Housework ??? ... ewwwwwwww!!!!!!! :(

[lorie d.]

I'm always looking for ways to make doing housework (yuck) faster and easier. I have seen the Eureka Hot Shot Steamer and similiar machines advertised in various catalogs and flyers. These machines are supposed to clean and sanitize using steam instead of chemicals. I was wondering if anyone has used one of these and what you thought of the machines performance?

 

[snady68]

Haven't tried any of them ... but if they make housework easier, I am all for them

 

[melissa]

I haven't used one either, but if anyone has I'd like to know whether or not they work like they're supposed to. We're getting a puppy in a few months and I'll be all about cleaning and sanitizing things :laughing:

 

[spooky]

Speaking of cleaning...has any heard of or have one of those new swifter mop things? I saw a comercial for one (I think it was made by pledge) and you hook up a bottle of solution to the long part and it sprays out the bottom and you just mop away. I want to get one for my bathroom since there is alot of dust around the floor by the toilet and my vacuum won't fit back there.

 

[lorie d.]

Spooky
I do use the Swifter sweeper, but I don't have the kind you're talking about, I have been looking for that too. However, I do use the Swifter wet pads on my basement steps. About halfway down, the pad gets too dry, then I just turn it over and it's wet enough to finish cleaning the steps.

 

[nena10]

I love housework. Since I can't afford the gym, I stick to housework. I like sweeping, mopping, vaccuming, and doing other cleaning. Doing it while listening to an energetic song. Today after work, I am going home, clean up my place then work outside. I want to learn how to mow the lawn. I like doing work every day,especially when I break out into a sweat. I clean the bathroom twice a week.

 

[debby]

Geesh Nena!! Wanna come over and clean MY bathroom???

 

[krazy kat2]

Swiffers are the best! They will get up kitty litter in one pass. I worked at a place that used one of those steam cleaners, and it seemed to work pretty well. I have heard good things about those Clorox cleaners, too.

 

[badhabit]

Nena I'm right there with you. I love to clean and I'd better with 2 dogs, 4 cats and Brian.

Although it makes it easier when you have good products. Anyone know of how you get stains out of the drip pans on the oven? Some food fell into them and Brian was cooking and it caught on fire. I've tried soaking itand that didn't work. I'm figuring I'll have to buy a new one.

 

[jeanie g.]

There is an old fashioned cleaner that's hard to find, but great for jobs like that. It's Arm and Hammer WASHING SODA, not baking soda. You stick big things in the wash tubs over night with washing soda and very hot water, and let them soak all night(at least.) I haven't seen it lately, but I had forgotten about it.
I have the Eureka floor cleaner. I like it, but you can't use cleaner in it. If you have a lot of wax of the floor, you'll have to remove the dirt imbedded in it with ammonia. By the way, the steam cleaner takes the shine off a waxed floor. (You know, the no-wax floors need to be freshened up occasionally.) The steam cleaner does not harm the no-wax floor, though. I don't know if I should, but I used to pour ammonia on the floor and then spread it around with the steam. I don't see what harm it could do. That's only a few times a year, however. The smell is so harsh.

 

[twocats]

This may sound like a testimonial, but back in November, my furnace started backfiring during the night (for about 4 hours while we were sleeping before the alarms woke me up). My kitchen, upstairs stairwell, bathroom, just about everyroom in my house was covered in either layers of soot or a film covering of it. My sister brought me over the Swifter Wet and the dry packs. I used the dry ones to wipe everything down first and then the wet ones to clean. A heater man said I did it right because the dry one acted like a "soot magnet" to get the majority off. If I would have used the wet one first, I would have made a "slurry" on the walls & floors.

I can tell you it cut the cleaning time down quite a bit. I remember when it happened at the same house when I was a teenager. It took 4 of us 3 full days (8-8) to get it cleaned up. This time it took only 16 hours in the kitchen (everything had to be cleaned, even in the cabinets) and the rest took only 10 more hours and it was just me doing the cleaning.

I've looked at the Clorox one you mentioned about putting the container in the handle. I'm not sure how well I like that idea. If the guy from the commercial would come help, I'd have no problems.

My mom used to tell me housework, if done right, is better than any spa or gym you have to pay to go workout in, it moves and tones all the body. I should have listened, I might not be so fat now.

 

[debby]

wow!! That would suck to have your furnace backfire like that!!! That always worries me, though it has never happened, because we have a fuel oil furnace. If it ever happens, I will remember the swifter wipes!! Thanks for the tip!

 

[julieb]

My favourite cleaning equipment is my Black and Decker ScumBuster. Picture a kitchen mixer with a rotating disk where the beaters would be. You can stick on several different brush and scouring-pad attachments, and it is safe to completely immerse in water (it is cordless and has VersaPak batteries in a sealed compartment). You can use it with any cleanser.

Not only does it do an excellent job of scrubbing surfaces like tiles and the bathtub, it also keeps them clean longer because the surfaces are so polished and slippery that stuff doesn't stick. I only clean my bathtub once a month, and even then it is not very scummy at all.

Swiffers are also excellent, especially to deal with the shedders in our family...

 

[badhabit]

Thanks Jeanie, next time I go shopping I'll have to look and see if they have that.

 

[tigger]

I hate house cleaning!!

I hate moping the bathrooms because of the lint ..... GROSS! I'd like to know if those steam cleaners work, too, LorieD! I saw a scum buster advertised on an infomercial last night .. You can get it off tvinventions.com

 

[dtolle]

Here is my take on house cleaning. I don't enjoy it, but I am anal about doing it. I hate a dirty house.

As far as products go, the Swiffer is the BEST! I use the swiffer dry ones to do the hardwood floors. I have the clorox wet mop too ( the one where you put the bottle of cleaner in it ) and its great. works quite well for the bathroom and kitchen floors.

In my opinion, house cleaning is a continual effort. If you let it go too long, its disgusting to do, not to mention overwhelming. I try to clean every day......even if its just the bare essentials.

 

[tigger]

Daniela,
I hate a dirty house, too!

How much is the Swifter??

 

[lorie d.]

Thanks Tigger, I'll check the scum buster out.

 

[dtolle]

The swiffer was around 12 bucks, and the refill cloths are like $4.99 for a box of 32.....well worth the money in my opinion.

You can also get the swiffer wet wipes, which use the same swiffer mop, and are around the same price as the dry for 12 wet cloths..

Its a great invention!

 

[tigger]

Ok, I was wrong

It's called the Swamp Buster!