**REVIEW** Soft Scrub's 4-in-1 Toilet Bowl Cleaner

There is a serious hard water problem where I live. I am constantly scrubbing and cleaning faucets and sinks. The toilet is the worst. Every few days, I have had to scrub away the gross-looking rusty stains from the water-flow spigot under the rim and an equally nasty-looking ring around the water line in the bowl.

I finally found a product that works. It's Soft Scrub's 4-in-1 Rim Hanger Toilet Bowl Cleaner.

Soft Scrub Rim Hanger Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Of course, I did a good scrubbing with the brush and some cleanser before installing the Soft Scrub and then I waited...

I knew this product was good when I didn't notice any stains after 3 or 4 days. I knew it was really good when there were no stains after a whole week - maybe 8 days even. After that, there was only the faintest ring and no stains around the spigot. I immediately set a reminder to add the product to a Subscribe and Save.

The reason I had so much trouble finding something for this problem is that the bathroom in my apartment has a "pressure assist toilet" (yeah, I'd never heard of that either!) This is how it's described in the Google results:

"A pressure-assisted toilet—also known as a power flush toilet—contains a sealed pressure tank that houses air and water. The vessel traps air, and as it fills with water, it uses the water supply line pressure to compress the trapped air inside."

And this is what the tank in one of these bad boys looks like:

Can't hang anything
in that oddity.

When I first saw the tank, I was almost afraid to use the toilet. But it does flush like a boss. It does sound a bit like a jet breaking the sound barrier. It works so well that I'm sure that it would suck down a phone dropped into the bowl.

The problem is that there is no way to hang a cleansing solution inside the tank or drop in one of those bluing tablets. (By the way, I have seen several articles online advising you not to put things inside a tank even if you can. I guess it's bad for the plumbing system. I'm not sure but you might want to look into it.)

Anyway...

I've always used a tank-based cleaner to help with any toilet staining. With this toilet, I had to find something to hang from the rim of the bowl instead. That should have been an easier task. Amazon really should do something about its Search function.

When I found this, I was not only happy that the hook fits the rim of my toilet (the rim is larger for some reason) but the price of the product is really good. A 2-pack is (currently) under 5 bucks and each one truly seems as if it will last for the promised 4 weeks. The first one I'm on is at 2 weeks and still going strong. The little "cleaning balls" don't look worn down at all so far.

The only thing I don't like is the lavender scent. Lavender has to be my least favorite scent of all and this is a strong one. However, the other scents for the product cost much more so... I will deal with lavender. Actually, although the cleaning power is for the long haul, the scent doesn't last past the first week of flushes. Thank goodness.

So, yeah. I have found a solution to my most hated cleaning chore. In the past, I have successfully used citric acid to clean the hard water stains in the toilet (and still do for the faucets and laundry, etc.) but I'd just rather not have to deal with it.

I've seen a couple of reviews saying this product didn't work well for their water problems. If this doesn't help, I don't want to know what kind of problems they are having!

Peace

--Free

UPDATED **REVIEW** Stardrops Pink Stuff (cleaning paste)

***UPDATE***

This stuff turns out to be great for dealing with hard-to-remove grease on plasticware. I don't know if I would use it on expensive plastic containers but I used it on my cheap old containers and it removed every bit of the red grease stains from some taco meat I stored. Of course, I made sure to rinse completely clean of any paste residue. So there.

 So...

A few weeks ago when I was rearranging things on my kitchen countertops, I discovered something about my Keurig: it can stain the crap out of cheap Corian counters. Ugh.

First, I was stupefied that I had never noticed the staining before. I mean, I am kind of a neat freak and I clean my counters all the time. I even move things on a pretty regular basis to clean under them. I guess though that the last time I moved the Keurig was about 6 months ago when I was draining and cleaning the tank. There had been no serious stains then. When I moved the machine this time though...

I think that what happened was is that some spilled coffee went unnoticed for a while.  Like I said, I have been on an instant coffee kick and using my electric kettle more than the Keurig. However, the Keurig stays on constantly and exudes some heat. Maybe the heat combined with a sitting stain just sort of... grossified? 

The first thing I did to attack the stain was to use a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and Dawn. It sort of worked but not really. Next, I left some bleach on the stain for a few minutes. Better but still there. 

Should I be ashamed to say that I just covered the remaining stain back up with the Keurig until I could figure out a better solution? Oh well.

I actually kind of forgot it because, well, I haven't been using the Keurig as much and I have the attention span and memory of a drunk gnat. 

Because nothing else had worked on the stain and it was really starting to irk me, I went hunting for something. I found this:

That's really called "The Pink Stuff" and it's a Pepto-pink. Or maybe Pla-doh-pink? It has the consistency of toothpaste. In fact, that is exactly what the feel reminds me of - except super gritty.

I don't like that there is not a complete list of ingredients on the product container and was irritated that I had to go to a website listed on the product just to get a full listing. I was REALLY irritated that I had to input a barcode just to get to the list. What???  

"Amongst other ingredients"?
Well, LIST them!

