Will the need to save a buck change behavior when it comes to cleaning products?  S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. the maker of Windex has its doubts.  Nonetheless, they have come out with a new refill product that comes in packaging that uses 90% less plastic than the 26 ounce bottle.  The refill requires you to drop it into a spray bottle and simply add water.  Other companies also hope to convince American consumers of the “inconvenience” of creating their own replenished bottle of cleaning fluid by using a refill concentrate pouch.  Method Products, Inc. launched its laundry detergent and dish soap refill pouches and plans to come out with additional cleaners next year.

The refill Windex bottle costs as much as $3.50 to replace compared with $2.50 for the pouch. These are sold in packs of three for $7.50.  Many other manufacturers are planning to come out with more refill pouches for various products. If consumers catch on, it will ultimately be the accepted “eco- and budget- friendly method of purchasing cleaning products”.

Personally, I like the pouch packaging system and use the Cascade concentrated pouch for my dishwasher.

http://www.MartaPerrone.com

Last night's celebration was a blast even without any fireworks. We had old and new friends at the house for our traditional 4th of July weekend barbeque. Everyone brought a side dish to complement our chicken, sausage and hamburger sliders that my husband perfectly marinated. The drink of the evening on this Summer day was either Gin or Vodka Tonic with a good squeeze of lime. Everyone found a place to sit and eat in our backyard on its lounge and sofa style seating. It was a success with everyone mingling, laughing, and truly enjoying themselves. As the evening cooled off, we set the heaters and lit up the fire pit.

The best part having good solid help: our chef helped prepare hors d'oeuvres and barbeque all the meats while laying out the food beautifully. Our party helper was busy collecting plates, cleaning up and leaving everything sparkling. That is the best way, when I do not have to do anything but enjoy my guests. It is just something to add to your budget when planning a party: the cost to have the right assistance.

The following day, there was still some "clean-up" outside that we needed to do.  The outdoor patio was filled with food stains and debris.  No problem, just took out my bucket, OxiClean, a good scrub brush with a grip handle and the hose.  This product is brilliant for tough stains on laundry, carpet, grease, grime, outdoor furniture and decks. In no time, the patio looked its best and ready for another celebration.  Happy 4th of July everyone...hope you have as great of celebration as we did!

Cleaning today and decided to attack those walls. You always have to be so careful not to use a product that will damage the paint on the walls. Some liquids are just too harsh and leave water spots where you cleaned.  I tested some Bar Keepers Friend on a damp cloth and found that it worked beautifully.  This product comes in both liquid and powder. It is best to use the liquid on the walls. Remember to always use a cloth that is considerably damp and follow the cleaning with another damp cloth.

I love this product; it is also good for the kitchen and bathroom in that it cleans porcelain, chrome, tile, stainless steel and glass.

Yes, I know why they call it Bar Keepers Friend!!

The Summer has arrived and now we are spending more time outside by the pool, on our patio furniture and using the barbeque. But wait, all of this needs to be cleaned before we can enjoy it comfortably. Today, I was able to get my husband to clean all the patio furniture and even the barbeque enticing him with a lovely dinner when he finished the job. It also gave me an opportunity to see how this Patio Furniture cleaning product called "Goo Gone" works.  It seemed to get the job done nicely removing stains on the cushion covers. 

Here are the highlights:

*Biodegradable ingredients
*Removes suntan lotion, grease, tree sap, bird droppings and mildew stains
*Works on wicker, wood, plastic, vinyl, canvas, rattan, metal and glass
*Spray directly, use damp cloth, soft brush and rinse clean with water

Dinner is almost ready, and the patio so lovely that I think we will dine outside tonight!

Glad products is now adding technology that promises to block odors with their new product called "Odorshield" with Febreze (the household odor eliminator). Its competitor, Hefty also is using odor technology but offers bags that are unscented.  Simplehuman has introduced their version with carbon-lined plastic. Trash can manufacturers are getting into the challenge by adding carbon cartridges to its newest trash cans, and others are more concerned about "touching trash cans" with iTouchless Housewares & Products Inc. who has come out with its newest hands-free sensor trash cans that open automatically.

While sales are down on regular trash bags due to overstuffing and reusing bags from grocery stores, the cost of resin used to produce plastic has gone up driving the prices up. Manufactures are banking on odor-eliminating products to drive sales and have gained momentum. 

How do they manage to get their bags to smell better? Ruffies uses a baking soda derivative dusted on the surface while Glad sandwiches Febreze in between 2 layers of plastic and Hefty says its odor technology is mixed with the plastic on a molecular level.

