Cleaning boring? Not when you see the viral TikTok cleaning tips! Recently, certain cleaning products have become true internet sensations—you see them everywhere on social media, promising effortless results. But do these viral TikTok cleaning products really work, or is it mainly clever marketing and attractive filters? In this blog, we take a close look at three of the most popular hits: The Pink Stuff cleaning paste, the iconic Scrub Daddy sponge, and the wonderfully scented Fabulosa cleaners. We tested them (yes, in our own kitchen and bathroom) and are sharing an honest review. What is hype, and what is actually the best cleaning product for the job? You’ll read it here—no paid promotion, just real talk. In short: does it really work or not?
Grab a cup of coffee (or a cleaning cloth, if you feel inspired halfway through) and dive with us into the world of #CleanTok trends. For each product, we’ll look at what it promises, how it performs in practice, and which applications it’s great for—or where it falls short. Cleaning the oven, scrubbing the toilet, making the countertop shine, or making your home smell lovely—these products come in handy everywhere. Let’s go!
The Pink Stuff – miraculous pink paste or hot air?
We’ll start with perhaps the product that kicked off the viral cleaning craze: The Pink Stuff. This bright pink cleaning paste in a tub appeared everywhere. In TikTok videos, you saw people cleaning heavily baked-on ovens in no time with this miracle product. The Pink Stuff is a thick, mildly abrasive paste that you apply to stains with a sponge or cloth, leave for a while, then wipe off and rinse. It claims to remove stubborn dirt “with ease” from all kinds of surfaces.
What do you use it for? Well, almost anything, if we’re to believe the community. And to be fair, it is versatile stuff. We tested it on:
- The oven and baking trays: An oven covered in baked-on grease and blackened, burnt sugar? The Pink Stuff removed 90% of it. We spread the paste over the glass oven door and baking tray, left it for ~10 minutes, and scrubbed with a Scrub Daddy. And sure enough: the baked-on residue came loose and the oven glass became transparent again. Not completely effortless (you do still have to scrub for a bit), but much easier than using regular oven cleaner, whose fumes nearly choke you. Plus point: The Pink Stuff is non-toxic and has a neutral smell, making it much more pleasant to work with than oven-cleaner spray.
- Bathroom tiles and grout: The paste also works well against limescale on taps and tiles. We covered the grout and scrubbed it with an old brush—the result was visibly lighter grout, although extensive mold stains may require a special grout cleaner. It’s excellent for limescale on taps: apply it, rub briefly, and the white haze disappears. Be careful, though: The Pink Stuff is mildly abrasive, so polish high-gloss chrome or soft plastic carefully (don’t press too hard), or you may cause scratches.
- Pans and stovetops: A burnt pan base? Pink Stuff to the rescue. We tested it on a stainless-steel pan with brown baked-on stains: rub it in, leave it to sit, go over it with a dish brush—and amazingly, 80% of the stains disappeared; the rest came off completely after a second round of scrubbing. It’s a little tricky on glass-ceramic stovetops (because it’s mildly abrasive and may scratch glass), so we didn’t dare try it there. But it works perfectly well on stainless-steel and enamel stoves.
- Other uses: People even use it on sneakers (especially white soles)—apply, wipe, and your sneakers look refreshed. We tested it on a yellowed plastic garden chair, and you could see a difference there too, although it required a little more elbow grease. It can remove rust stains from steel (not stainless steel), and even buildup from ceramic sinks. It really is one of those “spread it on anything with a stain and see what happens” products. In most cases: positive results!
Verdict: The Pink Stuff is worth the hype. It works really well on burnt-on and baked-on dirt and is incredibly versatile around the home. The “miracle product” claim may be a little exaggerated, because you still need to put in some effort yourself, but we were impressed. A major advantage is that it is environmentally friendly and non-toxic, so you can safely use it to clean your countertop (just rinse well, of course). The paste lasts a long time because you only need a small amount each time. Downsides: it isn’t a spray, so it’s impractical for large surfaces (an entire floor, for example). Its mildly abrasive quality also calls for caution on delicate materials. But use it on your oven, pans, sink, or tile grout, and you’ll understand why #thepinkstuff has millions of views. It’s a permanent fixture in our cleaning cupboard. Combined with a Scrub Daddy sponge, it’s the perfect duo: one provides the cleaning chemistry, the other the mechanical power, and together they defeat dirt. Does it really work? Yes—The Pink Stuff delivers on its promise in many areas!