The product is made by Start Brands out of the UK so maybe that's why the ingredients aren't listed (or don't have to be?).  By the way, the product photo on Amazon has a UK flag on it and my jar does not. Seems a tiny bit sketchy, does it not?

Anyway.

Here is a screenshot comparing the list that was on Amazon as an answer to someone's question (and the one shown on the dpi page for the barcode on my jar - 5060033823705. (And here is the head dpi page in case something changes.)

I went ahead and got it because I really needed something for that stain. Of the currently almost 30 thousand reviews, 85% are 4- and 5-star. Most critical reviews are to do with it not living up to what other products can do. 

I didn't take a Before photo because I wasn't thinking about this review at that moment. But the un-treated stain was really brown. Think badly stained teeth. The treated area is much, much better. 

I think one more treatment ought to do it

Once I saw how well this worked on the stain that had taken up a lease on my counter, I cleaned everything I could with the paste. I cleaned around the faucets and along the edges of the sink. The hard water here does a number on the faucets and The Pink Stuff has those gleaming like new money. My counters are so clean that I was worried about how nasty they might have been before. Makes you think of those pressure washing Before-and-Afters

Okay - maybe not THIS bad...

 And then I thought of this and got sidetracked watching 10 more full episodes:

Anyway.

Yep, The Pink Stuff works. If you get it, be careful what you use it on. The paste is super gritty but the grit is so fine that you might think it's safe on surfaces where it's not. (Did that even make sense?)

By the way, another thing I noticed is that the cleaning rags I used the paste with were amazingly soft after I rinsed them. I almost want to treat my bath towels with it just to see what happens. Maybe I will do a test on an old towel. Hmmm...

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I see that on the Startdrops Store on Amazon that The Pink Stuff can also be had in a foam, spray, etc. I see no reason to buy another version. If I want, I can dilute the paste with a lot of water. Maybe there's a reason to get the other products but I see no reason. The paste was about $10 for 1.1lbs. I'm sure I can find it cheaper at Walmart, Walgreens, or some other store.

**REVIEW** Moosoo Cordless Vacuum 13kpa

When you have enough dust or debris, you'll pull out the big boy vac, right?

Big, bad Blue!

But if you have small amounts of debris, you don't want to wait for it to build up enough to pull out the big vac. At least, I hope you don't. 

What if you had a vacuum that was as light and easy to use as a broom? Would you spot-vac every day? Several times a week? If you had the Moosoo Cordless Vacuum, you could vacuum easier than you can sweep.

Neither the Vac nor its box are very

big (compared to box of Kleenex)

 This is what's inside.

Takes about 10 minutes for a smart person to put together.

It took me 30 minutes.

I love this vacuum. I think of it as an electric broom because it's so lightweight and easy to use. It's actually easier than using a broom because, well...

Preach!

The hardest thing about this little vac is getting used to holding the handle so it doesn't twist loose. Once I mastered that, I fell in love. In LOVE.  Let highlight the Pros:

Lightweight/Easy to use

This thing is so freaking light that it feels like I am handling a broom handle minus the brush. That was the first thing I liked. My Bissel is a beauty but it's a pain to pull out of the closet for things like cleaning up the area around the writing desk where there might be some eraser shavings. Or whipping out to go over the sofa after I been eating bread there (like an animal). Because I have a lot of plants, I am always cleaning up tiny specks of potting soil. And I won't even bring up the shedding that my poor fern is doing since the weather can't be consistent.

Most days, I spend sitting either at the writing desk or on my bed. On my bed days, I tend to keep everything in reach - water, snacks, medicine, reading material, mail - and you can tell. The carpet next to my bed and the desk are the two places that get vacuumed the most. I know just keep the Moosoo next to wherever I am.

It comes with two types of cleaning heads - one for the floor and one for crevices and tight spots. I tend to use the floor head several times a day. I use the crevice tool when I am getting ready to mop the floors or when I need to get in between the couch cushions.

The tube is retractable so in the shortest position, the vac stands from the tip of the handle to the base for the attachment about 34 inches. It can be extended to stand about 43 inches.  I use it in the fully extended position to clean the carpet and then switch it to mid-length to deal with crevices. The machine maneuvers very smoothly and, as I mentioned, just don't twist the handle lock and you will be fine. Again, that is the only thing I had down as a negative until I trained myself!

Oh, and this is super easy to clean. You just pop the debris basket from the hand and dump it.

Suction power

I have no idea about "kpa" and all that  (and reading the page at that link gave me a brain shivering headache) but I know that this vacuum picks up the crumbs and loose grime from the kitchen floor and it easily gets up any loose hair from the bathroom tile. The Moosoo runs at 2 power levels - low and high - and the power button is right at the top of the handle so it's easy to find.

The biggest thing I deal with for the kitchen in spilled coffee grinds or crumbs from the toaster. The Moosoo has no problems with that. It even picks up the bigger crumbs from crackers and chips. Now that I have the vacuum, I pretty much just sweep crumbs from the countertops onto the floor!

