I Secretly Swear By These Weird Things Because They're So Genius

I’m 4-foot-11, and I wasn’t about to break out the ladder to clean my ceilings. This extendable duster changed everything for me. Using an adjustable head and a handle that reaches up to 52 inches, it lets me dust my ceiling fan blades, light fixtures, windows, crown molding, and tall furniture. The reusable microfiber sleeve also clings onto debris and comes off so I can toss it in the washing machine.

You truly don’t realize how necessary these things are until you have them. I reach for my Scrigit Scrapers constantly to peel off stickers without breaking my nails, pry open stubborn battery packs, get my old registration off my windshield, pry gunk out from around the faucet, and remove baked-on messes from cookware. They’re made from durable yet scratch-resistant plastic with a wedge tool on one end and a tapered tool on the other.

This is easily the best sink strainer I’ve ever tried, bar none. Thanks to its flexible silicone basket, it pops out to easily empty food scraps into the trash, and it doesn’t get gunked up with rust, sticky ingredients, or melted cheese. It’s also dishwasher-safe for easy sanitizing. I bought mine over a year ago, and it still looks and works like new.

My sensitive skin doesn’t react well to most products, but it loves this hypochlorous acid spray. Using just two ingredients (pure salt and deionized water), it cleanses, fights bacteria, reduces redness, and reinforces your skin’s natural defenses. Put simply, my skin has never looked so clear and bright. You can also use it on cuts, burns, dandruff, and athlete’s foot.

After years of using wood or stainless steel, I finally switched to this glass cuticle pusher, and it’s made a huge difference in the quality of my nail prep. It’s made from textured Czech glass that’s washable and won’t wear down, and its double-sided design features a flat pusher on one end and a pointed tip on the other. It also comes in eight cool color options.

• Available styles: 8

“My shower drain was not draining properly, so I invested in this drain hair catcher and it works so well. It's really easy to extract from the drain,” wrote Amy Biggart, Elite Daily editor. Lay the flower on top of the drain cover and thread the stainless steel chain down the pipe. It won’t prevent the flow of water, but the rubber prongs will catch hair over the span of a few months, so you can just remove the clog, toss, and replace.

• Available styles: 4

“I'm obsessed with this tiny power clip switch that keeps my vacuum trigger in the ‘on’ position. No more achey hands!” wrote Ali Drucker, Elite Daily editor. It’s compatible with most cordless Dyson models, so you don’t have to keep your finger on the button while cleaning, and it has thousands of five-star ratings because it’s well-designed, durable, and discreet.

“I don't deep-clean my humidifiers as much as I should, but these really help minimize mineral build-up in between when I do,” Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel wrote about these humidifier cleaners. Using silver ions inside a durable ABS case, they aim to reduce mineral deposits, unwanted odors, and chalky residue in virtually any type of humidifier. You can also use them in fish tanks.

• Available styles: 9

This isn’t your average laundry detergent. “When my athletic sets have seen (and smelled) better days, one wash with this saves them to wear again,” Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel wrote about Nikwax Sports Refresh. Its concentrated liquid formula is designed to eliminate tough odors, remove sweat build-up, and tackle stubborn stains, especially for workout wear and sports equipment.

Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel is a big fan of this lemon peeling gel, which uses cellulose to remove dead skin, vitamin C to refresh your complexion, and a combination of AHA and BHA to cleanse clogged pores. “This satisfying exfoliator is my go-to quick fix when my concealer or foundation starts clinging to patches,” Fiegel wrote.

“I'm guilty of eating at my computer quite often. This is so handy for spills, crumbs, and more,” Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel wrote about this keyboard cleaning kit. It comes with mini brushes, a cloth, screen spray, earbud cleaning tools, and a keycap puller, all of which fit inside the case that doubles as a screen cleaner and a retractable brush.

