're weeding with this there's no bending over! Your back will thank you.
Made with a bamboo handle and powder-coated steel, it uses a simple lever system to made weeding easy. Grampa's Weeder is a small biz.
Promising review: "Oh my god, I friggin' love this tool. I bought this on a whim given we bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard. Boy has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weed was strangely satisfying! I don't think anyone can say that weeding is fun but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get, especially when you see a long root along with the weed you pulled." —JG
Get it on Amazon for $44.99.
13. And while we're on the subject of lawns, a bottle of dog spot repair if your puppy has a favorite pee spot and it shows... This stuff will get new grass growin' in no time so you can get back to hosting BBQs.
Promising review: “We purchased this to fill some patches in our backyard that were damaged by our puppy. Works like a charm. The one caveat is that you really do have to water it a bit every day. Once it takes off though, it grows pretty quickly! Within one week of planting this, we had 1-inch long grass blades. One month later, all the patches are gone. Highly recommended!” —Jessica N.
Get it from Amazon for $16.44+ (available in five sizes and a six-pack).
14. Dishwasher-cleaning tablets to get rid of residue that ends up creating odor and buildup on your dishes — before you call for a repair (or start googling the price of new dishwashers), try out these tablets.
Promising review: "After using this product, I am happy to report that my $5 investment saved me over $500. I was ready to replace my dishwasher due to super cloudy glasses, residue, and dishes just not getting clean. Then, I became aware that the water softener was no longer doing its job so I had the rental company replace it. Dishwasher performance improved somewhat. I decided to do two more loads before deciding to purchase a new one. Then I saw a product test review for Affresh. I tossed one of the tablets into the bottom of the full machine per the instructions and ran the regular cycle. I did not expect the results I got! The glassware that I thought was permanently etched and ruined came out like new. Same with cutlery. The difference is unbelievable. I will use this faithfully every month, as recommended." —Sheila
Get them from Amazon for $7.59+ (available in multiple styles).
15. A foaming garbage disposal cleaner you simply throw in your sink (the whole packet!), turn on the water, and watch fizz up as it does the tough work below on all the gunk that OTHER PEOPLE have let build up in your disposal. You used to laugh at the memes of pouring grease down the kitchen drain while you rented. Now that you're a homeowner? Not so much.
Promising review: "Saw on TikTok (don’t judge) and automatically added to cart. So easy to use, takes probably a minute to fully bubble up and clean, and you’re left with a clean sink! I use with other drain cleaning products, but would 100% recommend for weekly maintenance." —Jessica Hamilton
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $7.77.
16. Plus a garbage disposal brush so you can safely clear the leftovers outta there without grossly (and unsafely) sticking your fingers down there. (Go watch the great horror movie To Let and then you'll *really* wanna buy this.)
17. Green Gobbler Drain Clog Dissolver that'll do a far better job of clearing your bathroom or kitchen drains than the super well-known brand you usually grab. Because clogs never happen at convenient moments.
My bathroom sink tends to stop up far too easily and this does a drastically better job of clearing the gunk than Drano or Liquid Plumbr. I also love that it's noncorrosive (I live in a pre-war apartment building with old pipes) and odorless (no one loves feeling like a bug being fumigated in their own home)!
Promising review: "OK... So I have to do a little review on this product BECAUSE I have had a stopped-up kitchen sink and have LITERALLY tried EVERYTHING down to the industrial products with NO luck. I decided to go on Amazon and read a few reviews. This is the one I decided to go with. I only used one chamber, let it sit for an hour, and then used boiling water. My sink is NO LONGER stopped up!!! I saved a plumber bill and this was $11.97. HUGE win for this woman!!" —Tabpeach
Get it from Amazon for $11.84+ (available in two sizes).
18. A water-mark-removing cloth could do wonders on bathroom cabinets you accidentally dribbled nail polish remover on, or even the table you had custom-built for that quirky (meaning, oddly shaped) breakfast nook.
19. A fillable touch-up paint pen to help cover up any scrapes, holes, or marks if Past You was clever enough to hold onto a can of paint.
Slobproof is a US-based small business specializing in home improvement tools.
Promising review: "Love this — absolutely perfect for touchin' up little spots that need touchin' up. I have several sets filled with different paints and so far they've stayed usable, without the paint drying out. I rinse the brush really well after each use (latex paints) and recap it. It would be nice if the manufacturer put an area on the pen where you could easily label the paint info, but I use a permanent marker, and it works okay." —Hooked on Amazon!