Scrub Daddy – a smiling sponge that means serious cleaning
On to the next star: Scrub Daddy. This yellow, smiling sponge became famous after appearing on Shark Tank in the US and then won the hearts of cleaning enthusiasts internationally. On TikTok, you often see videos of Scrub Daddy being used to clean baked-on pans, make grimy sinks shine, or even scrub vegetables clean. Its facial shape and, above all, its material (FlexTexture) make it unique.
What makes Scrub Daddy special? As mentioned earlier, this sponge’s texture changes depending on the water temperature. In cold water it is hard and abrasive; in warm water it becomes soft and absorbent. This means that one and the same sponge can be used both for scrubbing and for gentle dishwashing. Naturally, we tested this: in a bowl of ice water, the sponge became noticeably firmer—perfect for tackling that baked-on oven dish. In warm, soapy water, it became softer, and you can easily wash glasses with it without scratching them. This feature isn’t gimmicky; it really works.
The smiling face is functional too: you can use the “mouth” opening to run spoons and forks through it—cleaning both sides at once. The curves of the “eyes” give you a good grip for twisting the inside of a glass clean. Clever design! In practice, you notice that the shape is genuinely useful and not just nice to look at.
How does Scrub Daddy perform on different tasks?
- Scrubbing pans and pots: In cold (or simply cool) water, Scrub Daddy can handle quite a lot. We scrubbed a pan with baked-on sauce residue, and it came off without needing a steel-wool sponge. The material is scratch-free on Teflon and stainless steel, which is great—something steel wool or ordinary scouring sponges cannot always claim. Keep in mind that very stubborn messes still require some elbow grease, but Scrub Daddy certainly helps.
- Bathroom & tiles: We also used it on the bathroom tiles (together with Pink Stuff), and it worked well. It feels comfortable in your hand, and the rounded edges let you reach corners a little more easily. Because it isn’t very large, you can scrub targeted areas without making a mess everywhere.
- Dishwashing and everyday cleaning: This is where it shines in warm water. Washing dishes is actually more pleasant with a sponge that has exactly the right softness and doesn’t scratch non-stick coatings. Moreover, perhaps its biggest advantage: it doesn’t retain odors and dries quickly. Many scouring sponges start to smell musty after a week; Scrub Daddy doesn’t. We deliberately left it for a few days after use—it became rock-hard as it dried (no moisture = no bacterial growth), and when reused, you simply wet it and, hey presto, it becomes flexible again. No unpleasant smell. That alone makes it worth the money.
- Durability: We’ve been using it intensively for a few weeks now, and it hasn’t fallen apart—at most, it has changed color slightly. According to the manufacturer, it lasts up to 2 months without developing odors or crumbling. That remains to be seen in practice, but it looks promising. It is somewhat more expensive than a standard sponge, but if you get a few months of use out of it, that’s perfectly reasonable.
Conclusion: Scrub Daddy isn’t just hype; it’s an example of a product that went viral because it is genuinely useful. The fun factor of the smiley face makes cleaning a little more enjoyable (yes, really—seeing a smile looking back at you from your soapy water is pretty funny), but its performance is just as impressive. We especially recommend it to anyone who is tired of sponges starting to smell or causing scratches. There are now variants such as Scrub Mommy (a sponge on one side and a foam layer on the other), Eraser Daddy (with an eraser side for pencil marks and the like), but the classic Scrub Daddy itself is already a winner. Whether you have baked-on oven dishes or simply want to wash a few plates, it can do both. This viral product gets a big 👍 from us and has become an essential part of our cleaning routine.
Fabulosa – fresh scents and cleaning power, or mostly hype?
