Top 5 Cleaning Products

As if it wasn’t obvious, I have a top 5 list of my favorite cleaning products. This is my OCD-ness at the best, and I would recommend any of these products for various reasons. Now these products are all for different things, so this is not in any particular order, but let my explanations speak for themselves.

5. Clorox Wipes – As mentioned in my previous post about bathroom cleanliness, I am totally a fan of these puppies. I keep a container of them in my desk (I work at a hospital) and at various times during the day, I whip them out and let them do their business. They are convenient to use and kill 99.9% if all bacteria. They are pleasantly scented (lemon, orange, or fresh scent) and stay moist and ready to use whenever needed.
PRO: Quick peace of mind. Lemon scent smells so clean!
CON: They take a little too long to dry, and because they don’t smell like alcohol, I find myself doubting the fact that they really work on the truly gnarly, invisible killers.
BEST USE: Cleaning places that aren’t dirty, but may be unclean. (Think counter top post raw chicken preparation.)

4. KaBoom – Cleaning showers is a pain in the ass but for hard-water spots, and dirty foot prints on the base of the tub, this is the product I turn to (thanks J!). Leave it on the sliding glass doors for 5-10 minutes and come back and clean it. I would recommend the small circles technique of scrubbing it off because I find it works the best. Don’t get me wrong, you are still going to have to use a little elbow grease but I feel like this gets the job done.
PRO: It’s very thick, so when you spray it on the desired surface, it stays where it’s sprayed.
CON: It’s yellow. I feel like cleaning products should be clear or white, but it still works so I can get over it. Also, the scent is very potent, and you are going to have to take a breather if you are cleaning the whole shower.
BEST USE: Water spots on the shower door. (Scrubbing required.)

3. Swiffer – Um amazing. When these bad boys burst upon the scene (it feels like it wasn’t that long ago, but I don’t really remember) I was skeptical of their cleaning ability, but they are now one of my favorites. I like the fact that hair sticks to them, and they seem to get dust that I didn’t know was there. If you haven’t used these yet, get out from under your rock and use them. They come in wet and dry versions, and they are so much more sanitary then a mop (a stinky, moldy, bacteria spreader) or a broom (are you kidding me they run right over most of the dirt they are intended to catch). Being a little bit of a tight wad, I will use one Swiffer cloth for the whole house, and vacuum off the hair and dirt intermittently until the job is done.
PRO: They are literally like dust magnets, and can be reused until the job is done.
CON: Obviously they are not a one time purchase like a broom is, and because of that, they are more expensive…but it is money well spent. One thing I will say about that though, I have found no difference between Swiffer and store brand so if you want to save some green, you don’t have to buy the Swiffer name.
BEST USE: Hardwood floors. If you want them to feel clean on your bare feet, use a Swiffer.

2. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser – These are relatively new too. I’m not sure how they do what they do…but they are pretty magical. They clean scuff marks pretty well, mold on shower tiles (in the grout especially) and then pretty much anything else you can think of. I believe the “magic ingredient” is some sort of paint thinner, so be careful. If you use it on a painted wall, and scrub too hard, it will pretty much take the paint right off. Another downfall is that they disintegrate in your hands and drip white cleaning agent all over the place. A small price to pay, if you ask me, but annoying none the less.
PRO: They clean things that are really difficult to clean otherwise. Especially the bathroom.
CON: They are too powerful? (Sounds strange but I’m sticking to it.) And they fall apart in your hand (store brand more than Mr. Clean's brand.)
BEST USE: Bathroom tile grout. It’s a safe haven for mold, but Mr. Clean found a way to flush it out.

1. Goo Gone – Holy Crap, where has this stuff been all my life? I can't say enough good things about this amazing cleaning accessory. It manages to get the stickiest messes out with little to no effort. Tree sap, gum, 15 year old stickers…nothing is a problem for Goo Gone. Recently I cleaned off three, 15 year old parking stickers from my grandmother's old car. It took a lot of rubbing but they are gone with no residue left on it, and no scratches on my windshield. I look at it everyday and smile. It’s simply amazing. It has a pleasant citrus scent, (which as I said before, just smells clean) and you do not have to use large quantities in order for it to get the job done. A little goes a long, long way.
PRO: It can clean things that you have given up on ever getting clean, but please read the directions before you put it on something that gets ruined.
CON: (If you find one, let me know. But I will say that breathing it in an enclosed car made for a dizzying experience. I can’t hold that against the product though, so no CON)
BEST USE: Tree sap on you car. It cleans it off effortlessly.

So that's just a little glimpse of my passion. Stay tuned for my bottom 5 cleaning products coming soon! :)