Favorite Household Cleaning Products

[iowabear]

With a fall chill in the air, it's got me thinking about Fall cleaning before the house is closed up for the heating season.

 

What's in your household cleaning arsenal?

 

In mine:

 

Lime-a-Way spray, Scrubbing Bubbles (can), Comet powder, Mr. Clean floor cleaner (bottle), Soft-Scrub gel, Windex, Resolve carpet spot cleaner, Hoover Platinum carpet shampoo, Dawn dish detergent, white vinegar and last but not least liquid chlorine bleach.

 

Anybody have any products they really like and couldn't live without?

 

[supersuds]

Since you mentioned Scrubbing Bubbles...

...have you noticed that Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner has been discontinued?

It's now Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Grime Fighter and has no disinfectant properties. I assume this is part of the War on Unnecessary Germ Killing. The citrus scent "Grime Fighter", at any rate, is awful. I'm now looking for some other product to clean the bathroom.

Scrubbing Bubbles® Products & Cleaning Tips

We work hard so you don't have to. Find products and solutions to get your bathroom and toilet clean.

www.scrubbingbubbles.com

 

[mrsalvo]

In my arsenal: Just about everything you can imagine. Have been meaning go throw out some 20+ year cleaning chemicals, Pine-Sol, Lysol, that's stored in the furthest reaches under a seldom used cabinet that I had forgotten about. Funny, but ever since this whole ordeal with my Dads illness, I don't care for strongly scented cleaners anymore, and I grew up on much of them. (I do miss the old scent of SpicNSpan, that just smelled clean!)
I use, and prefer, Bon Ami powder on ceramic tile, porcelain and laminate countertops, gives it a shine that I cannot get otherwise with other cleaners. To remove calcium and heavy soap scum build-up in commodes and bathtubs, I swear by Sani-Vac, it also cleans stainless steel well. I think it's probably pretty harsh, so I use it only sparringly from time to time (it will eat tile grout). Still have chlorine bleach on hand, but scared to use it on Dad's account. Another cleaner I wouldn't want to be without is 409.

Does anyone still use Pledge polish on furniture? I use Endust on the bottom of my vacuum cleaner mops, for hardwood floors, though not crazy about the smell.

Barry

 

[askolover]

I keep Lysol tub and tile foam in the can all the time for the shower and sink AND it disinfects.  Clorox Cleanup goes in the mop water most of the time...occasionally fresh scent Lysol or PineSol for a change.

 

[thomasortega]

I use the Karcher steam cleaner for almost everything (no chemicals needed, just plain water and it works great)

For the toilet I use one of those liquids (i don't even remember the brand), it's a black bottle with a dark blue liquid.

I can't live without the Bar Keeper's Friend spray (that thing is spectacular)
Sometimes I also use the BKF regular powder.

I bought a box of Bissell steam activated Swiffers (to use with my steam cleaner). Well, it's ok, but not impressive. It smells great but doesn't improve cleaning and sometimes leaves my horrible laminate floor sticky.

Cleaning vinegar (that I always have a spray bottle mixed with water) for quick cleanups.

Fabuloso that i mix with water and mop the kitchen and the bathroom floors only when i want the house to smell like just cleaned by a Mexican cleaner.

Ozium (I love that thing) to get rid of my cigarette smoke smell when I know visitors are coming. It gets rid of 90% of the smell in seconds... If I spray the whole house again, after 10 minutes, for the next 2 hours nobody would even imagine I smoke 1.5 packs a day.

 

[iowabear]

Demise of Scrubbing Bubbles...

I didn't realize that happened.  I have stash of 3 or 4 cans left.  I've used it for as long as I can remember.  I will admit to buying it years ago for the memorable ad campaign..."W work hard so you don't have to!"   Another great product gone!

 

I don't use Pine-Sol but I know there was a big uproar about it because it's no longer made from pine oil. 

 

Formula 409 is product I grew up using but didn't buy as an adult.  I might give it another try.  I've always loved the name, the first 408 formulas weren't good enough but 409...that was the ticket.

 

[luxflairguy]

Since I clean houses for a living its the same in every home:  Comet Bathroom Cleaner, Clorox Clean-up, 409 spray for general use, good old Comet cleanser, the new Invisible Glass window cleaner, BKF and SoftScrub.  Nothing more!  The homes I do have between 4 and 7 bathrooms as well as the walk-in closet shower stall.  All white kitchens, too!  Carpets out and hardwood's in!  Some homes vinegar/water for the floors with a Bona mop and the others Bona cleaner and mop.   Greg

 

[supersuds]

Pine-Sol

This won’t help everyone, but if you’re in the Southeast, Publix supermarkets have a store-brand pine cleaner that’s 19.9% pine oil. That’s about twice as much as Pine-Sol used to have. It’s great for really grimy linoleum floors.

 

[askolover]

Lestoil still has pine oil in it according to the Clorox Company website (they own PineSol).  I found a vintage bottle of PineSol on ebay and the label says it had 30% Pine oil, 10.9% isopropanol, and 10% soap.  I know the stuff they sell now doesn't turn the water white like it used to!

 

[launderess]

As have stated often.

Cannot abide scent of pine oil cleaners. Puts one in mind of restrooms in cheap and low public establishments. *LOL*

That being said if pine cleaner does not carry an EPA registration number, then it is not a disinfectant.

However do remember Mother Dear and some aunts, grandmothers being fond of Breath O Pine.