For the other areas of the house, the only thing I had to roll over and over to get up was some hair that stuck to the carpet fibers after I trimmed my hair and dusted my shoulders in the bedroom. Still, the Moosoo didn't have to spend much time even on that. The section is dang decent. My brother told me he is going to borrow this to clean out his truck because it has so much more suction than his handheld.

For this video, I sprinkled down some small pieces of styrofoam and some kind of white debris from a small packing box I was throwing out.

The vacuum sounds loud because of the way I was holding the phone while recording but, to be honest, I have run it at night in the bedroom and I don't think it was that loud. I would never run the Bissell in the evening out of respect for the neighbor on the other side of the bedroom wall.

Space-saver & Recharges

A lot of people have very small apartments like I do. Even folks with plenty of room will like how little space this takes up. Like I said, I tend to keep mine near me during the day just because it's so small. It does come with simple installation so that it can be stored against a wall.

 I keep mine in the tiny, tiny entry-way closet with the big vac and other handy items.

This charges via a little wall adapter. It charges fairly quickly and then it lasts a long time. I didn't time it, but I was using this every day for 4 days after it first charged and it worked at full power. I haven't let it die all the way down so I can only say that it does last and last.

Now, I saved what I think of as the best for last. This uses a HEPA filter. A washable  HEPA filter. And you might get a goodie in the box that helps you score a spare filter.

Maybe by now you realize why I love this vac. It comes with a 1-year warranty and the people are really super helpful (I had questions).

Peace
--Free

**Pre-REVIEW** Cast Iron Skillet Cleaning?

I have a small collection of cast iron cookware. My mother grew up in a home where cast iron skillets, pots, and kettles were all that was used. When I was young, I don't remember ever seeing Mama cook in any other kind of skillet. My sister and I picked up the habit. When I was young and had anemia, Mama would cook liver for me in her cast-iron skillet. That liver was nasty (though I love liver now), but between it and the cast iron, the anemia didn't stand a chance! By the way, there is now more public knowledge and some legit attention given to this idea. You younguns can go ask your grandmamas.

Here is where I posted about some of my expanding set of cast iron pieces - including a teapot that I use daily.

Anyway.

With all this cast iron that I want to last for years and years, I have been looking for easier ways to clean it. IA lot of the time, I can just take the pan off the stove, wipe out any excess oil and I am good to go. Sometimes, though, I have to do a good clean. I have always followed one of Mama's examples when cleaning the skillets. I use some cooking oil and Kosher salt (or margarita salt or any other coarse salt). These are my steps:

•  I will use a sponge to work the oil and salt around for getting any sticky crud out of the pan.
• Rinse out the pan with really hot water - even some boiling water if I must..
•  I almost NEVER use any kind of soap (and if I ever do, I have to re-season the pan). 
• Put the rinsed pan on a low burner for a couple of minutes to dry out the pores.
• Wipe the pan with some lard or other oil. I prefer lard because it's really cheap and I don't use it for anything else.
• 
  

That's it. If you do this and keep up the care of your pans, eventually, they start to really smooth out and become almost non-stick. (If you want other methods, you can also use baking soda and a wet rag to clean the skillet or by rubbing a half a potato over the salt for a scrub (there's something about the makeup of the potato...???) 

The one really old skillet I have is almost as smooth as glass. That's from years of regular use, cleaning and seasoning. I am working toward that point with the skillets I got a couple of years ago and the newest Dutch Oven. I have an online friend who used a sanding head on his drill to smooth out his wife's pans. Smart, huh? By the way, you can do the sanding by hand if you're up for it, I guess. Sanding. Hm. Who knew? And I don't know why the heck manufacturers don't do all this smoothing before they sell the skillets. Pre-seasoned? No way.

Like I said, I am looking for easier ways to clean my cast ironware. The newer pans take some work to get them clean and I don't always feel like scrubbing with oil and salt for long enough. While I don't believe in buying special seasoning oils and treatments, (waste of money, in my opinion), when I heard about using chain mail for cleaning these pans, I flipped my wig. I mean chain mail? What?

These are arejust a few examples of the many random ones that popped up on Amazon when I did a search:

That one on the bottom there seems quite popular but it's pricier than the others for some reason. I don't have any idea if the more expensive ones are any better, but I have noticed from reviews and other bloggers that you should look for a chain that is welded. Apparently, a welded chain is more gentle on the pan. Cast iron is pretty tough though, so... I also have read articles s that suggest having a silicone insert is helpful for gripping while cleaning with the chain. Also, the silicone might help in the actual cleaning process. I decided that, if my grandma and my mom had known about it, they would have tried chainmail, so I will give it a shot. I'm still not spending money on any of those special seasoning oils and treatments - or the 11-ounce, $13 bottle of special "scrub" (aka really pricey salt) that I happened to see online. I'm not trying to impress anyone.

Of course, when I decide on one of the scrubbers, I will have to go or the lower-priced model, but I will try to find one with a silicone insert. There are some random videos showing people using chain mail to clean.It looks "oddly satisfying" as fellow Redditors might say.

The other item that could be useful when cleaning your cast iron stuff is agood  scaper. I looked around at some of these and like the idea but want to try the chain first.

(I have to say that while I do love a Lodge skillet, every last one of their accessories is ridiculously pricey!)

