Whether you have kids, pets, or just messy adults living in your home, you’ll probably need a multi-surface cleaner like the Concentrated Cleaner and Degreaser from Krud Kutter. It’s a highly effective spray cleaner made to remove grease and dirt from various surfaces ranging from exteriors to carpet, fabrics, laminate, tile, wood, metal, plastic, and more. It’s safe to use on porous surfaces, and there’s no strong smell that lingers after use. We tested it and compared it to comparable cleaners to see if it’s worth a spot under your kitchen sink.
Cleaning Ability: Highly effective on caked-on dirt and grime
Before testing the Krud Kutter, our go-to multi-surface cleaner was Formula 409 Multi-Surface. While 409 is inexpensive and works well, it has a few flaws. We often have to clean surfaces twice to remove grime thoroughly, so our household goes through a bottle in about a month. It’s also only for hard surfaces like tile, bathroom counters, sinks, and plastic, so we had to use a different product to clean upholstery or dirty sports on rugs. Fortunately, the Krud Kutter Cleaner and Degreaser works on all surfaces.
We used it on several surfaces ranging from a stovetop to a glass shower wall to our living room carpet, usually covered in dog hair and dander. We were happy to see that the Krud Kutter worked exceptionally well. On surfaces like kitchen tile and porcelain bathtubs, a little went a long way–we sprayed only a few squirts of the solution and rubbed it with a very wet sponge to lessen the strength. For larger surfaces, it’s best to mix the Krud Kutter with water to create a diluted cleaning solution.
Unlike a few other cleaning products we tested, it does require a bit of scrubbing–but no more than any other cleaner we’ve used. It worked well to clean kitchen counters after cooking, removing dried food, grease, and spilled liquid quickly and easily. When we sprayed the Krud Kutter on our stovetop, it required more scrubbing and a few minutes to soak into the dried-on spills before it was able to remove them entirely. We used 409 Multi-Surface on the other side of our stove, and it’s clear the Krud Kutter did a better job.
The Krud Kutter shines when it comes to greasy and sticky surfaces, as implied in its name. We have a fan above our stove in our kitchen, designed to pull in smoke and steam while cooking on the burners. Unfortunately, the fan seems to have been improperly installed in our home and simply blows the steam and exhaust out onto the cabinets above the stovetop. As a result, there’s always a greasy, textured buildup on those cabinets. We’ve tried scrubbing it with everything from Windex to 409 Multi-Surface to baking soda with mixed results. So we were especially wowed with the Krud Kutter when it removed most of it on the first try. We sprayed it on the sticky cabinets, waited about a minute, then scrubbed it off with a damp sponge. It removed nearly all of the grease, leaving the cabinets smooth and clean. The Krud Kutter is undoubtedly going to become our primary cleaner for grease stains or cooking build-up.
One area where we were mildly disappointed with the Krud Kutter’s performance was in cleaning grout–but that’s likely because we let our grout get too dirty in the first place. It did an average job, leaving our dirty dark grey grout a bit lighter after a bit of scrubbing. We think it’d work well as a weekly grout cleaner to prevent the grout from getting as dirty as ours got, rather than a last-ditch effort to clean grout that probably needs replacement. Use the Krud Kutter if your grout needs a refresh, not if your grout hasn’t been cleaned in two years.
Smell: Inoffensive and mild
The Krud Kutter has a very mild smell, making it acceptable for everyday use. Unlike other cleaners we tested, it has a light smell that dissipates quickly. It doesn’t have any chemical scents that linger and is more mellow than Windex or other well-known cleaning products. The smell is almost non-existent if diluted for small messes like wiping off counters or sinks. But, if you are extremely sensitive to scents, you will probably need to shop for a scent-free or natural cleaning product. However, most people will not be sensitive to the Krud Kutter Concentrated Cleaner and Degreaser.
Competition: No shortage of options
Home Armor Mold and Mildew Remover: These two products are for different cleaning needs, and we’ve found that both are helpful to have under our kitchen sink. Home Armor’s Mold and Mildew remover did an excellent job on slimy shower scum and moldy or grimy surfaces. However, it has an intense smell, so it’s best for infrequent use in well-ventilated rooms. The Krud Kutter Cleaner and Degreaser is better as a daily cleaner on sinks, rugs, tile, and kitchen surfaces. The Mold and Mildew Remover costs a little less than the Krud Kutter Cleaner and Degreaser.
Formula 409 Multi-Surface Spray: We think both products worked equally well for general cleaning and light dirt, but Krud Kutter has the edge on caked-on dirt and grimier messes. It’s pretty easy to justify having both, especially as they won’t expire or go bad under your sink.