Though it hasn’t been feeling very spring-like in the North, today is the first day of spring…YEAH! And, as part of my ongoing crusade to make housework less work so we have more free time, I’ve put together a few of my favorite spring cleaning store-bought multi-tasking products. And, I’ve partnered with some companies to share their new twists on these staples which will help save us time, money and our manicure this spring cleaning season or any other day of the year!
ALLERGEN FIGHTER ‘n AIR FRESHENER: Spring cleaning usually means we focus on cleaning windows, curtains and our bedding. But we often overlook the areas that harbor dust and dust mites like on our bookshelves, plants and lampshades. Introducing the latest and greatest my savior:
Swiffer 180 Duster with Gain: It has fluffy fibers to help trap ‘n lock the dust instead of the old-fashioned feather duster which I feel just move dust from one place to another. It can get in tight places like underneath furniture, nooks in your coffee table and corners of picture frames! PLUS this new Swiffer freshens the room by leaving behind the joyful scent of Gain for all we Gainiacs!!!
GOOD TO THE LAST DROP: For years, I’ve been soooo frustrated by the fact that I know there’s more spray left in my cleaning products but no matter what I do to access the remaining liquid I either spill it on a surface-wasting it or I just chuck it. Well no more! Thanks to the brilliant peeps at Clorox they’ve come to my (our rescue!) with SMART TUBE (R) TECHNOLOGY! It’s a built in tube that reaches all the way to the bottom of spray bottles, allowing you to spray every drop. It’s available on bottles of Clorox® Clean Up®, Tilex® and Formula 409® Cleaners. Hmmm now if a wine maker could invent similar technology for that lil bit of wine left at the bottom of the bottle that would really be grape to the last drop!
NEVER HALF BAKED: NUMERO UNO MULTI-TASKER: If I was left alone on a deserted island the one thing I’d want with me is baking soda…It’s so useful for so many things around the house from cleaning, to fixing drains to stain removal to odor absorption and all else betwixt n between. And now Arm & Hammer has answered my dreams with a laundry product that has an incredibly strong cleaning power aptly enough named Arm & Hammer Ultra Power 4X liquid laundry. It’s super concentrated so you need less to get more. It costs about 50% less than the leading detergent per load, so you have more money to get that manicure! And with the small bottle, it’s easier to carry around and pour!
LIGHTENING THE LOAD: I love anything that saves me time as you know particularly when it’s a chore I abhor and do far too much of like laundry. But alas having a teenage son this is my fate, which is why I love, love this LG Washer. It will save your health, time and energy! It has steam technology, with cleaning options like an allergen reduction cycle that will get rid of 95% of common household allergies. Great timing with those spring allergies in the air! The Turbowash technology will save up to 20 minutes per load, and you can fit an entire set of king size bedding, including the comforter, in a single load. And this model has earned ENERGY STAR “most Efficient” designation, meaning that this washer falls in the top 5% in its class! That’s lightening the load on all fronts!
A MANI-CURE’S TWO BEST FRIENDS:
1. HABIT BREAKER-MANICURE SAVER: Old habits are hard to break but this one my friends you should run don’t walk to do!! Usually I pre-wash my dishes and during spring cleaning I wash those party plates, platters and glassware that lay in my cabinets collecting dust. Forget that! New Cascade Platinum that is a manicure’s best friend since it requires NO PRE-WASHING. Simply scrape off large food pieces and place those babies right into the dishwasher. You can even leave them there for 24 hours and they’ll come out sparkling clean…my martini glass never shined so! And, it’s another multi-tasker since it will help prevent filming on the walls of your dishwasher machine.
2. HABIT BREAKER-MANICURE SAVER: Betwixt the New Cascade ‘n this LG TrueStream technology dishwasher is so powerful that you practically eliminate pre-washing for all your dishwasher safe dishes, glassware, pots and pans will be a rarity in your life — OMG!!! There is also a sanitary rinse option that rinses your dishes with 160 degree water, for an optimal clean. It is also Energy Star qualified and saves nearly 5,000 gallons of water a year vs. hand-washing. With the EasyRack Plus adjustable rack system, it minimizes the frustration of fitting everything that you eat, drink, serve or cook on in there. And BTW if you really want to multi-task tightly wrap a salmon filet with a lil bit of butter, white wine, and mustard in piece of aluminum; run it full cycle with a dishwashing load and viola you’ve also got some Clean Cuisine! Bubbly optional…as in champagne J
And, BTW here are a few tips on the best way to load your dishwasher to insure the best results!
- Place forks and spoons facing up and knives down – this ensures that you get the most detergent interaction, but keeps things safe!
- Glasses mugs, plastics and bowls go on the top rack at an angle to allow water to properly drain off.
- Plates, bowls, cookware go on the bottom rack and must be spaced out to allow the water and detergent to clean everything.
- Before starting your machine, run the sink in your kitchen until the water is hot. This helps ensure the water that enters your
machine is at the optimal temperature.
TRIED ‘N TRUE ‘N SOMETHING BOU-QUET: Though I wish I could put everything in my dishwasher certain items are a no no like my fine crystal. That’s why I always use the classic uber grease-fighting Dawn Ultra which has 2x the grease-fighting ingredient vs the leading non-concentrated dish soap which means your suds last longer and you save money cause you use less. WIN WIN! I also use it to wash my microwave plate which sports those coffee overheats and spills! And, with spring in the air, it’s a no brainer for cleaning my vases and then filling them with a beautiful bouquet of flowers…Aahhh tra la tra la…spring is in the air!
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