The most common, cringe-worthy mistakes you're making in your home

Before you stash the paint cans after wrapping up your next home beautification project, fill these brush pens with some of that paint. That way, fixing any chips, dings, or scratches is so easy to fix that you can do it as part of your cleaning routine. Just grab a pen and draw over the scuff. The brushes keep the paint fresh for years. This is a pack of five.

When you cut raw chicken on a cutting board, that board is likely contaminated with bacteria you do not want to consume. Cutting fresh fruit on that same board without thoroughly cleaning it first is a dangerous activity. Less dangerous, but still unpleasant, is cutting fruit on a broad that recently cut garlic. This set of flexible cutting board mats makes it easy to avoid those mistakes. Each one is labeled with the food that should be cut on it. The boards are flexible, easy to wash, and easy to store, too. There are four color options.

If your cut flowers are dying too fast, drop this copper charm into the vase with the water. It’s an ancient trick that works to keep the water fresh so your flowers thrive for longer. It also looks pretty in a clear, glass vase. “My flowers stay fresh and beautiful for much longer than normal. The perfect gift for any flower lover,” said one reviewer.

Create the look of wood on walls, furniture, mirrors, or wherever you want a refresh but don’t want to strip and paint by peeling and sticking this wood grain wallpaper right over the finish that’s there. It is waterproof so you can use it in the kitchen and bathroom. It looks realistic. And it’s easy to apply. It comes in 11 colors and four sizes.

Tired of constantly wiping down your stainless steel appliances? You need to upgrade your methods. This stainless steel cleaner kit gets the fingerprints and smears off quickly and lays down a protective coating that prevents them from returning. “Cleaned my appliances to a level that I didn’t believe possible,” said one reviewer. “Also kept my appliances clean for SEVERAL days!!” It smells like lavender and comes with a microfiber cleaning cloth.

It is so easy to prevent dirt from getting into your living space. Drop this doormat at the entry. It will grab that dirt — and water — so it never makes it past the doorway. A grippy backing keeps it from sliding around underfoot. And the textured surface actively pulls dirt off of shoes and paws. It comes in seven colors and four sizes. Nearly 17,000 people give it five stars.

Opening the fridge door to a waft of old fish is not appetizing. It’s not necessary either. This fridge deodorizer looks adorable in your fridge. It’s a cartoon version of the fridge itself. Pull open the lower fridge door and fill it with baking soda and it will keep your real fridge from smelling of fish, meat, leftovers, or other foods. “So cute and easy to refill,” said one reviewer.

Don’t get stuck on the throne with no way to get clean! This toilet paper holder keeps several rolls at the ready so this embarrassing moment never happens to you or a guest. It mounts to the toilet tank and takes up very little space so it will fit into even the smallest bathrooms. It comes in seven colors.

This couch cup holder allows you to set your beverage, phone, and snack within reach while you relax on the couch without risking spills. It adapts to the shape you set it on — couch cushions, the arm of a chair, whatever — and has a nook for your mug and a space for your phone or sandwich. A grippy underside keeps it in place. It comes in three colors.

You might have given up on dusting places you can’t reach. But getting the dust off of a high shelf, ceiling fan, or difficult-to-reach architectural details is easy with this ceiling fan duster in your cleaning kit. Mold the duster to the shape you need, cover it with the chenille duster, and let those long dust-grabbing fingers do all the work for you. Pair it with the DocaPole telescopic extension pole to reach places that otherwise require a ladder.

The cords snaking along the kitchen counters, under your desk, and behind the entertainment center are an eyesore. But you don’t have to tolerate it or hire an electrician. This outlet concealer will move the power closer to the items you want to plug in while hiding the outlet. Plug the sleek plate into the wall and run the cord discreetly under the included adhesive cord concealer and all the ugly is gone but you get more plugs.

The sore legs and aching back you experience after cooking or cleaning up from a meal will be forever banished if you set this anti-fatigue kitchen floor mat in front of the work area. The soft, squishy surface is delightful to stand on and it absorbs the impact so your bones don’t have to. It comes in 13 colors and nine sizes.

Skip that giant laundry soap bottle. It’s too heavy to carry around and is terrible for the planet. These laundry detergent sheets are so much easier and cleaner. Drop a sheet into your load and it dissolves quickly, washing beautifully. A 60-load box weighs almost nothing and leaves little trash. “They are SO easy to use,” said one reviewer. “No waste, no spilling, no mess, no inaccurate measurements.” Choose from five scents and sizes.

End that hot mess in your flatware drawer by dropping this drawer organizer into it. It expands to fit your drawer to maximize your space and it sports lots of roomy, bamboo compartments for all your tools and eating implements. “Such a neat idea and it's executed really well,” said one of 27,000 five-star reviewers. “My kitchen drawers are not extra-wide, so I'm not able to utilize the full power of this thing, but it still looks great and is very functional.” Choose from six colors and three sizes.

