I Asked Chefs and Experts for Their Favorite Cleaning Tools, and Their Picks Start at $6

Cleaning your kitchen can seem daunting. Walk into any market or convenience store, and you’ll be faced with aisles and aisles of cleaning products. Even if you know you need a sponge or a cleaning cloth, you might be faced with dozens of options — and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. I’m saying this as somebody who used to work in kitchens and cleans his kitchen (almost) every day: There are definitely times when I feel like I have no idea which tool to turn to.

Wondering which chefs and cleaning experts rely on for clean kitchens, I talked to several pros and wound up with some pretty excellent recommendations. Sometimes, I can be ambivalent about products recommended to me, especially since I test them for a living and barely have any space in my home for new gear. Still, after Institute of Culinary Education chef-instructor Olivia Roszkowski made a good case for having a handheld vacuum cleaner, I quickly loaded my shopping cart with a Black + Decker model with over 68,000 five-star ratings. I became similarly excited about trying out a 50-pack of melamine kitchen sponges that MaidForYou CEO Delah Gomasi mentioned. Keep reading for the most exciting cleaning tools I learned about from pros.

Best Chef- and Expert-Recommended Kitchen Cleaning Tools

• Scrubit Stainless Steel Wool Scourers, $13
• Black + Decker AdvancedClean Cordless Vacuum, $60
• Melamine Multi-Functional Sponges, 50-Pack, $13
• Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scour Pads, $6, originally $7
• Scrub Daddy Color Sponges, 3-Pack, $13, originally $14
• Mr. Siga Microfiber Cleaning Cloth, Pack of 12, $13, originally $16

Scrubit Stainless Steel Wool Scourers

“A steel wool scouring pad is an essential piece of cleaning equipment for non-scratch surfaces, especially stainless steel and aluminum pans,” said Olivia Roszkowski, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, New York City campus. This 12-pack of steel wool scouring pads will help you get down and dirty scrubbing grime, oil, and more from cookware, utensils, plates, bowls, and even appliances.

Black + Decker AdvancedClean Cordless Vacuum

“Using a handheld vacuum to eliminate small messes, crumbs, and coffee grounds off your counter makes cleaning fast and easy,” added Roszkowski. This cordless model from Black + Decker has over 68,000 five-star reviews and features a rotating slim nozzle, a flip-up brush, up to an 11-minute runtime, and a crevice tool to help you reach tough, tight spaces.

Melamine Multi-Functional Sponges, 50-Pack

These nano-structure sponges work like magic erasers, letting you wipe away stains using only water. This pack comes with 50, and they’re a go-to for cleaning pros. “Our favorite tool for cleaning kitchens — and a great cleaning hack in general — is to utilize melamine foam sponges. We use them to clean kitchen walls, remove pent up grease from range hoods, and to remove scuff marks by stools on kitchen floors,” said Delah Gomasi, CEO at MaidForYou.

Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scour Pads

Coarse sponges, like scouring pads, are great for cast iron, ranges, grills, cookware, and even knives. This pack has an impressive 4.8-star average at Amazon. “As a chef with a Japanese background, I remember that cleanliness is extremely important. We place kitchen utensils in a chlorine solution to remove tough residues and ensure they are sterilized. Before sharpening the knives, we wash them with a coarse sponge, and after sharpening, we dry them thoroughly and apply Tsubaki oil to prevent rust,” said Daniel Ken, head chef at Kissa.

Scrub Daddy Color Sponges, 3-Pack

“Scrub Daddy: a must-have kitchen tool, in my opinion. What sets it apart is that when you run it under cold water, the rough side gets nice and firm, which is perfect for stuck-on messes. But when you switch to warm water, it softens up, great for more delicate cleaning tasks,” said Rhonda Wilson, quality lead cleaner at FreshSpace Cleaning. These colorful, odor-resistant sponges have just under 70,000 five-star ratings, and for a good reason: They’re safe for use on over a dozen surfaces (like glass, stainless steel, and ceramic), they’re ultra flexible, and each sponge lasts for weeks.

Mr. Siga Microfiber Cleaning Cloth, Pack of 12 

Microfiber cleaning cloths are a cornerstone of many restaurants, as well as a ton of home kitchens. These come in a 12-pack, and are great for a huge variety of cleaning jobs — plus, each cloth lasts for an extremely long time. “From countertops to drying dishes, microfiber cloths clean without leaving scratches or streaks. These cloths are gentle on delicate surfaces and can be reused as long as you wash them with a mild detergent after use. Skip fabric softener!” said Wilson.