Clear and Free......and Clean

Maybe you want to use plant-based cleaners but you don’t want the fragrance that comes with  natural cleaners. Seventh Generation has an entire line of fragrance-free natural cleaners from fabric softener sheets and liquid, dish washer detergent in liquid and pre-filled pouches, to kitchen, bathroom and glass cleaners, tub, tile and bowl cleaners and more. Every product in the Clean and Clear line uses use natural ingredients and is completely free of perfumes or other fragrance but they still have the same cleaning ability of the original cleaning products and laundry line. They really work and the only thing missing is fragrance.

A Cleaner Sweep

The original Swiffer WetJet was an innovation in cleaning and the New Swiffer has indeed improved on that innovation. The latest Swiffer WetJet has two spray nozzles to increase coverage and cleaning efficiency. A larger Scrubbing strip on the front, rather than on the side, makes it easier to get at stubborn dirt. The handle is more ergonomic and the pole is stronger while the whole machine seems a bit lighter and easier to operate and maneuver around corners and under furniture. The battery compartment ( four AA batteries are needed) has also been improved for easier access and stability. The triple-layer cleaning pads have also been updated to be more absorbent and trap the dirt and dirty solution.

The different types of cleaning solution are more easily recognizable—Multipurpose, Antibacterial and Wood-- and are available in a larger size.

The improvements are noticeable and what has become the new standard in floor cleaning is now even better.

The new Swiffer Wetjet starter kit (sugg. retail $21.99) comes with 500ml bottle of cleaning solution and two pads.

www.swiffer.com

To anti-bacterial or not?

Was it that long ago when cleaning a home meant using soap and water? Just when did it become necessary to use hospital-strength cleaners on your kitchen floor?

When is soap enough? What is the difference between cleaning and disinfecting? When is which necessary?

These seem like pretty simple questions. It turns out the answers, and the roads to them, are not that straightforward.

There has been some discussion about the place for anti-bacterials for some time. One concern is that the overuse of these agents result in bacteria, which, being resilient and endlessly clever, become more and more resistant to the point that virtually no remedy can adequately vanquish them.

Another concern is one agent in particular, Triclosan, which can irritate the skin and be hazardous to the environment. http://74.125.45.104/search?q=cache:Q97AT-uxe54J:www.panna.org/files/factsheetTriclosan.pdf+Lysol+AND+Triclosan&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us

http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/emci/chemref/3380345.html