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. Miraculous Folex instant carpet spot remover, which also works on upholstery to make stains do a Houdini-level vanishing act — just peep this reviewer's ketchup stain pics!!! Plus, it's odor free for scentsitive folks.
Promising review: "Can I give it 10 stars? I'm really disappointed I lived without this product for so long. However, I have an overpriced wool carpet that my dogs have destroyed with accidents, bully sticks, and just general recklessness. I gave up on this rug ever being clean again. I've had it professionally cleaned and tried a dozen things myself...and no difference. And so I thought I'd try this assuming that it wouldn't work on the stain-determined rug but that'd I use it on my less tenacious ones. I sprayed it on, reading the instructions saying that I didn't need to scrub it, etc. And minutes later, freaking magic. My very pale-blue-and-white rug is virginal. I admit that I did rub it in a little on the harsher stains/discoloration, but there were plenty of areas that didn't require any follow up rubbing. I'm sincerely blown away and just ordered a second bottle. The price of this product is minimal if you're looking to make your rug/carpet like new again, so I would absolutely recommend trying it. I don't think I've ever been this impressed with anything I've ever purchased. I feel cheated for not knowing about this sooner." —bubbleslovesoap
Get it from Amazon for $6.65.
2. An incredible laundry soap bar, aka the under-$5 secret to getting your clothes cleaner than clean. I'm talking about the cleanest clean you ever cleaned — and it works for your long-abused makeup brushes, too!
Promising review: "I use it to clean my makeup brushes and nothing else cleans them with ease like this." —Veronica
"This stuff is AWESOME! Has a pleasant, light citronella scent. Got grease out of a shirt that nothing else got out. I use it on everything. It's legit. Just buy it." —K. Hawley
Get it from Amazon for $4.10.
3. Grandma's Secret Spot Remover, which might make you 🤫 secretly 🤫 excited when someone in your home makes a mess so you can break out this magic potion (that calls itself a "washing machine in a bottle") and leave everyone thinking you're a wizard. Use it on everything from blood to coffee to crayon marks — it's that good!
Promising review: "Absolutely the best spot remover in the world! It will remove just about everything from your fabric! I even used it for a very old doily that was so discolored and stained that I almost threw them away. All the old stains and knitted portion was over 15 years since it had never been washed. It is bright and clean & white now. It used to look brown. It was handmade by my dear departed Aunt made 35+ years ago! It's ready for framing now!" —Dancing Hawaiian
Get a set of two from Amazon for $9.49.
4. A reusable watermark remover cloth that also works wonders on heat marks and other little stains on wood surfaces, because we've all forgotten to use a coaster or put a hot plate on our table without thinking (or have relatives who forget regularly 🙃). Turns out those stains aren't a lost cause after all.
Promising review: "Surprised. This actually works. It won't work instantly, you have to be patient. I had bright white huge water spots from a can of soda left on a mahogany table. Nothing worked. Definitely had to put some elbow grease into it but after about 20 minutes, the stain faded significantly. If you didn't know it was there you wouldn't even notice it anymore. It's not completely gone, but it saves the table. I'll work on it some more and see if I can get the rest out tomorrow but as of tonight I'm extremely pleased as I thought this table was going to have to be refinished." —Leyden-Mom
Get it from Amazon for $6.
5. Durable all-purpose wipes made with aloe vera and vitamin E for everything from your hands to your car to tricky stains like grease, makeup, adhesives, and permanent marker. Paper towels are cancelled.
Note that while these are great for messes and stains, they don't disinfect.
Promising reviews: "These towels are awesome for so many things. They are large and very sturdy, so they work well for household cleaning. The real benefit for me, though, is having a wipe that works for things like the grill, the oven, the dashboard of my car, muddy shoes, chairs and umbrellas that go to soccer games and practices, and lawn furniture. I frequently wipe something down, rinse the towel, and wipe again. The wipes are heavy enough to go through three to four rinses and wipes and still hold up. The smell is mild and doesn't linger on my hands or what I've wiped down. I use these almost daily, so the 90-count canister lasts about three months and the last towel is never dried out when I get to it. The lid closes securely, yet is easy to open and the towels dispense easily through the opening without getting bunched up. Because the canister is heavier than most, and the lid fits well, it's easy to throw one of these in the trunk or cargo area, and I don't worry about it leaking. The canister (minus the lid) is recyclable when the towels are gone — an added bonus." —COMom
"My son had painted on numerous different items in my house. I thought it was the end after trying baby wipes, Clorox wipes, and paper towels....I then tried these after a final act of desperation, and they wiped up the dried acrylic paint like it was butter!!!! 100,000/10 recommendation." —RyanH
Get a pack of 90 from Amazon for $14.98.