• Available styles: 5

Elite Daily editor Cassandra Seale loves this lifting eye cream, which contains plant collagen to plump, peptides to boost elasticity, and herb water for a refreshing burst of hydration. “The roller applicator feels lovely and cooling, and helps a tiny bit of product go so far,” Seale wrote.

According to Elite Daily editor Cassandra Seale, these Glamnetic nails “have a length that's so much more manageable than other press-ons I've tried, and they look gorgeous. This close to never going to a salon again.” You can get them in tons of colors, shapes, designs, and finishes, and each set includes 30 size-inclusive nails, nail glue, alcohol prep pads, a double-sided file, and a wooden cuticle pusher.

• Available styles: 40

“If you haven't switched to shaving oil, you're missing out,” wrote Elite Daily editor Lauren Beach.” This glossy shave oil “works great at getting a smooth shave without any irritation. The scent is nice, too.” Yes, it protects skin from nicks and razor burn with its silky-smooth texture — but it also doubles as skin care thanks to nourishing ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, and avocado oil.

• Available styles: 3

This Better Life floor cleaner is “formulated to squirt and wipe off — not needing to lug around a mop bucket is genius and means I actually clean the floors,” wrote Cassandra Seale, Elite Daily editor. It smells like citrus and mint, and even though it’s tough enough to tackle dirt, footprints, pet messes, smudges, and spills, it’s safe on all types of hard floors, including wood, tile, marble, vinyl, and laminate.

Made from terracotta clay with elegant leaf designs, these sugar savers are as functional as they are pretty. Soak them in water and drop them in your white or brown sugar containers to keep your ingredients soft and moist in between uses. “As a not-frequent baker, these discs keep my brown sugar fresh,” wrote Anna Anderson, Elite Daily editor.

• Available styles: 2

Looking to spread fewer germs in your household? This automatic soap dispenser is USB-rechargeable with an infrared sensor and four adjustable levels, so you can change the output of foam — and Elite Daily editor Kate Miller is a big fan: “Just wave your hand underneath to dispense soap. It's less mess and just a fun experience.”

• Available styles: 4

Painting your nails isn’t the hard part; it’s waiting for them to dry. “I'm a klutz, but this saves me from messed-up home manicures every time,” Elite Daily editor Anna Anderson wrote about Instant Smudge Fix. Apply it all over the ruined nail, and the revolutionary formula will smooth out smudges, dents, bubbles, and waves, so you don’t have to start over.

“If you're lazy like me, these are your best shortcut to a green thumb,” wrote Elite Daily editor Anna Anderson. Stick these self-watering spikes into your pots and top them with a recycled wine bottle to keep your plants hydrated and happy. They’re made from absorbent terracotta to infuse the soil with moisture as needed, and they’re compatible with almost any long-neck bottle.

For the last year, these Cakes nipple covers have been my answer to every tricky neckline, backless dress, and sheer material. Made from tapered silicone in three shades, they adhere using a medical-grade adhesive with a non-sticky cutout in the center, giving you strap-free coverage that doesn’t budge. I also have the non-adhesive grippy Cakes, which I use alongside tight tops and in bras that could use more support.

• Available styles: 3

I’ve tried expensive tinted moisturizers from brands like Tarte — and I like this cheap drugstore BB cream infinitely more. Its multitasking formula hydrates my dry skin, protects with SPF 30, blurs pores, and offers lightweight tinted coverage while adjusting to my difficult-to-match skin tone. It also doesn’t cake or settle.

• Available styles: 5

As someone with extremely sensitive hearing, I wonder how I lived without these Loop Quiet 2 earplugs. They’re made from flexible silicone with four interchangeable tip sizes and a loop that sits right inside the ear, making them so comfortable, I wear them to bed every single night. They also reduce sounds by 24 decibels, so I can’t hear my dog’s 2 a.m. zoomies or my partner getting into bed.

