Healthy Home Fresh Start: We Tested and Reviewed 53 Cleaning, Organization, and Home Safety Products to Help You Get the New Year Started Right

If the suction strength of most cordless vacuums leaves you wanting, try the Kenmore Litening CU7001. “This is a very powerful vacuum. From the minute you turn it on, you can feel the suction, especially on carpet. It’s got a stronger suction, in fact, than my Dyson,” editorial director Simone Scully notes. “It did a phenomenal job at vacuuming up dust, pet hair, crumbs, some plant dirt, fluff from a dog toy my puppy tore up, and more.”

This vacuum is aimed at pet owners. We found it really made a difference in the amount of animal hair on our rugs. It also does a great job transitioning between carpet and wood flooring.

The battery comes out and charges quickly in the docking station (where you can also store the vacuum). A large LED screen shows the battery life. We appreciate that it’s bagless and easy to empty, and has a HEPA filter, a hair detangler, several attachments, and a light that illuminates the floor.

If you’ve got kids or pets, you know the mess is relentless. But you won’t mind whipping out this low-profile, lightweight, cordless stick vacuum after mealtimes or anytime for a quick tidy-up. “When my kids drop crumbs all around them at dinner, I can easily just sweep them up with this,” says our editor, Ashley Ziegler, who tested this product. “As someone with a herniated disc in her lower back, a broom and dustpan can be difficult for me to use, but this is light and doesn't require me to bend over at all. Plus, it has a green indicator light that illuminates all of the dust on the floor that may not be visible otherwise. Let me just say I was unknowingly living in filth before I got this.”

For busy families that just want the job done for them, a robot vacuum is a priceless convenience. The eufy Robot Vacuum E25 was Scully’s favorite robot vacuum she tried when we were testing dozens of vacuums, robot vacuum cleaners, and combination mops/vacuums/robots, like this model from eufy.

“I love that it comes with cleaning solution and that you can load that solution into the docking station so that the robot can dose the cleaning solution appropriately for what it's cleaning,” Scully says. “You can schedule cleaning sessions, and you get a report after each clean. It lets you know if it gets stuck, too.”

As a mom of two toddlers, this has been a godsend. I use it nearly every day to clean up juice spills, mystery stains, and stuck food from my hard flooring. My floors, which would normally go about two weeks between mopping sessions, now get a quick mop several times a week. The Kenmore AquaLite 3-in-1 vacuums your floors and also mops them. You just fill up the water tank, add a bit of Kenmore Pet Multi-Surface Hard Floor Cleaning Formula, and this thing will clean your messes. It self-cleans the brushroll and comes with an extra brushroll as well.

If you’re looking for power, look no further. “This one is much more powerful than a similar vacuum I've used and had for years—it pulled a lot of dust out of my rugs that my old one wasn't able to touch,” says writer SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, who tested this product. “It seems like it has really powerful suction, which is great for a sub-$100 vacuum.” The device comes with an upholstery tool, and the hose stretches to 7 feet, so you’ll be able to clean your furniture and get hard-to-reach spots with no problem.

For those stubborn stains on the rug or the couch upholstery, Bissell Little Green is your go-to. You can even clean up liquid spills with this. The little machine has a water tank you fill up with water and the company’s stain remover, and a hose that you use to spray the stain, scrub it, and suction up the water and the filth. Then you just dump out the dirty water and move on with your day. “It really did help me get some stains out of my rugs that had been bothering me and helped accidents, like a spilled drink, not be that big of a deal,” says Scully.

This air purifier uses a three-stage filtration system to deliver cleaner air throughout your home. The pre-filter traps larger particles like hair, pet fur, dust mites, and debris. Next, the odor filter targets everyday smells—think cooking fumes, cigarette smoke, and pet odors—while also reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the chemicals often found in cleaners and pesticides. Finally, the HEPA filter captures the finest particles, including dust, bacteria, mold, pollen, and even viruses.

“I like the real-time air quality monitor; it changes colors depending on the level of pollutants in the air,” says editor Lili Ladaga, who has used this for several years. “When it turns red, I know that I need to turn the fan all the way up, close any windows, or take more allergy medicine. I also like that it's compact and fun-looking (it looks a giant iPod) and that doesn't stick out in a room.”

Really make sure your air purifier is working with an air quality monitor. I have always been a bit worried about the air in our house. Between a basement that has seen some flooding, a decades-old air conditioner, and life with a shedding dog, I always wondered what we were breathing in. I’ve felt so much more confident about my home since monitoring the air quality with this.

