Cleaning Products that really "wow" you

Parent Cafe
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<p>Gotta plug Dawn Power Dissolver, too. I just wish it came in bigger bottles. I can’t always find it, but I shop a number of different stores so one of them usually has it. It does the best job cleaning those black, rectangular, removable “trays” that surround my gas burners. If anyone knows a better way, PLEASE let me know - I’m a messy cook.</p>

<p>I also like my “enviro” steamer for cleaning the bathroom. It has really reduced the amount of chemical cleaners I use and it removes all kinds of interesting build up; mold, mildew, dried toothpaste, dried mascara… Also gets into the hard to reach parts of the toilet which drives me crazy - wish I’d had it when my boys were little!!</p>

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<p>Okay, what is the “enviro” steamer? Where do I get that?</p>

23

<p>I couldn’t live without my Swiffer. I love Greased Lightning also…and Simple Green.</p>

<p>Lysol Basin Tub and Tile Cleaner for the bathroom. I’ve been using it for years, have tried others and have always gone back to the Lysol cleaner.</p>

<p>P.S. I hate cleaning my house.</p>

24

<p>Someone told me they had to spend their evening dusting…I ONLY dust when I am on a very entertaining phone conversation. Key to doing housework is not being bored. Vacuuming is a problem, too much noise to talk on the phone or listen to the TV.</p>

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<p>[Compare</a> Prices and Read Reviews on Eureka Enviro Steamer 370 Upright Vacuum at Epinions.com](<a href=“Shopping Online at Shopping.com | Price Comparison Site”>Shopping Online at Shopping.com | Price Comparison Site)</p>

<p>This is what I have - I’ve got various attachments (and I do use it on my tile floors with great results).</p>

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<p>Walmart brand dishwasher detergent: cheap/excellent .I tried this after recommendation in consumer reports.</p>

<p>Shower: My life changing cleaning strategy: One spray bottle of soap scum remover (can use on shower doors) and one spray bottle of cleaner w/bleach next to each shower/tub… Last one in shower sprays one product (no need to even wipe it down). The next day spray the alternate product. Just spray and leave.
Have not scrubbed a tub/shower since I started this a few yrs ago.</p>

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<p>The Tersano ozone generator for creating ozonated water. It lets you disinfect the exterior of fruits and vegetables you will eat raw, plus it has a spray bottle so you can use the treated water for household cleaning. It doesn’t clean everything that a bottle of 409 does (some stuff dissolves better with 409). You can use it to clean around the kitchen without worrying about the residue poisoning you (read the warning label on household cleaners, even kitchen ones, and you’ll see you’re supposed to rinse the residue after wiping it dry). </p>

<p>If you’re thinking of getting one, Costco has a better deal than amazon at present.</p>

28

<p>twinmom - We had a moisture problem, leading to mildew, this winter in a new house on the Pacific Coast area. DH used X-14 on walls (ours are concrete in many places) . Takes off the mildew marks VERY easily and has not harmed the paint at all. I was afraid to use it on sheetrocked walls (although I think DH has :eek:) so I used a mild bleach solution - this did not take off the paint either.</p>

<p>I’d try either in a closet area or inconspicuous area on your particular paint to check.</p>

<p>The X-14 seems to act as a preventative also. We have found that exhaust fan may well not be up to the job, so open a window during or after shower in the bathroom and that can be a preventative as well.</p>

29

<p>I love the swiffer dusters. The lady who we bought our house from was Mrs. Clean, she washed down the wood work everyday! She also poured clorox and let it sit in the toilets everyday, which took the finish off of them below the water line. This has caused the toilets to “grab” a hold of everything, which you can imagine is a very big problem. I had always used Lysol toilet cleaner, but it wouldn’t budge my problem, I had tried everything (although I know we should probably replace them) and was about to give up. I was surfing the internet looking for advice on my toilet situation and kept running across a product called The Works. It was unbelievable, it just melted everything. So I got their general bathroom cleaner, worked great in the shower. And it’s cheaper than most of the regular name brand products.</p>

30

<p>I too love my swiffer duster and magic sponge. The duster extends and bends so you can clean the top of ceiling fans (something I never did before I found the duster). I used the magic sponge when I had hard water stains on the glass shower door that were impossible to clean. It was “magic.” I do find that the sponge sometimes leaves a slight discoloration in the paint when used on painted walls, so I’m not sure I would recommend it for that.</p>

