The top rated cleaning products voted by Aussie consumers revealed

Cleaning is one of those things you can't avoid, so you may as well be using the most effective products to do it.

Finder polled Aussie consumers on their recent purchases to find the most popular cleaning brands across 16 categories including detergents, vacuums, all purpose cleaners and toilet cleaners.

Surprisingly, affordable names were among the winners, with ALDI and Woolworths Essentials taking out the top spot in a couple of categories.

Kate Browne, retail expert at Finder, said the company's Retail Awards help consumers buy the best products in the market, saving them time and money.

"With Aussies spending more time at home, and making more of a mess while we're there, the good news is you needn't clock up more hours cleaning," she said.

"If you have the right products and know the best cleaning hacks, you can clean efficiently which means more time for the things you love."

Top-rated cleaning brands for 2020/21 and some hacks for using them

Fabric Softeners: ALDI

"If you want a fabric softener that delivers, then 98 per cent of Aussies recommend ALDI. Best rated for softness of clothes and value-for-money, it's the clear winner in this category."

Value-for-money is right, with the Anco Soft softener just $2.79 per bottle.

Laundry Detergent (liquid or tablet): Cold Power

"Cold Power had the highest rating for cleaning performance and was also recognised for its packaging design.

"If you're using a tablet, consider breaking it in half for smaller loads."

Bleach and Disinfectant: Sard

"The easiest bleach of the bunch to use, Sard was the best rated overall by Australians.

"Have white dishes that are looking worse for wear? Whiten them with bleach — just add a small amount of bleach to your dishwasher and voila!"

All Purpose Cleaners: Ajax

"Voted the most effective all purpose spray, Ajax was recommended by 94 per cent of consumers and is the easiest to use."

Barrel Vacuum Cleaner: Dyson

"Aussies gave Dyson the top score for cleaning performance and storage.

"Put a small scoop of cinnamon into your machine to emit any bad odours while you vacuum."

Stick Vacuum Cleaner: LG

"Recommended by 97 per cent of consumers, LG has won the best stick vacuum brand. It received the top rating for value-for-money, battery life and cleaning performance."

Carpet and Floor Cleaners: Pine O Cleen

"If you're looking for a carpet or floor cleaner, look no further than Pine O Cleen. It was recommended by 94 per cent of consumers.

"Before you dip your mop into a bucket, use the cleaning solution to also wipe down surfaces like window sills or counters — multitasking works wonders."

Cloths, Scourers and Sponges: Scotch-Brite

"Easy to use, durable and high performance, if you're in the market for cloths, scourers or sponges, then Aussies recommend Scotch-Brite."

Dishwasher Detergents and Liquids/Tablets: Shine

"Scoring best rated odour and scent, Shine's dishwasher detergents and tablets were also top rated for their effectiveness.

"Try cleaning your oven door with dishwashing tablets. Dip a tablet in warm water, scrub your oven door and watch the grease dissolve!"

Glass Cleaners (liquid): Windex

"Windex took out the glass cleaner award as the best overall rated brand.

"Want a shower screen with no watermarks? Spray glass or window cleaner on your shower screen while it's still wet."

Laundry Detergent (liquid or tablet): Cold Power

"Cold Power had the highest rating for cleaning performance and was also recognised for its packaging design.

"If you're using a tablet, consider breaking it in half for smaller loads."

Oven and Cooktop Cleaners: Hillmark

"Recommended by 96 per cent of Aussies, the most effective and easiest to use oven and cooktop cleaner was Hillmark which also rated as having the best smell."

Air Freshener: Ambi Pur

"Ambi Pur is the top rated brand for air freshener scent and packaging design. It also scored well for effectiveness."

Air Purifier: Dyson

"Dyson air purifiers topped the list for quietness, design and value for money. Recommended by 90 per cent of consumers, Dyson also rated highly for cleaning and maintenance.

"Remember to replace the filter so the air purifier works efficiently."

Carpet and floor cleaner appliances: Kärcher

"Kärcher topped the list for carpet and floor cleaning features and functions and ease of use."

Solvent and Drain Cleaners: Momar (Mo-flo)

"Momar (Mo-flo) took out the award for the best solvent and drain cleaning brand, with top scores for effectiveness and smell."

Toilet Cleaners (cleaning liquid, block): Woolworths Essentials

"Woolworths Essentials toilet cleaner took out the top spot for every metric, and was recommended by 94 per cent of consumers."

See the full list of results over 150 categories and how Australian consumers were polled at Finder.com.au.