The Fabuloso Cleaning Hack That Honestly Changed How I Clean My Whole House

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I’ll admit it: I didn’t expect a cheap purple cleaner from the dollar store to change my life. But here we are.

It started with a random scroll through TikTok (as usual). I was procrastinating on cleaning the bathroom. Again. And then I saw it—this woman casually pouring Fabuloso into her toilet tank like it was no big deal.

My brain went: “Wait, you can DO that?”

I tried it the same day. And my bathroom smelled like a lavender dream for two straight weeks.

Since then, I’ve gone deep down the #CleanTok rabbit hole. And girl, let me tell you—Fabuloso isn’t just a cleaner. It’s a movement.

So here’s everything I’ve tried. What works, what smells amazing, and what NOT to do unless you want to cough for 3 hours straight (ask me how I know 🙃).

So First… What Even Is Fabuloso?

Okay, if you’ve somehow missed the memo: Fabuloso is a multi-purpose liquid cleaner. You can mop with it, wipe stuff down, pour it in your toilet, scrub sinks, whatever.

It’s like Windex’s cooler cousin who smells better and costs $2.

It doesn’t kill germs (unless you buy the antibacterial one), but it does leave your home smelling like you actually have your life together. Which I do not. But it fakes it pretty well.

My Favorite Fabuloso Hacks (a.k.a. Stuff That Actually Worked in My Messy Apartment)

The Toilet Tank Trick

This is the one that started it all.

Take a small knife, poke a hole in the Fabuloso bottle, and stick the whole thing in your toilet tank.

Every flush = a little burst of lavender.My bathroom smells like a spa now.(Okay, a budget spa, but still.)

The Drain Pour

I didn’t believe this one, but it works.

Just pour a bit of Fabuloso down your bathroom or kitchen drain. That’s it.

My whole apartment smelled like fresh laundry for hours. No candle could ever.

The Sink Sponge Suds

You know how some sinks just always feel grimy?

I poured Fabuloso on a sponge, gave it a quick squeeze to lather up, and wiped down the sink. Zero elbow grease.

Sudsy magic.

The Walls Got a Spa Day

I saw someone clean their walls with a paint roller. Yes. A roller.

I tried it. Mixed hot water, baking soda, and a splash of Fabuloso. Dipped a roller in. Rolled it up and down my hallway walls like I was giving them a facial.

It kinda worked. Kinda messy. But it smelled nice, so… worth it?

DIY “I’m Fancy” Spray Cleaner

I cleaned out an old spray bottle (like from Windex or whatever), then filled it with:

3/4 Fabuloso

A couple drops of Dawn dish soap

Water to dilute a bit

Now I spray it on countertops, tables, door handles—everything. It smells like I spent hours cleaning when I actually wiped crumbs and called it a day.

Floor Cleaner That Doesn’t Leave Gunk

Here’s what I do now:

1 tbsp of OxiClean

1/4 cup Fabuloso

A bucket of really hot water

I skip the TikTok version that adds laundry detergent—tried that once and my floor was sticky for three days.

Just this mix in my mop, and my floors look 10x cleaner (even if I still haven’t vacuumed the corners, let’s be honest).

The Lazy Girl’s Bathroom Air Freshener

Too tired to clean the toilet? Same.

I just pour a little Fabuloso in the bowl and walk away.

Seriously. Don’t even flush it right away. The smell lingers, and no one has to know the mirror still has toothpaste dots from Tuesday.

That Shower Hack That Actually Works

I didn’t think this one would work—but it does.

Here’s the mix:

1 part Fabuloso (lavender is 🔥)

1 part Lysol

An old spray bottle

After I shower, I spray the tiles and walls. No rinsing. No scrubbing. No mold.

Also no effort. Which is the best part.

Pink Stuff Who? Fabuloso Does Laundry Now

Okay not really, but I’ve been adding a splash (like 1/4 cup) of Fabuloso to my towel loads.

They smell like heaven. That’s all I want in life.

But Don’t Be Dumb With It (Like I Was)

Please learn from my mistakes:

Don’t boil it — unless you want your lungs to burn for 3 hours

Don’t put it in an empty Gatorade bottle — it literally looks like juice, and that’s dangerous

Don’t think it kills bacteria — unless it says antibacterial, it doesn’t

Don’t use it in air freshener plug-ins — I tried. It leaked. It was bad.

Final Thoughts From a Reformed Slob

I’m not saying Fabuloso turned me into a clean freak.

But I am saying my house smells like I clean more than I actually do — and that’s a win in my book.

It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it kinda makes cleaning fun? Or at least not awful. I’ll take that.

Pin this, save it, email it to your mom — whatever. You need this in your life.

The One Hack I Regret (And Won’t Ever Do Again)

Okay, let’s talk real-life cleaning fails.