 By the way, I will be adding some of these items to the next post I am doing on Un-Christmas Gifts. I think it's a great idea to get people things they need throughout the year instead of trying to buy impressive items for Christmas, birthdays, etcetera. I hope that doing the Anytime Gift lists will encourage people to be thoughtful all year long.

Anyway, that's it and I will, of course, be going a review on whatever chain scrubber I get for the skillets.

Peace

--Free

My sister loved this song and since it would have been her birthday today, I wanted to share it.

Also since it's the season of what we assume to be the birth of the Lord, I think that we need to hear and think about this now more than ever. Let's all try to be great again and then the country will really come together. No matter what you thought of Michael Jackson, he got this so right. Cha-mon, people.

**REVIEW** UPDATED Cleaner Steam Cleaning System ThermaPro 10-in-1

UPDATE (latest)

The company did reach out to me. They not only solved the issue but was unaware of the customer service problem I was having. An email got misdirected. At any rate, they have already shipped out a new unit. I'm still upset that the first machine crapped out, but I can't even be mad at the company - not after they straightened everything out. I believe in giving credit as loud as you give criticism. Thank you Home Moderne and Pursteam!

UPDATE 

Original review was written in June 2018

Sadly, I have to downgrade my glowing review of this product. There are 2 reasons: 1) it quit working with no warning, and 2) there is poor customer service from the seller.

When I went back to try to change my review on Amazon (which I was unable to do), I read some of the newer comments from other buyers. My machine is not the only one to just suddenly refuse to power up. Every mention of this problem noted that the machine is less than a year old. 

Usually, I purchase the warranty but didn't this time. I am going through the credit card company instead.

I am really sad because I LOVED this machine.

Just wanted to revise this review. 







Whew! That is a looong name for a product and I even left off part of it. If you look this up on Amazon, the entire name is PurSteam Steam Mop Cleaner Steam Cleaning System ThermaPro 10-in-1 Floor Steam Cleaner, Pocket Mop System with 20FT Cord.

Mouthful much? But I get why they want the title to be descriptive. This thing does it all. Pictured here is how the PurSteam functions as an upright steam mop:

But for all those other little jobs, you can see the hand-held that detaches from the center of the mop:

That's a neato design

I think that the hand-held is my favorite part of the ThermaPro. Today, I cleaned my windows which were filthy from where I'd been spraying my plants for the past few months. I even steamed my mattress and pillows when I stripped the bed to do laundry. I hear that steaming the pillows beats back germs.

This is my second new appliance. In the past couple of months, I have needed to replace my vacuum (which was a Dirt Devil that I snagged at Dollar General) with an adult one. I reviewed the new vac here. After getting the vac, I really needed a steam mop because my back has been giving me problems and I can no longer properly clean the bathroom and kitchen linoleum.  I didn't think I could love anything more than the vacuum I got, but... Wow.

This is a Before and After of the carpet near the entryway. I vacuumed several times, then spot-cleaned with some spray on (using the steam to scrub it in), and vacuumed again. The carpet looks and smells so much fresher.

BEFORE:

And AFTER:

a slightly different angle, but you get the idea

There is still some wearing down in the high-traffic spots, but it's a big improvement in the staining.

I LOVE this steamer machine. It does everything but cooks dinner. Not only can I clean the floors really well without having to get down on my knees with a rag to get the stubborn spots, but that detachable unit allows me to get hard-to-reach spots that my regular mop missed. The handheld unit has all these attachments that let take cleaning to the next level. This is what that little snap-off part allows me to clean with hot (and possibly semi-sterilizing) steam:

• windows and sills
• mirrors
• countertops
• the stove and microwave
• sinks and showers
• the toilet seats and backs
• shower curtain liners
• faucets
• mattress 
• carpets and rugs
• furniture
• garments and curtains

It's a pretty amazing machine. However... there are some negatives. Of the Pros and Cons, the latter has more to do with the instruction manual and locating contact information outside of Amazon. Let's just go over the cause of a headache I incurred while trying to assemble and use the machine.

This is what all comes with the machine. Right out of the box, it's not that intimidating because you realize the machine came with a bunch of attachments.

The first thing I always do with a purchase like this is to make sure I have all the pieces I should and that nothing is broken. (I hate tossing out the shipping box only to need it in a couple of days for a return/refund.) I take a look at the manual to check for all the parts that should be included. As I flipped through the first time, I thought I was having a "bad brain" moment.

To start with, the manual I got had some duplicate pages that ran in the order of This is how the pages are ordered: Cover Page, Pages 2, 3, 2, 3, pages 4-11, then 12, 13, 12,13, and the back cover. (Since the manual ends with the Troubleshooting page and Limitation and Exclusions page, I don't suppose anything is missing.)

Next up, the assembly went great until I was ready to use the attachments.

I couldn't find this vital piece called the "attachment adapter". Like I said, I had checked and counted off all the parts listed. That dang adapter was only listed (elsewhere in the manual), but not illustrated. Or rather it was illustrated but was labeled incompletely...