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $16.99 (also available in a five-pack).
20. And a container of touch-up paint if said can of paint might as well be cemented shut or you're dealing with a surface that was painted when you moved into your home.
Promising review: "Rather than ditching furniture into a landfill, which is bad for the environment and one's pocketbook, this product allows you to give new life to existing furniture. Between the Soto touchup and new handles, my entertainment center looks like new....for less than $35. If you can use liquid paper, you can use this. I just ordered another bottle for porcelain. This is a fantastic product. You will love it!" —LexiNYC
Get it from Amazon for $12.95+ (available in two sizes and 27 colors).
21. Some wood scratch cover to cover up dings and discoloration from your grandkids playing football in the basement (eek). This is made to help the "after" blend in like normal without any sanding or refinishing. After you try it once, you might just start hunting down more spots to use it!
Promising review: "I can't believe how well Old English works! I recently purchased a home where a dog previously lived and had horribly scratched the woodwork. I thought I may have to sand and refinish the woodwork around two doors. Old English saved me a lot of work! " —Behold Behold!
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $27.16.
22. And hide smaller scratches on your fave furniture with a set of wood repair markers. We love a repair instead of a replacement product!
Promising review: "I can’t believe how well these work! Much better than I was expecting. I just had my home interior painted and the painters damaged a fiberboard medicine cabinet when they removed the masking tape. It ripped off the fake wood veneer. These markers completely filled in the ugly spots and the colors blended well. I love that it appears to have some clear coat in it too as it dries with a slight shine that makes it look more like wood stain rather than marker. I also used them to stain wood filler in two spots in my maple kitchen cabinets where a previous home owner had hung a paper towel holder and I really struggle to see the hole! It looks fantastic. I highly recommend this set. It’s a good value and works very well." —Shane
Get a set of 13 from Amazon for $8.99.
23. A set of flame-retardant socket sealers that'll help seal out the cold (or hot) air that tends to leak inside through your outlets — which was a fun new discovery for you.
The 24-piece set includes 16 outlet sealers, 6 switch plates, and 2 decorative covers.
Promising review: "They're cheap and easy to install. I've used these in apartments and in houses. They work both ways. Just unscrew the plate, slap one of these bad boys in, and screw the plate back in. Just be sure to not touch metal to metal or skin to metal. It's a good idea to flip the breaker to deactivate the outlets you're installing these on. Otherwise, you'll give yourself a nice jolt. Or three. You know how everyone tells you not to stick a fork into an outlet? The same principle applies here except your finger is the fork and you can't taste purple for a while. So do yourself the favor of flipping the breaker before installing these. Don't make the same mistake as I did. Once. Or maybe three times. I can't remember too good now." —Frequency Jones
Get the 24-piece set from Amazon for $9.99.
24. Shrink wrap window insulation — it could help you keep from spending more on AC in the summer or jacking up the heat in winter so you can sit in that lovely well-appointed living room with the breezy windows that let LOTS of natural light pour in and totally mesmerized you during the open house.
Promising review: "My husband and I put this kit on all our windows in about one hour. I was afraid it would look terrible having plastic on the windows but after you shrink and trim it is not so noticeable and it does keep out any draft and the stink bugs. I am going to try putting on the outside this summer on the cat door window to keep out the lady bugs and stink bugs which are terrible in our area." —Kat M.
Get it from Amazon for $9.44+ (available in two sizes).
25. A jetted tub cleaner you simply run through in a bath cycle and just watch the filth EMERGE from the pipes and then wipe it away. Maybe you don't want to revisit that horror show of settling in for a bath in your new-to-you jetted tub only to see some random dirt floating in the water that you KNOW did not come from your body. But, that nightmarish scene *is* what led you to this product.
You run your bath, add the cleaner, watch the gunk emerge, drain your bath, and then clean off the gunk!
Promising review: "It's disgusting to see what comes out of your jets when you use this product. I can't believe we bathed in this! I've run bleach and dish detergent through my jets before, and that combination never cleaned with this efficiency. I highly recommended this product." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $18.73 (also available in a gallon and a two-pack).
26. A rotating handle snake cleaner tool with five wand refills for really getting in there when you're trying to avoid calling a professional but wanna feel a bit like a professional for a grotesque-but-oh-so-satisfying "after."
