The Best Gifts for Clean Freaks

Cleaning-related gifts that won't be read the wrong way.
The Best Gifts for Clean Freaks
Illustration by Fanny Gentle

Giving cleaning-related gifts can be a very dicey proposition. It's so easy to get it wrong and really tick someone off by buying them a vacuum cleaner when what they really wanted was a Lexus with a big red bow on it. But there are ways to get it right! When it comes to giving household items as gifts, there are two routes you can take to ensure you don't royally botch it: Either get a complementary gift—like stemware brushes for someone who's getting a fancy new set ofwine glasses—or go BIG. Like robot mop big. Here are our picks for thebest cleaning productsto give to your loved ones this holiday season.

Wine Away Stain Remover

Wine Away lives up to its name…and then some! This miracle product works on the big three holiday stains:Red wine,cranberry, andpomegranate. It's the perfect add-on gift to pair with the bottle of wine you're bringing to a holiday party. Pick up one for yourself too, so the next time a friend (it's always a friend) spills a glass of red on your carpet, you'll be prepared to handle the mess.

Buy it:Wine Away Red Wine Stain Remover, $6 on Amazon


Bottle Brush Set

这组瓶刷包括三种风格:a long, narrow brush for washing decanters and bottles, an oblong brush for flutes, and a wide, round brush for goblets. The decanter brush is bendable and can easily reach hard-to-clean edges. Get the whole set for someone who's getting fancy wine glasses or decanters that they'll want to keep looking great for years to come.

Buy it:Cork Pops Flute, Wine, and Decanter/Bottle Trio Brush Set, $17 on AmazonatCork Pops


Cast-Iron Chainmail Scrubber

Cast-iron panscan be a real bear to keep clean; there are all sorts of rules ("Don't use soap!" "Scrub it with kosher salt!" "Only wipe it with paper towels!") but sometimes following the rules leaves you with a dirty pan. This stainless steel chainmail scrubber allows you to scour burnt-on foods from cast-iron without requiring soap or eroding the pan's seasoning.

Buy it:Blisstime Cast Iron Cleaner, $10 on Amazon


Ryobi Cordless Wall-Mounted Handheld Vacuum

A cordless hand vacuum is such a clutch item to stash in the kitchen for quickly cleaning dry spills like uncooked rice, cereal, or flour. This wall-mounted model ups the convenience factor because it can be hung so that it's right within reach. Buy it for the space-challenged cooks or busy parents who are forever having to clean around a high-chair.

Buy it:Ryobi Cordless Wall-Mounted Handheld Vacuum, $60 at Home Depot


iRobot Braava Jet

For the gadget-obsessed cook on your holiday shopping list, this little mopping robot is perfect at keeping kitchen floors clean of food splatters, foot traffic grime, and that sticky film that develops from airborne cooking oil residue. The Braava is designed to switch between wet, damp, and dry mopping, depending on which type of cleaning pad is inserted into the machine.

Buy it:iRobot Braava Jet Robot Mop, $169 on Amazon


Engleside Restoration

A canister of washing powder certainly isn't the sexiest gift, but when you learn what this stuff does you'll understand completely why we've included it: Engleside Restoration is The Thing for safely cleaning delicate linens, like tablecloths, runners, and napkins. Give it to someone who's hosting their first family holiday or who loves vintage linens—it will remove stains, even if they're very old, as well as reverse the yellowing that commonly happens to older textiles.

Buy it:Engleside Restoration, $16 on Amazon


Entertaining Apron

No matter how much prep you do ahead of time, if you do the majority of the holiday cooking, you always need to pull one last thing out of the oven. A dressy entertaining apron is just the thing to protect nice clothes from gravy splatters, and the Jessie Steele line offers plenty of styles to choose from—especially for the hostess in your life with a deep commitment to retro-style.

Buy it:Jessie Steele Entertaining Aprons, from $15 on Amazon

Want more gift ideas? Check out our entire2018 gift guidefor cooks, hosts, and everyone in between.


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