I had to email the company to learn that the "Steamer jet" piece is also the attachment adapter. They said that they were already working to correct the manual.

Thankfully, yes, I had the steamer jet thing so I was in business. The only thing other than that crazy manual that I dislike is that there is no place to store the attachments. I have put mine into a plastic zip baggie to keep in the pantry with other tools and small appliances.

I cannot say enough how much I like the machine, but I'm sure you're getting tired of that. I will do a quick summary of Pros and Cons.

PROS:

• The company's support staff responded quickly and courteously to my emails. I contacted them twice and received a reply within hours. Their contact info is in the manual.
• The water gets really, really hot. I only use the machine when I'm having a very clear-headed day. You could easily scald yourself with the steam so I also wear heavy kitchen gloves as an added safety measure.
• The machine heats up pretty quickly initially. I can turn the machine off for a couple of minutes to move to a different area and it will reheat almost instantly.
• The steam is hot enough (again, IMO) to kill surface germs. It makes cleaning grout, scale, and grease easy.
• The cleaning pads for the mop are easy to attach. Basically, you just fit them onto the bottom of the mophead and they are held on velcro-style. Other mops I've used required you to fit the cloth around the mop head.
• The mop heads are washable and look sturdy enough to last through several washings, IMO.
• The mop head swivels enough to clean close to the walls and in the corners.
• What you miss with the mop, you can reach with one of the attachments.
• The machine is lightweight and easy to lift and move around,
• The cord is 20 feet long and I was able to use in my small-ish apartment without having to change to a different outlet.
• Steam is adjustable so you can use more or less. I used a lot for cleaning the sink and shower and less for cleaning stove burner covers over the sink.
• Because of the design, storage is easy and doesn't take up much room in a closet/pantry.
• In my box, there was more than the usual "thank you" from the Seller. There was actually a nice little gift extra - while supplies last.

CONS: 

• The brand's website is not really a standalone site. For products, everything links to Amazon. The warranty page didn't work for me and I was told that the product's warranty is timed by my Amazon ordering info. That's fine, but I did go ahead and get one of those Square Trade plans. Just in case.
• Steam does get so hot that people will need to be extra careful, especially when there are small children around. This is seriously not something you want a kid to grab hold of.
• There is nowhere on the machine to store the assorted attachments. You will need to keep track of them somehow. I suggest a zip-type baggie.
• I don't yet see where to buy extra cleaning pads for the mop. I plan to contact the company about this.
• When using the upright mop, Power/steam adjustment knob is down low. You have to bend to reach it.
• The mop head lifts a little on the pull during the push-pull motion.
• The mop swivel will get stuck if you swivel it too far right or left. It unsticks easily, but...
• Those instructions need to be fixed immediately.

The bottom line for me is that the Pros outweigh all the Cons. This is the best design for a machine of this type. I have not just a mop, but also the other attachments for about the same price as most steam mops along. This one cost $59.99 at the time that I made my purchase.

Peace
--Free


DISCLAIMER: I was not paid or in any way compensated for this review. 

**REVIEW** Skoy Eco-friendly Cleaning Cloth

A while back, I blogged about the re-usable "paper" (bamboo) towels I was using to cut back on waste and be more efficient with my household cleaning. I really like those and I use them now for cleaning messes instead of dishes and counters. That's because, after the first couple of launderings, they began to collect lint and threads. I'm sure they are clean because I bleach the heck out of them in the wash. Still, looking clean is as important and being clean, in my opinion. I don't want clean-but-dirty-looking cloths on display, especially in the kitchen. Yech!

I say all that to tell you about these:

4 cloths to a pack

Those are the Skoy brand Eco-friendly Cleaning Cloths. I've noticed that some Amazon reviewers refer to them as "Swedish cloths". Hm. However they came about, I am beginning to love them.

A pack of 4 cloths measuring 7 x 8 x 0.1 inches costs $5 on Amazon. Once I realized how much I like them, I checked Walmart, thinking that they would be even cheaper. Nope. This is the one time I can remember something costing so much more on Walmart than Amazon.

The price for the scrub pads are even more expensive via Walmart. Yikes.

A 2-pack of the scrubs is only $5.99 on Amazon

The next time I am in a Walmart store, I plan to check the prices on both items. In the meantime, I do plan to get more of the cloths and also a pack of the scrubs.

I have been using the Skoy cloths for just about 2 full weeks and they still look new. There is none of the fuzzing or lint-gathering that I have with the bamboo towels. Let me run down a list of how I have used the cloths and what I like so much about them:

• They are very soft but also have a strength that allows me to clean gunk off dishes and counters. 
• I use these on my "good" pots and the Instant Pot because, while there is a bit of scrub to them, they don't scratch the pans.
• You can also use these to dry dishes. By squeezing out as much of the water as possible, I'm able to dry my pans to a nice shine.
• I don't have to use a lot of chemicals to clean the counters. The cloths wipe away a lot of grime with just a bit of elbow grease. The same goes for cleaning windows and mirrors.You do have to add liquid so I used only water to clean the mirrors. I have another type of cloth for the dusting that I prefer (and will be posting a review soon!) because I don't want to use water/liquid on certain things that I clean.
• I've been using these multiples times every day and I wash them out with Dawn and vinegar a couple times a day. To really clean them, about once every 3 or 4 days, I soak them overnight in a solution of water and peroxide. They are wearing very well.

