Before kids, everyone tries to tell you how messy and gross kids are. But you don’t really realize the extent of it until you’re trying to clean up a massive blowout out of your stroller while at a street festival in the middle of summer, or when you’re attempting to get puke out of the crevices of a car seat while on a road trip during a blizzard. Getting these messes cleaned up can be, well, messy, but having the right cleaning products can help make the process suck a little less. Check out the list below for some of our favorite mom-approved cleaning products!
1. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
These little scrubbers are definitely magic. At some point in your time raising children you will have to get crayon off multiple different surfaces in your home, and the Magic Erasers do the job. Using these makes me feel like Mary Poppins or Molly Weasley. They’re also great for kitchen messes! Like when you attempt to make chocolate mousse in your stand mixer and more of it ends up on your walls than the bowl. Not that that’s happened to me or anything…
2. OxiClean Laundry Stain Remover Spray
When my daughter was a baby, I told anyone who would listen about my love of this spray. I love this spray so much, I actually included it in a gift basket I made for my cousin’s baby shower. It works. It gets rid of all those spit-up and poop stains that find their way onto everyone’s clothing.
I’ve even used this spray on stains that sat longer than they should have. This spray made it look like they were never there. And this isn’t just for baby stains. The OxiClean Laundry Spray gets all sorts of weird things out of any type of fabric you throw at it.
3. O-Cedar ProMist MAX
Lots of people love their Swiffer products. Don’t get me wrong, they’re great, but what I hate about Swiffer is the waste. You HAVE to use their disposable pads and disposable spray bottle. So wasteful. The ProMist Max, however, uses a double sided machine washable microfiber mop pad. (I love things that are machine washable. Don’t get me started on why anything made for kids ISN’T machine washable. But I digress.)
The microfiber pads remove 99 percent of bacteria with just water. Make sure to have several mop pads available so you can always have a clean one at the ready. You can use your own cleaning solution (like Fabuloso, one of my favorite floor cleaners) in the refillable bottle. Having the ProMist handy means you know that your floors are clean even after cleaning up the fifth potty training accident today.
4. Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
These wipes need no introduction. I keep a container of these bad boys in my car at all times. They are a lifeline with the inevitable messes that come from having a child who gets carsick. They’re also perfect when you’re just too tired to do any deep cleaning, which TBH, is probably all the time. That “kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria” is like music to my ears.
5. Lysol Disinfecting Spray
This and Clorox wipes are unfortunately notoriously hard to find during these times. I understand—this spray is just necessary. It’s great to have for those hard-to-disinfect areas, like entire toy bins or the millions of stuffed animals your relatives insist on buying. The Lysol Sprays also come in multiple scents. I like not being stuck with the lingering smell of bleach.
6. Force of Nature
Maybe you’re a little hesitant to just spray Lysol everywhere (even if you really want to). Maybe you’re not sure what’s safe to use for quick cleans of things like pacifiers or teething toys. Force of Nature is a great choice for these concerns and more.
Force of Nature is an appliance that turns tap water, plus a capsule of salt, water & vinegar, into a cleaner and disinfectant. It’s on the EPA’s list of Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19. It feels like a bit of a science experiment making it, so it’s a fun way to involve your kids in cleaning.
One thing to note, it does have a bit of a chlorine smell after spraying. It doesn’t last, and to me, it just reminds me of a clean pool. Not the worst thing in the world.
7. Machine Washable Rug
Okay, I know this isn’t a cleaning product. But as moms we gotta work smarter, not harder, right? So what’s smarter than an area rug you can throw in your washing machine?
I also have four cats, and pets + children + life = disgusting rugs. Ruggable makes pretty and durable rugs in several sizes. I love that any time there’s a spill (because there’s always a spill), I can just pull the rug up and wash it. It does take a little precision maneuvering to get it to fit just right on the Velcro bottom. But honestly? I’d rather use my OCD to line up the rug correctly than waste energy scrubbing out juice or cat puke. Also, Ruggable has Disney and Star Wars collections—perfect for a kids’ room or my nerdy-chic esthetic.
Final Thoughts
While how they make the mess changes, the messes certainly don’t go away. These products are great for ALL the stages of your kids’ messy lives. Luckily the older your kids get, the more they can help handle their own messes.
Are there any cleaning products we’re missing on this list? Let us know in the comments below!
Looking for more cleaning tricks? Check out these six carpet cleaning secrets from professionals next!
About the Author
Kayla Flam is the Video Editor for LifeAsMama.com, CattitudeDaily.com, and iHeartHorses.com, and mom of one little girl and four crazy cats.
LifeAsMama
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