Not only is the air in my home better than I imagined (we run air purifiers every day), but I trust this monitor because I’ve seen it detect events in and around my house. My husband spilled some oil from our lawnmower in the yard, which burned and let out a plume of smoke. The Fegerman Indoor Air Quality Monitor went berserk, alerting us to an air-quality dip even though the smoke was outside, away from the home. I’m glad to have this on hand just to check anytime I feel skeptical about our air.

Made with Marseille soap (a traditional French soap made from vegetable oils) and white vinegar, this surface cleaner is safe on most nonporous surfaces in the kitchen, bathroom, and beyond.

“The surface cleaner works very well and has all-natural ingredients with no harsh chemicals,” says Scully. “The bottles are pretty, and I could see this being a gift I give some family members.”

We love that the formula is vegan, cruelty-free, and biodegradable, and that the company uses energy-efficient production facilities.

This unscented product is formulated for safe use around pets and families. I received this when I tested the Kenmore AquaLite 3-in-1 Cordless Hard Floor Wet/Dry Vacuum, and now I’m a convert and use it with the O-Cedar EasyWring RinseClean as well. It leaves behind no smell, no stickiness, and effectively cleans up stains, grime, and stickiness. It’s compatible with sealed hardwood, tiles, laminate, and vinyl flooring.

If you just can’t imagine cleaning without leaving a fragrance behind, this is a product I’ve used for years. I’m scent-sensitive; scented products, especially cleaning products, quickly give me a headache. But not Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products. That could be because it’s a USDA Certified Biobased product, meaning it contains “a verified amount of renewable biological ingredients” such as plants and other agricultural materials, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It’s also made without phthalates, parabens, chlorine, or artificial colors. The Basil scent is my favorite multi-surface cleaner. I water it down and use it on my floors and on my countertops when they need a really good cleaning.

If laundry sheets just don’t do it for you (or for your washing machine), Blueland Laundry Detergent is a great option, and you can buy it in a bundle with the company’s dishwashing detergent. Formulated for sensitive skin, this hypoallergenic line comes in both unscented (Free and Clear) and scented versions, including Spring Bloom laundry tablets and lemon zest dishwashing tablets.

I’ve used these for years, and they’ve gotten me through the messes of starting solids with two little ones. These tablets are microplastic-free and made from plant and mineral ingredients. You can purchase the tablets separately, but the starter duo comes with two nice tins to keep your laundry area and sink area organized.

Sometimes the washing machine just gets a little grimy. When you think about it, that appliance handles a lot, and it needs some care, too. When we notice our clothes are not smelling as fresh as they should after a wash, we pop one of these in the empty drum and run the machine through a “clean washer” cycle (there are also instructions for if your washing machine doesn’t have this setting). This product is designated a Safer Choice product by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), meaning it contains ingredients that help reduce, eliminate, or prevent pollution.

Can’t decide on a laundry detergent scent? With this sample set from Maison France Luxe, you don’t have to. It comes with five laundry detergent samples, including an unscented and four scented: Paris garden, ginger root, Corsican wind, and shea butter, which is made for delicates.

Scully appreciated that they’re plant-based and eco-friendly as well as effective with great scents. All are made for use on both colors and whites.

It can be hard to reach all the spots in your bathroom that need to be scrubbed. Casabella Power Spin Scrubber solves that, allowing you to easily scrub high and low. And the best part is that you won’t have to use much elbow grease, since the scrubber spins at the push of a button.

The company also makes a handheld scrubber and a detail scrubber, which Scully tried, too. “I really like the electric cleaners a lot,” says Scully. “They just make things easier. You don’t have to scrub at dirt quite as hard, and the extendable one is helpful for me because I tend to find it difficult to get all the way up to the top of my shower — this makes that easy.”

If you haven’t hopped on the Swedish dishcloth bandwagon yet, you’re missing out. These washable, reusable cloths are great for wiping down surfaces, cleaning dishes, and wiping messy faces (of course, we use a different one for each task — good thing they come in multipacks).

You can use them over and over, and in my experience, they last much longer than a sponge. “I really like that these dishcloths are plant-based (vegan) and biodegradable — they can apparently decompose naturally in six to eight weeks, so it’s a very sustainable, environmentally friendly item,” says Scully. “They also just work very well: They are great at cleaning up spills and messes (and save you having to get paper towels).”

The cloths are reusable — just toss them in the washing machine when they start to get dirty. Scully loved that these come in different designs, including holiday patterns.

Dish towels are something you’ll never regret stocking up on. In my house, dish towels often get stained or stinky, so I’m always on the hunt for new ones. These are made from recycled plastic, but the microfiber is soft on the hands while also capable of absorbing up to five times its weight in liquid. 