No matter how they choose to do it, my pet peeve is that ALL trash be removed daily from every room of the house, and how it smells in the outside bins frankly doesn't matter to me.

http://www.MartaPerrone.com

Household chemical-based cleaners are becoming less popular due to the potential harm they have on your health from breathing an irritant odor, yet they continue to be considered the strongest disinfectant and method to clean. Some of the most popular companies attempting to go "green" are Clorox Works, Seven Generation, Eco-sense and Method. 

Did you know that in 2007, Congress passed legislation that requires light bulbs to be at least 25% more efficient than they used to be? I sure didn’t.  The New York Times reported that the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that bulbs compliant with this new law could save U.S. Households nearly $6 billion in energy costs in 2015!  But if you didn’t hear about the new law, you might have noticed the influx of high prices in the stores on some of these oddly shaped bulbs.   And you also may have noticed that those bulbs are not measured in Watts but in ‘Lumens’.

Due to the passage of this new (ish) law, light bulb manufacturers were forced to find ways of producing the same amount of light as Watts but using less energy. Lumens measure the actual brightness of these new light bulbs.   Currently, we have three different alternatives to the traditional incandescent: halogen-incandescent, compact fluorescent (CFL) and light-emitting diodes (LED).  Each choice has different pro’s and con’s.  So when you’re deciding which bulb to choose, think about these facts:

The Halogen-Incandescent: 25% more efficient and cheapest of the 3 alternatives

CFL: 75% more efficient and $2-$5 each; contain faint traces of mercury which can be released if broken

LED: 85% more efficient, most expensive of 3 alternatives ($25-$50 each), lasts longer than all alternatives; expected to be main type of bulb used when prices are lowered in a few years

So when you’re in Home Depot next, think about switching out your old light bulbs for more efficient ones.  Though you may be spending a little more money at the checkout stand, you will be saving a lot more money in the long-term when you get that next energy bill. 

http://www.MartaPerrone.com

We all think about relieving the tedium of everyday chores, just the other day I wrote about the new automated floor cleaning system Mint.

Now news just out from Whirlpool that their new top loading Vantage line ($4000 for a washer/dryer pair) has 33 settings for clothes, blankets and even shower curtains all on a very cool iPod like touch screen.

Bosch, Sears Kenmore brand and LG are among an array of manufacturers coming out with new machines making the laundry room the next battleground for your already stretched credit/debit cards.  

My 5-year-old Kenmore’s have 23 settings (I counted) so you can see how the ante is rising.  I have at times even gone adventurous with my machines, washing items that claim Dry Clean Only, only to find them cleaned perfectly minus the $10+ cost per item at my local Dry Cleaner.

My laundry room is not the first place I bring guests when they come over, but if you have a need for blackberry or lemongrass shaded appliances I have an avocado side by side fridge just waiting for my Mrs. Paul’s fish sticks to thaw out.

In the name of science, or “The Jetsons”, there is a new automated floor cleaner called Mint (http://www.mintcleaner.com).  It uses a Swiffer like wet/dry cloth system, has a cool Apple like look,  cleans in a grid format and works the corners.

All well and good, but there is something about it I find unsettling.

Cleaning the floors has a cathartic rhythmic feel, one I loathe to give up especially to a machine.  Doing the floors is usually the last part of a home cleaning process, one that says’ “I am done, case closed, the house is clean”.  It is slightly meditative, a gliding trancelike motion somewhere between a no-brainer and doing a downward dog.  

So while the Mint may be a great new addition to our mechanical automated housekeeper homemaker world, I will leave it to others.  As for me I will continue to be slightly old school, give me the mop, pail and the assurance and satisfaction of knowing I finished the job thoroughly.   

Green Works (a division of Clorox) now makes great new laundry detergent that is naturally derived and dermatologist tested and safe for sensitive skin. It still cleans with the power you expect from any other chemically derived product.

It works without leaving a harsh chemical residue on the clothes you was with it.  They also have a dye-and-fragrance free choice. It is also specially formulated for both standard and high-efficiency washers.
 
Green Works now makes all sorts of cleaners that are naturally derived.

• all purpose cleaner
• bathroom cleaner
• multi-surface cleaner
• toilet bowl cleaner
• glass & surface cleaner
• glass cleaner
• dishwashing liquid
• cleaning wipes

It is a good idea for homemakers and housekeepers  to begin using "green" products for the environment and their health.