Choosing the right all-purpose cleaner matters: it affects indoor air quality, disinfecting power, surface safety and the time you spend scrubbing. These recommendations come from hands-on testing across common home surfaces, lab-claim verification, and synthesis of expert and consumer feedback to find cleaners that perform, smell reasonable, and offer clear value.
How we tested and chose
What we tested: We evaluated each product across common home surfaces — sealed wood, laminate, stainless steel, glazed tile, countertops (granite, quartz, laminate), bathroom fixtures and painted walls. Tests included: stain lifting, grease removal, residue/film, scent persistence, and label-claimed disinfection where applicable.
Sources of insight: Our rankings combine hands-on cleaning trials, manufacturer claim checks (EPA/label instructions), third-party expert reviews, and crowd-sourced consumer feedback to catch recurring issues (streaking, surface compatibility, irritation reports).
Key factors that influenced rankings:
- Real-world effectiveness: ability to cut grease, lift soap scum, and remove everyday stains.
- Disinfection claims: verified label instructions and contact time; whether a product truly targets viruses/bacteria claimed on-pack.
- Surface safety: compatibility notes (bleach vs. bleach-free; dilution recommendations for wood/stone).
- Scent and residues: pleasantness and whether product leaves film or tack.
- Value: price per ounce, concentrate options and bottle sizes.
We prioritized products that balance cleaning power with surface safety and clear, realistic label guidance.
2x Concentrate Multi-Surface
A concentrated, budget-friendly multi-surface formula that dilutes for many jobs. Cuts grease and grime with small bottles, offers long-lasting fragrance, and keeps supply costs low — a smart pick for households that clean frequently.
Lysol's 2x Concentrate Power Clean delivers a lot of cleaning per ounce. In lab-style grease and soap-scum tests it lifted residues reliably after dilution, and the 10-hour fragrance burst helped mask odors in bathrooms and kitchens. Its disinfecting claim (kills 99.9% when used as directed) is valid when mixed per label instructions and applied with correct contact time. Pros: excellent cost-per-use, strong degreasing, versatile on hard non-porous surfaces. Cons: requires careful measuring for dilution, fragrance can be strong for sensitive noses, and concentrated formulas need childproof storage.
Clorox Clean-Up Spray
A powerful bleach-containing cleaner and disinfectant for tough mold, mildew and stain work. Ideal for heavy-duty bathroom and kitchen sanitation when you need proven disinfection — use cautiously on sensitive surfaces.
Clorox Clean-Up with bleach is the heavy hitter in this roundup: it disinfects and removes mold, mildew and stubborn stains that milder cleaners won't touch. It reliably kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses per label, and performed best on grout and heavily stained tubs in our tests. Important technical notes: it contains sodium hypochlorite (bleach), so avoid use on natural stone, unsealed grout, colored fabrics, and prolonged contact with some metals. Pros: unmatched mildew and stain removal, clear disinfection claims. Cons: strong odor, potential surface compatibility issues, and safety precautions (ventilation, no mixing with ammonia or acids) are required.
Large All-Purpose Cleaner
A generously sized all-purpose liquid that balances cleaning strength with surface versatility and a pleasant autumnal scent. Good for frequent household cleaning where you want predictable performance and an inviting fragrance.
This large-format all-purpose cleaner offers consistent grease-cutting and general cleaning across counters, floors (diluted for sealed wood), and bathroom fixtures. Its standout is the 41oz bottle at a modest price — delivering more usable product per dollar. The Spiced Harvest scent is warm and noticeable; testers found it pleasant rather than overpowering, though scent-sensitive users should test first. Pros: large size, versatile use (floors to toilets), easy dilution instructions. Cons: not a disinfectant substitute for EPA-registered products when viral kill claims are required; avoid undiluted on finished wood.
Multi-Purpose Disinfecting Spray
A reliable, ready-to-use disinfecting spray that kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria with fast contact times and a fresh lemon scent. Great for quick sanitizing in high-touch areas without bleach.
This ready-to-spray disinfectant is the best all-rounder for households that need both quick cleaning and verified disinfection. It performed strongly on countertops, high chairs, and appliance exteriors, killing 99.9% of germs per label and doing so without bleach — making it safer on more surfaces while still offering fast-acting sanitization. Pros: verified broad-spectrum disinfection, versatile on many non-porous surfaces, convenient spray format. Cons: can be pricier per ounce than concentrates and leaves a mild scent; follow labeled contact times for full efficacy.
Comparison at a glance
- Best Budget Pick — 2x Concentrate Multi-Surface (Lysol Power Clean): Lowest cost-per-use, strong degreasing, requires dilution and safe storage.
- Premium Choice — Clorox Clean-Up Spray: Most powerful for mildew, mold and heavy stains; contains bleach so use with caution on sensitive surfaces.
- Best Value for Money — Large All-Purpose Cleaner (Mr. Clean): Large bottle, consistent general-purpose cleaning and pleasing scent — good for frequent household use.
- Editors Choice — Multi-Purpose Disinfecting Spray (Lysol ready-to-use): Best balance of verified disinfection and convenience; safe bleach-free option for most high-touch surfaces.
Which is best overall? The Editors Choice (ready-to-use disinfecting spray) is the best all-around pick for most households because it balances verified germ-kill performance, convenience, and surface compatibility. If you clean a lot and want lower recurring costs, the 2x concentrate becomes the smarter buy. For heavy-duty mold, mildew and stain removal where bleach is acceptable, the Clorox Clean-Up is the strongest performer.
Final recommendation
All four products earned their spots for clear reasons: the concentrated formula for budget-conscious, Clorox for deep stain/mildew work, the large all-purpose bottle for steady value, and the ready-to-use disinfectant as the most practical, reliable everyday choice. If you need a single bottle to cover most scenarios, choose the Editors Choice — the Multi-Purpose Disinfecting Spray for quick, validated sanitizing on high-touch surfaces. If you clean large homes frequently and want to minimize cost, go with the 2x Concentrate. For occasional heavy-duty bathroom remediation choose the bleach-based premium option, and if you want predictable daily cleaning plus a pleasant scent, the large all-purpose bottle is the best value.
These recommendations reflect hands-on tests, label claim verification, and aggregated user feedback. Always follow label directions regarding dilution, contact times, and surface compatibility — and ventilate when using strong bleach products or concentrated formulas.