“These were really nice,” says Scully. “There’s a bunch of cute patterns to choose from — including some seasonal ones — and they’re very absorbent. I didn’t have any issues drying my dishes, and they dried way faster than my usual ones.”

These are perfect to store in the car or in your purse. I personally find it easier to use a sanitizing hand wipe on my kids when they’ve touched something I’d rather they hadn’t touched than to wipe their hands down with gel. Our editor, Katie Tuttle, tried these out and said that she loved the scents, which helped these wipes smell better than straight alcohol. “Noshinku uses essential oils instead of artificial fragrances…they put a lot of thought into their scents, which is a nice change of pace from the high-octane alcohol-forward scents most sanitizers have,” she says.

You may want to stash a couple of these pump bottles around the house when a bad illness is making its way through the family. Not only will it slow the spread of germs, but this bottle looks much more aesthetically pleasing than many other hand sanitizers and comes in three scents (peppermint eucalyptus, sweet orange bergamot, and lemongrass).

“I like that it's vegan and cruelty-free, and designed to reduce dryness with ingredients like aloe vera and glycerin,” says writer Maria Cristina Lalonde. While Lalonde says this product wasn’t moisturizing, it did help reduce any excessive dryness that can occur with regular hand sanitizer use.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, you won’t catch me out of the house without disinfecting wipes. I try not to overdo it, but I tend to use these on shopping cart handles, things that look extra yucky on the playground, and any other high-touch areas in public that my kids might go for. This is a great just-in-case to keep in your bag or car to try to keep the family healthy.

This water purifier sits right on your kitchen counter and has a water tank that pulls water from the filter into the pitcher. You can also use it to heat up water, so it can replace your kettle. “There is a lot to like about this,” says Scully. “For one, I like that it is a counter-top unit, so it's out in plain sight for whenever anyone needs water. I also like that it comes with a glass water pitcher, which means your water isn't sitting in plastic all day. It refills instantaneously after you put it back, too and lets you know when it runs out. I have well water at my house, and this unit helps me feel way better about keeping my family safe.”

Sometimes, it can make the biggest difference just getting your schedule, commitments, and ideas out of your head and organized in one place. That’s where Artful Agenda comes in.

“It’s a very attractively designed digital planner,” says health and lifestyle writer Jessica Migala. “Unlike the more straightforward and boring calendar on Gmail, which I typically use […] you can customize fonts and colors, add stickers, and more.”

Users can also track habits in the margin, complete with the ability to check off goals and accomplishments each day. Migala liked how it has the look of a paper planner, so it gives you the nostalgic feel of keeping track of life the old-fashioned way.

We all know that feeling: Did I take my medication today? Sometimes it’s impossible to remember, and skipping a dose can really have an effect on some conditions. Dosey is here to save the day with its 7-Day Pill Compact. It’s a modern, glamorous take on the weekly pill organizer, with a sleek design, pastel colors, and a mirrored inner lid.

“It’s a quick and easy (and pretty) way to make sure I take all my medication (and don’t accidentally take it twice),” says Scully. “[It] kinda looks like a sunglasses case, too, so it’s discreet in your purse or to keep at your desk, and it comes in a bunch of pretty colors. The floral pink and purple are plastic with pretty flowers, while the others have a more matte, silicone feel.”

Even if you aren’t into winter sports and don’t live in a snowy place, future you will thank you for replenishing your sunscreen. This one made our Best Sunscreens of 2025 list as our pick for face and body, making it a versatile choice for year-round sun protection. “I enjoyed the lightweight, lotion-like feel of this sunscreen, which left my dry skin feeling moisturized and dewy,” says writer Crystal Hoshaw, who tried this product. “It worked well as a base over makeup, too.”

This is for the ones who are seriously into gardening and don’t want to wait until summer to grow their own fresh produce. Depending on what you plant, this indoor hydroponic garden system grows up to 16 plants and yields 4 to 5 pounds of produce per month (enough to feed one to two people).

“There’s a lot to love about this: For one, it’s a super fun, convenient way to grow fruit and veggies inside your own kitchen,” says Scully. “With a grow light, cameras for growth guidance, and easy to install and grow seed pods, this is very intuitive and easy to set up. You can also pay to subscribe for AI growth guidance and quarterly seed subscriptions. Plus, this just looks pretty inside your home.”

The candles sold at Made By Humans are all handmade in Vancouver by Indigenous artists using soy wax. This candle is a gorgeous example, featuring art by Indigenous artist Trevor Hunt from the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation.

“It’s very different from any candle you’ll find in a big store,” says Scully. “It feels personal and unique — and that’s because the candles are made by different artists. I love the artwork and how it lights up with the candle.”