I Hate to Clean—but These 3 Products Make It Way Easier and More Enjoyable

This is Obsessed: my weekly column devoted to sharing all the things I'm loving right now—from unique food and gift ideas to travel destinations and beauty products—plus some tips and tricks for living your best life.

Confession: I absolutely hate cleaning. Even though I love to cook, I'm far from a domestic goddess. I'm notorious for letting dishes pile up in the sink, and my dog's white fur can often be found rolling in tumbleweeds down my hallway. It's actually pretty embarrassing, but it can be hard to motivate myself to clean after working all day, running errands and, you know, living life.

My husband and I bought our first house a few months ago, and since I don't want my home to look like Shrek's swamp, I've been trying to up my cleaning game. Turns out, there are a few things that make me enjoy the process a little more. While I'm far from Monica Geller, I'm now much less like Ross' date who had the disgusting apartment (if you have no idea what obscure Friends reference I'm making, please watch this video and enjoy). All of this to say, if you hate cleaning as much as I do, check out these game-changing products. They'll make your chores a little easier and more enjoyable.

Neato Robot Vacuum

I mentioned this earlier, but I have a little white dog (his name is Grits) who sheds everywhere. I find clumps of fur in places I would never be able to reach with a vacuum (think: deep under the couch, hidden behind door frames, etc.), and it can be frustrating to vacuum multiple times a day. This robot vacuum is D-shaped, so it fits flat against walls and slides into all the nooks and crannies of your house. While these machines are definitely an investment, they're on major sale right now (down from $829 to $599!) and much cheaper than hiring a full-time housekeeper. The best part? While this vacuum does its thing, you can spend your time cleaning other parts of the house (or mixing up a cocktail—I won't judge!)

Buy it now: Neato Robotics Botvac D7 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, $599, Amazon

Aunt Fannie's Probiotic Cleaner and Dish Soap

It can be hard to find a cleaner without any funky ingredients that actually makes your house feel, well, clean. The probiotic cleaner and dish soap from Aunt Fannie's are free from dyes, petroleum, sulfates, phthalates and parabens and are Leaping Bunny certified, which means they don't test on animals. I also love that I can use the spray cleaner on all surfaces, so I don't need to run around my house looking for different products. Best of all, Aunt Fannie's gets their scents—which range from citrus to lavender to mint—from 100% pure essential oils. They smell so fantastic, they motivate me to do the dishes and wipe down my countertops every evening. And, y'all, that is no easy feat.

Buy them now: Probiotic Multi-Surface Cleaner, $9.99, Amazon and Aunt Fannie's Microcosmic® Probiotic Power Dish Soap, $8.99, Amazon

Bar Cloths

I'm a messy cook but I feel guilty using multiple paper towels to clean up food spills. So in an effort to be a bit more sustainable (and keep my kitchen messes in check), I bought a 24-pack of bar cloths on Amazon. These are super absorbent and wipe up even the biggest food spills with ease. Pro tip: Get the white ones so you can bleach out tough stains like wine or spaghetti sauce in the wash.

Buy them now: Utopia Towels Cotton Washcloths, 24-Pack, $11.99, Amazon

Jaime Milan is EatingWell’s digital editor for all things newsy and trending. She’s always on the hunt for the latest and greatest things to share with EatingWell’s readers. In her spare time, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen, tackling home projects with her husband or taking pics of her very photogenic American Eskimo Dog, Grits. Follow her on Instagram at @jaimemmilan.