We asked CR readers recently what their least favorite chore was. Among the most hated? Cleaning floors. We totally get that, but we can also offer some ways to ease your pain. Check out the tricks and tools we’ve tried and tested, below: Even just one or two of these helpers could make a big difference when cleaning your dirtiest floors.

Check CR’s reviews of the most durable flooring and the best flooring for your kitchen, bathroom, mudroom, family room, and other areas.

For Tile Floors

Bissell PowerFresh Slim 2075A

This Bissell steam mop offers an easier and less messy way to scrub tile than a squeeze mop. Press a button as you move the mop around and the Bissell will steam-clean the floor, loosening dirt for the mop to grab. As the steam evaporates, you’ll have dry, streak-free floors.

For Carpet

Hoover WindTunnel Max UH30600

For carpet cleaning, upright vacs have an edge over canisters: More of the weight sits over the power brush, so you can push it down into the carpet pile to suck up debris caught inside. It’s best to go over carpet slowly (and more than once), which helps the vacuum lift more embedded dirt.

For Stairs and Bare Floors

Tineco Pure One X

Lightweight cordless stick vacs like this 5-pound Tineco are a con­ve­nient alter­na­tive to full-sized vacuums when cleaning stairs—saving you from lugging a canister. The best can be just as effective on bare floors as full-sized models. This Tineco runs for an average of 27 minutes on a single charge.

For Dusty Corners

Libman Precision Angle Broom

The brush of an angled broom is great for pulling dirt out of tough corners. Hold the broom to one side and sweep away from you. Skip the dustpan, which can leave lines of dust where the lip of the pan meets the floor. Our pros say it’s quicker to suck up sweepings with a cord­less vacuum.

For Entryways

Rubber-Cal Herringbone Coir Door Mat

Doormats made of coir—a naturally tough fiber from coconut husks—double as boot scrapers and trap dirt in the mat to keep more dirt out of your home. This metal-frame coir Rubber-Cal Herringbone mat is easy to clean: Simply shake it out or vacuum it.

This article originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.