11 household items experts say most people can easily do without

It’s weird that we have a permanent spot in our houses for some items because, it turns out, some of these are things we don’t even need.

The soft stuff

You’ve probably been fooled by fabric softener quite a few times. It makes your clothes feel a lot nicer, and it’s all thanks to the coating it puts on the fibers. That’s the issue.

The coating can actually cause problems for your towels and gym clothes because it stops them from drying, causing bacteria buildup. Not to mention the chemicals in the coating that can irritate your skin. 

Kind of ironic, really. Putting fabric softener on your fabrics can actually make them work worse than they should. As long as you’re washing and drying your laundry properly, you really don’t need fabric softener. It’s making it worse.

The little square

Here’s another one for the wash. You might brush off dryer sheets as something that you need because, honestly, they’re kind of satisfying to put in. But no. All you’re doing is making your clothes a little softer and reducing the static. You’re not making them cleaner.

These ingredients may also leave residue on your laundry, like fabric softener does. You don’t have to sacrifice your laundry’s softness, though. Try using some dryer balls because they’re reusable and they’ll help your clothes move around better in the dryer. Simple as that.

The clingy roll

Got a half-eaten bowl of food? Then you’re probably thinking that you should cover it all in plastic wrap, especially since it’s so easy to do so. You don’t need to, however. You can stick your leftovers in a sealed container or into something else equally as airtight.

Shallow containers are usually better for your food, too, since they can help your food chill faster in the fridge. You really don’t need that extra trash. Get a good set of containers, and be done with it.

The extra layer

You’ll find as many people who love top sheets as those who hate them. They’re meant to keep you away from the comforter. That makes sense, sure, when you’ve got a comforter that’s hard to wash. 

But for anyone who regularly washes their duvet cover? You’re wasting your time by having a top sheet, and you might want to think about getting rid of it. It’s just extra work.

The counter pair

It’s true. A toaster and a toaster oven aren’t exactly identical, but there’s some overlap that you might want to think about. Use a toaster when you need toasted bread. Use a toaster oven for making toast, reheating pizza, heating up leftovers, and so much more.

You really don’t need two of them. If you’ve got a toaster oven already, maybe you should think about giving the toaster to someone who actually needs it.

The hot combo

Another pointless combo is having a microwave and an air fryer. They don’t do the same job, since a microwave heats food quickly, while an air fryer works a bit more like an oven. Still, you might not need both.

If you’re someone who mostly reheats old food, then you should hold onto the microwave. If you’re someone who wants crispy fries, then keep the air fryer. But don’t hold onto both. You’re only losing your counter space that way.

The shiny bottle

Stainless steel cleaner usually comes in a sleek bottle, promising you that it’ll erase any fingerprints in your house. That’s true. But the thing is, you don’t need the cleaner to do that because a lot of simpler stuff will do the job for you.

Got some mild dish soap? Got a soft cloth? Then you’re sorted, as you only need to mix the soap with water and then wipe with grain. You might not even need to do that because, sometimes, warm water and a good scrub with a microfiber cloth are enough. 

The laundry backup

Another laundry item some people swear by is the color-catcher sheet. They’re not wrong because, yes, they do absorb color and any loose dye in the wash, so your clothes don’t change color. That doesn’t mean you need them.

You can just sort your clothes for normal loads. Darks in one load, colors in the other, piece of cake. Use a sheet once in a while when you really need it, but most of the time, it’s a waste of money.

The tougher label

‘Antibacterial.’ It’s a word that does a lot of heavy lifting on a dish soap bottle, and it’s enough to make you think that you’ve got to buy it, or else you’re not really cleaning your dishes. Not true. Regular soap is often enough when you’re cleaning plates at home.

It loosens the grease and food bits like it’s supposed to. Even the CDC has said that antibacterial soap doesn’t seem to have any extra health benefits compared to the regular kind, unless you’re working in healthcare. Why bother?

The clear spray

Any streaks or little marks call for glass cleaner. That’s what most people tell themselves, although it’s not strictly true because you can make the cleaner yourself. You don’t need to go to the store.

Mix one part distilled vinegar with ten parts warm water, and then start wiping it with a cloth or squeegee. All done. You might need a bit more work for any heavy grime, but for most glass surfaces, a homemade mixture will do.

The plastic helper

Vegetable choppers sure are convincing, since they seem to be the easiest way to slice things like onions or carrots. Cleaning them, however, is another story. There’s really nothing that these devices do that a regular old knife can’t do, except make cleaning harder.

You could also try using a food processor for any bigger batches that’ll take ages with a knife. But for everything else, you might as well use a knife to do it all.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.