31

<p>Went out to the local Walmart and bought The Works Toilet product. It is serious! Active ingredient–hydrogen chloride…in an aqueous solution–hydrochloric acid! </p>

<p>Put some on the gunk on the shower door and watched it do its magic!</p>

32

<p>My cleaning tools

  1. baking soda
  2. white vinegar
  3. bleach
  4. ammonia
  5. lemons
  6. old tooth brushes and the like, gloves
  7. hot water (steam) from a kettle
  8. elbow grease
  9. Mrs. Beetons cookbook and cleaning tips</p>
33

<p>Okay, my chemistry-teacher background just kicked in.</p>

<p>Don’t mix bleach and ANY acid. Don’t mix bleach and ammonia. Both combinations release chlorine gas. Me, if I’m carrying bleach around the house, I don’t carry any other chemical, just to make sure I don’t do it by accident. Wear gloves when you use bleach, too.</p>

<p>Don’t use acid on any marble surface, it will etch it.</p>

<p>If you use a rust remover with hydrofluoric acid, be aware that HFl can kill you if you get it on your skin. Use gloves. (I don’t buy these products because they’re so dangerous.) [Hydrofluoric</a> acid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrofluoric_acid]Hydrofluoric”>Hydrofluoric acid - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>Coca cola (and other sodas) have phosphoric acid, which does a nice job of removing lime deposits. If you have a problem with lime deposits, pour flat sodas into your toilet instead of down the sink to get rid of them… let it soak a bit before you flush. </p>

<p>I do most of my cleaning/scrubbing with old washcloths with a bit of dish detergent on them. I wash floors with a wrung-out towel wet down with the same solution. I do it standing up–the towel on the floor, under my feet, then I do the slip and slide with the towel until I’ve covered the whole room. Then I put the towel in the wash. (I use the same towels I use to dry the dogs after their bath.)</p>

<p>I am very lazy (my grandfather was an efficiency expert–code for lazy person who still wants to get a lot done–so I come by it naturally), so I’m always looking for the easy way to clean. </p>

<p>I fill the bathtub with hot water and a little dish detergent and let it soak before I scrub it. I do the same thing with the kitchen sink. (In fact, my first step in a thorough clean is generally to fill all the sinks and the bathtub, then go back to the beginning.) </p>

<p>I love the Method shower sprays for keeping things clean.</p>

34

<p>By magic sponge, are you meaning the Mr. Clean eraser?</p>

<p>I sure don’t want to buy the wrong magic/wowie-zowie cleaning product. Is it worse that I spend too much time on cc, or that I am making a Word document of these recommendations :eek:?</p>

35

<p>jmmom, I’m doing the same - don’t you love cut and paste? I’m off to our local Wal-mart to pick The Works for the toilet.</p>

<p>I’m going to look for the The Method shower spray, too. Too bad I have to clean the shower first. :(</p>

36

<p>Mr. Clean Erasers (magic sponge) is some miracle product. I had some weird dark stains on while plastic patio furniture (not mold, or mildew, something stranger). I ajaxed, I simple greened, I vinegar & watered. Nothing. My best friend gave me a magic sponge as part of my b’day present goodie bag, and with a sneer I approached those patio items. WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING? They look good as new. No cleanser required, just these silly little dense white magic eraser things. I felt like that swiffer commercial where the chick is swiffering all around the house while company is visiting. I literally went from room to room, door jambs, clean…stove top, clean…bottom of tub, clean…you name it. Crazy stuff. And those things are cheap.</p>

<p>I dig the swiffer products as well. And white vinegar and water for cleaning & shining up tile counter tops & tile floors.</p>

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<p>All of the Mr. Eraser posters motivated me. I have a box of 4 of them in my house. I pulled one out to clean my once white, but now dirty leather tennis shoes. Like magic the leather is bright white. It did not work on the rubber sole trim though. This beats sticking my tennis shoes in the washing machine.</p>

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<p>Some great ideas here,
do not mean to put a damper on the Shower Method exuberance-</p>

<p>but, do consider that you are breathing those intensified (warm moist air droplets ) ladden with chemicals INTO YOUR LUNGS-
am pretty sure this is not a good thing.</p>

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<p>I, too, love Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I just picked up The Works toilet cleaner, and boy, it does an incredible job. I’ve never enjoyed cleaning the toilet as much as I did just now :slight_smile: (bet the thrill won’t last, though, after a few cleanings).</p>

40

<p>Post #14, Marilyn I think you mean vinegar and baking SODA. Baking powder won’t do much. :)</p>