Promising review: "Loved this product! Noticed my water in my shower drain was going slow. I decided to give this product a shot and it did just the trick." —Chelsea Johnson
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
27. A small but mighty plunger will fit where long-handled plungers won't. It provides a super effective push to get whatever's stuck moving once again. ICK.
Promising review: "Been dealing with a slow drain for over a year. I tried boiling hot water, vinegar, baking soda, Liquid Plumr. All temporary fixes. The drain is cemented into the tile, so also tried a plumbing snake but it didn’t fit through. Thought I’d try this before calling a plumber and crazy that it worked after a few pumps. Definitely recommend." —Frauline
Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (available in three colors).
28. A ~flexible~ grabber tool that reviewers tout as easily clearing out drains — even ones with clogs in the U-bend.
Promising review: "Works amazing for U-bend clogs. Actually purchased a 16-foot snake to use with this and ended up not needing it because this cleared out everything stuck in the U bend." —Matthew Witt-Dobski
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes).
29. Solar lights you can stake along a walkway or pond right where you need 'em. Lighting is key because SAFETY and not stepping onto uneven ground while you're just scurrying to get inside your house.
Promising review: "Impressed with the size of the cell which provides a larger surface area for charging. The lights are the brightest I've seen for a solar light and the illumination covers a nice range. Placed them along my pond giving the place a classy look." —Percussionist
Get six from Amazon for $19.99.
30. A drill brush cleaning kit you can attach to your drill/driver for an informercial-like cleaning sesh that'll have you seeking out all the dirty surfaces you've been ignoring and have reared their ugly heads. Yeahhhh, all those frozen cheese drippings burning on the bottom of your oven really gave you a scare. And then some serious motivation.
Useful Products is a US-based small business established in 2007 by car wash owner, electrician, and former bodybuilder Anthony LaPolla that specializes in drill-cleaning brushes and attachments.
Each of the different brush colors indicates which tasks the brushes are meant for based on their bristle type, so be sure to check which one is best suited for whatever you need to for! Yellow is the “all-purpose” medium bristle, but some are softer and harder depending on what types of surfaces you’re cleaning (but none of them will scratch!).
Promising review: "I’m in love with this. I manage many apartment properties and finding people to do the cleaning has been tricky business, so I end up having to get in and clean these horrendous filth pods tenants lived in and left me to deal with when they move out. The ovens and stove tops are usually the worst, and I absolutely hate cleaning. I came across this drill attachment set, and let me tell you, it helped me tremendously! I still had to get in with a putty knife on some of them but it really cut down my elbow-grease time. If it wasn’t for this drill attachment, I think my arms would have just fallen off trying to clean it as good as I did! My only con would be that it doesn’t have any extension of any sort, so I really had my drill all up in that oven, but well worth it." —alicia haats
Get it from Amazon for $18.95 (available in six color combos).
31. A set of Command spray bottle hangers that'll adhere wherever it's most convenient for your space so you can grab one of the various cleaners you've since bought for your new home when you need it most.
Check out a TikTok of the Command spray bottle hangers in action.
Promising review: "Love these! They have helped organize all my products underneath my kitchen sink. The Command hooks are strong and nothing has budged even with the weight of the spray bottles! Highly recommend." —Talayfor87
Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.67.
32. A bottle of wallpaper stripping spray if you finally got around to pulling down your guest bath's '90s wallpaper that the former owners (or maybe you?) dug at the time. But it's turning out to be a CHORE. This spray penetrates the wallpaper and glue without messing with the paint underneath.
You can use the Chomp wallpaper scoring tool for $13.97 on Amazon to ease the process!
Promising review: "I have been putting off removing this horrid wallpaper for years, mainly because of the removal horror stories. As it turns out it was rather easy. 1. I used the Chomp scorer. Use it gently moving it in concentric circles, horizontal and vertical. 2. Use the Chomp liquid liberally, let it soak, use more, let it soak until you see paper bubble up. If paper is not coming off easily use more and let soak. Key is letting it soak. 3. Use scraper to start removal. On a large part of mine the paper and glue came off in sheets with no scraping. Other times the top layer came off and the backing and glue needed some scraping. If it's not coming off easily use more liquid and let it soak." —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $14.97.