6. A multi-surface pet stain and odor eliminator that over 73,000 people (and presumably their furry friends) swear by. Because even the goodest boys and girls sometimes make messes, and you'll want to have this on hand (er, paw) when they do so it can be like it never happened.
This stuff is from a family-run small business, and you can use it on floors, clothes, carpets, furniture, and pretty much anything else. Check out BuzzFeed's full write-up on Rocco & Roxie stain remover.
Promising review: "This is magic! These pics were taken over the course of about 35 minutes. These are year old stains! I’m sold." —Joshua Hurston Hall
Get it from Amazon for $19.97 (or $18.97 with the Subscribe & Save option).
7. Or Sunny & Honey Carpet Miracle, a cruelty-free formula you can use in most any carpet cleaning machine to battle stains made by humans and pets alike. Your dog and toddler aren't the only ones who sometimes have accidents, though yours are less the bathroom variety and more the spilling-a-full-glass-of-Merlot variety.
It's from a family-run small business that specializes in cleaning products, especially ones for homes with pets!
Promising review: "Worth every penny. I’ve bought this product so many times now I have it on autoship! Saw the reviews and figured I’d give it a try. My cat likes to pee over the litter box and stained the brand new carpet. I used this in my Bissell and it took all the stain and smell out!!! I’ll never use another cleaner." —Wendy
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (or $18.99 with the Subscribe & Save option).
8. Naturally scented, sulfate-free laundry detergent fizzes to make dealing with your fam's endless mountains of laundry a little easier. These bbs can soften water and fabric, fight odors, and help eliminate stains, and TL;DR: just basically make your clothes come out of the washer looking so brand-new, you'll want to brag about it.
They're from a Tampa, Florida–based small business specializing in handmade cleaning and self-care products.
Promising review: "This stuff is AMAZING! We have extremely hard water and our clothes get dull despite our water softener. This helped bring our clothes back to life! I will be buying again and again!" —Sara Oberheim
Get them from The Fizz Whiz on Etsy for $16.
9. A possibly magical wine stain remover capable of saving you from the effects of your clumsier moments. Pinot more clothing and carpeting casualties after a boozy night in (or out).
It's made by a woman-owned business!
Promising review: "My husband spilled a whole glass of wine, a bowl of salsa, and a bowl of guacamole on me. I used Wine Away when I got home four hours later, washed my dress, and it's perfect now! I really thought my dress was ruined and it's in the exact same condition it was before I went to the winery!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $9.59.
10. An impressive leather cleaner to buy when every other method you've tried has come so close, yet ~sofa~ from getting the stains out of your beloved leather couch (or jacket, or purse, or office chair...).
Get a brush to use with it here!
Promising review: "I used this on my natural leather couch and wow! The results were amazing. This couch looks better than it did when I bought it new. Some reviews said the smell is bad, but it smells just like any other cleaner that doesn't have added fragrance. As soon as the solution dried, which took about 10 minutes, the smell was completely gone. I highly recommend this product if you have natural leather that you need cleaned." —Amanda Coffee
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (or $15.29+ with the Subscribe & Save option; available in three sizes).
11. An incredible natural stain remover that refuses to half-ass its tasks. It won't settle for just preventing a stain from being noticeable — it'll make you question whether the stain was ever really there to begin with. Whether it's food, dirt, or bodily fluids, this stuff is up to the task.
Promising review: "My son came home from daycare with dark red/purple stains on his clothing. They had hours to set into the fabric. We sprayed Puracy on the stains (see picture of them soaking) and let it sit overnight. The next morning we washed the shirt as usual. The next picture is my son wearing the shirt…stains 100% gone. I am in disbelief. This product is amazing!" —Will
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
12. A super-affordable rust stain remover to miraculously banish even the nastiest, most impossible stains with zero scrubbing. Because, sing it with me, "I don't want no scrubbing!"
