I tested cleaning supplies from Dollarama and these 7 affordable products actually work

Multi-purpose wipes

I love an all-purpose wipe. They're great for any surface, and I find they usually stay moist in these canisters, making it easy to use when you need one. I chose this one because of the promise of an orange scent, and I liked that they weren't specifically a disinfectant, but just a cleaning wipe.

It does not disappoint. The smell is really nice, not too chemically and overpowering, but actually fresh and clean. The wipes were moist and effective at wiping the surfaces. And — this surprised me — they didn't break! They held up.

• Price: $3.25 for 75 wipes
• Rating: 8.5/10

Dishwashing liquid

Of everything I tried, I was pretty convinced this soap would not make the cut. I don't consider myself a brand loyalist to many things, but Dawn dish soap is one of them. I know you've seen the commercials with the baby ducks... That stuff works.

So imagine my surprise when this Javex dishwashing liquid (not even called soap?) immediately cut through the grease on my plastic container the first go. I didn't have to give it a second clean. I used a small amount of soap and a sponge to clean and was very happy with how it did. This is a win for me!

• Price: $1.75 for 443 mL
• Rating: 8.5/10
  

Magic eraser dupe

• Price: $1.25 for a four-pack
• Rating: 7/10
  

Scouring brush

This simple scouring brush solved a very specific problem I've had: how to clean my muffin tins. The round shape of it fits perfectly and helped me clean them properly! It's a solid scrubber, able to get caked-on food off pretty easily. I like that the handle was small and easy to hold, and, unlike a sponge, you don't have to get your hands all up in the mess. Some food bits did stick to the sponge, but came out easily with a wash under water.

Dollarama has many different brush and sponge options, so you can find one that fits your exact needs, too. It's cheap and worked exactly as it's meant to.

• Price: $1.00
• Rating: 8.5/10

Dusters

This duster is the same style and design as the popular Swiffer option and, in my opinion, it worked just as well. The duster part was a bit bigger and fluffier, which makes it a bit harder to fit into a tight space (e.g., between your window blinds), but was effective in grabbing the dust.

The box came with a handle and two dusters. I checked to make sure they fit on my Swiffer handle — they do — but since the box has its own handle, it's not really a "refill" option. While effective, I wish they had a box of just the duster part, as I already have the handle and don't need more.

• Price: $1.50 for two dusters and a handle
• Rating: 7/10

Cloth pucks

If you've never seen these before, prepare to be amazed! They're cleaning cloths that come in a small puck shape. You simply add water, and they expand into a large and surprisingly durable all-purpose rag.

I like that they come in this box for easy storage, but you can just grab one or two when you need them. I bought these specifically to bring on camping trips because they're small, light, and can be thrown out when you're done using them on the trip.

• Price: $4.25 for 16 pucks
• Rating: 8/10
  

Cleaning paste

This cleaning paste is a dupe for the TikTok viral "Pink Stuff," which claims to clean just about everything under the sun. This paste was also a bubblegum pink colour and has a mildly abrasive texture to help get out tough dirt. I tested it on a few spots in my house, including my sink, which needed a good scrub, and found it to work well enough. I don't know if it cleaned better than a spray cleaner or all-purpose soap, but it did the job.

The paste has a good texture and doesn't leak and run everywhere, which is nice, and a little goes a long way, so the tube will last a while. Overall, I wasn't blown away, but it's an effective cleaner!

• Price: $1.75 for 198 grams
• Rating: 6.5/10