Again personally couldn't stand the stuff and wouldn't go near. When assigned cleaning chores would reach for Janitor in the Drum, or Lysol Deodorizing Cleaner.

 

[askolover]

I remember using Janitor in a drum when I was little.

 

[circlew]

The cleaners I use most often are Dawn dish detergent, Bar Keepers Friend, and Dawn Heavy Duty Degreaser. I also use Lestoil for any tar spots on the floor. For the tub, I recently bought Scotch-Brite Soap Scum Erasers. They worked very well with plain water.

According to the Clorox Co. website, the original Pine-Sol contains pine products, and is an EPA registered disinfectant.

Cleaning Supplies for Business, Hospitals & Schools | CloroxPro

Cleaning Supplies for Business, Hospitals & Schools

www.cloroxprofessional.com

 

[iowabear]

Pine-Sol

I'm almost sure I read that the Pine-Sol being sold in stores didn't have pine oil because there was a shortage of it or something and that the company was only selling the original formula online.  Maybe that has changed?

 

I'm with the anti-pine folks anyway, the smell is too much.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

Household cleaners

LCB, Ammonia, Lysol Daily Cleanser, Clorox Daily Sanitizing spray, BKF, Pine Sol Lemon, Scrub Free daily shower spray, and Scrubbing Bubbles Grime Fighter. These are our 'daily' use items. One thing I did have to use recently was Liquid Plumr Hair Clog Eliminator. This stuff works like a charm.

 

[ea56]

For the dishes, counter tops and stove Palmolive Liquid Green formula, pots and pans and the oven that need extra scouring Bar Keepers Friend, SOS and Stainless Steel Chore Boy pads. I also use old school woven cotton dish clothes for the dishes and counter tops. I recently found some excellent ones at Walmart that have nylon net on one side, they are the best for scrubbing off dishes and even the broiler pan.

For the toilets, bathrooms sinks, bathtub and shower, either Comet ot Ajax scouring powder and for the kitchen and bathroom floors and walls either Mr. Clean or Lysol liquid cleaner.

For windows and mirrors Windex Vinegar Formula. For hand washing at the kitchen and bathroom sinks, Ivory Bar Soap. I keep a good pair of heavy duty rubber gloves for handwashing the dishes so I can use the hottest water possible.

And we always keep a bottle of Resolve Spray Carpet cleaner on hand for any spot cleaning of the carpets. We never wear shoes in the house and have company take their shoes off too, so the wall to wall light sand colored carpet only needs cleaning about every 12 to 18 months to keep the warranty in force we have Stanely Steemer do it, and they do a very good job.

We use either Scotts Liquid Gold or Old English Furniture Polish on the furniture and kitchen cabinets.

We are pretty much old school in our cleaning.

Eddie

 

[supersuds]

Original Pine-Sol

CircleW, I think your ink is to an institutional product, not to what is sold to consumers?

This link indicates that they've brought back the "original" formula, with 8.75% pine oil, but online only.

"Pine oil supplies are limited and have become more expensive and will continue to be an issue around producing original pine scent Pine-Sol. We are not able to manufacture the original scent in the quantities required to be available in stores nationwide.

How long will it be available? The good news is that will have it for the foreseeable future, but there is a chance at some point that we would need to discontinue sales. If that does happen, we will be sure to give our loyal customers fair notice before that happens."

Pine-Sol Original Pine Six-Pack

Frequently Asked Questions Is this the Pine-Sol scent from a few years ago? Yes, this is the “Pine-Sol Original Pine” scent. The product contains 8.75% pine oil and is the scent you know and love. Why is it only available here? Pine oil supplies are limited and have become more expensive and...

1221market.com

 

[launderess]

Pine Oil Shortage?

Well yes, and no.

Pine oil is extracted from stumps, needles, cones and twigs of certain pine trees. Obviously a tree stump will provide more oil than say needles, twigs and so forth.

According to Pine-Sol's Wikipedia entry Clorox (owner of the brand) claims there is a shortage of pine tree stumps of a certain age. That means pine oil is becoming scarce and the subsequent limited supply is driving up prices.

This is not by any means anything new; consumers have been on the war path about Pine-Sol changing for several years now.

"According to 1950s Milner executive Howard S. Cohoon, producer of Pine-sol, pine oil is only formed in large stumps from cut-over timber that remained in the ground for "at least 20 years." It is not found in live pine trees. When asked about the risk of running out, Cohoon estimated in 1954 that there was "enough to last for another 35 years." He was not worried about a shortage as he claimed pine oil could be produced synthetically"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine-Sol

https://www.homesteadingtoday.com/threads/pine-sol-no-longer-contains-pine-oil.525433/

https://consumerist.com/2014/01/02/why-does-pine-sol-no-longer-smell-like-pine/

 

[robbinsandmyers]

I really like LA's Awesome from the dollar store. Cleans just about anything and doesnt sting if it hits a finger cut. Method soap products, Dawn dish washing soap when its on sale, Fabuloso for damp mopping, Lysol spray and white vinegar.

 

[dermacie]

I'm surprised that nobody said Murphy's Oil Soap. I use it on my wood floors for my spring and fall cleaning along with my doors and woodwork. I use ammonia to clean stubborn grease and stains on my aging GE stove and even on the kitchen cabinets since they aren't wood. I really like the Spic N Span in a bottle and use that to touch up walls and my other appliances.