Cleaning Products

[DianaB]

We may have had something like this a long time ago but I can't remember. I was just curious about what cleaning products that you use and what on.

I always use Dawn detergent for my dishes. I think that it cuts the grease better than anything that I've used. I use Barkeeper's Friend on my stainless steel pans. It works great! Then I use Cerama Bryte on my stove top. I got a small bottle with my stove and I love it. I use Comet or bleach to clean my kitchen sink. It's a white sink and it gets marks on it from my pans and gets stained very easily but bleach gets it out very quickly.

I used to use the tabs for my dishwasher but I found out (when it wasn't cleaning very good) that I had stuff building up in my sprayer arms. My husband cleaned a lot out of them and the dishwasher worked much, much better so I'm staying with the liquid dishwashing detergents. Right now I'm using Electrasol.

I used to use Amonia on my floors but the smell really bothers Jaci enough that I changed to Mr. Clean with Febreeze and I think that it's Mountain Rain fragrance (smells really good!). I use The Works for my toilet cleaner and another Works product for my shower. They're really cheap and you can get them at Dollar General. Sometimes I use Kaboom on my shower but it's hard on the metal parts. For my bathtub I use Scrubbing Bubbles.

I'm using a new laundry detergent from Sears that's made for front-load machines and is really concentrated but I use to use Purex laundry detergent because it worked pretty good and wasn't as expensive as some others. I use the store brand fabric softner sheets because they're cheaper and I think that they work fine.

So.....how about you? What do you use and why?

[2tiredmom]

I use Comet on my kitchen sink and counters because it really cleans and whitens,
my sink is stainless steel. My Counters are white with gray flecks. I use The Works also on my toilets. I also use Scrubbing Bubbles and Lysol Foaming Cleanser on my tubs and showers and toilets. I use Mr Clean Magic Eraser on my walls and showers and shower curtains and my stove top and my refrigerator.
I use Palmolive for washing dishes because nothing else suds up and stays as well. I use Amonia on my floors and then go back over them with Murphy's oil soap. I use swiffer duster to dust my woodwork and furniture. I use windex on my windows and on my door on my microwave and stove and mirrors in the bathrooms. I use ERA detergent for laundry and Vanilla & Lavender scented
Downey Liquid fabic softener.

[Janet]

Wow...you two clean a lot better than me....LOLOL

Let's see, I use Dawn Dish Detergent, because it really cuts the grease better than anything else I've tried. I use BarKeepers Friend for my stainless steel kitchen sinks and stove top and an a polisher for the stove top that I just can't remember the name and I don't have any at the moment.

I use bleach water on my countertops and Windex on oven, dishwasher, microwave and refridgerator and windows of course.

In the bathrooms I use Lysol toilet cleaner, the Works for my shower and sinks.

I'm not real big on using a lot of products so if I can get aways with using bleach water I do. Oh and for my floors, I just use the Swiffer Mop, but I also spray Windex on the floor.

[Marilyn]

Lets see..... I use Dawn dishwashing liquid. I agree with others here, cuts grease the best. Cascade powder dishwasher detergent. Use Black Diamond Counter Cleaner for granite counter tops. Magic Stainless Steel Cleaner for appliances, but will look for Barkeeper's Friend since most on here think it's great. I'm not completely happy with the Magic SS Cleaner.

For floors, I use the Swifter only for quick cleanups. We've discovered that the Swifter causes Chase (older yorkie) to have asthma like attacks. So for mopping, we use lemon scent Pinesol or Murphy's Oil Soap or just vinegar and water.

For the shower, since it's porous tumbled marble and we have high humidity here, Tilex Mildew Root Penetrator is the best stuff!!!!! Spray it on, let is set for a bit, scrub and rinse, and it helps reduce the return of the mildew. Your not supposed to use products with heavy chemicals on marble, but I've been doing it for 5 years and can't see that it has hurt anything. I was using Kaboom for the floor of the shower(small ceramic tile), but it was a paste in a bottle with some abrasive in it, and I can't find it anymore. For toilet, I like the Clorox toilet bowl cleaner. Flush, squirt it around and let it set a few minutes before brushing and even the dried up toilets in bathrooms seldom used are bright and clean. I use Great Value Glass Cleaner (Walmart store brand). I think it works better than Windex.

For laundry, All Free liquid HE for front loaders, and Downy Lavender and Vanilla liquid fabric softener. I don't use the dryer sheets because the waxes from the sheets build up in your exhaust hose and can be a fire hazard. The buildup of waxy lint almost plugged my drier vent hose off. My clothes weren't getting as dry so I went looking for the cause and discovered that the end of the hose where it blows outside was almost blocked. Cleaned it out, and it works fine now, but no more dryer sheets for me.

[DianaB]

I tried using the Swiffer mop but I have too much area to mop and it dried out pretty quickly so I quickly tossed it. My floors get too dirty to use it anyway.

I know that after I started using The Works for toilets that the deposits under the rim disolved away. I was really pleased with it.

Marilyn, I don't know about the others but I find BarKeeper's Friend at Wal-mart. It's kinda' like Comet but it's made for stainless steel. I've used it for years.

I have had a build up on the outside of my dryer vent but I didn't realize that it was from the dryer sheets. Hmmmm.......I may try the fabric softner and see if I can keep it from coming back.

This has been really interesting. Is there anything that you wouldn't ever buy again?

[Janet]

What about those of you that live in the country and have to deal with iron/rust in your water? We do have a water softener that does get most of it, but I have a heck of a time with it in one of my showers. You can see it on the walls. I've tried BarKeepers Friend..it works, but you really have to scrub and that's hard leaning across the tub. I've also used CLR, IRON OUT and a few others, but not satified with any of it really. Most work real good if you can let it soak for a bit, but it's hard to let it soak on the wall of the shower. Any other ideas to help remove the rust stains?

[Nina]

I use Dawn on the dishes, as I agree it cuts grease the best. I use Lysol toilet bowl cleaner on the toilet, and then I spray some windex to give it a really nice shine. I use Comet w/bleach on the sinks and bathtub. I use Scrubbing Bubbles on the shower. I use a Swiffer Wet Jet on the floors just for in-between cleanings, but I mop the bathroom with bleach and water, and the kitchen with Mr. Clean w/Febreze. I use Tide in the laundry, and add baking soda if needed. I also clean alot with vinegar and water.

If you have well water, try The Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner. My daughter has well water, and her toilets get an orange stain. That stuff cleans it up on contact!

I use the Magic Eraser on my stove, fridge and walls. That thing is amazing! I use Clorox spray on my counters. I put some baking soda, followed by vinegar in all my drains about every 2-3 weeks. I let it sit a few min. then run some water. It keeps them smelling fresh, and also keeps them flowing faster.

[celstu1]

Lysol all purpose spray, its yellow. It works for EVERYTHING! It gets stains off countertops, cleans glass top stoves, is antibacterial so it works for the bathroom. I LOVE IT! Its almost the only cleaning fluid I use! Works great on the tile floors also. Just let it sit on anything for about 10 mins and wipe.... it all comes off!

[DianaB]

Originally Posted by celstu1

Lysol all purpose spray, its yellow. It works for EVERYTHING! It gets stains off countertops, cleans glass top stoves, is antibacterial so it works for the bathroom. I LOVE IT! Its almost the only cleaning fluid I use! Works great on the tile floors also. Just let it sit on anything for about 10 mins and wipe.... it all comes off!

You've done really good because you only use one product for everything!! I'm impressed!!!!

[celstu1]

Originally Posted by DianaB

You've done really good because you only use one product for everything!! I'm impressed!!!!

haha when I read everyone else's posts I realized I forgot some stuff.

I use the swiffer wet jet for quick floor cleaning, but the lysol spray for more heavy duty floor cleaning.

I use windox on windows and glass and pledge on wood furniture.

I use Joy dishwashing liquid and (ALWAYS) cascade dishwasher powder (works the best).

I use the Magic eraser by Mr Clean for the shower/tub.

I do seriously think thats it though. I am a clean person but I dont want to spend a gazillion dollars on cleaning supplies, so I find ones that are all purpose. Fly through the house with 4 bottles in my caddy and get it done!