33. A plant-based stain remover capable of erasing YEARS-old blood stains from a tenant's mattress, as this reviewer explains. I have questions. MANY questions. But hopefully you'll have to use it on, like, a chocolate milkshake stain INSTEAD.
Also check out our full review of Puracy Natural Laundry Stain Remover.
Promising review: "A tenant left some blood stains on this mattress and a heating pad about 20 years ago. They were totally dry when we found them. Not knowing what to do, we put the mattress aside for 20 years until we found this product. Tested on the pad first. I sprayed a whole bottle on the pad, left it in a bathtub all night. Then washed the pad in the tub. The pad looks new after it is dried, even cleaner than when it was new! Wow! Then the real challenge, the mattress. With experience from cleaning the pad, I decided to use the solution much more efficiently. Here is the improved process: 1) Spray a little solution on the stained area. Make sure the stained area is soaked, but not too deeply. 2) Cover the soaked area with a piece of paper towel. I found it absorbs the stain very well. 3) Spray a little more solution onto the paper towel. This is for keeping the stain moisturized. These enzymes do not work under dry environments. 4) Cover the stained area and the paper towel on it with a piece of plastic film, which is normally for preserving food. Again, I did this to keep the stained area wet. The second morning, I removed everything from the mattress, used more paper towels to absorb the mess. And then, I used a clean car washing towel and cold water to clean up the remaining mess. I washed the towel and cleaned up again. Repeated three to four times, the mattress became very clean! No blood stain remains! Never imagined it could remove 20-year-old bloodstains." —nusaco888
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in three sizes and one with a brush).
34. Stain-lifting pads will tackle the icky pet stains on your wall-to-wall beige carpeting from when your poor dog didn't want to go use the bathroom outside when it was storming.
Promising review: "Our poor older pup started having some incontinence issues and had several accidents in the house. I was really frustrated until I found these. They work amazingly well. They're small, so if the area was larger I had to use two or three, but they pulled up stains and saved the house from being smelly. I even used one on an older stain (that I'm pretty sure wasn't pet related) and it came up after leaving it on for about 24 hours. I make sure to keep a supply of these in the house at all times now." —MC
Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.49.
35. An Angry Orange pet odor eliminator for erasing all the visual (and smelly) evidence of pet accidents on flooring and furniture. You don't need a new chair — or move an old chair over to cover a new stain. You just need this.
Promising review: "This product is amazing!!!! We have a Rottweiler pup and a bichon pup and our house was feeling the PAIN! I tried everything and use to tell my wife, 'with all the science and technology in the world we still can’t come up with something that gets rid of the dog mark smell!'
This product does everything and more. Just ordered another round. We were about to throw away some furniture due to the smell and now after use we can keep it. Saved me hundreds. Well worth the money." —clayton s tonkin
Get it from Amazon for $15.29.
36. A jar of the The Pink Stuff — a cleaning paste made to handle all kinds of sticky, stuck-on situations like this nasty-looking kitchen faucet. Even if you can't predict the future, you can take a pretty good guess that this'll seriously come in handy.
Promising review: "I need this in bulk!! I have tried so many cleaning solutions to get out hard cooking stains on my stovetop and nothing worked! This stuff took it right out without a problem!!" —Micaela Gunderson
Get it from Amazon for $5.29.
37. A carpet cleaning solution with results so impressive (just cast your eyes below this text!) that you may have to bleep out your own reaction. Get ready to break up with your carpet cleaner rental spot and take this to that carpet where a family tread for decades upon decades before the deed was in your name.
It's from a family-run small business that specializes in cleaning products, especially ones for homes with pets!
Promising review: "After reading the reviews I thought I could at least try it, and holy smokes, this is a miracle cleaner!!! I think I have tried every cleaner on the market for pet stains and nothing ever really works on my carpets. Even if I get it off the top, it somehow comes back up. My crazy dogs hate the rain and they have one spot that they always go on when they decide they are not going outside. I have cleaned the spot probably 100 times. I cleaned this area one time with this cleaner and my spot steam cleaner and it is completely gone! The stain and smell are 100% gone, not just covered up like before, completely and absolutely gone. Miracle cleaner for sure!" —PLLane
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three scents and a gallon size).
38. A 2-in-1 Hoover carpet cleaner built to take on pet hair and odors deep DEEP down in your carpets. You were mentally prepared for a puppy, but your carpet wasn't.
