<p>Dawn Power Dissolver - Thanks Mountains - will look for it today during my shopping spree.
As to the steam vacuum - my friend has one like that and loves it. She claims that it is the best thing ever to clean her kitchen, which has a lot of stainless steel.
How do you use it on tiled floors? Since it produces steam, but does not suck it back up, do you have to wipe afterwards?</p>
<p>Spray Nine - how toxic is it? I am trying to be careful with anything I use in my microwave and my oven.
When I lived in England years ago, we used to be able to buy different cleaners for microwave, different for the fridge. Maybe it was just a marketing tool to sell fragranced vinegar water - I don’t know, but I have really liked my fridge cleaner:-)</p>
<p>Just picked up Spray Nine at Home Depot during my lunch break. I too battle my glass cooktop. Any words of caution? Have you tried it in the shower? It says it fights mildew.</p>
<p>worrywart, I really did not learn until I read the reviews and info on Amazon that it fought mildew too, so I have not tried it. Word of caution, I don’t care for the smell. It is not a cleaner that burns my eyes, or my skin, and I have smelled far worse. It just isn’t does not have a pleasant smell, IMO.</p>
<p>Kelowna, I agree that one needs to be careful near food! I never use Spray Nine in my oven because my oven is self cleaning. My microwave really needs a good cleaning periodically because of all that caked on burned splatter, much of which is grease. I do use the Spray Nine, and then I wipe it down afterward with a lot of soap and water because I do not want to eat chemicals! Frankly, I don’t know if it is safe to use it the way I do. There is a warning label and you can pull it up by doing a search for Spray Nine and safety. Apparently, some people’s eyes can sting, etc., but I never had that problem. I also have a large kitchen and a sliding door and windows, so I am not in a small enclosed area.</p>
<p>This is bad. I spent more time in the cleaning supplies aisle in my grocery store than I did shopping for Easter Brunch (we’re hosting). I picked up Method Tub & Tile and Shower Daily Cleaner, and (arrgh) proceeded to clean the tub/shower when I got home. I liked the Method a lot; I’m sick of the toxic smell of other cleaners.</p>
<p>For my microwave, if I run it for a few seconds to a minute to heat/boil a little water in a cup, then I can easily wipe off any splatters left by the <em>other</em> members of the household. Even if they’re somewhat old.</p>
<p>I like Method too–I recently started using the liquid laundry detergent and the dish washing liquid. I also like the fact that Method has an odor-free option–I think it’s called “Go Naked.” Tere aren’t any dyes of perfumes in it.</p>
<p>jmmom, I have a browning element, so it acts as a kind of speed cook oven, but does not have a self clean component to it. You would not believe the grime that accumulates in it from things like sausage, and bacon splatter. Naturally, the family member cooking these items leaves the grime for me!</p>
<p>I clean my microwave as follows. I put one cup of vinegar in a glass bowl. I bring it to a boil (in the microwave) and then add one minute more to the time (so it boils vigourously for a minute). Then I let it cool, then open the microwave and wipe with a sponge with handwashing detergent (like Dawn). Clean and fresh.</p>
<p>Apologies for the slight thread highjacking-
Do you use the grilling feature on the microwave that much? We need a new one, and I hadn’t even considered getting one that grills. But, if y’all say it’s worth it, that’s what we’ll get.</p>
<p>Karen Colleges, I have never grilled, but my microwave browns, and we use this feature a lot. It was very pricey though. It required an electrician to come in and upgrade. I would never have gone for the expense, but we had to have kitchen electrical work done anyway, so it was worth it for us. The appliance itself was expensive too, but I have no regrets. We have enjoyed it for 4 years.</p>
<p>So what do you use to sanitize granite countertops? I’ve got them on order and the supplier said just to use Glass Plus because it contains no ammonia, but the germophobe in me says that that won’t sanitize the surface. Ew.</p>
<p>Why do you have to sanitize? You don’t cut raw meat or put raw meat right on the granite, do you? I do that on cutting boards that can be washed immediately after use - separate ones for meat/chicken/fish vs. vegetables/breads etc.</p>
<p>The overuse of antibacterials and all that jazz are part of a problem, creating resistant strains which is not good for the whole community/public health, imo. So best to avoid them.</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone has mentioned Tide Stick, the little pen-like stick that you can carry in your purse. I bought a new white cotton jacket last week and almost instantly spilled a few drops of soy sauce AND marked it with a red felt pen. I dabbed at the spots with the Tide Stick and checked back an hour later and all were gone. :)</p>
<p>^^^Yes! That Tide stick thing is great. I had just bought a couple and had them in my purse. We went out to eat and son got marinara sauce on a new shirt. I whipped out the pen (much to his embarrassment) and treated the spot–it was gone in minutes! Now he has one at school.</p>
<p>worrywart, when I had granite counters installed, I asked how to disinfect the counters and the guy told me to use rubbing alcohol mixed with water. I’m not sure about the amount of each, so I just use 50/50 and keep it in a spray bottle. My granite is about three years old now, and so far, that has worked well.</p>
<p>More than once, my 16 yo son has left a pen in his pocket that then made a trip through the washer and dryer. The last time this happened, the ink stains ruined about 6 almost-new Hollister t-shirts (which are not cheap!). In desperation I did an internet search and somebody suggested to spray the ink spots with regular ol’ hairspray, let set for a minute, rub with detergent and wash. And it worked! Every last bit of ink came out of every shirt. I have used this tip since on a white dress shirt and that worked too.</p>