Not Lysol, Not Windex: Consumer Reports' Top Choice For All-Purpose Cleaners

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When it comes to choosing an effective all-purpose cleaner actually worth buying to keep your home spick and span, the decision can prove difficult. With so many brands all promising to tackle a myriad of messes, it would be awfully time-consuming (and expensive) to try all of them to find the best option. Luckily, Consumer Reports, which has been independently testing products for 90 years, did just that.

Putting 11 best-selling all-purpose cleaners to the test, Consumer Reports set out to crown a winner by focusing on two main criteria. The cleaner had to be safe, and it had to banish the need to buy multiple products, thus living up to its all-purpose moniker. After analyzing ingredients and creating various messes on different household surfaces, the outlet's professional testers concluded that Mr. Clean Clean Freak ($6.79 on Amazon) is the cleaner most worthy of your money.

Just as Mr. Clean promised on its website, this powerful cleaning mist was effective on a wide range of surfaces (think shower tiles, glass stovetops, vanities) and a long list of materials, including granite, chrome, aluminum, marble, and nickel. However, the biggest draw was how easily it removed greasy and sticky residue when compared to other cleaners. After spritzing it across surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom, everything from oil to syrup and toothpaste could easily be wiped away with a paper towel — no scrubbing required.

The most popular all-purpose household cleaner in the USA may be Lysol, but it was outshined by Mr. Clean Clean Freak during Consumer Reports' testing. In fact, the brand didn't even make the Top 3 because of its failure to cut through grease and grime (maybe just stop using Lysol altogether). Clean Freak replaced the need for scrubbing while doing the job of multiple kitchen and bathroom cleaners at once. Also, it received the Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice approval, meaning its ingredients are safer than most.

Another highlight was its unique power nozzle. Unlike its competitors, this bottle allows you to quickly adjust how much cleaning mist you want to dispense. A small squeeze releases a small burst, while a harder one unleashes more. Meanwhile, repeated pumps enable a continuous spritz that quickly covers large surfaces, like bathtubs and countertops, thus cutting cleaning time further.

The only major downside found by testers was that its promise of a streak-free shine wasn't always true. When used on stainless steel, the formula left smudges, although these could be wiped off with a microfiber cloth. However, if you have a lot of steel and appliances to clean, consider the second runner up, Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner, as it had the only formula that didn't leave smudges. Whichever you choose, remember there are things you should never wipe with all-purpose cleaner, such as wood, tech, and anything that comes into contact with pets or kids.