If you were stranded on a (dirty) desert island with only 'one' cleanigng product, which would it be? Sprays, wipes & concentrates-Old standbys to new green contenders!
Sprays-your go-to options for counters, faucets, refrigerator doors, light switches, & other major traffic zones.
*Best Anti-Germ: Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-Surface; Powered by thymol, an extract of thyme, to eliminate germs naturally. The intense herbal scent can be polarizing so sniff before purchasing. TO BUY: $2.50 seventhgeneration.com for stores
*Most Muscle: Fantastik With Bleach; Keep this on hand for times you're really angry at grime, incredibly powerful, it outperformed all others tested. (When removing a spot from a white wall, the spray left the wall whiter than it was originally) Not shy on chemicals, so keep the windows open. TO BUY: $3 at supermarkets
*Most Luxe: Murchison-Hume Counter Intelligence; The white-grapefruit scent is as pretty as the tinted bottle. Nice enough to sit out on the counter as a tidy-up reminder for the less vigilant. Like all the green picks here, this combats germs without chemicals, so it's safe to use in food-prep zones. TO BUY: $18 anthropologie.com
*Most Addictive: Parsley Plus; Green to the nth degree-nontoxic & effective, with an unbelievably fresh scent & cheerful parsley scent that you'll miss between cleanings. TO BUY: $5, ecos.com
*Best Unscented: Better Life what-Ever! Nothing but clean. There are no scents, dyes or ammonia, so it's good for checmically sensitive people, those with asthma, or any one trying to green the cleaning caddy. Popular among our cleaning-obsessed staffers. TO BUY: $7, cleanhappens.com
Wipes-for spot cleaning or for places where a spray isn't ideal--desktop, car, inside the refrigerator. All are biodegradable
*Best Smelling: J.R.Watkins in Lemon; We love the bright citrus scent and the retro packaging. Watkins has been making natural products for more than a hundred years, so even if you've never heard of this company, rest assured that it has serious green cred. TO BUY: $7 for 35 wipes, jrwatkins.com
*Most Versatile: Pledge Multi Surface; Keep stereo speakers perfectly clean, go at stainless steel w/o fear of streaking (many wipes warn against use on stainless) and
swab sealed wood & glass items to boot. These leave you with no excuse for dirty surfaces. TO BUY: $4.50 for 25 wipes, at supermarkets.
*Best Bang For Your Buck: Clorox Green Works; An abundance of wipes at a reasonable price. The muscle comes from corn & coconut, both natural cleaning agents. TO BUY:
$6 for 62 wipes, at supermarkets.
Concentrates: Mix up a batch to tackle big jobs, like walls and floors. Great for decks and porches, too, if you're really revved.
*Longest Lasting: Shaklee Get Clean Basic H2; Mere teaspoonfuls power gallons& gallons of home-mixed cleaner. Comes with instructions for creating 3 different strengths (for glass, personal cleaning & grease cutting) TO BUY: $12.50 shaklee.com
*Aromatherapeutic: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day All Purpose; Contains a pleasing mix of geranium, rose, & clove oils-famed spirit-lifters that smell like heaven. TO BUY: $8 mrsmeyers.com
*Mildest Scent: Ecover All Purpose; The soft, lemony fragrance is refreshing, not overpowering. Made by a super-green company, so you can feel extra good about choosing it. TO BUY: $6 findecover.com for stores.
STEP UP YOUR CLEANING GEAR! a couple prime props can make scrubbing more appealing.
*Glam Gloves: Home Trends Arm Length; If Lady Gaga did her own dishes, this is what she would wear:) The upper-body equivalent of waders, they'll protect your skin in even the splashiest cleaning fury. Thick textured palms create a nonslip grip, and the gloves are easy to spot under the sink, At about 22" long, one size indubitably fits all. TO BUY: $11, shophometrends.com
*Mod Bucket: Casabella Eclipse; It's made from recycled soda bottles(hence the color) with clever channels along the inside bottom that trap dirt down below, keeping water cleaner. Easy on the eyes, too. TO BUY: $13, containerstore.com
*Shimmery Sponge: Casabella Sparkle; A functional item transformed into a thing of beauty, this delicate scrubber handles glasses porcelain, and nonstick surfaces just as well as its supermarket rivals (without that toxic "new sponge" smell) Then it rinses bright and clean to perch like a little ornament on your kitchen sink. TO BUY: $9 for six, casabella.com
OK all good cleaning - GO GETTEM! LOL
1 comment:
Thanks Eric! Very helpful list.
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