Stop the power vampires from feeding on your bank account by plugging appliances, TVs, and other electronics that draw power even when turned off into this smart power strip. You can set schedules, turn them off from your phone or smart home device, and get better control over when those power-hungry appliances draw power. You can control each outlet separately. The four USB ports are controlled as a group.

You have long suspected that the rug is trying to kill you. It is! This rug corner gripper will put an end to that plot, though. Peel and stick the four pieces to the corners of that ill-willed decor and the corners will lie flat so you don’t trip on them and the rug will stay put so you don’t go arse over teakettle onto the floor when you are home alone. “Almost killed my 90-year-old grandma when she tripped on our curled-up rug,” said one reviewer. “This was the best purchase of my life.”

The scratches on your dining table, dings in the hardwood floor, and hazing on that pretty coffee table are not the disasters you think they are. This wood furniture repair kit will fix it in minutes. Use the crayons to fill in deep scratches and the markers to cover discoloration. Mix the colors, if you like, to get it right. It’s an easy art project with spectacular results. “[A] nasty scratch has been there for years and is now virtually invisible,” said one reviewer. “Amazing results!”

This pet hair remover brush makes fast work of getting the couch, carpet, and chairs free of pet fur so you don’t have to sit in it, breathe it, or wear it yourself. Rub the grippy bristles back and forth over that fabric and it pulls the fur out of fabrics so you can vacuum it up or toss it in the trash. “Dynamite for releasing dog hair from [the] vehicle carpet,” said one reviewer. It comes in two colors.

You don’t have to hire a carpenter to replace — or add — trim to your flooring, cabinets, or window frames. And you don’t need to try to fill that gap with a messy caulk solution. This peel-and-stick flexible trim caulk is so easy to use that you can DIY the solution you need simply by peeling and sticking it down. It comes in six colors and four sizes.

Stock up on these disposable house slippers so your guests don’t have to walk around in socks or bare feet and you don’t either. Keep a pair by the door. Set a pair in the guest room. Toss one in your suitcase when you travel. Keep some next to the bed. They have a soft interior and a grippy sole. If there are slippers everywhere, no one will go barefoot.

This handy cleaning brush can get the stains out of your carpet quickly and easily so there is no reason to leave a stain there to make your house look messy. The stiff bristles get in and scrub hard while the handle is easy to hold so you get a good grip. “Excellent carpet cleaning brush that is comfortable to hold and has strong durable bristles,” said one reviewer.

LED lights draw less power than incandescent, last for years without needing to be changed, and throw a customizable light. Upgrading your incandescent light to LED is a smart, money-saving move. These smart LED light bulbs let you change the colors of your lights right from your phone or by speaking to your Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. This is a four-pack.

If you love the romantic ambiance of candles, these flameless candles allow you to enjoy it whenever you like without maintaining the vigilance an actual flame requires. Fill your house with them and light them all. You can relax, fall asleep even, without worry since you can set them to turn off automatically after an interval you choose or click a remote to turn them all off at once. They come in six colors.

Why does every electronic device — no matter how small or insignificant — have an LED indicator light that can’t be turned off? The light pollution this creates makes it difficult to sleep. These light-blocking stickers dim them. Choose a shape that matches your LED light problem and stick it on. You can still see the indicator but the light it emits is far less. The four sheets have every shape imaginable plus a sheet you can cut to fit.

Those pots and pans with a layer of ick on them are not a lost cause. You simply need the right tools to get it off. This soft cleanser and abrasive scrubber sponge combination is the weapon you need to easily scrub away baked-on messes, stains, and unidentified build-up. It removes the mess without scarring your appliances, pans, or dishes. “I have a stovetop that routinely gets gunk on it, whether I spill something or not,” said one reviewer. “No fear, I just lay on some Bar Keeper's Friend. [...] Viola!”

When the room feels dirty, even after you have vacuumed, check the baseboards. They collect dust and messy marks, especially if you have pets or children. Messy? Pull out these damp duster sponges. The ridges and water pull off the dust, mud, and other accumulations so your home looks and feels clean again. “All you have to do is rinse as you go along,” said one reviewer. “So satisfying to see progress made with very little effort. Dust bunnies be gone!”

If your smoke detector is defective — or so old that it isn’t reliably protecting you from noxious, invisible gasses — it is time for an upgrade. You could be breathing dangerous substances or fail to notice a problem until it is too late. This smoke detector will alert you if there is smoke, with time for you to get your family to safety. It is also a carbon monoxide detector so it will protect you from leaks you can’t see or smell. It has a sealed battery that will last 10 years and is easy to install.

