Best Store-Brand Multipurpose Cleaners – Consumer Reports

But we wouldn’t be CR if we didn’t get in the weeds and get our hands (and houses) dirty to discover the distinctive differences among these cleaners so that you can make an informed shopping decision.

We defaced mirrors with red lipstick, spilled vegetable oil on a stovetop, marked stainless steel appliances with greasy handprints, coated a bathroom sink with blue toothpaste, and poured maple syrup on a counter and let it sit (during ant season, no less). Here’s how these multipurpose cleaners handled our mess.