5 Trader Joe’s Cleaning Products You Should Try

If your main motivation to trek to your neighborhood Trader Joe’s is for theElote Corn Chip Dippers, know this: snacks aren’t the only things that are crave-able. Trader Joe’s has a line of unique household products designed to clean dishes, hands, laundry, and even freshen up the air in your room.

After trying everything out, this writer would say that, all in all, the slate of cleaning products from Trader Joe’s is solid. Don’t hesitate to grab anything that catches your eye (or nose) while you’re snack shopping. But if you need some convincing to swap out your staples, here are five standouts from the lineup that everyone should try at least once.

1.Cedarwood & Sage Multi-Purpose Cleaner, $3.99

For someone who has been professionally testing and reviewing cleaning products for seven years, I will be the first to tell you that most cleaning-caddy basics are all the same—so just buy whatever sprays or detergents appeal to you in terms of scent, packaging, and sustainability.

That said, I did notice that this Trader Joe’s multipurpose spray is especially effective: A little bit goes a long way. I only needed one spray to wipe down my 42-inch round dining table, a spot where I spray my regular cleaner three to four times. The cedarwood and sage scent is also a nice departure from the brighter scents you normally find in the market, if woodsy is your thing.

2.Pop-Up Sponges, $8.49 for 12

If you have limited kitchen storage or are forgetful of your grocery list (or both), this pack of sponges will be your savior. Because they come compacted and expand when you soak them in water, you can fit 12 full-size sponges in the drawer space you would normally dedicate to just one typical kitchen sponge. (Which also means you can put off re-upping for longer than if you bought and stored pack of two or four.) Plus, they work great: Each one holds a really impressive amount of soapy water. The only tradeoff is that these don’t have a scrubby side—but my dishes didn’t notice.

3.Super Amazing Reusable Kitchen Cloth, $2.99 for 2

As a microfiber-cloth faithful, I was concerned that these soft cloths weren’t going to be abrasive enough to handle the stuck-on gunk that accumulates in my kitchen, but it got the counter gunk clean in one swipe.

They’re 14-by-10 inches and made of viscose, with a texture that is something between a towel and a sponge cloth. Between the size and the material, I found these to besuperabsorbent — they’d be great to keep around just for spills, if nothing else.

4.Reusable Lavender Dryer Bags, $4.49 for 4

If you’re still using dryer sheets, make this switch immediately. But even if you’re a dryer ball person like me, I think these scented dryer bags are a nice treat for your laundry. They impact a really lovely, gentle, andlastinglavender scent to your clothes, towels, and sheets. I’m typically a free-and-clear unscented girlie, but I couldn’t resist burying my face in my towels after I dried them.

5.Super Lemon Room Spritz, $1.99

As a kid, I remember my dad throwing open the windows every Saturday morning to blast Duran Duran and cover our tile floors with Pine Sol. This room spray made my living room feel just like that moment, and I barely had to lift a finger. I recommend keeping this small 50-ml bottle on the coffee table or kitchen counter for anytime you need a pick-me-up.

Essentially, it’s just essential oils. The formula contains water, lemon, and mint oils, as well as an emulsifier to keep it all together. But one spritz made the roomfeelinstantly cleaner—which is a great party trick if you have last-minute guests coming over.