Best products from r/homemaking

So a quick review:

• The Force of Nature (FON) unit is surprisingly small
  
• No cap - just a pour spout
  
• Fill to the line with water, break & squeeze the capsule in, press the button, let sit for 10 minutes, done!
  
• Makes the water look fizzy while it's charging it (or whatever it's called)
  
• Pour spout makes filling the sprayer easy
  
• Turn the sprayer knob a little for mist, and more for a stream
  
  As far as the cleaner goes:
  
  
• Smells like a pool (chlorinated...like a well-maintained pool, not a horribly over-chlorinated pool
  
• Takes about 10 minutes after wiping dry for the smell to go away
  
• Does a good on multiple surfaces (including glass)
  
  As far as cleaning goes:
  
  
• To clean, spray & wipe
  
• To disinfect, you have to spray it, leave it for 10 minutes, THEN wipe it - think of it like toilet bowl cleaner, it's gotta sit for awhile
  
• There's no alcohol in the spray, so it takes forever to evaporate, so you have to wipe it dry
  
• They recommend scrubbing down gross surfaces with baking soda & water as needed (to clear the surface), THEN clean with the FON spray, then wipe dry
  
  Glass cleaning is pretty good, although you have to work a bit harder than my homemade glass cleaner...it does clean the glass & leave it streak-free, although at an angle I could see some "foggy" spots. This is the recipe for my homemade glass cleaner, which is wicked amazing:
  
  
• 1/4-cup Rubbing Alcohol
  
• 1/4-cup White Vinegar
  
• 2-teaspoons Cornstarch (this is what makes it streak-free)
  
• 2-cups Water
  
  Directions: (works great, WAY better than Windex!)
  
  

1. Combine using a blender (make sure to clean the blender out with soap or in the dishwasher after!)
   
2. Pour into a spray bottle (I get those blue glass misting bottles off Amazon)
   
3. I just use paper towels to wipe it off
   
   Anyway...I'm a bit sensitive to smells, and the FON spray definitely smelled like a pool to me. It's not a "nice, light, fresh, clean" scent like Febreze or something...it smells like a chlorinated pool. Not like a "whack you in the face" smell like Lysol with Bleach, but strong enough to be noticeable. The smell does dissipate pretty well after ten minutes or so, but if you're working extensively in a small, poorly-ventilated space like a half-bathroom, make sure to leave the door open!
   
   So far so good...it's cleaned everything I've thrown at it! One thing I was really happy with is my plastic squeeze bottles for cooking oil...I have various plastic squeeze bottles like this:
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Condiment-16-ounce-Dressing-Pinnacle-Mercantile/dp/B00OZOW6E0/
   
   I use them for various oils like olive oil, canola oil, etc. for easy squirting while cooking. The plastic tends to get VERY greasy from the oil & I've never quite been able to de-grease them, even with liquid dish soap or in the dishwasher. The FON spray did a GREAT job with them! Granted, they sucked up a little bit of the chlorine smell into the outside, but at least they're not all greasy when I touch them anymore!
   
   I have a large supply of capsules from the one-year starter kit, so I'll continue to use them & see how they fare. So far, it seems to be a pretty universal cleaner, and despite the chlorine scent (which isn't horrible, and also airs out after awhile, for the most part), isn't killing my nose, making me dizzy, or giving me headaches from the noxious smell like other cleaning chemicals do. I'll have to give it a try on carpet next, to see how it fares...

First of all, I highly recommend this book. The author is a mother of nine and is a Christian, and there is a lot of Christianity in the text, but I’m not Christian and it didn’t bother me at all. This book helped me figure out how to structure every day to get everything done. I would buy it even if it cost $100+ because it helped me so much. I reread it every so often, too.

I instituted routines that take place throughout the day, every day. We have a morning routine: wake up, bathroom, brush teeth, sunscreen, make beds, get dressed. Nothing else happens until this is done. It has saved so many tears because everyone knows what to expect, and when. Then I get breakfast prepared and they can play or use an educational game on their tablets. I only have educational games because when other things were on there it was a fight to get them to play the educational stuff; now they love it.