Another use I came up with was to clean my face with these. As you know, I don't like using a lot of cleansers on my face; I prefer using a cotton baby wipe or just a soft cloth with either oil or plain water. When I was thinking about how soft the Skoy cloths are, I decided to test using it on the back of my hand. Using just water, I was able to wipe away some liquid foundation. The cloth didn't irritate my skin at all so... I test using it on my face. Same result: my skin was cleaned and not irritated in the least. So my new thing is to get some more of these to use on my face and in the shower. There is just the very slightest of exfoliation when using the cloths so I am gentle on my face and a little more aggressive on my torso.

The one thing I have learned to do is to lay them flat to dry. They dry back to a hard sponge texture so wadding them up looks tacky. Honestly, that right there is the ONLY less-than-positive thing I can say about these.

Best of all is that these are priced so well. I wish Amazon had subscription prices for them, but I will just have to remember to re-order every 3 months or so. Hopefully, the price doesn't shoot up all of a sudden!

Peace

--Free

P.S.: Now that Google Plus is no more, I would really appreciate readers sharing my posts wherever they can. My blog was based around Google and without it, I am losing a lot of readership. I will be setting up a better auto-notification for future posts. Thanks!

NOTE: I want to mention that I was NOT paid or compensated for this post. As with most of my personal reviews, I purchased the product or received it as a gift from a friend or family member. In the case that I am compensated in any way, I include a disclaimer with the post.

**REVIEW** Eco Friendly Machine Washable Reusable Bamboo Towels

As with the milk powder I tried, this is another item that I am counting on to save waste and money.

That is a roll of Bamboo Towels - Heavy Duty Eco Friendly Machine Washable Reusable Bamboo Towels (my emphasis)

I was a little skeptical about these washable and reusable bamboo paper towels. Basically, I wondered if they would work without falling apart. I also wondered if they would really work as claimed.

My first test was to wet a towel and clean one of the kitchen counters. I used soap for the first wipe-down, then I used a spritz mix of alcohol and water. The towel held up really well. It didn't shred or leave any fuzz/residue on the surfaces.

The next test was to rinse the towel out with some soap and let it dry. I wanted to see if it retained its original strength and cleaning properties. It did.

At this point, I was feeling pretty impressed. I don't know how long these will last but I'm going to treat them exactly as the packaging suggests and update this review down the road. If they last longer than a month, that would be saving my use of at least 3 rolls of these Viva paper towels I have preferred - and which cost about $9.50 for 8 rolls (with 88 1-ply sheets per roll).

Here's a little more info about the reusable towel:

• There are 20 sheets of 11x12 perforated sheets to a roll.
• They are made of a sustainable "bamboo source" (made into a type of rayon material, apparently)
• For concerned folks, these aren't made of wood from "normal" trees.

What about the "rayon" in "bamboo rayon"?

Some Amazon reviewers noted that there is actual rayon in the product and when I checked my package, sure enough, there was a note about rayon.

 Did you see it? Me either. Until I squinted.

Now, I myself am not troubled by using rayon to clean items in my home. Also, for those who are concerned, I found an article that somewhat clarifies the issue of bamboo rayon fibers. What does bother me is that the rayon part seemed to be hidden. This is a copy/paste of the product description on the product page:

Our heavy-duty bamboo towels are stronger, more absorbent and durable than regular paper towels. They are made from sustainable certified organic bamboo source with each roll can save up to 60 conventional paper towel rolls and fits in your regular paper towel dispenser. These 11" x 12" perforated tear off sheets are machine washable and reusable up to 120 times before discarding. Use these bamboo towels just like how you normally use conventional paper towels. Hand or machine wash and air dry for best results and longer life. They are soft enough to be used on skin and tough enough to be used as shop towels, our bamboo towels can be used almost anywhere. Perfect for household cleaning, travel, car, bathroom, pets, camping, personal care, daycare and more. Unlike normal trees, bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, growing up to 3 feet or more day and is grown without pesticides, fertilizers or irrigation, making it an eco-friendly and sustainable choice over cotton and other plant materials. (emphasis mine)

The positives of bamboo and lack of certain items are played up but the rayon is not mentioned. That just seems sneaky. Notice the emphasis I made in showing the listed product name at the head of this post.

Care and Upkeep

Because these are reusable, I wasn't expecting them to be totally easy to care for, but I am glad I paid attention to the packaging. My instincts would be to toss them in a washer/dryer, then iron them. That would be wrong.

These are to be machine or hand washed but with no fabric softener. They must be air dried and not ironed. 

