Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

8 Products to Help Get Your Home Sparkly Clean Before the Holidays

Briley Kenney
By

The holidays are approaching fast, which means family gatherings, and so you’ll need to make your house presentable for all of the people coming over. Of course, there are a few ways to go about it, but step one is always going to be cleaning, and after that, keeping things clean. Cleaning up first isn’t necessarily the hard part, but keeping things clean, in a busy household, now that’s a challenge. I think most would agree here, we could all use a little help with that. While there are ways to clean your house or apartment quick, in a pinch, we don’t recommend waiting.

Knowing this, we’ve rounded up some of the best products that will help you get your home sparkly clean before everyone starts showing up. More importantly, these items will help you maintain that level of clean, right up until it’s time to entertain! All of our choices come from Walmart, for a couple of reasons. One, Walmart offers extremely competitive prices when it comes to cleaning supplies, appliances, smart home gear, and all of the items on our list! Second, even with today’s challenges — hello microchip shortage — they do an impressive job keeping everything stocked up and offering a wide variety of options. That means, even if you don’t like our picks — whether it’s the brand, model, or price — you can still use them as inspiration to find your own cleaning supplies!

Recommended Videos

Smart Vacuum – iRobot Roomba 676 Smart WiFi Robot Vacuum

iRobot Roomba 676 WiFi Robot Vacuum with mobile app.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

At some point, you’re going to have to get your hands dirty and clean manually, but until then, you can rely on smart vacuums — which automatically come out to clean and then return to their docks. Our pick for this is the iRobot Roomba 676 Smart Robot Vacuum with WiFi. It’s app-controlled and works with Alexa or Google Assistant, so you can start cleaning with voice commands. It’s sleek, so it can fit under most furniture and offers powerful suction with 3-stage cleaning and filtration. The adaptive navigation system learns to move about your home unhindered, and without getting stuck. It runs for up to 90 minutes at a time and automatically charges, by docking itself. Normally $275, you can grab it at Walmart right now for $199 with free shipping. That’s a heck of a deal!

Related

Cordless Vacuum – Dyson V8 Fluffy Cordless Vacuum

Dyson V8 Fluffy Cordless Vacuum to clean high corners in home.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A robot vacuum is exquisite and offers a lot of support, but you’ll soon realize that you still need to vacuum manually from time to time. For that, we recommend the Dyson V8 Fluffy Cordless Vacuum. Why? The telescopic handle means it can be used to clean up hard-to-reach places, like walls, vaulted ceilings, and even high up in corners — goodbye cobwebs. It swaps quickly between a stand-up stick system to a small handheld, and since it’s cordless, you can take it anywhere. The Dyson digital motor V9 inside offers 2-tier Radial cyclone suction, which is just to say it’s powerful and will clean up big messes. There’s a high-power mode too for when you need it. Normally $400, you can grab the Dyson V8 Fluffy for $300 with free shipping.

Smart Mop – Roborock S5 MAX Robot Vacuum and Mop

Roborock S5 Max vacuuming and mopping hardwood floor.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Besides a smart vacuum, you can also find smart mops — or combo units like what we’ve selected. The Roborock S5 MAX is both a robot vacuum and a mop, but we chose it for its incredible scrubbing and cleaning power. It uses LiDAR laser precision navigation to move about your home and avoid both objects and furniture. It has a 290ml electric water tank and supports both app controls and WiFi connectivity. You can set it to clean from your phone, and designate no-go zones, or no-mop zones. Selective room cleaning means you can customize how it cleans certain rooms or spaces — like if you don’t want somewhere mopped, or just mopped and not vacuumed. You can get this super useful gadget from Walmart for $550 with free shipping right now.

Air Purifier – Dyson TP02 Pure Cool Link Connected Tower and Air Purifier Fan (Refurbished)

Dyson TP02 Tower Air Purifier all ready to clean the air.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Want to keep the air in your home smelling fresh and clean? An air purifier is your best bet, and we’ve selected one that’s both a purifier and a powerful fan. The Dyson TP02 automatically removes 99.99% of allergens and pollutants, snatching up particles up to 0.3 microns in size — pet dander too! The 360-degree vacuum-sealed glass HEPA filter works with the activated carbon to eliminate odors too or even harmful toxins like paint fumes. Intelligent purification automatically monitors the air quality and kicks on to clean as needed. It comes with a remote control you can use to control the unit manually, as well. Usually it’s $400+ new, but a refurbished model is available at Walmart for $350 with free shipping, saving you quite a bit of money.

Microwave Cleaner – Great American Microwave Steam Cleaner

Great American Microwave Steam Cleaner Volcano steam cleaning appliance.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microwaves get dirty fast, even if you cover your food or use a protective device. If you’ve ever tried to scrub dry food or residue off the inner walls of a microwave, well, let’s just say you know it’s not fun. This Great American Microwave Steam Cleaner makes the process infinitely easier. You add vinegar and water, put it in the microwave, then heat it for 5 to 7 minutes. In true volcano fashion — it’s designed to look like one — it erupts in a cloud of steam and disinfects the inside of the appliance. It also softens any stains or splatter making it easier for you to wipe away. Normally $12, this volcano steam cleaner is available for $9 at Walmart.

Blinds Cleaner – Yaoping Blind Cleaning Microfiber Brush Kit

Yaoping Bling Cleaning Kit with microfiber slatted brush to remove dust and dirt.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you haven’t cleaned your blinds in a while, you should probably check them. Dust, grime, and nasty residue build up fast, especially if they’re all-white or off-white color. This Yaoping blind cleaning kit includes both a microfiber blind cleaning brush and a dustpan cleaning brush. The microfiber brush has a 7-slat design that allows it to get between the blinds deep cleaning the top and bottom of each row. The dustpan brush is designed to clean the bottom and top rails of the window. Normally $10, the kit is just over $4 right now at Walmart. That’s a bargain.