• Available styles: 5

I have one of those giant spin brushes, which I break out occasionally for big jobs — but if I’m speed-cleaning the house before company comes over, this handheld power scrubber is a lifesaver. It’s battery-operated for cord-free use, compact enough to fit behind faucets and under my stove’s burner grates, and comes with several interchangeable heads to tackle all kinds of jobs with minimal effort.

While searching for an eco-friendly alternative to plastic straws, I’ve tried cardboard straws that disintegrate, bamboo straws that crack, and metal straws that taste weird. These bent silicone straws are the last ones I’ll ever buy. They’re food-grade, flexible, unbreakable, taste-free, and dishwasher-safe, plus they come with a brush for cleaning the insides and a drawstring pouch for storage.

• Available styles: 2

According to Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel, “A little color corrector on my under-eyes means I need way less concealer, which means less of a chance of creasing.” This under-eye brightener does the trick with its multitasking formula. It has caffeine to soothe puffy eyes, vitamin E and peptides to reduce wrinkles, and a pink tint to brighten and neutralize dark circles.

• Available styles: 3

“Don't let the green scare you off. This CC cream is great for everyday wear and is especially great for redness and/or those with olive undertones,” wrote Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel. It also has SPF 25 for sun protection and skin-care ingredients to soothe and hydrate — and judging by its average 4.5-star rating, other reviewers love it just as much.

“I have a way of attracting stains to my clothes, and this lets me conceal that fact,” wrote Elite Daily editor Cassandra Seale about Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater spray. It’s also my stain treatment spray of choice, granted its water-based, pH-neutral formula is safe on clothes and upholstery, but it’s tackled every dirt, oil, sauce, wine, and pet stain I’ve thrown at it.

• Available styles: 11

On one end, these cotton swabs are rounded like any other Q-tip — but on the other end, they’re pointed to touch up eyeliner, remove mascara smudges, and fix messy manicures. That’s why Elite Daily editor Kate Miller called them “a makeup arsenal must-have.” They’re also sturdy and biodegradable, granted they’re made with tightly woven cotton and bamboo on wooden sticks.

“These use salmon DNA and leave the dewiest finish,” Elite Daily editor Kate Miller raved about these Medicube overnight masks. With a jelly consistency that transforms from opaque to transparent as the collagen soaks in, they’re designed to give you dewy glass skin while you sleep. According to reviewers, they also help with elasticity.

“I love drying brushing as part of my pre-shower ritual. It has a satisfying exfoliating feel,” wrote Elite Daily editor Kate Miller, plus it helps with lymphatic drainage. This dry brush set comes with two brushes, one of which has a handle that you can attach to reach your back and detach to wear over your hand. They’re both made from polished wood with natural boar bristles and loops for hanging.

According to Elite Daily editor Anna Anderson, this giant water bottle is “the best way to make sure you meet your hydration goals.” It comes in two sizes (64 ounces and 128 ounces) and has two interchangeable lids (one with a straw and one with a chug mouth). It’s also made from BPA-free plastic with a built-in handle and motivational markings on the side so you can track your water intake throughout the day.

• Available styles: 10

When walking her dog in the winter, Elite Daily editor Lauren Beach wears this fleece ponytail hat. It’s made from four-way-stretch fabric with a cozy fleece lining and ear covers for warmth, a brim to shield your eyes from glare, reflective accents for visibility, and a cutout to accommodate an up-do: “My ears are never cold and my hair can be in a ponytail instead of stuck in my collar,” Beach wrote.

• Available styles: 10

According to Elite Daily editor Lauren Beach, “Cleaning off oils and protecting leather from scratches is key and this pair helps keep my couch looking nice. It works great on bags, too.” The Leather Honey care kit includes a cleaner and a conditioner, both of which are non-toxic and odorless. Together, they’re designed to refresh and protect all types, colors, and ages of leather for up to six months.