If your dryer is less effective than it was, you probably need to give the vents a good cleaning. Doing this will also prevent fires and save on your power bill. This chore is easy to do regularly if you own this dryer vent cleaner kit. Pull out the vacuum cleaner, attach the kit, and it will reach deep into those vents to pull out the accumulated lint — and other objects — that are clogging up the works. “Just pulled out TWO of my husband’s missing socks with [this],” said one reviewer. “So not only did this thing possibly save our lives but I have been exonerated of losing my husband’s precious stupid wool socks.”

Before you take on your next painting project, use this masking liquid to prep the area so you get a professional result. Paint it right over the windows or other glass areas so you can apply the paint without messing up the windows. It peels right off when you are done, leaving the windows paint-free. “This product truly saved me hours of taping!” said one reviewer. “If you have French doors or windows you're painting and want a really clean finish, this is your product.”

Do you have an appliance or lamp that is constantly coming unplugged or hanging loosely from the socket? This clever little device will fix that. The Snug Plug fits into the outlet. Install it and forget it’s there. But that outlet will no longer be loose and everything you plug into it will stay put and connected to the power. “I live in an older home with loose outlets. These things work like a charm!” said one reviewer.

It’s the middle of the night. You get up, barefoot, to get a glass of water. Glass in hand, you walk on the cold tile floor and hit a patch of cat litter. Not only does it hurt your feet but now you have litter stuck to your soles and you have to wash up or bring it back to bed. This cat litter catching mat will prevent the kitty from tracking litter all over the house with those furry paws. Just set the little box on it. It comes in five sizes and colors.

Wobbly furniture and appliances are annoying and can cause spills and injuries. It is a situation that is so easy to fix that there is no need to endure it. Jam one of these furniture shims under a table leg and stop the shake STAT. The flexible rubber is silent, easy to install, and gentle on your floors and furniture. They come in clear and black. “Stops fridge from rolling when opening the door,” said one reviewer. “Easy and cheap.”

You might think you have a sharp eye and can wing it when it comes to hanging art. But that typically involves a great deal of trial and error and you might find yourself later looking askance at that piece wondering what’s off. This leveler tool streamlines the process by quickly showing you when that piece is straight. It’s well worth the price and the small effort of getting it out of the toolbox whenever you acquire a new piece.

Plants can be a bit unpredictable. One day, they drink up the water you give them. On another day, they leak it out of the bottom of the pot as soon as you look away. It is so easy to set one of these clear plastic plant trays under the pot, though, that there is no reason to worry about this capriciousness. This is a set of six. You will barely notice them once they are installed but your furniture and floors will be safe.

If you keep this decorative silicone squeegee in the shower, it is easy to make cleaning the glass door and tiles part of your routine. Grab it and give the shower a quick swipe to prevent soap scum buildup and keep your shower looking clean and fresh with very little effort. It’s also great for cleaning the mirror and countertops. It comes with a wall rack so it’s always easy to find. There are two color options.

All it takes is one overfilled casserole to turn the bottom of your oven into a hot mess that is awkward and uncomfortable to clean. Prevention is the key here! Line the bottom of your oven, toaster oven, or oven-style air fryer with these oven liners. If that bubbly, cheesy, meal spills over, you can pull the liner out and wash it in the sink or — if things are really bad — toss it and replace it. This is a pack of three but there are 12 color, style, and bundle-size options.

Every week you toss dirty clothes, sneakers, rugs, and more into the washing machine and it gets the dirt out. Sometimes, though, you have to clean the machine that cleans or it can’t keep doing that. Fortunately, this is easy. Drop one of these washing machine cleaner tablets into the basin and run an empty load. It cleans the tub, the seals, the drum, and the hose pipes so your laundry continues to emerge from that machine clean.

All it takes is a moment of gastric distress and too much TP and suddenly you — or a guest — are on an embarrassing hunt for a plunger to clear the toilet bowl. Keep a plunger in every bathroom and that moment remains private. This toilet brush and plunger set hides the gear in a case so your bathroom looks good, even if it does have all the necessary tools on hand. “A nice little compact unit that fits well in a tight space,” said one reviewer.

Getting windows clean can present a difficult logistical problem if they are too high for you to reach. But looking through dirty windows is not the solution. This window squeegee comes with an extension pole that can reach as high as 30 feet, making cleaning those windows not just possible but easy. You can extend the pole to a variety of lengths to get the job done. It even comes with three squeegees in different lengths to suit a variety of window and door types.

A staircase that’s so dim that you have to feel your way down it in the dark is dangerous. It’s also unnecessary because it is so easy to add lighting with this motion sensor light. It is battery-operated so you don’t need an electrician. Peel and stick the light to a stair riser or baseboard and it will turn on when they sense motion and turn off again a few seconds later. This is a pack of six, which should be enough to do the entire flight.