Bottom Line

PROS - 

• Softer and more pliable than I expected, making them great for cleaning and drying items
• The size is large enough that one is adequate for most cleaning
• They are quite absorbent and thick
• They are tough and don't tear or shred easily (at least not after my first use)
• Will replace a lot of traditional paper towels
• They rinse out well - even after wiping stain-like messes
• There isn't a lot of shrinkage after wetting or drying

Top - dry towel
Bottom - wet towel

CONS -

• They have to be air dried so need a place to hang
• The sort of hidden rayon issue bothers me

Honestly, I really like these a lot. I am going to mention to the seller that the note about the rayon shouldn't seem so hidden. At any rate, I will most likely purchase these in the future - maybe from another seller.

Peace

--Free

UPDATE **REVIEW** Bissell Cleanview Bagless Upright Vacuum (Model 95956)

UPDATE:
My wonderful vacuum broke the other day just when I needed it most. 

Don't ask because I don't know...

Of course, the automatic Amazon warranty expired in July. Of. Course. That broken spring up there is on the MAIN part of the vac - the canister. So weird that it just popped out when I was getting ready to empty the thing and check the filter. Anyway, I decided to see if I could buy a replacement for the handle - or spring, or whatever - and I contacted Bissell online. They told me that there is no replacement for the handle; the entire cannister has to be replaced. Before I could have a mini nervous breakdown wondering what that might cost, I was told Bissell would ship one out as soon as I verified my address. At no cost. Not even shipping fees. Wow. So my new canister will be here day after tomorrow. How awesome is that? And they even emailed me a coupon for a percentage off any online purchase I make. Yay, Bissell. I just wanted to make this note about the wonderful customer service. Now, when I start looking for a carpet shampooer, I know who to check out first. Oh, and I guess I should mention that this is all because I made sure to register my vacuum with Bissell even though I made the purchase on Amazon.


**Before I even start the review, let me do a service to anyone who, like me, might be confused about the model numbers of Bissell's Cleanview 9595 series of vacuums. Apparently, the 95956 (the model I have) and the 9595A are the same in every way except for the colors. My model is in Teal and the other is in Purple. I could not clarify this except to contact Bissell and Amazon. On Amazon (where I made my purchase) the 9595A has 11k+ reviews while the 95956 has only 105 reviews at the time of this post. Out of all the answered questions and reviews (and I dragged through just about every single one of them), I only recall seeing a single comment about the color difference. The reason this was so important to me is that I wanted the vacuum for its "OnePass" feature that Bissell seems so proud of. I could not tell clearly from the product info whether or not the 95956 had the feature. My brain does not retain information long enough to keep track when comparing items. I was afraid I had ordered the wrong one...**



Okay. So with that cleared up, let's take a look at why I wanted this particular vacuum.

1. The price tag = $79.99 + $5.22 for a protection plan. Perfect for my sad budget. The poor little Dirt Devil that I got at Dollar General (and paid, I think, less than $25 for) when I moved here a year ago has been limping along. It picks up the obvious debris but my carpet is very neglected looking from what the DD leaves behind. I've been saving up for about 3 months for a better vacuum but could only afford something under $100. I watched videos and read hundreds of reviews for at least 10 vacuums (and had to take notes so I wouldn't get confused) before I settled on the Cleanview 9595 model. I wanted to go cheaper but...
2. The suction power. Reviewers rave about the cleaning power of this model. You should see some of the photos of what people seemed to have sucked out of their carpets. At least 10 people mentioned this model having suction at least almost as good as $200 and $400 machines. That part may be little scam-ish, but the photos don't seem to be lying. Reviews that complained about the loudness of the vacuum still gave a thumbs up for the suction. And I need to really clean out all the residue of the spot cleaners I used all winter.
3. The lightweight design. Lord knows I can barely work up the energy to vacuum at all so I sure don't want some heavy, clunky machine to drag around even such a small apartment
4. The added bonuses are the attachments, a decent length cord, and a washable filter. The Dirt Devil has a washable filter and that saves money big time. It's also cool that this has an easy-empty cannister.

Keep in mind that this is why I wanted this machine and was hoping it would live up to the hype. The only thing I was bothered by from the product photos is that the power button is placed so far down on the machine. Why not on the handle? That may seem like a petty thing but I've been having back problems the past couple of months and I try not to bend if I don't have to. But whatever. Everything else about this vacuum sounded like my dream product.

So, let's now see how it all worked out. In addition to what I mentioned above, I would also be looking to see how easy it would be to assemble this machine. This is what it looks like when you remove everything from the box:

Once I stuck on the handle, everything else was easy. I have cognitive issues and it only took me around 22 minutes to have it all done and get to vacuuming. And I really did need to get to vacuuming...

I'm going to show this photo of what my carpet looks like pre-vacuuming. I do vacuum at least a couple of times a week with the Dirt Devil and I ran it over the high traffic area right inside the front door - pictured here - about 3 times just so you could see how awful the dirt and buildup of cleaner is. Pretty nasty, right? (By the way, now that I have a good decent machine, I can scrub with some spot cleaner and re-vacuum to see if it improves. For now, I want to see what this does with no spot cleaner.)

Remember, I went over this carpet more than once with the Dirt Devil for this photo:

BEFORE - lot of silty dirt

 This is what the carpet looks like after having been vacuumed pretty thoroughly with the Bissell:

AFTER still needs spot cleaning but MUCH better

This is what the Bissel cannister looked like after a couple of trips over this small area. UGH!

