Review and Giveaway: Ecostore's green cleaners have No Nasty Chemicals

3/11/10 UPDATE: Winner is...Luke Swantek! Congrats Luke and thank you everyone for entering.

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I got rid of my cleaning lady almost 3 years ago. I miss her terribly but I just couldn't justify the cost anymore. And, while part of me LOVED the fresh chemical smell and neat, orderly home I had once every two weeks...the feeling only lasted about 5 minutes until the Twofer started trashing the place again.

So, I started cleaning myself.

There are tons of products out there that make cleaning easier but...

The one area I dreaded the most was the bathroom.

Ew.

So I loaded up on long-handled brushes and scrubbers and potent cleaners that promised "no scrubbing" so that I wouldn't have to work as hard or get as close to the germy germs. Yet, even with that distance the chemicals were burning my nose.

It's not until YOU do the cleaning YOURSELF that you really start to think about what you are using!

Here's how my neurotic brain works....I would wash the Twofer's bathtub and rinse and rinse and rinse and not really want them to sit in the tub because I just wasn't sure I had rinsed all the chemicals out. And I didn't want them sitting in a tub full of harsh chemical with their private parts all exposed becase who knows what that stuff will do to a girl's reproductive organs and I would like them to have kids one day so I can have grandkids thankyouverymuch (deep breath in) so just how long do you think I need to rinse this tub before I can safely fill it with bath water for them and know they aren't taking a chemical bath that will one day leave them barren????

That was when I started looking into green cleaners.

Ecostore products have No Nasty Chemicals

I tried the cream cleanser on my stainless steel fridge, kitchen sink, and the Twofer's bathtub. I also used the toilet cleaner on two of our toilets. I have to say both cleaners have a nice fresh but definitely not harsh smell. The cream cleanser got rid of the tub scum with little scrubbing effort from me and rinsed off nicely. Plus, I'm not worried about rinsing it 1000 times because it's made of chalk, plant based products, xanthum gum, and lemon verbena oil...natural goodness.

The toilet cleaner was thicker than the other chemical brand I buy. I let it sit for a few minutes in the bowl and it worked really well with a few strokes of the toilet brush. Plus, it's clear, not blue and contains NO phosphates, bleach, nitrates, ammonia, chlorine, etc. Who knew a mixture of glucocides, citric acid, pine oil, and other natural elements could clean a toilet bowl so well!

And check out the note that comes with the product shipment:

You can win $25 in Ecostore products

You have up to FIVE ways to enter...each item is an entry and leave a separate comment with links when applicable for each!

1. Visit Ecostore and tell me which 2 products you would most likely buy with the $25.00 gift card

2. Follow Eco Store on twitter and tweet: I'd like to win $25 in @ecostore cleaners with No Nasty Chemicals from @Twincident http://bit.ly/ecocleaner

3. Sign up for the Ecostore "No Nasty Chemicals" newsletter in the right column on the blog

4. Sign up for the Ecostore free monthly newsletter

5. Email 3 friends with a link to this giveaway and cc scarytwins{at}yahoo{dot}com (feel free to explain in your own words why you are sending them the link, or recommending they enter as well, etc. - whatever you want to say)

Givewaway open to US residents 18 and over who have not won an Ecostore giveaway in the last 6 months (Limit one win per 6 months per person). Contest ends Friday March 5, 2010 at 11:00 PM ET. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries, will be notified via email and has 48 hours to reply to email to claim prize before a new winner is chosen. 

For more information be sure to visit www.ecostoreuse.com and become a Fan of ecostore on Facebook!

Janine

Disclosure: I received $25.00 gift card to purchase Ecostore products for the purpose of this review. Opinions expressed here are mine and were not reviewed nor approved by Ecostore prior to posting.

Review: The Ultimate Cloth just might be my ticket out of paper towels

When I was asked to review the Ultimate Cloth I jumped at the chance.

I've been looking for something to replace even some of the paper towels we use. I do use sponges and even wash them in the dishwaser but for things like wood cabinets or glass cooktops, a wet sponge just won't do.

Ultimate Cloth cleans windows with just water

According to the Ultimate Cloth..

The Ultimate Cloth is a brand new technology – in fact, it is the only cloth to receive a new patent in the last 25 years.  The Ultimate Cloth is a simple, green and effective one-step cleaning process.  The Ultimate Cloth cleans any hard surface – glass, wood, granite, stainless steel and many more – with just water!  No longer do you have to use harsh chemicals in your home, nor do you need spend hundreds of dollars per year buying them.  The Ultimate Cloth has been lab tested to remove 96% of bacteria, without the use of chemicals.  

So how did the Ultimate Cloth do?

It worked great on granite, the glass cooktop, windows, mirrors, and my wood floor.

It worked OK on stainless steel but according to the website that might be because I already used a stainless steel cleaner that 'stained' my fridge.

I have yet to try it on my wood cabinets but it seemed gentle on my wood floor so I will definitely try it.

Things I liked:

The fact that I did not spray one chemical or cleaner with the Ultimate Cloth (only water and ring it out well) is a plus.

The fact that this one simple cloth seemed to work well on all different surfaces is another plus.

Things I want to explore more:

If the Ultimate Cloth really removes 96% of bacteria.

How to wring out the Ultimate Cloth to get the water out and reduce drops or streaking.

The best way to use the Ultimate Cloth on stainless steel.

The Ultimate Cloth 3-pack

Have you tried the Ultimate Cloth or Shamwow? Tell me what your experience was like so I can compare.

