Reviews by Cole » cleaning

You can clean brass with ketchup?

Cole — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:53:16 +0000

Sometimes I watch a show on BBC called How Clean is Your House where this pair of adorable, older British ladies travel the country (and sometimes our country) to help people clean their houses. They are big proponents of cleaning with things you would already have in the house (vinegar, dish soap, fruits and vegetables and even ketchup) and there’s a lot of handy hints on the show as well as the website. I know sometimes I don’t like to clean because I think I need a special product but I think that is a part of living in a consumer world. We are trained to think we need a specific product for a specific job or that chemicals equals clean (or cleaner) than some of the alternatives but it’s not necessarily true. There are a lot of home remedies to cleaning, health and probably even eye cream for wrinkles that we probably overlook and, in the end, would cost much less than their commercial counterparts (which may not do as good a job).

Why did I not know about this?

Cole — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:51:26 +0000

In JC Penney with Ginger, I saw this awesome UV light toothbrush sanitizer/holder by a company called Violight. As someone who has a healthy fear of germs, especially on things which go in my mouth and are supposed to make me clean, this idea is brilliant. Plus, storing toothbrushes upside down means my cats can’t add germs when they walk around the counters (I am a bad owner, I know!)

But, wait, there’s more!

No, really! The website has a crapload of different styles including a travel holder and cute little holders which would be great in a kid’s bathroom. I’ve no idea why I’ve never heard of this stuff before but I do know that I am so getting one.

You and Me, Both

Cole — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:46:38 +0000

Earlier I was talking to Jenn and we were commiserating over our dislike of cleaning. She was scrubbing her grout, a job I particularly hate and skim over (oop!). I’m not a big fan of scrubbing anything, period. The practical part of me never wants tile anything but the part of me which appreciates design cannot help but look at some of the options available for tile flooring or walls or showers or what-have-you and say “I want that!” Some of the options they have are so unique/gorgeous and really blow our basic shower tile out of the water (haha). Good thing it’s all out of my price range and I don’t own my home, eh?

You’ll never guess

Cole — Sat, 16 May 2009 06:51:00 +0000

what silly thing I did. I totally broke down and bought a ShamWow because, seriously, it has to be better then dealing with a testosterone-fueled cat than paper towels. We’ll see, I guess.

Cure for Crazy?

Cole — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:51:00 +0000

I wonder if anyone knows of a cure for insanity? LOL Life with Samantha sure is.. something else. I don’t quite know the word for it. “Exhausting” comes to mind but so do “fun” and “memorable.” Sometimes, at least. She wakes me up to play Maplestory pretty much all day. I get a break for a few hours because she went up the street to see her friend’s new fish (Samantha prophesied that this experience would be “amazing”). I foolishly tried to con Samantha into emptying some of her toys bins (she has an entire room for toys) of anything which was broken, missing pieces, unwanted or too babyish for her but we only emptied a skimpy garbage bag and a half of items – many of which are too small to count. Her room is still fool of stuffies and jewelry, makers, crayons and art supplies (Why does a kid need a rubber stamp anyway?) and tiny things like beads, rocks, stickers and accessories to toys with which she will never again play but still “wants.” Yea, right.