Finally, the Fabulosa cleaning products. Fabulosa is a British brand known for its affordable cleaning products in all kinds of delicious scents. Think all-purpose cleaners, disinfectant sprays, laundry perfumes, and air fresheners. On TikTok, you often see “Clean with me” videos in which people clean their homes and finish with a Fabulosa scent, or tips for making your toilet smell lovely with Fabulosa room sprays (yes, there is even a “Spray & Go toilet spray” that went viral).
We tried out a few Fabulosa products to find out whether they not only smell good, but also clean well. Here’s what we examined:
- Fabulosa All-Purpose Cleaner Spray (Lemon Lavender scent): This is a classic multi-surface cleaner in a spray bottle. We used it on the kitchen countertop, dining table, and bathroom sink. The result: perfectly clean, with grease and soap residue gone—and that scent… heavenly! Smelling wonderfully fresh is definitely the selling point here. Lemon Lavender made the kitchen smell as though we had burned a luxury scented candle—no exaggeration. In terms of cleaning performance, it was just as good as Ajax or Mr Proper. One advantage is that Fabulosa’s formulas are generally also disinfecting (removing 99.9% of bacteria). And the price is low, especially compared with leading brands, because Fabulosa focuses on affordability. Verdict: not just hype—this is a keeper for everyday cleaning.
- Fabulosa Laundry Perfume (Twilight Bouquet): Okay, this is slightly different from cleaning, but it’s gone viral too: adding laundry perfume to your washing routine. We added a capful of Twilight Bouquet to the wash (in the fabric-softener compartment). The laundry smelled intensely lovely and stayed that way for a long time. It was really as if you had sprayed expensive perfume on your clothes, but straight from the clothesline. Talk about hype: on TikTok, people swear that their bedding still smells of “Twilight Bouquet” days later, and we can confirm it. It adds no cleaning power; it is purely for fragrance. So as a cleaning product, you could say it’s essentially a luxury extra. But a delightful one—if you love fragranced laundry, this is excellent. And compared with expensive laundry perfumes, Fabulosa is affordable and available in many scents.
- Fabulosa Disinfectant Concentrate (Bicarb variant): This is a concentrated cleaner that you can dilute, containing baking soda (“Bicarb”) for extra effectiveness. We tried it in the kitchen on the stove and extractor hood, where there were grease splatters. Following the instructions, we left it to work for a while and wiped it off. Our experience: yes, it removed grease, comparable to Dasty (a well-known degreaser), but it smelled much nicer. It foamed slightly and left no streaks. So it works as a degreaser, and you can also dilute it for use on the floor or in the bathroom, for example. Hype factor: medium—it simply does what it is supposed to do, just with a pleasant scent and fun color. Cleaning is more enjoyable when you get a floral or fruity fragrance along with it. Many TikTokers show their own mixtures (for example, Fabulosa + warm water in a spray bottle as an all-purpose spray). I understand why: you get a lot of cleaning enjoyment for very little money.
- “Spray & Wear” fabric refresher: Another noteworthy trend is freshening up clothes or curtains without washing them by spraying them. Fabulosa also has products for this (which even kill the bacteria that cause odors). We tested it on a jacket that smelled of food, spraying it with Fabulosa Fresh Breeze spray. After drying, the jacket really smelled much better—fresh, with no mustiness. Very handy! Be careful not to spray too much, though, to avoid stains; misting from a distance is the rule.
All in all: Fabulosa may have become a hype thanks to TikTok, but the products themselves do not disappoint. They clean well (comparably to regular brands) and add a strong fragrance element, which many people greatly appreciate. It’s as if you have cleaning product and air freshener in one. Of course, if you are very sensitive to fragrance or prefer to clean with neutral-smelling products, this is not for you. But we understand the hype: cleaning really is more enjoyable when you are rewarded with a lovely scent in your home during and after the job. And considering the price and the fact that the products are cruelty-free, we’re fans. Best uses: countertops, floors, bathroom surfaces, and essentially anywhere you wipe over with a cloth daily. Fabulosa may not be revolutionary in terms of cleaning power—it’s not that it cleans better than anything else—but the #FabulosaFeeling (as they call it on social media) is real: you get that “I’ve really cleaned properly” feeling partly because you can smell and see it (shiny and fragrant). Psychology or not, it’s motivating. So as far as we’re concerned, it’s not pure hype, but a valuable addition to your cleaning stash. We say: try an all-purpose cleaner or laundry perfume from Fabulosa and find out for yourself whether you become part of the “fragranced cleaning” team.