There was this one night — I had guests coming over, I panicked, and I wanted my apartment to smell like I lived in a lavender cloud. So I boiled Fabuloso on the stove.

TikTok said it would make the house smell amazing.

And sure, it did… for like two minutes. Then my eyes started burning. Then my throat felt scratchy. My cat looked personally offended. It was not the vibe.

Later I Googled it (after I coughed for 40 minutes) and found out that boiling cleaning products is a huge no-no. Apparently, heating up chemicals = bad air. Who knew?

So yeah. Learn from me. Just… don’t.

What I Keep on Hand Now (My “Fabuloso Starter Kit”)

Okay, so if you’re curious what I actually keep under the sink now, here’s my personal Fabuloso stash:

Original Lavender Fabuloso – my go-to for literally everything

Fabuloso Antibacterial – for when someone’s sick or it’s flu season

An empty spray bottle – I reuse one from a window cleaner

Scrub Daddy sponge – because it actually makes scrubbing fun

Old towels or microfiber cloths – no one has time for paper towels every day

I mix and match depending on what I’m cleaning or honestly… how lazy I feel that day.

Why This Stuff Works for Me (And Maybe You Too?)

Here’s the thing: I don’t love cleaning. I don’t own a color-coded chore chart. I’m not that girl.

But I do love when my apartment smells fresh and looks put-together — even if it’s just fake cleanliness for 10 minutes until someone spills something.

Fabuloso works for me because:

It smells like you tried, even if you didn’t

It’s cheap and easy to find (I get mine at Dollar Tree or Walmart)

You don’t need 10 products — one bottle does a little of everything

It gives off ✨I-have-my-life-together✨ energy, which I desperately need

It’s like a shortcut to pretending I’m a functioning adult.

Cleaning Motivation: Low, But Manageable

Here’s the thing no one talks about: most cleaning blogs make it sound like you should spend hours on deep cleans. I don’t have hours. I barely have 20 minutes between work, dinner, and collapsing on the couch.

So I do what I call “Fake Cleaning.”

It’s like… strategic cleaning. I hit the areas people notice:

Kitchen counters

Bathroom sink

Toilet bowl (Fabuloso hack to the rescue)

Floors (because crumbs are embarrassing)

If I can hit those four things with some Fabuloso, light a candle, and dim the lights — guess what? It looks clean.

Nobody’s checking behind the toilet. (I hope.)

A Quick Tip for Newbies

If you’ve never used Fabuloso before, here’s a trick:

Start with 1 part Fabuloso to 3 parts water.

That’s enough to get the scent and cleaning power without overwhelming yourself or your space. The stuff is strong — you don’t need much. And if you’re cleaning something delicate (like painted wood or granite), spot test it first.

Also: don’t be afraid to experiment. That’s half the fun. Some people add vinegar, some add baking soda, some make whole DIY mop potions. Try what feels right for your space — just don’t boil it, okay? We already went over that.

The TikTok Mop Everyone Talks About

Okay, quick side note — if you want to go full #CleanTok, get yourself the O-Cedar Spin Mop.

TikTok calls it “the mop.” It’s the one you’ve seen with the foot pedal that spins water out of the mop head.

I put my Fabuloso/OxiClean/hot water mix in there and go to town on the floors. I don’t mop often (don’t judge), but when I do, I use this setup and it makes me feel weirdly productive.

I even play music. Sometimes I dance. Sometimes I fall asleep on the couch afterward.

Balance.

But Is It Safe for Everything?

Quick reality check — not all surfaces are Fabuloso-friendly.

You shouldn’t use it on:

Real marble or granite

Waxed or oiled wood

Any surface you don’t want to lose its shine

And like I said before: check if it’s the antibacterial version if you’re hoping to kill germs. The regular purple one is more of a deodorizer and grease-cutter.

It smells amazing, but it’s not Clorox.

Final Thoughts: Should You Try It?

If you’ve made it this far, you’re either:
A) Already a Fabuloso fan and nodding alongB) Thinking “okay… but does this stuff actually work?”

My answer? Yes. It works.

No, it won’t scrub your bathtub for you. But it will make it smell like you did. And if you’re anything like me — that’s half the battle.

Fabuloso is budget-friendly, smells amazing, and works in like a hundred situations. It’s not perfect, and it’s not magic, but it definitely made me feel more on top of my chaotic little life.

Honestly, that’s the best kind of cleaning product.

Got your own weird Fabuloso hack? Drop it in the comments. Or DM me. I’m building a little collection.(Yes, I am that person now.)

And if this post helped or made you laugh, give it a quick save or share. We chaotic cleaners have to stick together.

PS: Don’t forget to pin this post — so you can find it next time your house smells like sadness and burnt toast.