After breakfast we have our “after meal routine,” which the author of the above book refers to as “table chores.” I never liked the word “chore” so I don’t use it. We do this routine after every single meal, no exceptions. It gets done quickly! Here it is: take dishes to the counter, cups go on the drink tray that I keep on a shelf they can reach themselves, brush off the table, wash the table, vacuum or sweep under the table. While I’m helping with and supervising that stuff, I’m also filling a bowl or dishpan with warm, soapy water for the dishes to soak in, and another of rinse water. The kids help with the dishes. Give them a little scrub in the soapy water and then they go into the rinse water, and then to the drying rack. It seems like a lot, right? I timed it today at breakfast and it took us seven minutes from start to finish. When it’s done I say encouraging things about how shiny and pretty the kitchen looks and how they are the best helpers. I have a dust pan and brush for each child and a spray bottle for each for washing the table.

The toys are tidied up and the kids are in pajamas (more like what they will wear tomorrow, if I’m being honest) before dinner. Toys do not come back out after dinner at our house! Not unless I want tears and fighting and to probably end up in tears, myself. No thank you. Once the after meal routine is finished they can play with fluffy slime (it’s not gloopy and oozy like regular slime, or messy like play dough) or color or do something relaxing. Then we go to read books. We brush teeth halfway between book time right before I take the littlest one to bed, and then the older ones can continue reading.

I’ll add another comment when I think about more. Most of this stuff I got from that book! I really think it saved my life.

For many of these tasks I also use a microfiber cloth, but I have noticed a huge difference depending on what type of microfiber cloth I have. I prefer waffle weave or a less plush microfiber cloth for most jobs. The more plush, the more likely to simply push dust around. I save the plush ones for spills. Here is an example of different microfiber cloth weights, in order from least to the most plush. A good rule of thumb I have found is sticking to the less plush for almost anything.



Dusting: I simply use a few fine microfiber cloths dry and switch them out often as to not spread dust.

Toilet: I use a small squirt of blue dawn dish soap and bleach in the bowl, let it sit for 10 minutes in a well-ventilated room and scrub with a toilet brush. For the outside of the bowl, I fill a large spray bottle with 1/2 cup bleach, 1/8 cup blue dawn dish soap and the rest with warm water. Spray on, let sit (but don't allow to dry) and wipe with a microfiber cloth.

Shower: I use the same spray as mentioned above in the shower: fill a large spray bottle with 1/2 cup bleach, 1/8 cup blue dawn dish soap and the rest with warm water. Spray on, let sit (but don't allow to dry) and wipe with a microfiber cloth or rinse with your shower head if it is detachable. This will make your shower sparkle! (I also use this on my counter tops in the bathroom and around the sink fixture if it is extra grimy, just be sure to rinse afterward with a damp microfiber cloth.)

Walls: I use a microfiber mop to dry dust my walls. If they are especially dusty, I will dampen the mop before using. Works like a charm. I use this one and I stick with the less plush mop head.

Baseboards: I mix 1/4 cup white vinegar with 2 cups very warm water into a spray bottle and mist the baseboards (work in sections) then use a microfiber cloth, I have found waffle weave microfibers very effective. The thicker "fuzzy" microfiber cloths often just move the dust around.



I hope this was helpful! :)

You might want something more like this, as that's what I have and I use several of the attachments just for the sofa itself.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T56FK96/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_CkgAwbA49K0Y7

I use the steamer for many other things in my house like spots on the carpet/rugs, window sills in the bathroom that get mildewy in the cracks... all kinds of things! It really is a great tool to have around. One of those things that you never knew you needed until you have it lol!

The one you were looking at looks like it's only really used for wrinkles in things. Make sure though to test in an inconspicuous spot before attempting to do the whole sofa, I don't know if colors or other fabrics are effected by the high heat. I have tried my steamer on a faux silk dress that had a ton of wrinkles and it worked well for that.