Janine

Sample product provided by The Ultimate Cloth at no cost. All views and opinions with regard to the product or company are my own and are not influenced, nor reviewed by the company prior to posting.

**UPDATE** Clorox Greenworks Dishwashing Liquid Tips and Giveaway

**UPDATE** Winner is...furygirl3132.
Congratulations and happy dish washing!

I guess you could say I'm a person with a sensitive olfactory organs (look it up...I did) because one of the first things I do is smell. I smell books before I read them, I smell food before I eat it, and I even smell people...in a subtle way. You won't find me sniffing around.

So the first time I tried Clorox GreenWorks dishwashing liquid I was in love with the smell. But after using it a number of times I realized this stuff was powerful. Not only that, it's better for the environment because it is made with biodegradable ingredients and is 99% natural. Here are a few other tips you should know:

GreenWorks Tip One

Have some baked on mess in your Pyrex or glass dish? Spread a thick layer of GreenWorks dishwashing liquid on it and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then take your sponge or a plastic spatula and the mess should scrape off easily. I haven't used a wire pad since I discovered this little trick and my hands and nails are much happier.

GreenWorks Tip Two

You can make your own bubbles! All you need is some GreenWorks dishwashing liquid, water, and karo syrup or glycerine and you've got large or extra large bubbles. We tried this the other day and the Twofer loved it. They loved mixing the 'recipe' and they loved the large bubbles too.

Here is the link to 3 different versions of the bubble recipe: http://www.shadesofgreenjournal.com/files/GreenWorks_BubblesRecipe.pdf

GreenWorks Giveaway!

Haven't tried the GreenWorks dishwashing liquid yet? Enter to win a free bottle!
All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me if you have tried any of the GreenWorks products yet and if so, which ones. That's it! (be sure to include your email or Twitter ID so I can get in touch with you if you win!)

Extra entries (include link back to this page)

• Tweet this giveaway
• Email this contest to 5 friends and cc me (scarytwins [at] yahoo)
• Blog about this giveaway

Contest Ends Wednesday, June 3rd 2009 at 11:59 pm. Winner will be chosen by random drawing, and given 3 days to respond after notification.

Good Luck!
Janine

Product supplied by Clorox GreenWorks

Quick, Efficient and Green Laundry with Laundry Alternatives

This is just about the coolest thing I've seen in terms of laundry since the hand-cranked laundry spinner thing I used during my short stay with a friend and her host family in Costa Rica in 1994. (Not to mention their kitchen disposal...meaning the pig that lived just under the kitchen window and would eat all the scraps you tossed.)

This is the Wonderwash from Laundry Alternatives - the space saving, time saving, energy saving Green Clean solution for your laundry needs! As seen on The Rachael Ray Show, the Wonderwash uses a patented pressure system to thoroughly clean a five pound load in just minutes using less water and detergent than hand washing!

What can you wash with the Wonderwash? How about a week’s worth of dress shirts, 10 t-shirts, 30 pairs of socks, bibs, cloth diapers, burp clothes….the list goes on and on.

How does the Wonderwash work? When you put warm or hot water into the drum, fit the lid in place and seal the machine,the air inside the drum will absorb the heat of the water and expand (i.e., just like a hot air balloon). When the air expands it creates pressure inside the drum. The pressure forces the detergent (which is diluted into the water) into & through the fabric (which is porous) about 100 times faster than you could by hand or machine.

Definitely Twofer Thumbs Up for the Wonder Wash!

**Contest/Giveaway**
YOU can Win a Wonderwash PLUS a Mini Countertop Spin Dryer! This dryer quietly spins the water out of your clothes in just minutes.

To participate follow these easy steps by Friday, 3/13 at 8:00pm!

1. Blog on your site about what YOU would use the Wonderwash and Mini Countertop Spin Dryer to clean.

2. Post a photo or a video of your mess and be sure to link back to Laundry Alternatives at www.laundry-alternative.com.

3. Fill out this secure participation form to be entered to win!

4. Then join us on Twitter Friday, March 13th from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. (EST) to tweet with Green Cleaning experts and find out who won the grand prize!

Five attendees will also win The TrueGreen Laundry Washing Ball, which cleans your clothes without bleach or detergents in cold water. It does not contain harmful synthetic detergents, perfumes, dyes, or oils!

RSVP here: http://resourcefulmommy.blogspot.com/2009/03/show-me-your-mess-and-win.html

Contest is open to all U.S. residents and runs from Friday, March 6th to Friday, March 13th at 8:00p.m. EST. All winners will be contacted within one week of closing to verify participation and obtain shipping information.

Janine

A New Sniffing Sensation

First was the laundry detergent. Now I've found Clorox GreenWorks dish soap and again...I'm WOWed by the scent! These GreenWorks folks have it down when it comes to smelling good. I'm sure there's science behind that, or maybe it's as simple as things that are natural smell good. Either way, I find myself sneaking sniffs of the stuff.

Switching to natural cleaners is a perfect way to transition into being greener. But it's hard to switch when we often have brands we've used for years. For me, as a Clorox user, I was willing to try the GreenWorks dish soap without putting up too much fuss.

The real test came when I used it in my sink on foods that are notoriously "tough" to scrub off....peanut butter, baked on cheese, burnt veggies (I'm green, I never claimed to be a good cook). Clorox GreenWorks dish soap passed with flying green colors!

Try it and let me know what you think...about the dish soap, not my weird smelling obsession.

And thanks to Mom Central for introducing me to Clorox GreenWorks!

Janine