Promising review: "I thought my carpets were ruined for good, after using both my old Bissell and the rentals offered by the local grocery store. Our last dog, rest in peace, had not left the world before thoroughly destroying my carpets from incontinence. Our newest dog had lived her entire life before us in a kennel, where she went at will. Suffice to say, my bedroom floor was an eyesore.
The first use completely restored my aging carpet. It's still old carpet, don't get me wrong, but it's now CLEAN old carpet. The stains are gone. The odor is gone. I no longer cringe when I walk into the bedroom. Life is good.
Not only has this machine done a spectacular job of cleaning, it is also easy to clean itself. The pieces come apart intuitively, and the dog hair rinses easily away. Previous carpet cleaners I've used have been a nightmare, losing suction quickly due to debris being caught in the front with no easy way to remove it." —Erica
Get it from Amazon for $199.99.
39. And if odor is the problem, a UV black-light flashlight that'll track down all sorts of messes that've been avoiding you. Now, you can figure out the source of that weird smell and then deal with it.
Promising review: "OMG this is disgusting!!! I hope this isn't all just cat pee that shows up cause there is a lot! I bought this because I thought my cat was peeing in one room and couldn't find the exact spot so I bought this. Found the spot and more. Would recommend." —Momof3boys
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
40. A pack of four ready-to-use fruit fly traps because you still can't exactly zero in on *what* caused the great fruit fly swarm of 2024 but you want it gone regardless.
P.S. Each trap lasts for up to 45 days!
Promising review: “A miracle worker! I bought at least seven different types of products trying to destroy an army of fruit flies. This is freaking awesome stuff! I seriously am beyond thankful that this product works.” —JMC
Get four traps from Amazon for $12.78 (also available in other multi-packs).
41. A garbage guard to help you deal with the absolute nightmare of the insects that are VERY glad you (and all your trash) have recently moved into your home. These guards kill the insects and scare others from coming around — all without any odor. It's not like your trash can needs another odor.
Promising review: "I've got an outdoor can, the kind with that the mechanical arm on the garbage truck picks up and tips over, with the lid opening by gravity. Placed this on the inside of the lid near the hinge to lessen the chances of it being scraped off during emptying and no flies/maggots! There's no apparent odor, it just seems to put a big hurt on the fly party that used to be my trash can (litter box contents, remnants of meat, etc.)." —Michael E. Bradley
Get it from Amazon for $9.84.
42. A foam gap sealant will create a barrier to pests in any gaps or cracks they weasel their way into. (It expands to an inch wide.) Just google how small of a space a mouse can squeeze through. I dare you.
43. A pack of six nontoxic moth traps for the kitchen because, really, any bugs in the kitchen aren't great. These traps have pheromones that attract the buggers to their death.
Promising review: "When I say these work fast, I mean it. I got these in hopes of killing my pantry moth problem once and for all. As soon as I set these traps out a SWARM of moths came out from who knows where. I felt like I was in The Birds, it was that intense. After my momentary panic I was shocked to find that the moths went straight to the traps and got themselves stuck and within a few hours the kitchen was eerily free of moths. Don’t let the price scare you, this stuff works and works well!" —Taylor
Get it from Amazon for $17.97 (available in colors).
44. Non-toxic adhesive window fly traps that'll stick right on your window without really obscuring your view. They work on gnats, mosquitoes, and most other flying insects, too.
Promising review: "Gross yet effective. We live in the country with animals so we have lots of flies. I did not want to hang a fly trap but caved when I saw this. I feel it’s not as noticeable as others and is easy to hide and works very well. Easy to hang and does not leave a sticky residue when removed." —Tina
Get a pack of 12 pieces from Amazon for $6.99 (also available in other styles and pack sizes).
45. A drywall repair putty you can apply directly to an unsightly hole in a small circular motion before painting over it. How/why/when did the hole get there? It was Professor Plum (your 5-year-old with an encyclopedic knowledge of Paw Patrol) in the Conservatory (the top of the stairs) with the Lead Pipe (probably a Nintendo Switch).