Check out BuzzFeed's full write-up on Iron Out rust stain remover spray.
Promising review: "It WORKS!! Since my husband and I moved into our home two years ago, the hard-water stains in our shower drove me bananas! I tried everything from bleach to all-natural remedies. Nothing worked. Stumbled upon some before and after photos for this product and had to try. Especially for the price! The photos I posted were with minimal scrubbing. The product does all the hard work!!" —Julie Dufour
Get it from Amazon for $4.97.
13. An amazing car cleaner spray that works on pretty much every surface of your interior, from leather to plastic to vinyl to fabric to wood to rubber. Because your car is a mess, and the fewer products you need to clean it, the better.
It comes with a microfiber cloth!
Promising review: "Seriously, what is this sorcery? I've had my car 10 years and have never thought to clean the upholstery and the infinite food/grease spills from tilted takeout boxes of authentic Mexican food. I embarrassingly got used to the way it looked until one day I cleaned my car really thoroughly and realized the seats were disgusting. So I tried the product. I cleaned small sections so it wouldn’t dry (with a scrub brush) and then used a few microfiber towels to wipe up anything remaining. It worked so well! No fumes." —KO
Get it from Amazon for $16.97 (or $16.12 with the Subscribe & Save option).
14. An amazing leather and suede cleaning brush for anyone who, à la Alexis Rose, walks through life in really nice shoes — but sometimes walks straight into a puddle.
The brush actually has four parts — a soft bristle side and a hard bristle side, plus curved edges to tackle even the hard-to-reach parts of your suede goods.
Promising review: "For an inexpensive product this tool worked wonders on both my Timberland leather boots and my Sorel suede ones. The Timberlands were several years old and all gunked up in the front so I wasn't too worried if this tool messed them up. Lo and behold all of the stains came out and while they don't look new they certainly look clean and presentable again! As for the suede boots, I got drips of grease on them as I was stupidly cooking with them on. I was really concerned because they are new and I know suede is very finicky. Well after my first success I dove in and once again the stains came out! They basically look as if nothing ever happened and I am saved from the wrath of my wife who gave them to me for Christmas. Thank you! You saved another husband!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
15. A tub of The Pink Stuff, aka an all-purpose paste you can use to scrub anything from cookware to cooktops and bathroom fixtures to rubber shoes shiny clean and free of stains. Just ~pink~ of all the icky things in your home you can finally clean with this stuff!
Promising review: "Oh my gosh — this stuff is a life-changer! Used it to get my fiberglass shower totally clean. Nothing else would get it done and this stuff brought my shower back to near-new in one use. We’ve since cleaned a weird chalky film off our garage door, removed wall markings, and cleaned my storm door. We’ll never be without a jar (or three) of this stuff. Worth every penny." —Nancy F.
Get it from Amazon for $5.97 (or $5.67 with the Subscribe & Save option).
16. An amazing stain remover for concrete sure to have oil and grease stains belting out the melancholy refrain of a truly underrated Miley Cyrus bop. ♫ "So I guess the drivewayyyyyyyyy will be the end of the road..." ♫
FOR [STAINS] IT'S TOOOOOO LAAAATEEEE, LET THE CREDITS START TO RO-OOLLLL!!!!
Promising review: "After looking at several products to remove oil stains from driveways, I decided to go with this 'Chomp Pull It Out' stuff. I was amazed and quite impressed with the results. You can see the spot area I tested the product on in the first photo. Then I applied the product to the rest of the stain and left it overnight. Swept it away the next day and then washed the surface and let dry. I did need to apply a second treatment to a few areas that were not completely cleaned, especially in between some of the pavers but, after that, the whole stain was magically gone. Looks like new! If you know the general size of pavers, you can tell this was a pretty good-sized stain. One bottle was enough to do this entire spot, with the second treatment, and I still have some left for a few small spots elsewhere on the driveway. Overall, an excellent product!" —Eric
Get it from Amazon for $17.97 (or $17.07 with the Subscribe & Save option).