“I didn't expect to use these so much!” Elite Daily editor Lauren Beach wrote about these bamboo tongs, which are “great for toast and bagels — but also for flipping stuff in a pan.” They’re made from solid wood with textured notches for grip, and they’re coated with cooking oil to keep them smooth, non-toxic, and resistant to heat for short periods of time.

Elite Daily editor Carolyn Menyes likes this e.l.f. lip exfoliator more than any other lip scrub she’s tried when it comes to smoothing and hydrating chapped lips, and “the price cannot be beat. The lipstick-like applicator also makes it really easy to apply.” Elite Daily editor Amy Biggart is also a fan: “It actually works super well on my dry lips in the winter.”

Using adjustable elastic bands and grippy metal clips, these sheet holders keep the corners of your sheets anchored around the mattress so they don’t slip off. “I'm semi-famous among friends of friends for recommending these,” wrote Elite Daily editor Carolyn Menyes, “but they really do work and only add like 3 minutes to the process of making the bed. And then, of course, you only have to make the bed as often as you want to.”

According to Elite Daily editor Carolyn Menyes, this pet hair remover is viral on Amazon for a reason: “It works. It grips cat hair off of my couch, bed, footstools, and everywhere else my 12-year-old boy likes to lounge (and shed). It couldn't be easier to wipe out, either.” Since it uses textured fabric instead of sticky tape to grab fur, hair, and lint, it’s endlessly reusable, too.

“Is it weird to use a substance meant for covering graying beards to amp up your ultra-blonde, barely-there brows?” asked Elite Daily editor Ali Drucker. “Sure, but this genius trick seriously works and is so much less expensive than a salon tint.” Available in multiple shades, this beard dye takes five minutes to set and is infused with biotin, aloe, and coconut oil for nourishment and hydration.

• Available styles: 3

“Once you've strained a pot of pasta with just one hand, you will never look back,” wrote Elite Daily editor Ali Drucker — and I agree. I swapped out my colander years ago for this clip-on strainer, and I love how its flexible silicone design fits most sizes of pots and pans. It’s also dishwasher-safe and heat-resistant up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, plus it takes up way less space in my kitchen drawer.

• Available styles: 7

“Bury me with this funky little roll-out dish rack,” wrote Elite Daily editor Ali Drucker. “I am obsessed with how much countertop space it saves me.” The stainless steel rods are connected by grippy, food-safe silicone, so you can lay it across most sinks to extend your prep area and let dishes self-drain — but when you’re done, it rolls up into a compact tube for easy storage.

“These are a conversation piece when they're out on my countertop, but they also really work. So fun and functional!” Elite Daily editor Amy Biggart wrote about these decorative measuring spoons. They’re made from durable, easy-to-clean porcelain, and when you slip them into the lid, they look like bees on a honeypot. The brand also makes cow, mushroom, and strawberry designs.

• Available styles: 4

Elite Daily editor Amy Biggart highly recommends this stencil bookmark, which is made from metal with measurement markings and cutouts to help you create shapes, borders, lines, and symbols: “I've been using this ruler this year to journal and keep up with my bullet journaling, and it is so useful,” Biggart wrote.

Instead of buying seeds or starter plants, you can use this propagation station to hydroponically grow new roots on clippings, expanding your garden for free. According to Elite Daily editor Amy Biggart, it “has a simple but beautiful look, and I love that it lights up. It's helped me propagate so many new pothos plants.” It includes a beechwood base, four glass test tubes, and an LED light strip with nine brightness levels.

“This couch cup holder looks so nice on my couch's armrest, I've thought about buying multiple to have on both sides of my couch,” wrote Amy Biggart, Elite Daily editor. Using its flexible silicone design, it wraps over most thick armrests to provide accessible storage, even if you don’t have room for a side table. The cup holder fits most bottles, cans, glasses, and mugs, while the tray is great for snacks, phones, and remotes.

