Best Cleaning Improvements I’ve Made Recently
There was a long period in my life when I believed that everything could and should be cleaned with Windex. Although it saved me a lot of money, it wasn’t very practical or useful when it came to cleaning my house, but I’m a person who believes in constant growth and development, so I replaced the Windex with better products and kept going deeper. into adulthood, as it happens. However, along the way I have learned that no one ever truly stops growing and improving; Replacements and upgrades are constantly needed! Here are a few of my recent cleaning changes that were worth it.
Replacing floor cleaning
First of all, this isn’t really a “swap” but I’ve been using both the Swiffer WetJet and the PowerMop for a few weeks. My opinion of the new PowerMop and its additional features over the good old WetJet hasn’t changed since I wrote this more detailed comparison – I still prefer the WetJet – but if you like the larger pad and guide lights, it could be a good replacement. for you. The WetJet starter kit costs $28.24, and the PowerMop costs just over a dollar at $29.94.
A more significant shift in my mopping routine came courtesy of the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce , a multi-surface wet/dry vacuum that the company sent me after I declared myself a Bissell fan in a review of good vacuum cleaner sales . It’s true: I loved and cherished my $33.98 Bissell Featherweight Stick , a cheap but powerful tool that switches from a standard vacuum to a stick vacuum. The Featherweight met all my vacuuming needs and I was constantly amazed at how much power it had for such a small thing. However, the CrossWave OmniForce meets all my vacuuming and mopping needs, which is pretty important, and it has even more suction (obviously) because it’s bigger and stronger. You can use the vacuum alone or use a dual mode to vacuum and mop the floor at the same time, and it retains a decent charge for about half an hour so you’re not tied to a cord. Two reservoirs separate clean and dirty water, and there’s even a self-cleaning mode that refreshes the brush roll and moves debris into the dirty reservoir.
To be clear, I probably wouldn’t have upgraded my featherweight for about $300 if I hadn’t been sent one of these to try, but I’m very glad I did because it not only replaced that little vacuum cleaner; which I had. I use it, but so do my mops. Ultimately, it’s the two-for-one deal that makes me recommend it as a reliable replacement, so if you’re looking for a new vacuum or mop, consider this as it significantly speeds up your cleaning time without forcing you to switch devices.
The last thing I’ve done lately to improve my floors is to get rid of one big, nice rug and replace it with smaller, cheaper ones in high-traffic areas. The little faux fur treadmills range from $18 to $32 on Amazon, are easy to vacuum clean, and cheap enough that I don’t worry if (well, when ) I spill on them. They look just as nice as the big buzzing rug that used to be in the middle of the floor, so it was a win-win. (Bonus: They make a great, easy backdrop when I’m photographing products I want to sell online .)
Other recent cleaning product changes
A few months ago I replaced my regular melamine sponges with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy ($8.94 for five). Obviously the new and improved version of the classic is likely to be improved upon, and I’ve found that cleaning things like bathtubs and tiles is much quicker and easier with it, but that’s when I was truly convinced of the superiority This replacement came about when I had to remove some leftover sticker from a new glass tabletop one evening. Melamine sponges are already used to remove stickers from surfaces, but this usually takes some time. Extra Foamy didn’t do that. The remainder disappeared in about six seconds. It happened so quickly that I didn’t notice at first; I scrubbed for a while before I realized there was nothing left to clean. A+ exchange.
Cleansing power is one (important) thing, but I also really love the scents. If a cleaning product doesn’t smell nice, I won’t repurchase it. Hell, I don’t use it a second time; it sits on my shelf untouched. I usually use Gain for my laundry, but it still doesn’t give me the nice scent I want. I recently found a display of laundry detergent at Bath & Body Works and, after getting over my surprise at its existence, decided to pick it up because it came with an additional matching fragrance enhancer. I bought Champagne Toast Cleanser ($19.95) and Champagne Toast Booster ($19.95) and felt super smug every time I went to bed and my sheets still smelled like it. I would say that with the boosters the scent lasts for about a week.
Finally, this isn’t so much an upgrade as it is a level change, but I love the new lavender scent from Pine-Sol ($4.59). It does the same thing as regular Pine-Sol but with a nice floral scent, which is good for me because I like it much more than lemon or pine.