If you looked inside Remodelista's collective cleaning closet, here's what you'd find. Presenting our favorite utilitarian tools for scrubbing, sweeping, dusting, and other cleaning endeavors.
Above: A cleaning closet basic: the classic dustpan and brush. The Iris Hantverk Horsehair Handbroom and Red Dustpan is a Remodelista favorite; $57 at Kiosk.
Above: Christine's favorite cleaning cloths are from Swedish company Vaxbo Lin. "They are very absorbent and you can throw them in the washing machine to be used over and over again," she says. The Vaxbo Lin Linen Dish Cloth is £9.50 at Labour and Wait.
Above: Alexa uses bottle brushes in various sizes for hand washing tasks like small vases and all of her different drip coffee makers. The Kitchen Utility Brushes are available for $9.97 from Amazon, or in the UK, the Set of Four Bottle Brushes are £10 from Labour and Wait.
Above: The Tub Brush made in Germany of oiled beechwood with natural bristles has a pointed front with longer bristles for effective scrubbing; $24 at Brook Farm General Store.
Above: Shaker inspired, the corn broom has never gone out of favor. Meredith covets the Justamere Tree Farm Handcrafted Traditional Broom. It has a sassafras handle with the smooth bark left on; $60 from Justamere Tree Farm.
Above: Dusters are essential for reaching areas cloths can't. Feather dusters, like the Beckner Ostrich Feather Duster ($15), remove dust from easily damaged, delicate surfaces, like fine wood furniture, lampshades, mirrors, and art. Lambswool dusters, like the Casabella Wool Duster ($9.99), contain lanolin, which attracts dust and cobwebs and makes it cling.
Above: Sarah likes the Redecker Copper Cloths (made in the Netherlands) for their functionality and looks. Fine copper threads are extremely effective but gentle enough to use without scratching your glassware, cookware, and dishware. Outside the kitchen, they are useful for everything from polishing rust off silverware to cleaning a grill. And, they are machine washable (I toss mine in the dishwasher); $9.95 for a set of two at Sur La Table.
Above: Toothbrushes are an under-appreciated cleaning tool; consider the Smile Squared Toothbrush with a bamboo handle (I like the child-size for cleaning purposes); $5.99 through Smile Squared.
Above: My can't-live-without cleaning tool is the Casabella Swivel-It Wet/Dry Microfiber Mop. I have a stack of removable microfiber covers that go straight into the washing machine after use; $44.95 at Williams Sonoma. Another widely available option is the Bona Microfiber Floor Mop available for $27.71 at Amazon.
Above: Julie is a recent convert to the Swedish Dish Washing Brush, made from broom root and string (and ideal for sweeping the sink clean if you don't have a sprayer); $6 at Ancient Industries.
Above L: Alexa swears by latex-free vinyl True Blue Gloves, which are tough enough for jam making and (because they're cotton lined) even can be used as oven mitts; $9.95 at Chef's Catalog. Above R: Janet likes the Casabella Way Clean Waterstop Rubber Gloves; $8.99 at Amazon.