• Available styles: 4

“These are so smartly designed,” Elite Daily editor Amy Biggart wrote about these fruit storage containers, which are “perfect for storing produce so it stays fresh and clean.” They come in a pack of five different sizes, each with a BPA-free base, a removable colander, an airtight silicone gasket, and a locking lid. As a result, you can use them for soaking, washing, draining, and storing your fruits and vegetables.

• Available styles: 2

“This has been my go-to after hair-washing days, since it's a dependable leave-in that makes my hair feel so much healthier,” Elite Daily editor Karen Belz wrote about this protein hair cream. Using hydrolyzed silk protein, it aims to coat and nourish damaged strands to prevent breakage, smooth split ends, and protect against UV and heat damage. “A little goes a long way, so it'll last much longer than you think,” Belz wrote.

“I enthusiastically yell about these scissors to anyone willing to listen. As someone who eats a lot of chopped veggies, this weird gadget saves me a ton of time and clean-up,” wrote Elite Daily editor Karen Belz. The design combines stainless steel kitchen scissors with a lightweight cutting board, so you can prep produce with one hand — and they come apart for cleaning and slicing other ingredients.

• Available styles: 8

According to Elite Daily editor Karen Belz, “This incredibly durable ceramic bowl is great for people who need a little bit of separation between their food choices. [It] gets a ton of use at my house.” You can use it to separate snacks from dip, nuts from shells, or cereal from milk, and it’s microwave-, oven-, dishwasher-, and freezer-safe.

“Great for crumbs, pencil eraser leftovers, and more, this tiny vacuum packs more of a punch than I thought it would. Plus, it's pretty cute,” wrote Karen Belz, Elite Daily editor. It’s battery-powered (batteries sold separately) for cordless use, or you can get it in a USB-rechargeable design that lasts for up to 400 minutes on one charge.

• Available styles: 5

When you open one of these steam eye masks, it’ll self-heat up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can enjoy roughly 35 minutes of soothing warmth and chamomile aromatherapy — wherever you happen to be. According to Elite Daily editor Adeline Duff, they’re “amazing for fighting dry, tired eyes and lulling you into a cozy sleep. Also great for flights!”

• Available styles: 9

Like thousands of other Amazon reviewers, Elite Daily editor Adeline Duff is a huge fan of these foot peel masks, which cause your rough, callused skin to peel off in sheets. “There's truly no more effective way to get baby-soft feet,” Duff wrote. Soak your feet before wearing the aloe-infused booties for an hour. Then rinse, remove, and wash, and within 11 days, the skin on your feet should begin to shed like a snake.

• Available styles: 2

When it comes to this peel-off lip stain, “the hype surrounding the staying power is real,” wrote Elite Daily editor Adeline Duff, who loves “how natural the stain looks.” It comes in dozens of highly pigmented shades, and the waterproof formula is designed to last all day without smudging, transferring, or drying out your lips.

• Available styles: 30

Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel used this scalloped tablecloth to “cover up an old table that doesn't go with a newer set of chairs.” While it looks like woven linen for timeless style, it’s actually made from a stain- and wrinkle-resistant material for easy maintenance. “They come in tons of colors and sizes. Best of all, they're so easy to clean,” Fiegel wrote.

• Available styles: 9

“These make customizing IKEA furniture for my space a breeze,” Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel raved about these furniture legs. Made from solid wood with a tapered design, they add height and expensive-looking style to armchairs, dressers, ottomans, sofas, and console tables. They also come with the necessary hardware for installation, and they’re sturdy enough to support up to 800 pounds. Get them in four heights and two colors.

• Available styles: 2

“I hated the tiles my bathroom came with but am not ready to do a full bathroom remodel,” wrote Elite Daily editor Jen Fiegel. This tub-and-tile refinishing kit “takes just a few hours but lasts 3+ years and delivers legitimately transformative results.” Mix the two-part epoxy acrylic formula before applying it to porcelain tubs, sinks, ceramic tiles, acrylic, cast iron, or steel.