Automated Trashcan – iTouchless 13-Gallon Stainless Steel Automatic Garbage Can

iTouchless 13 Gal Automated Trash Can in kitchen.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cracking eggs? Throwing out cooking film or aluminum foil? In both scenarios you have your hands full and trying to fumble with the garbage can lid probably means making a huge mess. This iTouchless 13-Gallon stainless steel trashcan is fully automated. Just wave your hand in front of the sensor zone and the top will open. An integrated AbsorbX odor control system ensures anything smelly you put inside, stays inside — odors and all. It’s all thanks to natural carbon odor filter deodorization technology. It’s powered by batteries normally, but there’s an optional power adapter if you want to plug it in, instead. The iTouchless can is $75 at Walmart. A small price to pay for touch-free cleanliness.

Automated Litter Box – PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box (2nd Generation)

PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box 2nd Gen with cat inside and coming out.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cat litter gets gross quick, and if you don’t scoop it every day, your home will start to smell just as fast. This PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box will do all the work for you, except for emptying and refilling the system, of course. You can go weeks without scooping anything. The crystal litter used inside keeps the smells and odors from escaping, and the crystals are dust-free and don’t stick to kitty paws — so no messes when they get out. The disposable trays have plastic lining to prevent leaks, too. It even has a built-in health counter to keep track of how many times your cat(s) uses the box. This ingenious PetSafe litter box is $180 at Walmart with free shipping.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Briley Kenney
Briley Kenney
Senior SEO Copywriter
Briley has been writing about consumer electronics and technology for over a decade. When he's not writing about deals for…
The Night Agent season 2: Everything we know so far
We'll get you ready for The Night Agent season 2!
Luciane Buchanan and Gabriel Basso in The Night Agent.

The Night Agent may not be everyone's choice to be among the best shows on Netflix, but it's in the top ten for us! The Shield creator Shawn Ryan adapted Matthew Quirk's spy action thriller, The Night Agent, for Netflix in 2023, and it proved to be a hit out of the gate. By Netflix's internal metrics, it's the sixth-highest viewed series in the history of the platform.

Those kind of numbers mean that a second season was inevitable, and Netflix made it official just over a week after The Night Agent premiered. Since the series is back in production, the details about what's coming up on the show have started to trickle out. To help you stay on top of this series, here's everything we know about The Night Agent season 2.
What is The Night Agent about?

Read more
The 10 best Dominican cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024
Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Every seasoned cigar lover has a preference for where their cigars come from. Cuban and Cuban cigars are the more obvious choices, but there is also Nicaraguan tobacco, Central African, Indonesian, Mexican, Ecuadorian, and Dominican. Some tobacco is even grown in the United States. Each region has a distinct flavor profile that adds a little something extra to the tobacco grown locally, as well as the cigars made there. The Dominican Republic is prized by many connoisseurs because of exactly this -- a rich, unique profile that enhances Dominican-grown cigars. That's in no small part due to the fertile soil and thriving climate of the region, which is ideal for tobacco growth and cultivation. If you've never tried a Dominican cigar, you're in for a real treat, there are some fantastic options out there.
The best Dominican cigars I've tried

Out of all the cigar guides I've put together so far, this one was one of the more interesting experiences for me. I had a great time trying out Dominican cigars, and I've definitely come away with an appreciation for blends made in the region. I'd also like to point out that Corey Suarez helped recommend some of these. If you haven't tried the JR Cigars or Cigars.com concierge service yet, you really should. Here's a little more about all of the best Dominican cigars I've tried:
Ashton Symmetry

Read more
The 12 best Connecticut cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024
Best Connecticut cigars up close and personal

Connecticut cigars are the clear winner for smoking on a hot summer day, in the morning with some coffee, or when you just don't want a swift kick in the teeth (of pepper). There's no shortage of options, either. Connecticut shade wrappers are one of the most prevalent in the world of cigars, and it's certainly the most common natural shade. Maduro is also popular, but the two wrapper types couldn't be any more different. Connecticut wrappers, and by proxy Connecticut cigars, are typically mild to medium in strength and brimming with creamy, smooth flavors. They're composed of tobacco leaves grown in the Connecticut River Valley in the United States -- which is where the name Connecticut comes from. Consistent and flavorful, some of the best beginner-friendly cigars are Connecticut-wrapped, but you should never sell them short. A Connecticut shade cigar can be just as refined, elegant, and premium as any other. If you know where to look, you may even find some of your favorite blends in the category across a wide range of brands and cigar makers.

I'm about to take you on a magical, doughy, and delicious trek through the broad range of Connecticut cigars. In short, here are the best Connecticut cigars tried and tested by a genuine enthusiast of the craft: yours truly.
The best Connecticut cigars I've tried and tested
While the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is considered a Connecticut shade, I did my best to steer clear of recommending them for this list. They're better classified as a Maduro shade or darker cigar. That doesn't mean you should avoid them, quite the contrary. But for this list, I wanted to stick to smooth, relaxing smokes that are strong on flavor but not quite so strong on pepper and spice. I also tried not to choose a lot of repeats. If you see your favorite cigar missing, that might be because it was recommended on another list or it just didn't make the cut. If you have any recommendations of your own, I'm always available through social media or email. Without further ado, let's get this thing started.
Aganorsa Leaf Connecticut

Read more