Does it really work, or is it hype? Our final verdict
We tested and sampled (figuratively speaking) three top products from the viral cleaning world and can conclude that many of these products are popular for a reason. Of course, social media plays a role in raising expectations—a short sped-up TikTok video can make it look as though an oven magically melts clean under The Pink Stuff, or as if a Scrub Daddy dissolves baked-on dirt through magical powers. In real life, you still have to put in the work yourself. Even so, these tools really do make the chore much easier and more enjoyable:
- The Pink Stuff: Does it really work? Yes, for the most part. It isn’t a magic wand, but it is a powerful tool for many difficult cleaning jobs. What was hype (someone wiping an oven door clean with one finger) is exaggerated, but the basic claim is true: Pink Stuff is an excellent product for stubborn dirt.
- Scrub Daddy sponge: Does it really work? Absolutely. This is the kind of gadget that is here to stay. The hype has long since turned into a solid reputation—millions of sponges sold worldwide—and deservedly so. You can now even find it in Dutch stores such as Action, showing how mainstream and useful it has become. Not a gimmick, but genuinely handy.
- Fabulosa products: Do they really work? Yes, in the sense that they do what every cleaning product does: clean. The added layer is the fragrance experience, which is motivating and enjoyable for many people. So there’s no revolutionary cleaning technology here, but it is a game-changer for your senses while cleaning. The hype is mainly: “Wow, it smells so good—I want to clean everything!” Well, if that encourages us to clean more often, who’s complaining? 😄
Perhaps you expected us to expose a flop—a product that is mostly marketing and cannot actually do anything. But honestly, we found no real disappointments in our test. The only caveat we would mention is this: know the limits of each product. Pink Stuff is not for delicate surfaces. Scrub Daddy can handle a lot, but it is not sandpaper (so very heavily baked-on ovens may still benefit from a wire brush or soaking). Fabulosa is excellent for fragrance and normal cleaning, but for heavy limescale, for example, you may still need a stronger acid (such as vinegar or limescale remover). Think of these viral products as tools that make life easier, not miracle solutions that fix everything without any effort.
In any case, they make the cleaning routine much more enjoyable for us. We caught ourselves looking forward to “having a nice session with Pink Stuff to tackle that dirty pan” or “doing the laundry so we can enjoy that lovely laundry perfume.” It may sound silly, but hey, if something goes viral because it makes household chores more bearable—even enjoyable—then we’re all for it. And apparently we’re not the only ones: on Instagram and TikTok, cleanfluencers and everyday users share their experiences, tips, and new cleaning discoveries every day. It’s contagious.
Want to try them too? If you’re curious about these products, you can of course try them yourself. In our webshop, you’ll find all three of the top products mentioned, and more. Want to see with your own eyes whether your oven shines again with The Pink Stuff? Or how a Scrub Daddy performs on that baked-on grill pan? Or are you ready for a wonderfully fragrant cleaning session with Fabulosa Electric Rhubarb (yes, that scent exists and is amazing)? Go for it! Nothing is as satisfying as testing something yourself and seeing the results. We’d bet you won’t be disappointed—and you might become just as much of a fan as we are.
So, are viral cleaning products worth the hype? For the most part, we think they are. They bring innovation and fun to a world that used to be rather boring (housework). And if something motivates you to clean with pleasure, that’s worth its weight in gold, right? In any case, we’ll continue following the trends and testing new cleaning hits. Because who knows what TikTok will serve up next year—the era of boring soapy water is over; cleaning itself has become a trend!