Five Cleaning Tools You Can't Live Without

My husband is the king of gadgets. If there's a gadget out there to help you clean your house, we own it. Of the many vacuum's, carpet cleaners, floor mops, dusters, and scrubbers we own, there are only a handful of items I use on a regular basis because they actually work.

1. Swiffer Duster

Of all the Swiffer products, it's their Duster I like the best. Being that I'm short, the extendable wand makes reaching high areas a breeze. The disposable dusting cloths trap loads of dirt and I can do the entire first floor of the house with just one. The wand folds down for easy storage and the duster refills come 10 to a box. Of all the dusting products I've tried, this is the one I choose to use week after week.

2. Clorox Ready Mop

I tried regular mops, the Swiffer Mop, and even an electric mop. I found I like the Clorox Ready Mop the best. The mop itself is sturdy and can handle some elbow grease behind it without it feeling like you're going to snap it in two. The thick mop pads hold a lot of fluid and dirt and the cleaning solution does a great job cutting through regular kitchen floor grime. This is the product I use for regular mopping, though I must admit that no mopping product compares to a good, old fashioned bucket of water and scrub brush. But who wants to get down on their knees and scrub the floor?

3. Black and Decker Scrubber

To heck with the Clorox Bath Wand, sponges, wash cloths, and scrub brushes. I prefer the cordless Black and Decker Scrubber to clean my sink, shower, tub, and sometimes tile floors. The battery holds enough charge to clean two bathrooms. For those who don't want to use up all their weekend energy scrubbing bathrooms or floors, this really takes the elbow grease out of cleaning with fabulous results.

4. Dyson DC14 Animal Upright Vacuum