Good luck! I hope you're able to bring your sofa back to life!

My kiddo is 3 now, but I had a bouncy chair for him when he was younger to keep him contained and occupied when necessary.

Summer Infant Pop N' Jump Portable Activity Center https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FHSTUIW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RNOUCbV23FMXD


I’m kind of an asshole mom, and when my son hit a short streak of being afraid of the vacuum I just did it anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️. He cried a little, and got over it fast.

I also started having him “help” (carry this thing, hold this, pick between these two options..) but that’s probably a few months down the road for you still.

I’m also a big proponent of doing a little bit frequently. So the bathroom counter gets wiped down almost every day, the toilets only need a quick swish bc I do them at least weekly. Dishes and laundry don’t pile up, so they’re never a big task. Keeping everything clean and tidy is a big deal for me, so I made a lot of effort to maintain everything as best as possible while my kiddo was little. He’s used to helping now, and actually does some useful stuff! Plus he knows how to clean up spilled stuff (milk, pee.. whatever), lol.

Speaking of optimizing, I got a standard mop handle that can be used with various attachments from different brands. Something like this, from the local hardware store: https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-FG636400LAC-Lacquered-Wood-Threaded/dp/B005KDD0KY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=wood+mop+handle&qid=1574739110&sr=8-3

My scrub brush can screw onto the handle if I want to use it that way. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Weiler-44434-Polypropylene-Overall-Length/dp/B004FTPTSA/ref=pd_sbs_328_8?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B004FTPTSA&pd_rd_r=cf61e3b6-cd60-49ad-8661-5a25a0e87da1&pd_rd_w=Tp1Pr&pd_rd_wg=JOMX0&pf_rd_p=5873ae95-9063-4a23-9b7e-eafa738c2269&pf_rd_r=2YD1N4MFHMFCS3AFJR9X&psc=1&refRID=2YD1N4MFHMFCS3AFJR9X

And the quick loop mop will also fit: https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Loop-Mop-Head-Washable-Microfiber/dp/B073T426JP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=quick+loop&qid=1574739239&sr=8-1

I appreciate not being locked into one brand ecosystem. You can get all kinds of things for a standard mop handle. This way I just have one handle and I can store all the attachments together in a box to save space.

I know of this product from two of my friends and I see it has many great reviews so you might want to try it. Good luck :)

Do you have your own closet? Maybe it would be possible for you to keep your clothes enclosed in their own garment bag, like this :

https://www.amazon.com/Richards-Homewares-Jumbo-Garment-Closet/dp/B0000TQF1Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1538511185&sr=8-2&keywords=hanging+clothes+closet+clear

This one hangs inside your closet, and there are free-standing versions too. That will protect them from outside smells, and you could also put some dryer sheets or sachets inside for some extra nice smells. Sachets inside bureau drawers will help also.

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I would recommend this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D1CX83A

You can clean hard water stains without the use of chemicals. The natural choice. :)

Iron Out is amazing! Highly recommend

Have you tried the bleach drop in tablets for the toilet tank? I am very sensitive to bleach so I was concerned about using them, but I can hardly smell anything at all and they keep the toilet bowls a lot cleaner than they stay without them.

These are the Clorox brand - https://www.amazon.com/Clorox-Automatic-Toilet-Cleaner-Tablets/dp/B00UNT65FM but you can also get generic versions. We use Publix generic bleach tablets and they work great with no noticeable scent .

I use an industrial chemical called Consume by Spartan Chemical but it's not going to be available at any normal retail store, only janitorial supply companies and stores. You can probably find a different enzymatic cleaner at your local supermarket, they're usually marketed as cleaners for pet messes (OUT!, Nature's Miracle), but they work as well on other organic matter.

Here's one available online: https://smile.amazon.com/Professional-Strength-Stain-Odor-Eliminator/dp/B00CKFL93K

I bought these little suspender things for mine. They have worked nicely. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004I3VDWY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1