4 Cleaning Tools to Throw Away, and What to Buy Instead

As home cooks, we always aim to keep our kitchens spotless. Even if you think your cookware and countertops are clean, chances are, you’re washing some of your most-used gear and surfaces all wrong. Certain everyday items, like cast iron cookware and water bottles, require special care to stay sparkling clean. Using the wrong technique or cleaning tools can shorten the lifespan of your kitchenware and leave behind grime — and all you need is a few simple swaps to clean smarter. We rounded up the 40 best cleaning products to help tackle your toughest kitchen messes, without the hassle.

Best Amazon Cleaning Tools Overall

Best Water Bottle Cleaning Tools

Whether you have a Stanley cup, a Yeti tumbler, or an Owala water bottle, you know that keeping your vessel sanitized is key to great-tasting drinking water. It’s all too easy to neglect your water bottle, especially since buildup isn’t always visible to the naked eye. A dirty tumbler can breed harmful bacteria, but these gadgets can disinfect every nook and cranny. The best water bottle cleaning tools — including lid cleaners, straw brushes, and clever multi-tools — can make everyday cleanup faster and more effective.

• OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set$12
• Hiware 8‑Piece Straw Cleaning Set$4
• Boon Cacti Bottle Cleaning Brushes, 4-Piece Set$17
• Ieesspd 3‑in‑1 Cup Lid Gap Cleaning Brush Set$5
• Holikme Bottle Brush Cleaning Set$9, originally $14
• Xangnier Multipurpose Bottle Gap Cleaner, 3‑Pack$5
• OXO Tot Bottle and Cup Cleaning Set$15
• Nodirz Cup Lid Brush Set$6
• Holikme Long‑Handle Cleaning Set$8, originally $15
• Multifunctional Cleaning Brush Set$6

OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set

This OXO water bottle cleaning set includes one large brush to reach into the inside of narrow bottles, a long, thin brush for straws, and a detail cleaner to remove grime and debris. The trio of brushes features nylon bristles that hold their shape over time and comes on an organizer ring for simplified storage.

Hiware 8‑Piece Straw Cleaning Set

Reusable straws can be difficult to disinfect. These straw cleaner brushes come in two widths to adapt to straws of all sizes and materials. At $4 for eight brushes, they’re only 50 cents apiece. The set has nearly 18,400 five-star ratings — according to one shopperit “gets hard-to-reach and small areas of water bottles and straws.”

Best Cast Iron Cleaning Tools

Cleaning cast iron is notoriously tricky. Enthusiasts swear by various methods, but one thing they can all agree on is that a typical soak in the sink is never a good idea. Cast iron can last a lifetime if properly cared for, so don’t ruin it with the wrong tools. Choose the wrong brush or scrubber, and you risk scraping off the seasoning you’ve spent years building up. Instead, take a look at some of Amazon’s top-rated cast iron cleaners, including chainmail scrubbers, specially designed brushes, and rust erasers — all under $20.

• Lodge Rust Eraser, $10
• Herda Chainmail Cast Iron Scrubber$15, originally $20
• Lodge Pan Scrapers, Set of 2$7
• OXO Good Grips Cast Iron Pan Brush$12
• Purgreat Chainmail Scrubber$14, originally $17
• Onewly Cast Iron Scrubber$15
• Lodge Scrub Brush$10, originally $11
• Master Chef Cast Iron Scrub Brush and Scraper$17, originally $20
• Onewly Steel Wool Scrubber Set$8, originally $10
• Yunniehom Cast Iron Scrubber$10, originally $20

Lodge Rust Eraser

When you use your cast iron cookware often, rust can seem inevitable. To make things easier, Lodge — the brand behind our favorite cast iron skillets — has a simple solution. This rust eraser removes oxidation and tarnish from the surface of your pans without requiring any harsh chemicals.

Herda Chainmail Cast Iron Scrubber

This fast-drying chainmail scrubber is made for everyday cast iron maintenance. Its flexible silicone interior is surrounded by chainmail for gentle, efficient removal of grease and grime. As a bonus, it comes with a dishcloth for simplified re-seasoning.

Best OXO Cleaning Tools

OXO Good Grips offers some of our favorite kitchen gear — especially its versatile and task-specific gadgets and solutions for tough kitchen messes. Whether you’re scouring pans, scraping grill grates, or scrubbing the countertop, OXO has a tool to make the task easier and more efficient. Plus, grab a vegetable brush, a squeegee, deep cleaning sets, and soap-dispensing brushes — all under $20.

• Soap Dispensing Palm Brush Storage Set$9, originally $12
• Deep Clean Brush Set$8, originally $9
• Kitchen Appliance Cleaning Set$11
• Soap Dispensing Dish Brush$11, originally $12
• Vegetable Brush$8
• Soap Dispensing Dish Brush Storage Set$18
• Soap Dispensing Dish Scrub$12
• Dish Squeegee$13
• Electric Grill and Panini Press Brush$12
• Heavy-Duty Grill Brush With Cover$12

OXO Good Grips Soap Dispensing Palm Brush Storage Set

With this fan-favorite soap-dispensing OXO scrub brush, you can wash dishes with one hand. One customer said, “This thing feels amazing in your hand, dispenses just the right amount of soap right where you want it, and honestly scrubs way better than the sponge.” It even has a small storage dish that traps excess water.

OXO Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set

No matter what kitchen mess you’re tackling, this shopper-loved OXO deep clean brush set can handle it. It includes one large, nylon-bristled brush and one small, double-sided brush with a wiper blade at the bottom. It’s ideal for scrubbing tile grout, tight spaces around the sink, and more.

Best Kitchen Drain Cleaners

Amazon has the tools to clean just about everything, including the kitchen sink. Washing dishes regularly can lead to buildup and blockages in your kitchen drain, from soap scum, food particles, and grease. This can make dishwashing feel like a headache and cause unwanted kitchen odors. That’s where these drain cleaners come in. We found the best chemical and enzymatic liquids, tablets, and strips, as well as specially designed brushes, to break down clogs and prevent future backups.

• Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Maintenance Liquid$21, originally $22
• Glisten Disposer Foaming Cleaner$4, originally $5
• Green Gobbler Bio-Flow Drain Strips$16
• Mbjrfu Drain Cleaning Brush$10
• Bastion Garbage Disposal Deodorizer Drops, 50-Count$17, originally $19
• KeyFar Drain Clog Remover$8
• Plink Fizzy Drain Cleaner Tablets, $7
• Glisten Garbage Disposal Freshener, $4
• Active Garbage Disposal Deodorizer Tablets$20, originally $25
• Green Gobbler Enzymes Grease Sewer Cleaner$25, originally $28

Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Maintenance Liquid

Prevent clogs and nasty food smells with this lavender-scented liquid from Mrs. Meyers. With regular use, the probiotic cleaner is “a gentle yet effective way to keep drains and disposals fresh and odor-free,” according to shoppers.

Glisten Disposer Foaming Cleaner

Simply drop these garbage disposal cleaning packets into the drain, turn on the disposal, and watch them work their magic. They foam up to eliminate buildup in pipes and replace bad smells with a fresh lemon scent. Get yours now to join over 40,000 customers who purchased them in the past month.