Promising review: "Does exactly what it says. Rather than getting spackle, waiting for it to dry, sanding it down, and tweaking as needed — this cuts the time/effort down! Just rub over the place in need of patching and wipe off the excess. The hardest part is not accidentally getting the product on parts of the wall that don’t need it, but that’s easy to clean up, so it’s not a problem. I used this to patch holes in the wall from a former Wi-Fi router and modem, other than the color difference from the patch to the paint, you’d never know it was patched. Great price, easy to use." —Amanda
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
46. A garage door sensor shade for certain Genie models because, well, the sun is messing with your garage door sensor's ability to function. Because who knew THAT was a thing?!
Colorized Design is a Georgetown, Indiana-based small business that 3D prints a variety of problem-solving home solutions.
Promising review: "We couldn't close our garage door due to the angle of the sun this time of year. Quick google search, Colorized Design came up. We followed his tips on ordering the correct cover. Received the cover within days, slid it on, and it works like a charm. Thank you again." —Linda R.
Get it from Colorized Design on Etsy for $19.95.
47. Heavy-duty hangers that'll work *with* your vinyl siding instead of having to drill holes in it just to hang up decorations. SURE. There are much worse homeowner problems to have, but this is still a pretty disappointing one!
Promising review: "Works really well for holding outside decor without wear and tear as long as its not too heavy." —Kitt Smith
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.70.
48. A 15-pack of nonslip stair treads tape because you KNOW slipping on a wooden stair is a big possibility but it's always unexpected when it actually happens.
Promising review: "I fell down the stairs and dislocated my shoulder because my steps were too slippery. Immediately after coming back from the doctor I knew I had to do something about my slippery steps because I knew the accident couldn’t have been a lot worse. I had this installed and I haven’t been afraid of slipping down the stairs since. This purchase was a couple of years ago and other than some dust on the edges, I don’t see the need to replace them as they’re still stuck to the floor. I even got a new order of the same product for the stairs to my basement to avoid any accidents and because I know they last a long time." —Amazon Customer
Get them from Amazon for $28.95+ (available in eight dimensions).
49. Special tape that'll help curtains slide because wouldn't it be a shame if those curtains you hemmed yourself (or worse, had MADE) won't slide like you need them to when you yearn to throw back the curtains and greet the morning with a coffee in hand.
Promising review: "If you don’t have a straight curtain rod, your curtains catch on that little on that little rise where the two rods meet right? Well this solves that problem they glide like they’re on ice and it took my husband about a minute to put it on. These are a must!! Just a little heads up if you don’t have a rod that has those little pins in it to keep it stationary I’m going to need to use like a rubber band to keep the rod from turning. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!" —Jude S.
Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in three colors).
50. A clear toy blocker to stop pets' and kids' toys and balls from rolling underneath the couch, other furniture, and even some appliances. Because of course it happens to their FAVORITE toy and then you have to go to the end of the earth (aka, behind your couch) to retrieve it — only for them to do it again and again and again.
It can also help discourage pets from hiding under furniture!
Promising review: "A must-have for ALL pet owners. This contraption is genius and will save cat (and dog) owners huge amounts of time and frustration retrieving toys. We used this beneath our oven and it works PERFECTLY. Cat can't destroy it (the way she shredded the foam insulation we had stuffed under there before) and we no longer have to get the yardstick out when literally all of her toys are 'gone.' Yes, this is a challenge to install, but 100% worth it. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat." —Allison Goldstein
Get it from Amazon for $12.98+ (available in three sizes).
51. A fireplace cleaner kit with a bristled brush can help erase the evidence of ash and soot from your brick, stone, or tile fireplace. That stuff builds up over time. BUT sometimes it builds up rather quickly when someone who doesn't know how to build a fire decides to use the fireplace.
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One reviewer even said it removed 22 years' worth of soot from a natural fieldstone fireplace.
Promising review: "This product works wonders! The difference in the before and after is jaw dropping. I have never ever been able to truly see through the glass doors on my fireplace in the ten years I have lived in my home until now. I almost purchased both this product and the fireplace glass cleaner to clean my entire fireplace but am glad I saved my money. This product is all you need to clean up your fireplace, glass included. My husband and I still just cannot get over how well this stuff worked!! Now I am going to give my fireplace the makeover it deserves. Although giving it a simple cleaning with this made it look like a brand-new fireplace in itself!!! If you are planning on cleaning your fireplace don't hesitate just buy this stuff!!! You won't be sorry this product is like a miracle cleaner in a bottle!! I will be recommending Quick N Brite to all my family and friends." —Courtney Headrick
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in multiple sizes and multi-packs).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.