17. Star Brite Mold and Mildew Stain Remover, a professional-strength spray that's ideal for outdoor surfaces (think: boats, RV awnings, patio furniture) and will mildew what you thought was impossible and have even the ickiest spots looking like new.
Promising review: "I don't often write a review of a product. But this was so impressive, I thought I should let others know. We have a set of vinyl outdoor chairs that were constantly covered with mildew. When we were feeling ambitious, we'd take the time to power wash the chairs, which worked pretty well but was a lot of work. The problem was that a couple of days later, the mildew was back almost as bad a before. With this mildew stain remover, we sprayed the chairs, let them sit a few minutes, and hosed off with a regular garden hose. Easy. And they were cleaner than they ever got using the power washer. When we put the chairs away two months later, they were still clean." —Christine A. Simonson
Get it from Amazon for $15.86.
18. A 20-pack of multi-surface eraser sponges that may not be the name brand, but do not mess around when it comes to messes. Like in the pics below, I imagine the sponge saying (if sponges could talk, that is) "Ha! You call yourself PERMANENT marker? We'll see about that."
Promising review: "Overall, I am VERY IMPRESSED. For me, these hold up better than a Mr. Clean magic eraser. They got stains out of my kitchen counter tops, out of my bathroom sink, and even cleaned the shower so well it looked like I had bleached the whole thing! Very happy and will continue to buy in the future. I've even given some to my family to convince them how great they are." —SierraH
Get 20 sponges from Amazon for $14.95 (or $14.20 with the Subscribe & Save option).
19. Bissell Stomp 'N Go pet stain lifting pads you can, yes, oh-so-satisfyingly stomp on to lift both new *and* old stains out of your carpet. In other words, they'll pick up the remaining stains from the coffee you spilled yesterday *and* the scene of the great puppy potty training failure of six months ago.
Promising review: "I never ever write reviews for anything, but I just had to write one for these. I have ordered three boxes already and will continue to order them forever. We have two dogs and one of them will get sick or have an accident in the house a few times a month. I've used all kinds of carpet cleaner as well as the SpotBot, but they never seemed to really get the stains out. I bought these on a whim because I was desperate to find something that might work and guess what? THEY WORKED! No joke, every stain I have put these on has come out of the carpet just by this pad sitting on the stain for around 24 hours. I have told everyone I know about these and have heard great things from them as well. If you are on the fence, just give them a try! I hope they work as well for you as they have for me!" —Angela Mimm
Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.49.
20. Natural, cleansing, and odor-eliminating Bottle Bright tablets to make one of your least favorite chores — cleaning out your gross water bottle or travel mug — unbelievably easy, not to mention to eliminate coffee and tea stains in there you thought were permanent.
Several reviewers also recommend this for stainless-steel coffee pots! All you have to do is fill your bottle with warm water, drop a single tablet in, and let it fizz the gunk away. The tablet dissolves completely, so once you dump out the water, you can use your bottle again right away! Check out BuzzFeed's full write-up on Bottle Bright.
Promising review: "In all my years of attempting to remove the tea stains from my large white ceramic mug and metal tumblers, I have never come across anything as effective as this product; it is simply amazing (I wish I took before & after photos). I filled the mug with boiled water, dropped in a Bottle Bright cleaning tablet and let it do its magic. Within one hour the tea stains from the metal tumbler were lifted, literally, and floating. My white ceramic mug took a bit longer but the result was also absolutely perfect, as if both of these drinking containers were brand-new." —Bruce P. Starr
Get a pack of 12 tablets from Amazon for $8.
21. And of course, Tide To Go, the fan-fave stain remover everyone should have in their bag at all times. It's a classic for a reason, and not just because of the portable pen design. It's so effective, you'll find yourself reaching for it even when you're *not* on the go — I know I do.
Promising review: "Just what I needed in my life. I LOVE TIDE PENS! It removes any stain I have, especially if I use it right away. I keep one pen in my car, one in my purse, one at work, and one at home. This has saved so many articles of clothing from permanently staining. Great product that I would buy again and again." —Katie
Get a pack of three from Amazon for $7.74.
You intentionally staining things just so you can use these wonders more:
