The ammonia based glass cleaner from our neighborhood co-op is horrible. Our windows and mirrors this summer were a horror of streaks and smears from cleaning them. I think the dog nose prints actually made them cleaner. So I finally caved (even with a half a bottle to go) and picked up the new Nature's Source windex and while I was at it the bathroom cleaner too (it said it fights soap scum).
I am frankly relieved that they both actually work and I am ignoring the bottle of the offending product still under my sink. I have not managed to break up with my Clorox toilet bowl scrubbers. I know the little scrubby uses more product that if I used a brush and cleaner, but swear I still get better results.
The wood floor swiffer is also still in my life. Yes I vacuum my base boards ( I heart my dyson) and try to get up excess before I swiffer, but it sure beats being on my hands and knees cleaning the hardwood every week. I feel like I'm channeling my mother when I'm on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor for extended period of times. Shudder. The issue of course is that each time I use the swiffer on the hardwood, it takes three refill pads to do the whole apartment and probably every other month I have to refill the special hardwood floor cleaner it uses. Lots of wasted non-recyclable product being created. Other hardwood cleaning options welcome.
I heart my swiffer too, but like you am having a hard time justifying the waste and cost of all of the refill pads. I just heard about a new reusable "swiffer", by rubbermaid I think. It's got a refillable container for your cleaner of choice and a washable pad. I just might make the switch.
ReplyDeleteDo you feel like they really clean though? We had one at the last house, one baby and no animals and the floor always seemed dirty even right after we cleaned it. Ive never found a good way to clean the hardwood.
ReplyDeleteI just looked up the Rubbermaid one and it looks like a very good option - just hot water for under the highchair each day and then make your own solution for the floors.
Cat
The swiffer definitely doesn't do nearly the job of doing it by hand, I find that I have to use a lot of the hardwood floor solution to feel like I really "cleaned" the floor. I'll check out the rubbermaid and let me look around to see if there's a good natural hardwood floor cleaning solution.
ReplyDeleteI just bought one of the Rubbermaid ones. I think it is far superior to the swiffer in terms of not buying replacement pads and using your own solution or just hot water. Interestingly, 39.99 on target.com but 24.99 in the store this morning. It feels very sturdy.
ReplyDeleteOh but if you do find a natural chemical free solution to clean them please let me know! Maybe vinegar? That seems to clean most stuff!
ReplyDeleteI can't vouch for it on wood floors (and the internet, of course, it both for AND against), but I use a vinegar solution to clean pretty much everything now.
ReplyDeleteI use a wet faux-swiffer on my kitchen floor but am rarely satisfied with it. Thankfully, it's a small space to clean on my hands and knees. :/
BONA!! It's the best stuff ever, and it is nontoxic -- seriously, if you swallow it, you're just supposed to drink some water.
ReplyDeleteYou can use is with a rag mop or on your hands and knees with rags (which I do because I like to--weird)
Also, dude, the 7th Generation glass cleaner is fabulous (this is really a comment for your glass cleaner post, but since I am already here...)
Oh, this IS the post about the streaks. Duh. 7th gen-- I got it for $2.99 @whole foods yesterday :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I buy my Bona at bed bath and beyond