I feel so ashamed. It's as if I haven't vacuumed but a couple of times a season since I moved in!

So, Pros and Cons:

CON - Using the vacuum would be a lot of fun if it were not for that Power Button being placed so low down on the machine. Thankfully, the vacuum is not super heavy and I didn't get too worn out even after vacuuming and re-vacuuming off and on all day. (I'm determined to un-gross these floors!)

PRO - If I didn't appreciate the suction power while using this machine as an upright, I sure did once I used the attachments. I used the rotating attachment to freshen up the sofa. Man! This thing got all the little tiny particles of crumbs and dirt out the of very crevices of the couch. I could actually feel the suction power as I held the attachment and ran it over the fabric. That's awesome, but I will have to be really careful when trying to clean out window sills and such. I can see this thing snatching a pull cord right out of place.

PRO - The dust canister is SO easy to empty and I don't really have to touch the icky-ness. The canister pops open with the push of a button (so make sure to hold it over the trash can!), and any clumps of dust that gets stuck can be dislodged with a wooden skewer. Or that's what I do.

PRO - While this isn't the quietest machine, for the suction power, it sure isn't much louder than the Dirt Devil.

CON - The hose tends to fall off the holder and dangle. Also, the arrangement of the hose and the power cord is just awkward. This is a very minor issue though.

CON - If using the attachments, you need to use two hands so you can sort of stretch out the hose because the suction keeps contracting it. On the other hand...

PRO - The hose is a decent length - if you can keep it stretched out.

Overall, I am 5-starring this vacuum. It's not outrageously expensive and is doing a great job so far. I have told friends that I'll be more than happy if this lasts a year before I have to use the Protection Plan.


Peace
--Free


DISCLAIMER: I was not paid or in any way compensated for this review. 

I Hate Moving...

... so much!

Really, I do. I hate leaving the old place (packing, re-packing, loading up that crap to a truck); I hate getting to the new place (cleaning, painting, un-loading, un-packing); and I just flat out hate change of any kind - even the good kind, and this is the good kind.

Right now, I am one miserable bitch to be around.

My bedroom looks like a storage unit burped and blew up. I can't get packed because when I do get something into a box, I need it twenty seconds later. I'm having to throw out and give things away because I just refuse to move all this stuff. On top of it all, I'm a little depressed because I notice now that I have clothes in three sizes: 4, 6, 14. (Okay, four sizes, but I'm not telling anymore.)

Best part of all of this? I am only moving 2 miles down the road. I'm not ever going far from my family again.

~sigh~

You all know me by now: I can make a mountain out of a two grains of sand and a drop of procrastination...

The BFF I will be roomies with is all excited. Of course she is - she doesn't have to move all her stuff. She has offered to come over and help, but I am trying to have her save her energy for the painting we are going to do. Oh, and the moving of the bed and other pieces of furniture. heh heh. Besides, we'd end up looking at every piece of clothing and doing fashion critiques worthy of Ms. Wintour (or Mr. Blackwell!).

I do thank God (seriously) that I have The World's Best Family. My sister is motivating me ("You have 22 days. That's plenty of time." "You have 17 days." "You lazy heffa, you! You only have 12 days...") One nephew is going to help us paint, another one is going to do the moving (with the first nephew) and clean the carpets in the new place. My niece in North Carolina has been soothing me ("Just breathe, Auntie. I moved across country with 4 weeks notice. You got this.") The niece I live with is being so patient and sweet as I tear her house and garage and storage apart, looking for all my stuff. I locked her beloved (pain in my ass) dog in the garage the other day while I had the front door propped open so I could trot between storage and house for an hour. I also broke a shelf in her pantry while I was getting my pots and pans down... She's probably counting the hours til I'm out of here, but she gets all teary-eyed and says she's going to miss me! Her husband thought that pantry shit was funny, but he didn't laugh while she could hear him. (And, just for the record: no one here is going to miss me much because my ass will be right over here every day to see my sister and the baby!!!)

Am I dealing with this? Yes, but not very well. I get so overwhelmed  by the least little thing anymore. I  am calming myself with the following facts (here goes one of my lists):

• I'm about 5 minutes away (3 if the BFF is driving).
• I will be here to visit every other day or so.
• My darling little nephew, D.J., will be over to spend some nights with me. (Kidnap style!)
• My BFF is part of the fam so she is going to be sneaking over here as much as I will.
• As soon as all this pack/move b.s. is over, I'm going to invite Mr. Malibu Rum over so we can have a really long chat.

It's all good. Change is hard, but it happens. I am just now thinking of a really cute posting I saw on G+: "Life...Some Assembly Required." (I really need a t-shirt with the saying I came up with: "Life - this side UP.")

Whatever. Just think of me and know that this is what I look like when I am staring at this mess of unpacked stuff:

I wish I could snap my fingers or crack my toes and have this shit just all freaking done. Ain't gonna happen, so let me get my lazy ass up from this laptop and get back to packing. Please miss me while I am gone from the blog!

Peace
--Free